Best online course platforms for independent teachers in 2026
October 13, 2026 · 7 min read · Other platforms' prices and fees checked October 13, 2026
There are two kinds of course platforms: marketplaces that sell your course for you (and keep a large share), and platforms where you run your own academy. TeachMillers is the second kind, with a curated marketplace on top. Here is how the main options compare on what matters most to independent teachers.
Fees at a glance
| Platform | Starting price | Platform fee on sales |
|---|---|---|
| Udemy | Free to publish | Udemy keeps 63% of sales it brings; 3% on your own coupons |
| Thinkific | $54/mo ($40 yearly) | Extra gateway fee if not using Thinkific Payments |
| Teachable | $39/mo ($29 yearly) | 7.5% on Starter, 0% above (with Teachable Payments) |
| Kajabi | $179/mo ($143 yearly) | 0.5% to 2% extra with a third-party processor |
| Skool | $9/mo | 10% (Hobby) or 2.9% (Pro) |
| Podia | $42/mo (yearly) | 5% on Mover, 0% above |
| LearnWorlds | $29/mo ($24 yearly) | $5 per paid enrollment on Starter |
| Circle | $89/mo (yearly) | 2% on Professional, 0.5% to 1% above |
| TeachMillers | Free plan | None, only Stripe's card fee |
What to look for
- Who owns the student relationship: can you see and export your students' emails?
- Where the money goes: your own payment account, or the platform's.
- Live teaching: is there a live room and cohorts, or do you need Zoom and another tool?
- Community: is it included, and on which plan?
- Discovery: can new students find you, or is all traffic up to you?
Where TeachMillers fits
TeachMillers gives every teacher their own academy: a website on their own subdomain or custom domain, with courses, live cohorts, a private community, books, guides and memberships. Students pay the teacher directly through the teacher's own Stripe account. TeachMillers takes no share of sales; it earns only from the teacher's plan. Stripe's own card fees still apply. The students are the teacher's: names and emails are visible in the dashboard and can be exported. On top of their own academy, teachers can be listed in the curated TeachMillers marketplace, where every course, cohort and book is reviewed before it appears.
Try TeachMillers free
Your own academy, your students, paid straight to your Stripe with 0% platform fee.
Questions
- Which course platform has no transaction fees?
- Several have 0% on higher plans. TeachMillers has no platform fee on any plan, and pays you through your own Stripe account.
- What is the difference between a marketplace and a course platform?
- A marketplace sells your course to its own audience and keeps a large share. A course platform gives you your own academy and your students. TeachMillers is a platform with a curated marketplace on top.
Sources
- Udemy revenue share
- Thinkific pricing
- Teachable pricing
- Kajabi pricing
- Skool pricing
- Podia pricing
- LearnWorlds pricing
- Circle pricing
Prices and fees change. Always check the provider's own page before deciding.