Choosing the right platform can make or break your course business. In 2026, “online course platforms” are no longer just video hosting + a checkout page. The best options now blend course creation, payments, marketing, analytics, mobile learning, and—more than ever—community and live learning experiences.

This guide compares the 15 best online course platforms in 2026 across different creator styles:

• All-in-one creator platforms (build, sell, market, and manage)
• Community-first platforms (engagement + recurring revenue)
• WordPress LMS plugins (maximum ownership + customization)
• Corporate LMS tools (training teams at scale)
• Marketplaces (fast audience access, less control)
• Cohort-based/live learning platforms (premium outcomes)

Key Takeaways

• If you want maximum brand + audience ownership, prefer hosted creator platforms (Teachable/Thinkific/LearnWorlds) or WordPress LMS (LearnDash/LifterLMS).
• If retention and recurring revenue matter, community-first platforms (Mighty Networks/Circle) can outperform “course-only” stacks.
• If you want speed and simplicity, Podia is often the easiest all-in-one starting point.
• If you want marketing automation + funnels baked in, Kajabi is a strong “business-in-a-box” option.
• If you want instant distribution, marketplaces (Udemy/Skillshare) can work—but you trade off pricing control and audience ownership.
• In 2026, prioritize platforms that support AI-assisted creation, mobile learning, global payments/taxes, and community + live sessions.

Table of Contents

How to Choose the Right Course Platform in 2026

Before you compare features, decide what you’re actually building. A platform that’s perfect for a “$29 mini-course” might be terrible for a premium cohort program or a membership community.

Step 1: Pick your business model

• One-time course sales (evergreen): simple checkout + strong landing pages.
• Membership / subscription: community, recurring billing, content dripping, retention analytics.
• Cohort-based course: live sessions, scheduling, group accountability, projects, and facilitation tools.
• Corporate training: seats, roles, SSO, reporting, compliance, and content management at scale.
• Marketplace distribution: leverage an existing audience; accept lower control.

Step 2: Decide how much ownership you need

If your long-term goal is a brand and an email list you fully own, avoid relying only on marketplaces. If you want maximum control over the entire experience (site + checkout + data), WordPress LMS plugins can be unbeatable—if you’re comfortable managing tech.

Step 3: Score platforms on what matters most

A practical way to compare platforms is to score them 1–5 on:

• Course creation (modules, quizzes, assignments, certificates, uploads)
• Community & engagement (groups, events, live streams, DMs)
• Sales & marketing (funnels, email, upsells, coupons, affiliates)
• Payments & taxes (global payments, VAT/sales tax, payout handling)
• Analytics (completion, revenue, cohorts, retention)
• Customization (branding, themes, custom domains, integrations)
• Scalability (admins, roles, automations, enterprise needs)

Step 4: Validate with your “must-haves”

Common deal-breakers in 2026 include:

• Mobile learning experience (native apps vs responsive web)
• Transaction fees (platform fees vs only payment processor fees)
• Community features (do you need them in-platform?)
• Affiliate program support
• SCORM support (corporate training)
• White-label needs (remove platform branding)

Quick Comparison Table (15 Platforms)

Pricing and plan names change often—use the official links in each section to confirm current details.

The 15 Best Online Course Platforms (Reviewed)

1) Teachable

Best for: Creators selling courses, coaching, and digital downloads who want a platform that balances course delivery with selling tools.

Why it stands out in 2026: Teachable continues to focus on creator monetization features—checkout optimization, upsells, affiliate support, and tools that help you sell more, not just host videos.

• Official site: https://www.teachable.com/
• Pricing page: https://www.teachable.com/pricing
• Plan updates info: https://support.teachable.com/en/articles/11682410-new-teachable-plans-in-june-2025

Watch-outs: Compare transaction fee rules across plans and confirm how many published products you can launch on the plan you choose.

2) Thinkific

Best for: Course businesses that want a reliable LMS feel with strong scalability and professional delivery.

Thinkific is popular with creators who care about course structure, student experience, and business operations. It’s a strong choice when you want a platform that feels like “education software,” not just a storefront.

• Official site: https://www.thinkific.com/
• Pricing page: https://www.thinkific.com/pricing/
• Plan guidance: https://www.thinkific.com/blog/which-thinkific-plan-for-you/

Watch-outs: If you need advanced marketing automation, you may rely more heavily on integrations than an “all-in-one marketing” platform would.

3) Kajabi

Best for: Creators who want an all-in-one business platform—courses + website + email + funnels—without stitching multiple tools together.

Kajabi is famous for being “expensive but complete.” If you sell multiple products (courses, memberships, coaching) and want a single dashboard for marketing and delivery, it can simplify your stack dramatically.

• Official site: https://kajabi.com/
• Pricing: https://kajabi.com/pricing
• Features overview: https://kajabi.com/features

Watch-outs: Kajabi can be overkill for “one course” creators. If you won’t use funnels/email automations, consider cheaper alternatives.

4) LearnWorlds

Best for: Creators who want more interactive learning experiences—beyond basic video lessons.

