Best course platform with no transaction fees
Keeping as much of each sale as possible once revenue is real.
| # | Tool | Starting price | Best for | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kajabi Top pick | $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 |
| =2 | Thinkific | £46/mo | Creators who want courses and a community together without paying top-tier prices. | | 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 low transaction fees and selling products. Commission is not an input — see methodology.
How this ranking was weighted
| Dimension | Weight | Kajabi | Podia | Thinkific | Teachable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low transaction fees | ×3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Selling products | ×3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Value for money | ×2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Weighted total | 85 | 80 | 80 | 68 |
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 Kajabi wins here
Strengths
- +No revenue share — Kajabi takes nothing from your sales beyond payment-processing fees.
- +Unlimited marketing emails, landing pages and funnels on every plan.
- +Courses, communities, email, funnels and a website under one subscription, with nothing to wire together.
Limitations
- −The most expensive entry point here — $179 a month, or $143 billed annually.
- −Basic caps you at five products and 2,500 contacts.
- −Extra contacts are sold in blocks of 25,000 for $125 a month.
The case for Podia
A simple all-in-one storefront for courses, downloads, coaching, community and events, with email built in. Creators selling a mix of courses, downloads and coaching who want it all in one simple storefront.
Full Kajabi vs Podia comparison →
Common questions
Best course platform with no transaction fees?
Kajabi scores highest for selling at scale, at 85 out of 100 when weighted for low transaction fees and selling products. Podia and Thinkific are joint second on 80.
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.