Creating and selling online courses is a fantastic way to share knowledge and earn money.
But where do you start?
Picking the wrong platform can lead to wasted time and money and frustrated students.
You might worry about features, pricing, and ease of use.
How can you be sure you’re making the best choice for your courses?
This guide dives into the nine best online course platforms in 2025.
We’ll break down the pros, cons, & key features of each so you can confidently choose the perfect platform to launch your online teaching career.
Let’s get started!
What is the Best Online Course Platform?
Choosing the perfect online course platform is crucial for your success.
It can be challenging to know where to begin. Don’t worry! We’ve researched for you.
Below, we’ll explore nine top platforms, highlighting what makes each one special.
This will help you find the perfect fit for your needs and create excellent online courses.
Here are 9 of the best online course platforms to consider in 2025:
1. Kajabi
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform. It’s designed to create and sell online courses.
Think of it as your one-stop shop for everything course-related.
It handles hosting, marketing, and even payments.
Our Take
It’s great for online businesses. The price and basic community features are drawbacks. But it’s a strong contender.
Key Benefits
Kajabi simplifies online business management.
They offer a 14-day free trial. Key features include:
- Course creation and hosting.
- Marketing and sales tools.
- Community features.
- Website and landing page builder.
- Payment processing.
Pricing
Kajabi offers different pricing tiers.
These are based on features and usage.
- Kickstarter: $71/mo – 1 Website, 1 Product + 1 Community, 250 Contacts.
- Basic: $119/mo – 1 Website, 3 Product, 10,000 Contacts.
- Growth: $159/mo – 1 Website, 15 Product, 25,000 Contacts.
- Pro: $319/mo – 3 Website, 100 Product, 100,000 Contacts.
Pros
Cons
2. Thinkific
Thinkific is a popular platform. It’s specifically designed for creating and selling online courses.
It’s known for being user-friendly and having strong course-building tools.
Many creators appreciate its focus on education.
Our Take
It excels at helping you create and sell online courses. It’s easy to use and has great features. It loses a few points for its limited community options and the fact that pricing can increase as your business grows. If your primary focus is creating and selling courses, Thinkific is a great choice.
Key Benefits
- Thinkific excels at helping you build and sell online courses.
- Course Creation: Easy-to-use course builder with advanced features.
- Sales & Marketing: Tools to promote your courses and generate leads.
- Student Management: Track student progress and engagement.
- Integrations: Connect with other marketing & sales tools.
Pricing
- Basic: $36/month – Unlimited Courses, 1 Community, 5 Digital Downloads.
- Start: $74/month – Unlimited Courses, 1 Community, Unlimited Digital Downloads.
- Grow: $149/month – Unlimited Courses, 3 Communities, Live Lessons, Membership.
Pros
Cons
3. Teachable
Teachable is another popular platform. It’s known for its ease of use and affordability.
It’s a good option for creators just starting.
It focuses on helping you quickly get your courses online.
Our Take
It’s a fantastic platform for creating and selling online courses. However, it loses points for its limited community features and pricing, which can increase as you grow.
Key Benefits
Teachable excels at helping you build and sell online courses.
- Course Creation: Easy-to-use course builder.
- Sales & Marketing: Tools to promote your courses.
- Payment Processing: Seamless integration with payment gateways.
- Student Management: Track student progress and engagement.
Pricing
- Basic: $39 monthly – 5% transaction fee, 5 published products of each type (course, coaching, downloads).
- Pro: $119 monthly – 0% transactions fees, Unlimited membership tiers, Affiliate marketing.
- Pro+: $199/month – 0% transaction fees, 200 Courses, 200 Coaching products.
Pros
Cons
4. Skool
Skool is a community-based platform. It combines course hosting with community features.
It’s designed to help creators build engaged audiences.
Think of it as a place to learn and connect.
Our Take
It excels at building engaged communities and offers excellent value for its price. However, it loses a few points due to its slightly limited course customization and fewer marketing integrations than other platforms. If community is your top priority, Skool is worth checking out.
Key Benefits
- Integrated Community: Courses and discussions are seamlessly connected.
