Free online course platforms in 2026: what "free" really costs you
A free plan is the cheapest way to launch your first course, but each platform charges you in a different way. Some take a cut of every sale. Others limit your contacts or products. A few have dropped their free plans altogether.
Here is what each free plan costs in practice, and when you should switch to paid. Checked November 2026. Stripe or PayPal processing fees apply on top of everything below.
Disclosure: Forento is our product.
Free plans compared
| Platform | Free plan | What you pay | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io | Yes | 0% platform fee | 2,000 contacts |
| Payhip | Yes | 5% per sale | None on features |
| Teachable | Yes | $1 + 10% per sale | Product limits apply |
| Forento | Yes | 20% per sale | No custom domain; Forento watermark |
| Kajabi | No | 14-day trial only | - |
| Thinkific | No (removed) | 14-day trial only | - |
| Podia | No (removed Oct 2024) | 30-day trial only | - |
| Skool | No | 14-day trial, card required | - |
Commission vs subscription: the math
A free plan with a commission costs nothing until you sell. Once you sell regularly, a small subscription usually wins. On Forento, the Free plan's 20% costs more than the $15/month Basic plan as soon as you sell more than $75 a month.
| Monthly sales | Forento Free (20%) | Forento Basic ($15/mo, 0%) |
|---|---|---|
| $50 | $10 | $15 |
| $75 | $15 | $15 |
| $300 | $60 | $15 |
| $1,000 | $200 | $15 |
Our advice: start free while you build and test your course. Upgrade the month your sales pass the break-even point.
The free plans, one by one
Systeme.io has the most generous free plan on fees: 0% and up to 2,000 contacts. It's a funnel and email tool first, so courses are simpler than on dedicated course platforms.
Payhip includes all features on its Free Forever plan and takes 5% per sale. It's a good fit if you mainly sell downloads with a course on the side.
Teachable lets you launch for free but takes $1 + 10% of each sale. Its lowest plan with 0% fees is Builder at $69/month (billed annually).
Forento includes courses, exams, downloads, coaching sessions, events, webinars and memberships on the Free plan, with 20% per sale. On Basic ($15/month, billed annually) you add your own domain, remove the watermark, and pay 0% commission.
Which free plan should you pick?
- You'll build an email list first and sell later: Systeme.io.
- You sell mostly digital downloads: Payhip.
- You want courses, coaching and memberships in one branded academy, with a cheap upgrade: Forento. Start for free, or try any paid plan for 30 days with no card.