Course Platform Pricing Compared
Most pricing pages hide transaction fees, student limits, and feature gates behind fine print. We broke down the real total cost of every major platform — so you never get surprised.
Dedicated LMS Pricing Guides
Every plan, every fee, every limitation. Plus real-world cost scenarios at three revenue levels.
Kajabi Pricing
Kajabi Payments adds 0.7% on subscriptions and 1.5% on international cards — per Kajabi's own KB. Full plan breakdown: $143-$399/mo plus feature gates.
Teachable Pricing
Starter is $29/mo annual, but the 7.5% fee costs $150/mo at $2,000 revenue — 5x the plan — and caps you at 100 students. No free plan since 2025.
Thinkific Pricing
What Thinkific costs in 2026: Basic $40/mo annual, Start $82, Grow $164, plus the 5/2/1% fee you pay for using your own Stripe. 30-day trial, no free plan.
Podia Pricing
What Podia actually costs in 2026. Three plans ($42-$150/mo annual), the 5% Mover fee, metered email contacts, and when Shaker starts saving money.
Mighty Networks Pricing
Every Mighty Networks plan, transaction fees (0.5-2% on every plan), mobile app costs, and real-world cost scenarios at three revenue levels.
LearnWorlds Pricing
Every LearnWorlds plan, feature-gating, and real-world cost scenarios. Plus which plan you actually need for common course use cases.
Skool Pricing
Skool's real fee structure in 2026: 10% + 30¢ on Hobby, plus a Pro tier most reviews miss — fees jump from 2.9% to 3.9% on sales above $899.
Circle Pricing
Every Circle plan, transaction fees, and real-world cost scenarios at three revenue levels. Plus an honest Ruzuku comparison.
Udemy Pricing
Udemy keeps 63% on marketplace sales and 3% on instructor coupons. See the exact 2026 revenue split, $9.99 sale discounting math, and payouts.
GoHighLevel Pricing
Starter at $97/mo unlocks full course tools; $297 buys sub-accounts. See the full 2026 pricing breakdown, phone/email wallet fees, and real costs.
ThriveCart Pricing
ThriveCart now starts at $37/mo billed annually ($47 monthly) with a 30-day trial. Plus the 0.5% tax fee its 0% marketing doesn't mention.
Xperiencify Pricing
Xperiencify pricing starts at $99/mo Growth plan with published-course and active-customer caps — and no email marketing on any tier.
Graphy Pricing
Graphy costs $49-$399/mo with 0% platform fee, but mobile apps are DIY on Rise+ and 'Advanced DRM' on Scale is undefined. Full breakdown.
Nonprofit & Grant-Funded Pricing
Nonprofits teach people they do not employ — volunteers, advocates, partner agency staff, and the public. Ruzuku offers a verified 30% discount on annual plans plus a one-time Lifetime Pro license ($4,950) designed specifically for grant funding cycles with zero recurring line items.
Creator & Marketing Funnel Pricing
Selling digital products or paid communities through link-in-bio stores, funnels, or membership platforms? Here is what Whop, Stan Store, Patreon, Substack, and funnel builders take from your revenue.
ClickFunnels, Kartra & Systeme.io Pricing
Compare all-in-one marketing funnel builder costs, transaction fees, and what course delivery actually costs on funnel software.
Stan Store Pricing Breakdown
What Stan Store's $29/mo Creator and $99/mo Creator Pro plans actually unlock, and why link-in-bio stores break down for real courses.
What Whop's Fees Cost a Course Seller
Whop's 3% + payment processing fee schedule broken down across real creator monthly revenue scenarios.
Patreon Pricing for Course Creators
The creator break-even math: when Patreon's 8% to 12% revenue take costs more than a dedicated course platform.
Substack for Course Creators
Can you run a course on Substack? Hidden fees, 10% platform cuts, and when newsletters fall short for structured learning.
At a Glance
| Platform | Cheapest Plan | Tx Fees | Courses | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruzuku | Free / $99/mo | 0% | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Kajabi | $179/mo | 0% (Kajabi Payments) | 5 products | 2,500 contacts |
| Teachable | $39/mo | 7.5% | 5 published products | 100 students |
| Thinkific | $54/mo | 0% on Thinkific Payments, 5% on your own Stripe | Unlimited | 10,000 current students |
| Podia | $49/mo | 5% | 50 products | Unlimited |
| Mighty Networks | $79/mo | 2% | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| LearnWorlds | $29/mo | $5 per enrollment | Unlimited paid courses | Unlimited |
| Skool | $9/mo | 10% + 30¢ per transaction | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Circle | $89/mo | 2% | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Udemy | Free | 63% to Udemy | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| GoHighLevel | $97/mo | 0% | No course limit published | Unlimited contacts and users |
| ThriveCart | $47/mo | 0% platform fee; 0.5% per transaction when tax collection is on | Unlimited (Academy Starter included) | Unlimited students; up to 2,000 community members |
| Xperiencify | Free | Standard Stripe/PayPal processing only | Build unlimited courses — billing starts when you publish | Test users only |
| Graphy | $49/mo | 0% (Stripe 2.9% + 30¢ applies) | Unlimited products | 10,000 contacts |