LearnWorlds positions itself as a learning-focused platform with tools that push completion and engagement. If you care about pedagogy (how people learn), it’s a strong pick.

• Official site: https://www.learnworlds.com/
• Pricing: https://www.learnworlds.com/pricing/
• Plan comparison: https://www.learnworlds.com/plans/

Watch-outs: The feature depth is great, but it can feel like “a lot.” Plan time for setup and course design.

5) Podia

Best for: Beginners and small businesses that want an easy, friendly platform to sell courses, downloads, and memberships.

Podia is one of the simplest all-in-one platforms to start with—clean UI, straightforward website + email marketing basics, and minimal complexity.

• Official site: https://www.podia.com/
• Pricing: https://www.podia.com/pricing
• Help article (plans): https://help.podia.com/en/articles/11370888-podia-plans-pricing-faqs

Watch-outs: If you need advanced corporate features (SSO, deep reporting), look elsewhere.

6) Mighty Networks

Best for: Community-first businesses selling courses, memberships, and events together.

Mighty Networks is a top choice when your content works best with community energy—discussion, accountability, live sessions, and recurring membership value.

• Official site: https://www.mightynetworks.com/
• Pricing: https://www.mightynetworks.com/pricing
• Courses product page: https://www.mightynetworks.com/product/online-courses

Watch-outs: It’s not a traditional “LMS-first” platform—so if you need strict lesson paths, advanced testing, or SCORM, consider a classic LMS.

7) Circle

Best for: Premium communities that want to add (or migrate) courses into a unified community experience.

Circle has become a go-to platform for creators who want a professional community UX—events, spaces, workflows—plus course experiences integrated into the community.

• Official site: https://circle.so/
• Pricing: https://circle.so/pricing
• Courses overview: https://circle.so/courses
• Course platform page: https://circle.so/platform/courses

Watch-outs: Circle is strongest when community is central. If you want a purely course-centric LMS with complex testing, you may prefer Thinkific/LearnWorlds.

8) LearnDash (WordPress LMS)

Best for: Creators who want maximum ownership and WordPress flexibility.

LearnDash is a powerful WordPress LMS plugin—meaning your courses live on your own WordPress site. This gives you full control over branding, SEO, data, and integrations, especially if you’re already running WordPress.

• Official site: https://www.learndash.com/
• Pricing: https://www.learndash.com/buy-lms-now/

Watch-outs: You are responsible for hosting, backups, security, and performance. Budget time (or money) for maintenance.

9) LifterLMS (WordPress LMS)

Best for: WordPress course creators who want to start free and add features later.

LifterLMS offers a free core plugin, and you add functionality via paid add-ons or bundles. It’s popular with creators who want WordPress ownership without committing to a big upfront license.

• Official site: https://lifterlms.com/
• Pricing: https://lifterlms.com/pricing/

Watch-outs: Add-ons can increase both cost and complexity. Plan your stack (payments, memberships, email, community) early.

10) Moodle / MoodleCloud

Best for: Institutions, academies, and training teams needing a mature LMS with deep learning management features.

Moodle (open-source) is one of the most established LMS options in the world. You can self-host Moodle for maximum flexibility, or use MoodleCloud for managed hosting plans.

• MoodleCloud product: https://moodle.com/products/moodlecloud/
• MoodleCloud standard plans: https://www.moodlecloud.com/standard-plans/
• MoodleCloud home: https://www.moodlecloud.com/

Watch-outs: Moodle’s power comes with admin overhead. If you want “creator simplicity,” a hosted creator platform may feel faster.

11) TalentLMS

Best for: Companies doing employee training, compliance, onboarding, and internal learning.

TalentLMS is built for training organizations—branching, user management, structured reporting, and business-grade controls. It’s a strong fit when your audience is employees, not consumers.

• Official site: https://www.talentlms.com/
• Pricing: https://www.talentlms.com/prices
• Help article: https://help.talentlms.com/hc/en-us/articles/9652402239516-How-TalentLMS-subscription-plans-work

Watch-outs: If your focus is creator branding + marketing funnels, TalentLMS may feel more “corporate” than you want.

12) Uscreen

Best for: Video-first memberships and creators who want OTT-style experiences (apps, TV apps, subscriptions).

Uscreen is a membership platform that’s extremely strong for video monetization—especially when you want to build a “Netflix-like” content library with subscriptions and apps.

• Official site: https://uscreen.tv/
• Pricing: https://uscreen.tv/pricing
• Plan comparison: https://www.uscreen.tv/plans-comparison/
• Fees/help info: https://help.uscreen.tv/en/articles/5517288-schedule-of-fees-for-uscreen-services

Watch-outs: Some plans include per-subscriber fees, so your cost can rise with growth (which can be fine—just plan for it).

13) Maven

Best for: Premium cohort-based learning with live sessions, outcomes, and community-driven transformation.

If you sell high-ticket learning experiences (think: career transformation, portfolio-building, mentorship), cohort learning platforms can outperform evergreen video courses because the experience is structured, social, and time-bound.

