Quick Answer: Which Course Platform Should You Choose?
For beginners: Kajabi offers the most comprehensive all-in-one solution with built-in marketing tools, email automation, and seamless payment processing, eliminating the need for multiple subscriptions.
For budget-conscious creators: Thinkific provides solid course hosting with no transaction fees on most plans.
For simple course delivery: Teachable excels at straightforward course creation with guided setup processes.
Article Reading Time: ~12 minutes
If you’ve been researching online course platforms, you know there’s no shortage of options or opinions about which one is “best.”
When I started creating courses back in 2015, I learned the hard way: duct-taping tools for landing pages, emails, checkout, and delivery. It was expensive, exhausting, and nerve-wracking every time I needed to make a simple change.
Discovering Kajabi felt like finally exhaling. The best platform isn’t the one with the most features. It’s the one that removes the friction between you and your students.
In this post, I’ll share my honest comparison of Kajabi, Thinkific, and Teachable through the lens of what first-time course creators actually need: speed to market, ease of use, built-in marketing tools, and room to grow.
Spoiler: If I were starting from scratch today, I wouldn’t piece things together, I’d go straight to Kajabi. Here’s why (and how the others stack up).
1. Ease of Use: Which Platform Gets You Live Fastest?
When you’re launching your first course, tech should feel simple, not like a second job. Here’s how they compare:
Kajabi: Built for Non-Techies (My Pick)
No coding, no steep learning curve. The drag-and-drop builder and dashboard make it easy to launch quickly and see your whole business in one place. Plus, white-labeling makes your site polished and uniquely yours.
Thinkific: Clean and Straightforward
Step-by-step setup and a modern interface make it beginner-friendly, but you’ll need extra tools for marketing.
Teachable: Guided Setup
Walks beginners through with prompts and tutorials. Great if you’re used to classroom teaching, but limited customization as you grow.
Winner: Kajabi, hands down. Not just for eliminating the need to learn multiple tools, but for giving you the confidence to actually use and customize your platform without fear of breaking something.
RELATED: How I Created and Recorded a Course in 7 Days
2. Built-In Marketing Tools: All-in-One vs. Best-of-Breed
Course creation is only half the battle. The other half is attracting students, converting them into buyers, and keeping them engaged. Here’s how each platform approaches marketing:
Kajabi: Complete Marketing Suite
Email automation, landing pages, sales funnels, SEO tools, analytics, and a full website builder all included. You don’t just host a course, you market and grow it in one place.
Thinkific + Teachable:
Both focus on course delivery. You’ll need third-party tools for email, funnels, and advanced analytics, adding cost and complexity.
Plus, I was saving over $300 per month compared to all those separate subscriptions. That’s money I could reinvest in content creation or marketing instead of just keeping the lights on.
Winner: Kajabi, by a significant margin. The integrated marketing tools alone justify the higher price point for most course creators who want to build a real business.
3. Monetization Features: How Each Platform Helps You Maximize Revenue
Your course platform should make it easy for students to buy and easy for you to increase average order value. Here’s how they compare:
Kajabi: Advanced Revenue Tools
0% fees, Stripe + PayPal, flexible pricing (plans, subscriptions, trials), built-in upsells and affiliates. Creators often see 20-30% revenue boosts from Kajabi’s automated upsells. Accepts 95+ currencies with automated tax handling.
Thinkific: Flexible and Fee-Free
0% fees, solid pricing options, bundles, and promotions, but fewer built-in revenue boosters compared to Kajabi.
Teachable: Simple but Limited
Standard pricing and promo tools, but 5% fees on the Basic plan and fewer advanced features.
Winners: Kajabi for advanced revenue optimization, Thinkific for fee-free transactions on a budget.
4. Student Experience: Platform Performance from Your Learners’ Perspective
A great course platform doesn’t just make life easier for you. It creates an engaging, professional experience for your students that keeps them coming back.
Kajabi: Premium Student Experience
Mobile app, high-quality video, progress tracking, certificates, discussion forums, and complete white-label branding.
Thinkific: Solid Learning Environment
Reliable video hosting, clean dashboards, certificates, quizzes, and discussion areas.
Teachable: Straightforward Portal
Good video quality, simple navigation, basic certificates, and a comments system, but fewer engagement tools.
Winner: Kajabi, particularly for the mobile app and comprehensive student engagement features that create a premium learning experience.
5. Customer Support: Getting Help When You Need It Most
Launching your first course can feel overwhelming. Quality support isn’t just helpful. It’s essential for maintaining momentum and confidence.Launching your first course can feel overwhelming, so strong support is key.
Kajabi: Best-in-class support with 24/7 live chat (fast responses), Kajabi University, live trainings, and a huge 100k+ member community.
Thinkific: Solid resources with email support, a help center, training courses, and a community forum.
