The eLearning market has grown into a $400+ billion industry, with more than 14% annual growth. Whether you want to sell your expertise, train employees, or learn something new, picking the right platform matters—a lot. Dozens of options exist, from simple course-hosting tools to full business ecosystems. This guide breaks down the top platforms in 2026, looking at pricing, features, and who each one actually works for.
We evaluated over 50 platforms across five dimensions: pricing and value, creator tools, student experience, marketplace reach, and technical reliability.
Our review process included checking official pricing pages from early 2026, reading user reviews on G2 and Trustpilot, surveying active course creators about their real experiences, and testing platform interfaces ourselves. We also looked at how platforms have changed over the past year, favoring ones that are improving rather than standing still.
This isn’t a paid endorsement. We evaluated platforms based on their strengths for different situations—because the “best” platform depends on your needs, technical skills, and business model.
| Platform | Starting Price | Best For | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable | $29/month | Course creators | Balance of simplicity and power |
| Thinkific | Free (basic) | Beginners | Free tier with no fees |
| Kajabi | $149/month | Serious entrepreneurs | All-in-one marketing suite |
| Udemy | Free to join | Marketplace reach | 50+ million students |
| Skillshare | $13/month | Creatives | Strong creative community |
| Coursera | Free audit | Academic/professional | University partnerships |
| LinkedIn Learning | $30/month | Career-focused | Corporate integration |
| Podia | $39/month | Simplicity | No transaction fees |
Teachable has refined its platform over the years, and in 2026 it sits at the top for creators who want professional tools without the overwhelm. It works well for first-time course creators and experienced educators alike.
Pricing starts at $29 per month for Basic, which includes unlimited courses, student management, and basic analytics. The Pro plan at $119 monthly adds course certificates, advanced integrations, and priority support. The Business tier at $299 monthly serves teams with bulk student management and custom domains. Transaction fees dropped significantly—Teachable now charges zero fees on the Pro plan for gross course sales, a major improvement for creators.
What makes Teachable strong in 2026 is its ecosystem. Beyond hosting courses, you get built-in email marketing automation, drip content scheduling, quizzes, and a clean student dashboard. The AI assistant helps generate course outlines and marketing copy, though it’s a starting point rather than a replacement for actual work. The platform integrates with Zapier, Mailchimp, and ConvertKit for more advanced workflows.
From a student perspective, courses load quickly, the mobile app works well for offline viewing, and completion rates on Teachable-hosted courses beat industry averages. Customer support improved—live chat is available on all paid plans with response times averaging under two minutes during business hours.
The downside? Teachable isn’t the cheapest, and advanced marketing features like custom checkout pages and affiliate management need higher-tier plans. But for most creators, the $119 Pro plan has everything needed to build a sustainable online education business.
Thinkific has a loyal following among new course creators, and 2026 is another strong year. Its biggest strength is accessibility—you can sign up and launch a course within hours, no technical experience needed.
The free plan stands out. It costs nothing and includes unlimited courses, students, and basic support. This makes it easy to test the waters or bootstrap without upfront costs. When ready to monetize, the Plus plan at $49 monthly adds coupons, course bundles, and advanced analytics. The Pro plan at $99 monthly unlocks certificates, drip content, and integrations. Thinkific Plus at $149 monthly adds team management and priority support.
The course builder uses a drag-and-drop interface with no coding required. You can mix video lessons, downloads, quizzes, and discussions easily. Thinkific also offers a free library of ready-made courses you can customize or use as templates—a helpful resource if you’re not sure where to start.
Thinkific lags slightly behind competitors on built-in marketing tools. Unlike Teachable or Kajabi, it doesn’t include native email marketing or automated sales funnels—you’ll need third-party integrations. The app store is solid but not as deep as some alternatives. That said, Thinkific stays focused on what it does best: course creation and delivery.
Student reviews praise the clean interface and reliable video hosting. The platform upgraded its video player in late 2025 with better playback and chapter markers. Completion tracking and progress indicators help students stay motivated, and the mobile experience works smoothly.
For beginners, Thinkific’s learning curve is nearly flat. The help center, community forums, and free courses on the platform itself mean support is always available. This combination of zero-cost entry and genuine usability makes Thinkific the top pick for anyone launching their first online course.
Kajabi targets entrepreneurs who want a complete business-in-a-box. The premium pricing rules out casual creators, but those building education businesses report high satisfaction with the feature set.
