This is the guide this site exists to write. Course platforms quote a monthly price and whisper the rest: platform transaction fees, payment processing, add-ons. Here's every layer, then the real total cost of the major platforms at three sales volumes — the table we wish had existed when we started.
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1. Layer 1: The subscription
The visible price: Thinkific free-$199, Teachable free-$159+, Podia ~$39-89, Kajabi ~$149-399, Skool ~$99 flat, Systeme.io free-$97. This is the number everyone compares — and the least decisive one at volume.
Visit Layer 1: The subscription →✦
2. Layer 2: Platform transaction fees
The platform's own cut: Gumroad ~10% flat; Teachable and Circle historically charge percentages on lower tiers falling to 0% higher up; LearnWorlds ~$5/sale on entry; Kajabi, Skool and paid Thinkific: 0%. This single line is why 'cheap' plans can be expensive and why every review on this site quotes it.
Visit Layer 2: Platform transaction fees →✦
3. Layer 3: Payment processing
Stripe/PayPal fees apply on every platform, roughly 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. No platform escapes it, so it doesn't change rankings — but budget for it: on $2,000/month it's ~$60-70.
Visit Layer 3: Payment processing →✦
4. Layer 4: The stack around the platform
Barebones platforms (Thinkific, Teachable) usually need an email tool (~$0-50) and maybe funnel pages. All-in-ones (Kajabi, Systeme.io, Podia) include them. Compare complete stacks, not lone platforms — it's the only fair fight. (For the content-creation side — AI writing, design and video tools — see our sister site AIToolDecks.)
Visit Layer 4: The stack around the platform →The real-cost table
Approximate monthly totals (subscription + platform fees, excluding universal payment processing), using typical mid tiers — verify current numbers before deciding:
| Platform | At $500/mo sales | At $2,000/mo | At $10,000/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gumroad | ~$50 | ~$200 | ~$1,000 |
| Thinkific (paid) | ~$49 | ~$49 | ~$49-199 |
| Teachable (fee tier) | ~$39-64 | ~$39-139 | upgrade to 0% tier |
| Podia | ~$39-45 | ~$39-89 | ~$89 |
| Kajabi | ~$149 | ~$149 | ~$149-199 |
| Systeme.io | ~$0-27 | ~$27-47 | ~$97 |
The pattern: percentage-fee platforms win small and lose big; flat-subscription platforms lose small and win big. Your projected volume — not anyone's ranking, including ours — picks your platform.
Frequently asked questions
Which course platform has the lowest fees?
At meaningful volume: Kajabi, Skool and paid Thinkific (0% platform fees). At low volume: Gumroad and free tiers, where you pay only when you sell.
Why does Gumroad get expensive?
A flat ~10% scales with revenue forever — at $10k/month you'd pay ~$1,000 monthly for what a $49-149 subscription does better.
Do all platforms charge payment processing?
Effectively yes (~2.9% + $0.30 via Stripe/PayPal). It's universal, so exclude it when comparing platforms against each other.