• Official site: https://maven.com/
• Help article (pricing guidance): https://help.maven.com/en/articles/6732396-pricing-your-course

Watch-outs: Maven-style cohort businesses often require active facilitation (live teaching, community management, feedback). If you want fully passive evergreen sales, look elsewhere.

14) Udemy

Best for: Instructors who want immediate access to a huge marketplace audience.

Udemy is a course marketplace, not just a creator platform. That means you can publish courses without building your own website, but you typically give up control over pricing, promotions, and direct customer ownership.

• Official site: https://www.udemy.com/
• Instructor revenue share (official): https://support.udemy.com/hc/en-us/articles/229605008-Instructor-Revenue-Share
• Subscription terms update (Udemy Teach): https://teach.udemy.com/enabling-investment-subscription-terms-update/

Watch-outs: Marketplace dynamics can change quickly (promotions, revenue share, subscription rules). Treat Udemy as a distribution channel—ideally alongside an owned platform where you control the audience relationship.

15) Skillshare

Best for: Creative instructors (design, art, productivity, creative business) who want discovery-based growth.

Skillshare focuses heavily on creative learning and platform discovery. Earnings are typically tied to engagement/watch time and platform programs—so it’s powerful for visibility, but less predictable than direct sales.

• Teach on Skillshare: https://www.skillshare.com/en/teach
• How earnings work: https://help.skillshare.com/hc/en-us/articles/4415798406285-Earn-From-Your-Teaching
• 2026 earnings update (official): https://help.skillshare.com/hc/en-us/articles/41694886825229-Skillshare-Teacher-Earnings-Update-Effective-January-1-2026

Watch-outs: As with all marketplaces, policy changes can affect payouts. Use Skillshare to grow reach, then consider moving your most engaged audience to an owned platform for long-term stability.

Platform Trends to Watch in 2026

1) Community is no longer optional

Completion rates and retention improve when learners can ask questions, share progress, and feel seen. That’s why community-first platforms—and course platforms adding community—are winning.

2) AI-assisted creation is becoming standard

Platforms are increasingly adding AI help for outlines, quizzes, subtitles, translations, and marketing copy. This reduces time-to-launch and lets creators focus on outcomes and teaching quality.

3) Mobile learning experiences matter more

Students expect learning on mobile. If a platform offers strong mobile UX (or native apps), it can improve engagement and reduce refunds—especially for busy professionals.

4) Global selling needs global payments + taxes

If you sell internationally, you’ll want clean checkout experiences, local payment support, and tax/VAT handling options (or integrations) to avoid operational headaches.

5) The market is consolidating

The online learning industry continues to evolve with partnerships and consolidation. That can create better bundles and bigger ecosystems—but also policy changes. Build with flexibility so you can adapt.

Migration Checklist (If You’re Switching Platforms)

• Export customer list (email + purchase history) and confirm you can import it.
• Rebuild landing pages or redirect URLs to keep SEO value.
• Move content smartly: prioritize top-selling modules first.
• Recreate products: bundles, upsells, coupons, affiliates, subscriptions.
• Test checkout end-to-end (payments, taxes, receipts, access emails).
• Communicate clearly to students about the change and timeline.
• Run parallel for 2–4 weeks if possible to reduce disruption.

FAQs

Which online course platform is best in 2026?

There isn’t one best platform for everyone. If you want a balanced creator platform, start with Teachable, Thinkific, LearnWorlds, or Podia. If you want marketing automation baked in, Kajabi is strong. If community is central, Mighty Networks or Circle can be better than a classic LMS.

Is it better to sell courses on my own site or a marketplace?

Own site = higher control and audience ownership. Marketplace = faster discovery but less control over pricing, promotions, and customer relationship. Many successful creators do both: marketplace for reach + owned platform for long-term stability.

What’s the best platform for cohort-based courses?

If your course is live and outcome-driven (projects, feedback, accountability), cohort platforms like Maven can be a great fit. Community-first platforms like Mighty Networks can also work well for cohorts.

Do I need WordPress to sell online courses?

No. Hosted platforms (Teachable/Thinkific/LearnWorlds/Podia/Kajabi) don’t require WordPress. But WordPress LMS plugins (LearnDash/LifterLMS) offer maximum control if you’re comfortable managing hosting and plugins.

What platform is best for corporate training?

For internal training (employees, compliance, reporting), consider TalentLMS or Moodle/MoodleCloud. They’re built around user management, reporting, and training structures.

How do I avoid high fees when selling courses?

Compare platform transaction fees (if any), payment processing fees, and any per-subscriber fees. Often the best move is to choose a platform that matches your model—e.g., memberships may justify higher fees if retention is strong.

References & Helpful Links

• Teachable Pricing
• Thinkific Pricing
• Kajabi Pricing
• LearnWorlds Pricing
• Podia Pricing
• Mighty Networks Pricing
• Circle Pricing
• LearnDash Pricing
• LifterLMS Pricing
• MoodleCloud Plans
• TalentLMS Pricing
• Uscreen Plan Comparison
• Udemy Instructor Revenue Share
• Skillshare Teacher Earnings Update (2026)