Creating and selling online courses is a fantastic way to share knowledge and earn money.
But where do you start?
Picking the wrong platform can lead to wasted time and money and frustrated students.
You might worry about features, pricing, and ease of use.
How can you be sure you’re making the best choice for your courses?
This guide dives into the nine best online course platforms in 2025.
We’ll break down the pros, cons, & key features of each so you can confidently choose the perfect platform to launch your online teaching career.
Let’s get started!
What is the Best Online Course Platform?
Choosing the perfect online course platform is crucial for your success.
It can be challenging to know where to begin. Don’t worry! We’ve researched for you.
Below, we’ll explore nine top platforms, highlighting what makes each one special.
This will help you find the perfect fit for your needs and create excellent online courses.
Here are 9 of the best online course platforms to consider in 2025:
1. Skool (⭐️4.8)
Skool is a community-based platform. It combines course hosting with community features.
It’s designed to help creators build engaged audiences.
Think of it as a place to learn and connect.
Unlock its potential with our Skool tutorial.
Our Take
It excels at building engaged communities and offers excellent value for its price. However, it loses a few points due to its slightly limited course customization and fewer marketing integrations than other platforms. If community is your top priority, Skool is worth checking out.
Key Benefits
Kajabi’s biggest strength is its comprehensive suite of tools.
They’ve helped over 75 million customers turn their passions into profitable businesses.
You get everything you need to create, market, and sell your digital products.
- All-in-one solution: No need for separate website, email, and course platforms.
- Built-in marketing tools: Create funnels, automations, and email campaigns right inside Kajabi.
- No transaction fees: You keep 100% of your earnings on all plans (minus payment processor fees).
- 24/7 support: Get help whenever you need it with their customer support team.
- Mobile apps: Members can access your content and community on the go.
Pricing
- Hobby: $9/month
- Pro: $99/month.
Pros
Cons
2. Thinkific (⭐️4.5)
Thinkific is a popular platform. It’s specifically designed for creating and selling online courses.
It’s known for being user-friendly and having strong course-building tools.
Many creators appreciate its focus on education.
Unlock its potential with our Thinkific tutorial.
Our Take
Unlock your expertise with Thinkific and create unlimited courses for an unlimited number of students. Build a professional, branded online school and keep 100% of your revenue with zero transaction fees.
Key Benefits
- Powerful Course Builder: You can create high-quality, professional courses easily. It uses a simple drag-and-drop builder to organize videos, quizzes, and text.
- Zero Transaction Fees: On their paid plans, Thinkific doesn’t take a cut of your sales. You keep all the money you earn, minus standard payment processing fees.
- Complete Customization: You can fully brand your online school to match your business. This helps you build a strong, professional presence.
Pricing
- Basic: $36/month.
- Start: $74/month.
- Grow: $149/month.
Pros
Cons
3. Teachable (⭐️4.0)
Teachable is another popular platform. It’s known for its ease of use and affordability.
It’s a good option for creators just starting.
It focuses on helping you quickly get your courses online.
Unlock its potential with our Teachable tutorial.
Our Take
Build your online business with confidence. With the teachable Builder Plan, you can sell up to 5 products with a 0% transaction fee. Stop losing money on fees and start keeping more of what you earn today.
Key Benefits
- Easy to Use: Teachable has an intuitive drag-and-drop course builder. This means you can create a course without any technical skills.
- Comprehensive Tools: It offers all the essential tools for a course creator. This includes quizzes, student management, and certificates.
- Unlimited Hosting: Even on some of the lower-tier plans, Teachable offers unlimited video storage and courses. This is great for creators with lots of content.
Pricing
- Starter: $29/month.
- Builder: $69/month.
- Growth: $139/month.
- Advanced: $309/month.
Pros
Cons
4. Circle (⭐️3.8)
Circle is another community-focused platform.
It’s often used for building online communities.
It can also be used to host and sell courses. It’s very flexible.
Unlock its potential with our Circle tutorial.
Our Take
Build a powerful community hub with Circle. Get a clean, branded space for your members to connect, with a variety of monetization options, and reduce your transaction fees from 4% to 2% by upgrading to the professional plan.
Key Benefits
Circle prides itself on fostering deeper connections and providing a distraction-free environment. They have a proven track record, powering communities for big names like Adobe, ConvertKit, and Teachable.
- Clean and organized: Easy to navigate and find what you need.
- Spaces for different topics: Keep conversations focused.
- Rich member profiles: Get to know your members better.
- Events and live streams: Host engaging online gatherings.
- Integrations: Connect with your favorite tools.
Pricing
Circle offers a 14-day free trial and three main pricing plans:
- Professional Plan starts at $89 per month: This unlocks more features and integrations.
- Business Plan starts at $199 per month: This unlocks everything in Professional Plus.
