The best online course platform depends on what else you need around the course. Kajabi and Systeme.io bundle email and funnels, Teachable and Thinkific focus on course delivery, Podia keeps everything simple, LearnWorlds leans on interactive video, Mighty Networks puts community first, and Udemy brings its own audience.
Selling a course is the easy part to describe and the hard part to set up. You need somewhere to host the lessons, a way to take payment, a page that sells it, and ideally a way to email the people who buy. Course platforms bundle some or all of that, and they bundle different parts.
That's why the 'best' platform is really a question about your business. A coach with a small email list needs something different from a company training a thousand customers. Here are eight established options and what each is known for, so you can shortlist two and trial them.
What should you look for in an online course platform?
- Who owns the customer relationship? On your own platform, you own the email addresses. On a marketplace, the marketplace often does.
- Course format. Video lessons, text, quizzes, downloads, live sessions and drip schedules are not all equal across tools.
- Selling tools. Checkout, coupons, bundles, payment plans and affiliate options affect how you can grow.
- Email and marketing. Some platforms include email and landing pages. Others expect you to connect your own.
- Community and coaching. If students need each other, check for discussion spaces and live events.
- Exit options. Find out how easily you can export your content and student list if you ever leave.
Online course platforms compared
| Platform | Best for | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Teachable | Creators selling courses and coaching | Straightforward course building and selling |
| Thinkific | Course creators who want control | Flexible course builder and communities |
| Kajabi | All-in-one businesses | Courses plus email, pages and funnels |
| Podia | Solo creators who want simple | Courses, downloads and memberships together |
| LearnWorlds | Interactive, video-led courses | Interactive video, quizzes and certificates |
| Mighty Networks | Community-first creators | Community with courses built in |
| Systeme.io | Lean marketers | Funnels, email and courses in one tool |
| Udemy | Reaching a ready-made audience | A large marketplace of learners |
Features and plans change often, so check each provider's current terms before you build.
The best online course platforms
1. Teachable
Teachable is a course platform focused on helping creators build, sell and deliver courses and coaching. It handles the course site, checkout and student access without much technical fuss.
Who it suits: coaches and experts who want a clear path from idea to a course people can buy.
What stands out: simplicity. You can get a course live without stitching several tools together.
Watch out for: check how much design control you get over the course site if branding matters to you.
2. Thinkific
Thinkific lets you build a course, host it on your own branded site and sell it with built-in checkout. It also supports communities and a range of lesson types.
Who it suits: creators who want a flexible course builder and the option to grow into memberships or communities.
What stands out: its balance of control and ease. It's less overwhelming than a full marketing suite.
Watch out for: if you want email marketing and funnels inside the same tool, you may need to connect other apps.
3. Kajabi
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform that combines courses, memberships, email marketing, landing pages and funnels. The idea is that you run your whole knowledge business from one login.
Who it suits: established creators and coaches who want one system rather than a stack of tools.
What stands out: the bundle. Selling, emailing and delivering happen in the same place, so there's less to connect.
Watch out for: an all-in-one system is a bigger commitment. Make sure you'll use enough of it to justify the switch. I've covered one use case in how to sell your knowledge online with Kajabi.
4. Podia
Podia is a creator platform for selling courses, digital downloads, memberships and webinars from one simple dashboard, with email tools included.
Who it suits: solo creators who sell more than one type of product and want a simple setup.
What stands out: its all-round simplicity. A creator can sell a course and a downloadable guide from the same store.
Watch out for: if you need very advanced course mechanics or deep customisation, check the limits first.
5. LearnWorlds
LearnWorlds is built around interactive learning. It supports interactive video, quizzes, assessments and certificates, along with a branded school site.
Who it suits: trainers and educators whose courses depend on engagement and completion, not just video lectures.
What stands out: the interactive learning tools. Students can answer questions and take part inside the video experience.
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Watch out for: the extra features need some set-up time, so allow for that if you're launching quickly.
6. Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is a community platform that also supports courses and memberships. The community comes first and the learning sits inside it.
Who it suits: creators whose students learn best together, such as cohort courses, masterminds and membership programmes.
What stands out: community features. Discussion, events and member profiles are central, not an add-on.
Watch out for: if you only want a simple self-paced video course, a course-first platform may be less to manage.
7. Systeme.io
Systeme.io is an all-in-one marketing platform with funnels, email, courses and affiliate management in one tool.
Who it suits: lean businesses that want sales funnels, email and a course without buying several subscriptions.
What stands out: breadth. Funnels, email automation and course hosting share one account.
Watch out for: an all-in-one tool rarely matches the depth of a specialist in every area, so test the parts you rely on most.
8. Udemy
Udemy is a marketplace rather than a platform you own. You publish a course and Udemy's audience can discover it.
Who it suits: experts who want to reach new learners without building their own audience first.
What stands out: built-in discovery. Learners already shop there, so you don't start from zero.
Watch out for: you give up control over branding and the customer relationship, and the marketplace sets many of the rules. Many creators use it for reach and sell directly elsewhere.
How do you choose between them?
Ask one question first: do you already have an audience? If you have an email list or a following, a platform you own lets you keep the relationship and the data. If you're starting cold, a marketplace can bring people in while you build your own list.
Next, decide how much you want in one place. An all-in-one tool saves integration work, but you commit to its email and page builders. A course-first tool lets you pick your own email service and website. Neither is wrong. It depends on whether you'd rather manage fewer tools or better ones.
If you haven't built the course yet, start with the notes in building an online course website. For the wider toolkit around creating content, see course creation tools.
Building a tool in this space? Here's how tools get considered for my roundups.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best online course platform for beginners?
Teachable, Thinkific and Podia are common starting points because they're straightforward to set up. Pick the one whose course format and selling features match your plan.
What's the difference between a course platform and a marketplace?
A platform lets you sell from your own branded site and own the customer relationship. A marketplace like Udemy lists your course alongside others and controls more of the experience.
Do I need an all-in-one platform?
Not necessarily. All-in-one tools such as Kajabi and Systeme.io reduce the number of apps to manage. A course-first tool plus your own email service gives you more choice in each area.
Can I move my course to another platform later?
Usually, but it takes work. Check what you can export, such as videos, text and student lists, before you commit.
