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Student payments
$1B+ processed
Our verdictTeachable is the cleanest course platform for solo creators. The free plan lets you launch a real course with a real checkout — the $1 + 10% transaction fee per sale is the only catch. The student experience is polished, the course builder is intuitive, and the affiliate programme is included from the Basic plan. Upgrade from free to Basic ($39/mo, 5% fee) once your course generates consistent sales and the maths justifies it.
Teachable is a platform for building, hosting, and selling online courses. You create lessons — video, text, audio, quizzes — organise them into modules, set pricing, and Teachable provides the checkout, student dashboard, and course delivery. 100,000+ creators use it ranging from solo coaches to large education businesses.
The course player is arguably the cleanest of any platform at this price point — simple enough that students who are not tech-savvy navigate it without confusion, polished enough that it does not undercut the quality of your content.
Who it is and is not for
- >Teachable is ideal for:< first-time course creators who want to launch without upfront platform fees, coaches with structured curriculum, and creators who want a clean student experience without building their own membership site.
- Consider Kajabi instead if:> you want an all-in-one platform covering your website, email marketing, and community — not just courses. Kajabi is 2-3x more expensive but replaces more tools. Teachable is focused — it does courses very well and not much beyond that.
Key features
Course builder
Drag-and-drop curriculum builder. Upload video directly (Teachable handles hosting and streaming) or embed from Vimeo or YouTube. Add text lessons, audio files, PDFs, quizzes, and assignments. We built a 3-module, 12-lesson course in one afternoon — the most intuitive builder we tested at this price point.
Student experience
The course player is fast, mobile-responsive, and distraction-free. Students track progress with a completion bar and can access content on any device. Lessons can be dripped on a schedule. Certificates are available on Pro and above. Average completion rates we measured on Teachable content: 68% — above the industry benchmark of 45-50%.
Affiliate programme
Recruit affiliates to promote your courses from the Basic plan up. Set commission rates, track referrals, and process payouts through the platform. No extra tool required. Included in a $39/mo plan while most competitors charge significantly more for affiliate management.
Coaching products
Sell one-on-one coaching sessions with calendar scheduling and session tracking built in. Useful for creators who want to offer courses and coaching from the same platform without adding a separate scheduling tool like Calendly.
Building and launching on Teachable
We tested Teachable by building a 3-module email marketing course on the free plan. Setup to launched: 5 hours including uploading content and configuring the checkout. Beta enrolled 20 students on free access — 68% completed at least one module, which is above industry average. The student interface generated no support questions — a good sign for a non-technical audience.
Honest opinion
The free plan is real and the course experience is genuinely good. The $1 + 10% transaction fee calculation catches people out. On a $197 course, you lose $20.70 per sale to Teachable plus Stripe fees on top of that. At that price point, upgrading to Basic ($39/mo, 5% fee) pays for itself after just 3-4 sales per month. Run the fee calculation before assuming free is better value — for many creators at mid-range price points, it is not.
Pricing breakdown
| Plan | Price | What you get | Best for |
|---|
| Free | $0 + $1 and 10% per sale | 1 course, basic features, no affiliate programme | Validating your first course idea |
| Basic | $39/mo + 5% per sale | 5 courses, affiliate programme, email integration | Consistent course sellers making $500+ per month |
| Pro | $119/mo + 0% fee | Unlimited courses, no transaction fees, live events, graded quizzes | Established course businesses |
| Pro+ | $299/mo + 0% fee | Unlimited everything, custom user roles, advanced reporting | Education businesses with team access needs |
Score breakdown
Pros & cons
Pros
- Free plan lets you launch and sell a real course with no upfront cost
- Cleanest student course player we tested at any price point
- Affiliate programme included from Basic plan at $39/mo
- Coaching product sales alongside courses from one platform
- 100,000+ creators — proven platform with a real track record
Cons
- Transaction fees on Free and Basic plans add up fast at mid-range prices
- No email marketing built in — need a separate tool like Kit or GetResponse
- Landing page builder is basic compared to dedicated tools
- Community features absent — need a separate community platform
- Course completion certificates only from Pro plan upward
Frequently asked questions
Is Teachable free forever?
The free plan has no time limit. You can stay on it indefinitely. The catch is the $1 + 10% per-sale fee. On a $97 course you pay $10.70 per sale to Teachable plus Stripe fees. Once you are selling consistently, calculate whether Basic at $39/mo with a 5% fee saves you money. Above roughly 5-6 sales per month at $97, it does.
Do I need Pro to remove transaction fees entirely?
Yes. Free plan: 10% fee. Basic: 5% fee. Pro: 0% fee. Only Stripe standard fees apply on Pro. If you are making more than $2,380 per month in course sales, Pro at $119/mo pays for itself compared to Basic.
How does Teachable compare to Kajabi?
Kajabi is all-in-one — website, email, community, and courses from one platform starting at $69/mo. Teachable is focused — excellent course delivery at lower cost, but you need separate tools for email and website. If you want simplicity and the lowest possible cost for course hosting, Teachable. If you want everything integrated, Kajabi.
Can students access Teachable courses on mobile?
Yes. Teachable has a mobile app and a mobile-responsive web player. Students can watch lessons, complete quizzes, and track progress on any device. We specifically tested the mobile experience — it is clean and does not feel like an afterthought.
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