- Enterprise Plan starts at $419 per month: This is for large organizations with specific needs.
- Plus Branded App: Custom Pricing.
Pros
Cons
5. Mighty Networks (⭐️3.7)
Mighty Networks is a great platform for building communities and selling courses.
It combines social networking with course creation tools.
It’s ideal for creators who want a strong community focus.
Unlock its potential with our Mighty Networks tutorial.
Our Take
It’s a solid platform with a strong focus on community and branding. The mobile experience is top-notch. However, it can get pricey if you need all the bells and whistles.
Key Benefits
Mighty Networks is known for its mobile-first approach & its ability to create a truly unique community experience. They report that their customers see an average of 40% member engagement each month. That’s impressive!
- Branded app: Get your own community app (on higher plans).
- Customizable spaces: Design your community to match your brand.
- Multiple content types: Host courses, events, and memberships.
- Strong focus on community: Features designed to foster connection.
- Good for mobile: Perfect for communities on the go.
Pricing
Mighty Networks has a few different pricing tiers:
- The Courses Plan: $99/month.
- The Business Plan: $179/month.
- The Growth Plan: $360/month.
- Mighty Pro: Custom Pricing.
Pros
Cons
6. GoHighLevel (⭐️3.6)
GoHighLevel is a marketing and automation platform.
It also offers course hosting as a feature. It’s aimed at agencies and businesses.
It’s more than just a course platform.
Unlock its potential with our GoHighLevel tutorial.
Our Take
This is great for agencies and businesses wanting to consolidate tools. The automation capabilities are very strong. However, its vast feature set means it can be overwhelming for new users, and there’s a definite learning curve.
Key Benefits
- All-in-one marketing platform.
- White-labeling available.
- Automated campaigns.
- Lead-nurturing tools.
- Comprehensive reporting.
Pricing
- Starter: $97/month.
- Unlimited: $297/month.
Pros
Cons
7. Bettermode (⭐️3.5)
Bettermode is a community platform.
It allows you to build & manage online communities.
It can also be used to host courses.
Unlock its potential with our Bettermode tutorial.
Our Take
Customize your online community exactly how you want with bettermode. Get started with the free plan, which supports up to 100 members and 20 unique “Spaces” to organize your content.
Key Benefits
Bettermode focuses on flexibility and customization. They enable you to create a community that truly reflects your brand & caters to your specific needs.
- White-label solution: Make it your own with custom branding.
- Flexible design: Control the look and feel of your community.
- Gamification: Boost engagement with points and rewards.
- Integrations: Connect with your existing tools.
- API access: This is for advanced customization and integrations.
Pricing
Bettermode offers a free plan and three paid plans:
- Starter: $0/month.
- Pro: $49 per month.
- Enterprise: Custom Pricing.
Pros
Cons
8. LearnWorlds (⭐️3.4)
LearnWorlds is a very robust platform.
It’s an all-in-one solution for creating, selling, and marketing your courses.
It’s especially good for those who want to create a highly interactive and engaging learning experience.
Think of it as a full-featured online school.
Unlock its potential with our LearnWorlds tutorial.
Our Take
Ignite student engagement and build a thriving community with LearnWorlds. Create unlimited courses with interactive video and advanced assessment tools, empowering you to launch a professional online school.
Key Benefits
- Interactive Video Features: This is a major, unique strength. You can embed quizzes, buttons, and text directly into your videos to boost engagement.
- Built-in Community Tools: LearnWorlds lets you build a social network right within your school. This helps students connect, ask questions, and learn from each other.
- Comprehensive Assessment Engine: The platform offers advanced tools for creating quizzes, exams, and assignments. This is perfect for formal learning and certification programs.
Pricing
- Starter: $24/month.
- Pro Trainer: $249/month.
- Learning Center: $249/month.
- High Volume & Corporate: Custom Pricing.
Pros
Cons
9. Kajabi (⭐️3.2)
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for your online business.
It’s built for creators. You can make and sell online courses, coaching programs, and memberships.
It’s great because it combines everything in one place.
This means you don’t need to juggle a bunch of different tools.
Unlock its potential with our Kajabi tutorial.
Our Take
Over 50,000 creators have used Kajabi to generate over $5 billion in revenue. Ready to build a profitable business? Start your free trial today!
Key Benefits
Kajabi’s biggest strength is its comprehensive suite of tools.
They’ve helped over 75 million customers turn their passions into profitable businesses, generating over $8 billion in revenue.
You get everything you need to create, market, and sell your digital products.
- All-in-one solution: No need for separate website, email, and course platforms.
- Built-in marketing tools: Create funnels, automations, and email campaigns right inside Kajabi.
- No transaction fees: You keep 100% of your earnings on all plans (minus payment processor fees).
- 24/7 support: Get help whenever you need it with their customer support team.