- Gamification: Built-in features to reward engagement.
- Easy Course Creation: Simple tools to build and deliver your courses.
- Direct Messaging: Connect with members one-on-one.
Pricing
- 1-month plan: $99/month
Pros
Cons
5. Circle
Circle is another community-focused platform.
It’s often used for building online communities.
It can also be used to host and sell courses. It’s very flexible.
Our Take
It provides a premium community experience with a wide range of features. It loses some points due to its higher price point and slightly steeper learning curve.
Key Benefits
Circle prides itself on fostering deeper connections and providing a distraction-free environment.
They have a proven track record, powering communities for big names like Adobe, ConvertKit, and Teachable.
- Modern Design: Clean and user-friendly interface.
- Robust Features: Discussions, events, and member management.
- Integration Options: Connect with other tools that you use.
- Customization: Tailor the look and feel of your community.
Pricing
Circle offers a 14-day free trial and three main pricing plans:
- Professional: $89 monthly – Rich member profiles, Searchable member directory.
- Business: $199 monthly – Workflows, Custom profile fields, Admin API.
- Enterprise: $360 per month – Unlimited Workflows, Custom single sign-on (SSD.)
- Plus Branded App: Custom Pricing
Pros
Cons
6. Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is a great platform for building communities and selling courses.
It combines social networking with course creation tools.
It’s ideal for creators who want a strong community focus.
Our Take
It’s an excellent platform for building online communities, especially with its mobile app. It loses points for its basic course features and pricing, which can add up.
Key Benefits
- Community Focus: Tools for fostering discussions and engagement.
- Course Creation: Build and sell online courses.
- Membership Features: Offer different membership tiers.
- Mobile Apps: Engage your community on the go.
Pricing
Mighty Networks has a few different pricing tiers:
- The Community Plan starts at $41/month: This gives you the basics.
- The Courses Plan starts at $99 per month: This unlocks more features like online courses and live streaming.
- The Business Plan starts at $179 per month: This unlocks more features SSo & Auto generated Polls.
- The Path-to-Pro starts at $360 per month: This is for larger communities with more advanced needs.
Pros
Cons
7. GoHighLevel
GoHighLevel is a marketing and automation platform.
It also offers course hosting as a feature. It’s aimed at agencies and businesses.
It’s more than just a course platform.
Our Take
It’s a powerful platform for agencies and marketers but can be overwhelming for beginners. It loses points for its complexity and steep learning curve.
Key Benefits
GoHighLevel aims to provide all the tools you need to run your online business in one place.
- Marketing Automation: Automate your marketing campaigns.
- Sales Funnels: Build and manage sales funnels.
- Course Creation: Create and sell online courses.
- Community Features: Build and manage your community.
Pricing
- Starter: $97 monthly – All the tools to capture more leads, Nurture & close leads into customers.
- Unlimited: $297 monthly – Everything in the starter plan.
Pros
Cons
8. Swarm
Swarm is a relatively new platform.
It combines course creation with community features.
It aims to make online learning more engaging.
Our Take
It’s great for building basic membership sites and fostering community. However, it loses points for its quickly scaling pricing and limited course features.
Key Benefits
Swarm focuses on ease of use and community building.
It aims to simplify the process of creating & managing a membership site.
- Intuitive Interface: Easy to navigate and set up your community.
- Flexible Memberships: Offer different tiers and access levels.
- Course Creation Tools: Build and sell your online courses.
- Community Engagement: Features to foster discussions and interaction.
Pricing
- Novice: $39 monthly – 1 space, 25 Members, Video, Voice, Text, Paid memberships.
- Pro: $79 monthly – 5 Spaces, 50 Members per space, Live Streams (45 mins).
- Expert: $149/month – Unlimited Spaces, 150 Members per space, Full White Label.
Pros
Cons
9. Bettermode
Bettermode is a community platform.
It allows you to build & manage online communities.
It can also be used to host courses.
Our Take
It’s a strong platform for those who prioritize customization and community engagement. It loses points for its complexity and limited course-building capabilities.
Key Benefits
Bettermode focuses on providing a customizable and engaging community experience.