Pricing starts at $149 monthly for Basic, $199 for Pro, and $399 for Growth, with annual discounts available. These prices reflect Kajabi’s enterprise positioning. When you factor in what you’d otherwise pay for separate email marketing, website hosting, CRM, and funnel tools, Kajabi can actually save money for scaling businesses.
Kajabi excels at automation. You can build complex customer journeys, trigger emails based on student behavior, segment audiences, and create conditional logic for personalized learning. The visual pipeline builder lets you map sales funnels visually, seeing where prospects are in your customer lifecycle. This sophistication usually requires multiple tools on other platforms—Kajabi consolidates everything.
Course creation uses a clean builder with templates, themes, and customization. Video hosting is robust, with automatic optimization for different connection speeds. You can also create communities, podcasts, and webinars directly within Kajabi, reducing the need for external tools.
The trade-offs are real. Kajabi’s learning curve is steeper—new users often need weeks to feel comfortable. The mobile app works but doesn’t match some competitors’ polish. At $149+ monthly, budget-conscious creators may struggle to justify the investment, especially early on.
For entrepreneurs ready to take their course business seriously, Kajabi delivers. It consistently ranks high for creator satisfaction and revenue generation, suggesting real returns for those who invest in the ecosystem.
Udemy works differently—it’s a marketplace where instructors upload courses and benefit from Udemy’s massive traffic. With over 50 million students and 200,000+ courses, the reach is unmatched by self-hosted platforms.
Instructors can upload courses for free, with Udemy taking a significant cut—typically 50% or more for organic search sales, up to 75% for instructor-promoted sales. The new Udemy Instructor Pay Plan (2025) offers 97% revenue share when students purchase through a unique referral link, though this requires significant marketing effort.
The advantage is built-in audience. Unlike self-hosted platforms where you drive all traffic yourself, Udemy provides learners searching for courses. The algorithm favors well-rated, recently updated courses, rewarding quality content.
The downside is brand dilution. Your course sits alongside thousands of others, and Udemy controls pricing, promotions, and student data. You can’t build an email list from Udemy students, and the experience is standardized—you’re limited to Udemy’s format and features. Udemy’s frequent discount campaigns ($10-15 courses) can undercut your pricing.
For creators wanting visibility over control, Udemy stays valuable. It’s effective for testing course ideas, building an initial student base, and generating early revenue. Many successful instructors use Udemy alongside their own site, using the marketplace for discovery while converting interested students to direct courses.
Skillshare focuses on creative education. Students pay $13 monthly (or $99 annually) for unlimited access, and Skillshare pays instructors based on watch time rather than individual purchases—a different economic model.
The platform attracts students interested in design, photography, illustration, writing, and similar fields. If your expertise aligns with these areas, Skillshare’s audience is highly relevant. Quality matters—poorly produced content gets buried, while engaging classes can attract significant viewership and revenue.
Instructors earn through Skillshare’s Premium Teacher Program, with earnings based on watch time, engagement, and course relevance. Top instructors can earn meaningful income, though most creators find it supplemental rather than primary revenue.
The subscription model benefits students—they can explore many courses without per-course costs—but limits instructors’ pricing control. Skillshare offers community features, project-based learning tools, and student feedback systems.
For creative professionals looking to share skills and build an audience in design-focused fields, Skillshare fits well. The community aspect and creative focus differentiate it from general-purpose platforms, even if the revenue model requires adjusting expectations.
Coursera partners with over 300 universities and companies to offer courses, professional certificates, and degrees. Founded by Stanford professors in 2012, it’s become a significant player in credentialed education.
For individual instructors, Coursera offers two paths. Course publishing lets experts create courses under Coursera’s specs, earning through revenue share. More significantly, the Partners Program involves institutional partners like Yale, Stanford, and Google offering content directly—this is where Coursera excels.
Students use Coursera for career advancement. Professional certificates from Google, IBM, and Meta carry weight in hiring. The platform’s employer integration means Coursera courses can directly support career goals in ways self-hosted courses often can’t match.
The trade-off for instructors is limited control. Coursera maintains strict quality standards and specifications—you’re building within their framework. The platform keeps significant revenue share, and individual instructors face more barriers than on platforms like Teachable.
For academic institutions, corporate training, and credential-focused professionals, Coursera remains the default. Individual creators should carefully evaluate whether their goals align with Coursera’s institutional model before investing effort.