Teachable: Reliable but basic. Mainly email support and help articles with slower response times.
Winner: Kajabi, for the most comprehensive support options and fastest response times.
One of my favorite things about Kajabi? My students love the platform too. Even those who’ve never taken an online course before find it easy to navigate, and some end up building their own courses on Kajabi after going through mine. That’s a testament to how approachable it really is.
RELATED: The Best Online Course Platform for 2025
6. Pricing Analysis: True Cost of Ownership
While Kajabi appears more expensive at first glance, a total cost analysis often reveals a different picture when you factor in all the tools you need to run a successful course business:
Kajabi: From $149/month, includes everything, like all your courses, email marketing, sales funnels, website, analytics, and 24/7 support.
Thinkific: Starts at $49/month, but once you add email + landing pages, you’re closer to $125/month (and more tools to manage).
Teachable: Starts at $59/month, but with added tools and 5% transaction fees on the Basic plan, it’s closer to $135/month or more.
But here’s what those numbers don’t show: the hidden costs of your time. Every integration you have to set up, every time something breaks between platforms, every hour spent watching tutorials to figure out why your systems aren’t talking to each other. That’s time you could be spending creating content, helping students, or growing your business.
Winner: Kajabi offers better value when you factor in all necessary tools AND the peace of mind that comes with having everything work together seamlessly.
When to Choose Each Platform
Choose Kajabi if: you want an all-in-one solution, integrated marketing, and professional branding that grows with you.
Choose Thinkific if: budget is your top concern and you’re comfortable managing extra tools.
Choose Teachable if: you want the simplest setup for straightforward courses.
Quick-Start Checklist: 8 Things to Prep Before Choosing Your Platform
- Define your course topic and transformation.
- Identify your target audience.
- Gather existing content you can repurpose.
- Decide on pricing (one-time, plan, subscription).
- Outline modules and lessons.
- Clarify your value proposition.
- Plan your launch sequence.
- Set success metrics (completion, revenue, engagement).
Advanced Considerations for Online Course Platform Selection
If you’re thinking long-term, here are a few extras to keep in mind:
Technical Needs: Will you need integrations, a custom domain, or white-label branding? Kajabi includes most of these out of the box.
Scalability: Consider how many students you want to serve, how much video you’ll host, and whether you’ll need advanced tools like affiliates or analytics.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Course Platforms
What’s the best course platform for beginners in 2025?
Kajabi. It’s all-in-one (courses, email, sales pages, payments), so you don’t have to juggle multiple tools or integrations.
How much does it cost to create an online course?
Kajabi starts at $149/month but replaces several other subscriptions. Thinkific ($49) and Teachable ($59) look cheaper but often need add-ons, which can bring costs closer to Kajabi’s.
Can you make money selling courses?
Yes. Profit depends on your content and marketing. Kajabi helps maximize revenue with built-in email, sales funnels, and upsell features.
Do I need technical skills to use Kajabi?
Nope. Kajabi’s drag-and-drop builder, templates, and support make it very beginner-friendly.
What’s the difference between Kajabi and Teachable?
Kajabi is all-in-one (email, funnels, websites + courses). Teachable focuses on course delivery and requires third-party tools for marketing.
Can I migrate later if I choose the wrong platform?
Yes, but it’s messy. Starting with a platform like Kajabi avoids that headache long-term.
Which platform works best for selling internationally?
Kajabi supports 95+ currencies and automates tax compliance, making it one of the strongest for global sales.
RELATED: 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a Course with Kajabi
The Bottom Line: Why Kajabi Gets My Recommendation (And My Loyalty)
After nearly a decade of creating courses, I’ve learned your platform choice shapes everything, like how fast you launch, how you market, and how much you enjoy the process.
I’ve trusted Kajabi since 2015 because it’s simple, powerful, and always innovating. Instead of juggling tools, Kajabi keeps everything under one roof, saving time, reducing stress, and fueling faster growth.
Yes, it costs more upfront, but the payoff is huge: more profitability, less complexity, and more energy for the work only you can do.
If you’re ready to stop comparing and start building, Kajabi makes it easy to dive in. Right now, you can get your first 3 months for just $99 or grab a 30-Day FREE trial of Kajabi when you sign up here!
Ready to Turn Your Expertise Into a Profitable Course?
Before diving into any platform, make sure you have a strong foundation. My mentor Amy Porterfield’s Course Confident Bootcamp provides the exact framework to create and sell a profitable course.
For just $47, you’ll learn:
- How to choose a profitable course topic
- The 4-part framework for course creation
- Pricing strategies to maximize revenue
- Audience-building tactics that work in 2025
- Launch strategies for maximum impact
This isn’t theory. It’s a workshop-style experience with Q&A and a supportive community so you can take action right away.
Want to create your own profitable digital course in 2025?
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through these links, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend tools and services I genuinely use and believe will help you succeed.