- Customization: Tailor the look and feel of your community.
- Engagement Tools: Features for fostering discussions and interaction.
- Integration Options: Connect with other platforms.
- Analytics: Track community activity and growth.
Pricing
Bettermode offers a free plan and three paid plans:
- Starter: Free – Bettermode.io Domain, Bettermode Badge, 100 Members.
- Pro: $49/month – Unlimited Members, Custom Domain, Priority support, Advanced Analytics.
- Enterprise: Custom Pricing
Pros
Cons
What to Look For When Buying a Course Platform?
- Ease of Use: Is the platform intuitive for you and your students? A clunky interface can kill engagement.
- Pricing: Does the pricing model align with your budget and projected student numbers? Beware of hidden fees.
- Course Creation Tools: Can you easily create and customize your course content? Look for features like video hosting, quizzes, and drip content.
- Marketing & Sales Features: Does the platform offer tools like landing pages and email integration to help you promote and sell your courses?
- Community Building: Can you foster a community around your courses? Features like forums and discussion boards are valuable.
- Integrations: Does the platform simply integrate with other tools you use, like email marketing software or payment gateways?
- Student Management: Can you easily manage student enrollments, track progress, and communicate with students?
- Support: Does the platform offer reliable customer support in case of any issues?
- Mobile Friendliness: Can students easily access courses on their phones or tablets?
How Can Online Course Platforms Change the Game?
Online course platforms have revolutionized education and entrepreneurship.
They empower individuals to share their expertise with a global audience, breaking geographical barriers.
These platforms make learning more accessible and affordable, offering diverse subjects and flexible schedules.
For creators, they provide a powerful way to monetize skills and build a sustainable income stream.
They also foster vibrant learning communities, connecting students and instructors meaningfully.
Ultimately, online course platforms democratize knowledge and create opportunities for learners and educators.
Buyer’s Guide
When researching the best platform to create a course and teach online, we considered many platforms and evaluated them based on the following criteria:
- Pricing: We compared the cost of each platform, considering different subscription tiers and any hidden fees. We looked at how pricing scales with the number of students.
- Features: We examined the core features offered by each platform, including course creation tools, marketing capabilities (like course landing page builders), community features for engaging with your students, and sales tools to promote your course. We also considered if the platform offers a learning path feature.
- Ease of Use: We tested how easy it was to create a course, build a course website or landing page, and manage student interactions. Was the platform intuitive? Could a beginner quickly need to develop and launch a course?
- Marketing & Sales: We analyzed the marketing tools available. Can you effectively market your course and reach potential students? Does the platform help you promote and sell?
- Integrations: We checked if the platform integrates with other tools you might use, such as email marketing software or payment gateways.
- Support & Refunds: We investigated each platform’s customer support level. Do they have a community forum, live chat, or email support? Is there a refund policy? We even considered how platforms compare to established players like Udemy.
Wrapping Up
Choosing the perfect online course platform is a big decision.
We’ve covered nine great options in this guide. Each one has its strengths.
The best platform for you depends on your specific needs.
Consider your budget, the type of courses you want to create, and the importance of community features.
We’ve researched, so you don’t have to.
We hope this helps you find the perfect platform to launch your online courses and share your knowledge with the world!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best online course platform for beginners?
Teachable is often recommended for beginners. It’s user-friendly, affordable, and includes all the essential tools. Thinkific is another excellent option, with a drag-and-drop course builder.
How much does it cost to host an online course?
Costs vary. Some platforms offer free plans with limited features, while others charge between $39 and hundreds of dollars per month, depending on the platform & features needed.
Can I sell my online course on multiple platforms?
Yes, you can often sell your course on multiple platforms. Some platforms specialize in hosting, while others focus on marketplaces where you can reach a wider audience.
How do I market my online course?
Most platforms offer marketing tools like email marketing, landing page builders, and sales funnels. Social media marketing & paid advertising are also effective strategies.
Do I need a website to sell online courses?
Not always. Some platforms provide everything you need to host, market, and sell your courses. However, a website can help build your brand and drive course traffic.