- Mobile apps: Members can access your content and community on the go.
Pricing
- Kickstarter: $80/mo – 1 Website, 1 Product + 1 Community, 250 Contacts.
- Basic: $134/mo – 1 Website, 3 Product, 10,000 Contacts.
- Growth: $179/mo – 1 Website, 15 Product, 25,000 Contacts.
- Pro: $359/mo – 3 Website, 100 Product, 100,000 Contacts.
Pros
Cons
What to Look for When Buying an Online Course Creation Platform?
When choosing the right online course platform.
It’s vital to consider a comprehensive feature set that supports your entire online course creation and marketing journey.
Look for an online learning platform that offers more than just the basics.
- Ease of Use: Is the online course creation software simple to navigate? A user-friendly drag and drop editor for building your course lessons and a clean interface for the overall course creation process are essential.
- Features: Does the platform offer advanced features like student engagement tools, quizzes, and the ability to issue course completion certificates? It should support online training, video courses, and include options for downloadable resources. For those with specific needs, look for learning management systems with unique features.
- Monetization & Sales: How will you handle course sales? The platform should have robust tools like a sales page builder for creating effective sales pages. An integrated affiliate program can help you promote your course.
- Flexibility & Scalability: Look for a platform that allows for unlimited courses and supports a growing number of students. Consider if the platform can host membership sites or various digital products.
- Pricing: While a free online course platform or a free trial is a great starting point, understand the long-term costs. Watch out for high transaction fees.
- Learning Experience: Can you create a good course structure for self-paced learning? A platform that helps track student progress is a must.
- Community & Support: Does the platform offer support or a community for fellow course creators? This can be invaluable.
- The Big Picture: Consider if you need an all-in-one online solution, or if you prefer to use other platforms and integrate them. Compare the best online learning platforms and top online course platforms to see what suits your personal branding.
- No Coding Needed: The best platforms require zero technical knowledge to create online courses, allowing you to focus on your content, not code. Avoid platforms that are only suitable for building online degrees or complex online course software if that’s not your goal.
How can online course creation tools benefit you?
Online course creation tools and an online teaching platform give you the power to share your knowledge with the world.
By creating courses, you’re not just teaching; you’re building a business.
These platforms provide everything you need to build a successful course.
They handle the technical stuff, so you can focus on making great content.
Using these tools also helps you reach a bigger audience.
You can sell your digital courses on a course marketplace or on your own site.
Many platforms offer more advanced features like marketing tools and student engagement features.
This helps you to create a high-quality learning experience. You can even run training programs for businesses.
Buyer’s Guide
When researching the best platform to create a course and teach online, we considered many platforms and evaluated them based on the following criteria:
- Pricing: We compared the cost of each platform, considering different subscription tiers and any hidden fees. We looked at how pricing scales with the number of students.
- Features: We examined the core features offered by each platform, including course creation tools, marketing capabilities (like course landing page builders), community features for engaging with your students, and sales tools to promote your course. We also considered if the platform offers a learning path feature.
- Ease of Use: We tested how easy it was to create a course, build a course website or landing page, and manage student interactions. Was the platform intuitive? Could a beginner quickly need to develop and launch a course?
- Marketing & Sales: We analyzed the marketing tools available. Can you effectively market your course and reach potential students? Does the platform help you promote and sell?
- Integrations: We checked if the platform integrates with other tools you might use, such as email marketing software or payment gateways.
- Support & Refunds: We investigated each platform’s customer support level. Do they have a community forum, live chat, or email support? Is there a refund policy? We even considered how platforms compare to established players like Udemy.
Wrapping Up
Choosing the perfect online course platform is a big decision.
We’ve covered nine great options in this guide. Each one has its strengths.
The best platform for you depends on your specific needs.
Consider your budget, the type of courses you want to create, and the importance of community features.
We’ve researched, so you don’t have to.
We hope this helps you find the perfect platform to launch your online courses and share your knowledge with the world!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best online course platform for beginners?
Teachable is often recommended for beginners. It’s user-friendly, affordable, and includes all the essential tools. Thinkific is another excellent option, with a drag-and-drop course builder.
How much does it cost to host an online course?
Costs vary. Some platforms offer free plans with limited features, while others charge between $39 and hundreds of dollars per month, depending on the platform & features needed.
Can I sell my online course on multiple platforms?
Yes, you can often sell your course on multiple platforms. Some platforms specialize in hosting, while others focus on marketplaces where you can reach a wider audience.
How do I market my online course?
Most platforms offer marketing tools like email marketing, landing page builders, and sales funnels. Social media marketing & paid advertising are also effective strategies.
Do I need a website to sell online courses?
Not always. Some platforms provide everything you need to host, market, and sell your courses. However, a website can help build your brand and drive course traffic.
