Best course platform for communities and memberships
A place for students to talk to each other and to you — not just a video library.
| # | Tool | Starting price | Best for | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thinkific Top pick | £46/mo | Creators who want courses and a community together without paying top-tier prices. | | Visit |
| =2 | Kajabi | $179/mo | Established creators with revenue, for whom one tool replacing five is worth the price. | | Visit |
| =2 | Podia | $49/mo | Creators selling a mix of courses, downloads and coaching who want it all in one simple storefront. | | Visit |
| 4 | Teachable | $39/mo | Course creators who want a proven, course-first platform and will outgrow Starter quickly. | | Visit |
Ranked on weighted capability scores, weighted most heavily towards community features and course hosting. Commission is not an input — see methodology.
How this ranking was weighted
| Dimension | Weight | Thinkific | Kajabi | Podia | Teachable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community features | ×4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Course hosting | ×2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Value for money | ×1 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Weighted total | 86 | 80 | 80 | 49 |
Capability scores are 1–5 per dimension. Weights reflect what matters for this use case. A tool we have not assessed on a dimension scores 3, not 0.
Why Thinkific wins here
Strengths
- +Unlimited courses on every plan, including the entry Basic plan.
- +A private community with a feed and direct messages is included from Basic upwards.
- +Start adds live cohorts with unlimited Zoom sessions, memberships and payment plans.
Limitations
- −Basic limits digital downloads to five and has no certificates, memberships or payment plans.
- −Thinkific branding is only removed on the £186 Grow plan.
- −Phone and priority support are reserved for Grow.
The case for Kajabi
The premium all-in-one creator platform: courses, community, email, funnels and website under one subscription. Established creators with revenue, for whom one tool replacing five is worth the price.
Full Thinkific vs Kajabi comparison →
Common questions
Best course platform for communities and memberships?
Thinkific scores highest for community and membership, at 86 out of 100 when weighted for community features and course hosting. Kajabi and Podia are joint second on 80.
Why is the pick here different from your overall ranking?
Our overall ranking for course platforms puts Kajabi first, because it averages every use case. Weighted specifically for community and membership, Thinkific comes out ahead — a place for students to talk to each other and to you — not just a video library.
Sources & verification
- kajabi.com — checked 23 September 2026No free plan listed on the pricing page.
- podia.com — checked 23 September 2026No free plan; a 14-day free trial instead.
- teachable.com — checked 23 September 2026No free plan listed; a 7-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee instead.
- thinkific.com — checked 23 September 2026No free plan listed; a free trial on every paid plan.