The 6 best online course platforms for coaches in 2026 (compared on real costs)
Coaches don't just sell courses. You sell programs, 1:1 calls, group sessions and ongoing memberships, often all at once. So the right platform is the one that handles all of that without taking a big cut each time a client pays you.
We compared six popular platforms on what matters to coaches: coaching features, community, and what you really pay per year. Prices are for annual billing, checked November 2026. Stripe or PayPal processing fees apply on every platform.
Disclosure: Forento is our product. We've tried to be fair, and we say where another platform is a better fit.
Quick comparison
| Platform | Cheapest plan | Platform fee | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forento | $15/mo | 0% on paid plans | Yes, 20% per sale | Coaches who want courses, coaching and membership in one branded academy |
| Kajabi | $71/mo | 0% | No | Coaches who want built-in funnels and email marketing |
| Teachable | $29/mo | 7.5% on Starter, 0% from $69/mo | Yes, $1 + 10% per sale | Course-first creators |
| Thinkific | $36/mo | 0% | No | Coaches with a big course catalog |
| Podia | $33/mo | 5% on Mover, 0% from $75/mo | No | Simple digital product stores |
| Skool | $9/mo | 10% on Hobby, 2.9% on Pro ($99/mo) | No | Community-first groups |
1. Forento
Forento combines courses, memberships, coaching sessions, events and a community in one branded academy on your own domain.
- Coaching tools: sell 1:1 or group sessions as their own product, run recurring calendar events and webinars, and add sessions to memberships.
- Community: a gamified community with channels, threaded replies and reactions, from the Start plan.
- Pricing: Free ($0, 20% per sale), Basic $15/mo, Start $39/mo, Scale $119/mo. 0% Forento fee on all paid plans. 30-day trial, no credit card.
- Watch out for: certificates and content dripping are only on Scale. Forento has no built-in sales funnels like Kajabi.
2. Kajabi
Kajabi is the best-known all-in-one platform, with funnels, email marketing and coaching built in.
- Pricing: Kickstarter $71/mo (1 product, 250 contacts), Basic $119/mo (3 products), Growth $159/mo (15 products). 0% transaction fees. 14-day trial, no free plan.
- Watch out for: product and contact caps push many coaches onto Growth, which costs $1,908 a year.
3. Teachable
Teachable is a strong course host with a student iOS app and an affiliate program.
- Pricing: Free ($1 + 10% per sale), Starter $29/mo (7.5% fee, 1 product), Builder $69/mo (0%, 5 products), Growth $139/mo.
- Watch out for: you need Builder to avoid fees and Growth for a white-label website. In 2025 Teachable moved existing customers to the new plans without keeping their old prices.
4. Thinkific
Thinkific is built for structured courses, with 0% transaction fees on every plan.
- Pricing: Basic $36/mo, Start $74/mo, Grow $149/mo. No free plan since it was removed. 14-day trial.
- Watch out for: memberships and full coaching tools start on Start, which costs $888 a year.
5. Podia
Podia is a simple store for courses, downloads and coaching.
- Pricing: Mover $33/mo with a 5% fee, Shaker $75/mo with 0%. 30-day trial. The free plan was removed in October 2024.
- Watch out for: to avoid fees you pay $900 a year on Shaker.
6. Skool
Skool is a community platform with courses and gamification built in, popular with coaches who run groups.
- Pricing: Hobby $9/mo with a 10% fee, Pro $99/mo with a 2.9% fee. Each community needs its own subscription. 14-day trial with a card.
- Watch out for: you can't put it on your own branded website, and course features are basic.
What it costs at $3,000 a month in sales
The plan that fits a typical coach (courses, coaching and a membership on your own domain), for one year with $36,000 in sales:
| Platform and plan | Subscription per year | Platform fees | Total per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forento Start | $468 | $0 | $468 |
| Teachable Builder | $828 | $0 | $828 |
| Thinkific Start | $888 | $0 | $888 |
| Podia Shaker | $900 | $0 | $900 |
| Kajabi Growth | $1,908 | $0 | $1,908 |
| Skool Pro | $1,188 | $1,044 (2.9%) | $2,232 |
How to choose
- You want funnels and email marketing in one tool: Kajabi, if the budget allows.
- Your business is mostly a community: Skool.
- You want courses, coaching and memberships on your own brand, at low fixed cost: Forento. You can start for free or try a paid plan for 30 days with no card.