LinkedIn Learning, integrated into the world’s largest professional network, focuses on business, technology, and creative skills from industry experts. With over 16,000 courses and deep LinkedIn integration, it offers unique visibility.
Instructors on LinkedIn Learning are typically hired contributors rather than independent publishers. The platform provides production support, payment, and access to LinkedIn’s professional audience. Becoming an instructor is more competitive—LinkedIn selects contributors based on expertise and production quality.
The student experience benefits from LinkedIn’s professional context. Course completions display on LinkedIn profiles, adding credential value. Businesses can provide LinkedIn Learning as employee development, creating enterprise demand individual platforms can’t match.
For professionals seeking skill development, LinkedIn Learning offers courses from recognized industry experts with credentials that matter in job markets. Integration with job search and networking makes it particularly valuable for career-focused learners.
Picking a platform requires honest assessment of your situation, goals, and resources.
Budget matters. If starting with minimal capital, Thinkific’s free plan or Teachable’s lower tiers make sense. If you have budget for premium tools and plan to scale fast, Kajabi’s all-in-one approach can save money on integrations. Be realistic about what you can afford, but also consider the cost of choosing a limiting platform you’ll outgrow quickly.
Technical comfort affects your experience. Kajabi offers more power but requires more learning. If you prefer simplicity and handle marketing through external tools, Teachable or Thinkific work better. If you’re comfortable building funnels and automations, Kajabi’s capabilities become advantageous.
Your audience matters. Creatives may find Skillshare’s community valuable. Career-focused learners might prefer Coursera or LinkedIn Learning. General audiences work well on Teachable, Thinkific, or Udemy. Know where your ideal students already spend time.
Long-term business vision shapes platform choice. If you want full control over branding, pricing, and student data, self-hosted platforms like Teachable or Thinkific win. If you’re comfortable trading some control for built-in audience, marketplace platforms like Udemy add value. If you’ll need sophisticated marketing automation as you scale, consider platforms offering those features natively.
Start small, then expand. Many successful creators begin on one platform and add or migrate later. Testing with Thinkific’s free plan before committing to Kajabi’s premium pricing makes sense for uncertain creators.
What’s the best eLearning platform for beginners?
Thinkific offers the gentlest learning curve with its free plan, templates, and intuitive builder. Beginners can launch without upfront costs and add complexity as they gain confidence.
How much does creating an online course cost?
Costs vary widely. Self-hosted platforms charge $0-149 monthly. Creating the course itself requires time and potentially equipment (camera, microphone, editing software). Production quality expectations vary—basic screen recordings work for many topics, while polished video requires more investment.
Which platform pays course creators the most?
Platforms where you control pricing and student relationships (Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, Podia) offer the highest earnings per sale. Marketplace platforms like Udemy take significant cuts but provide traffic you wouldn’t generate yourself.
Can I use eLearning platforms for corporate training?
Yes. Most platforms support business or enterprise plans with team management, bulk enrollment, and progress tracking. Kajabi, Teachable, and Thinkific offer business tiers. LinkedIn Learning and Coursera have strong corporate positioning.
What’s the difference between Teachable and Kajabi?
Teachable offers course creation and basic marketing at lower prices. Kajabi provides comprehensive marketing automation, sales funnels, and CRM that justify premium pricing for scaling businesses. Teachable needs third-party integrations for advanced marketing; Kajabi includes it natively.
The eLearning platform landscape in 2026 offers real options for every type of creator and learner. Teachable earns “best overall” through balanced excellence—powerful enough for serious creators while staying accessible. Thinkific’s free plan and intuitive design make it the top choice for those starting out. Kajabi delivers comprehensive tools for entrepreneurs ready to invest in scaling. Udemy provides unmatched marketplace visibility, Skillshare connects with creative audiences, and Coursera and LinkedIn Learning serve professional and academic credential needs.
Your ideal platform depends on your specific situation—budget, technical comfort, target audience, business model, and long-term goals. The best choice isn’t always the most expensive or feature-rich; it’s the one fitting your current needs while supporting future growth. Use this guide as a starting point, take advantage of free trials and plans where available, and remember that many successful course creators evolve their platform strategy as they learn what works for their audience and content.
The eLearning market keeps growing, and opportunities for knowledgeable creators have never been better. Choose wisely, focus on creating genuinely valuable content, and your chosen platform will serve as a capable foundation.
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