8 Best Skillshare Alternatives in 2026 (Free & Paid)
Skillshare is subscription learning platform paying teachers from a royalty pool by minutes watched plus referral bonuses., priced at free. If it is too expensive, too slow or simply not a fit, these are the strongest alternatives we have reviewed.
1
All-in-one courses, memberships, coaching, podcasts, email and websites for established creators, from $71 a month.
#12k web rank · ▼ 70 this week · From $71/mo; 0% transaction fee · accepts Health & Supplements
8.3/10
Kajabi bundles courses, memberships, coaching, podcasts, communities, email marketing, funnels and a website into one subscription from $71 a month with no transaction fees. It suits creators already selling who want fewer tools; a first course is cheaper elsewhere. Read more →
Pros
- Replaces a course platform, email tool, website and funnel builder
- Strong marketing automation and mobile app
Cons
- Expensive at entry
- Overbuilt for a single small course
Pricing: Paid from $71/mo · Payout: Via Stripe / PayPal · all-in-one courses funnels email
🔥 Deal: Free 30-day trial, no credit card required (longer than the industry-standard 14-day trial)
2
Course, coaching and digital product platform with checkout, drip and affiliates; plans from $39/mo, no free tier since 2025.
#6.9k web rank · ▲ 107 this week · 7.5% transaction fee on the Starter plan ($39/mo); 0% transaction fee on Builder ($89/mo) and Growth ($189/mo) plans, plus standard card processing fees · accepts Health & Supplements
8.2/10
Teachable hosts online courses, coaching programs and digital downloads with video hosting, drip content, quizzes, certificates, product bundles, a built-in affiliate program and tax-compliant checkout (VAT and US sales tax handled automatically on Teachable Payments). In mid-2025 Teachable dropped its free plan entirely. Pricing now starts at the Starter plan ($39/mo monthly, $29/mo billed annually), which carries a 7.5% transaction… Read more →
Pros
- Built-in affiliate program, tax handling (VAT/US sales tax) and support for coaching, bundles and certificates
- Daily payouts via Teachable Payments
Cons
- No free plan since the 2025 pricing overhaul — entry price is $29-39/mo
- 7.5% transaction fee on the entry Starter plan; design flexibility is limited
Pricing: Paid from $39/mo · Payout: Daily payouts via Teachable Payments; monthly via the alternative payment gateway · courses coaching affiliates tax handled
🔥 Deal: 3 months for the price of 1 on paid plans, plus a 7-day free trial and 22% off with annual billing
3
Course, membership and community platform: no free plan, 30-day trial, plans from $40/mo (annual) plus a 2.9% payment-processing fee.
#5.8k web rank · ▼ 85 this week · No free plan; 30-day trial. Basic $40/mo (annual) / $54 (monthly); Start $82/$109; Grow $164/$219; Plus custom — plus a 2.9% Thinkific Payments processing fee on every plan · accepts Health & Supplements
7.8/10
Thinkific hosts courses, coaching, memberships, communities and digital products, with a 30-day free trial rather than a permanent free tier. Basic starts at $40/month billed annually ($54 month-to-month) and covers unlimited courses, one community, up to five digital products and core e-commerce. Start ($82/mo annual, $109 monthly) adds live Zoom sessions, certificates, quizzes, assignments, payment plans and memberships. Grow ($164/mo… Read more →
Pros
- Communities, memberships, live Zoom sessions, quizzes and certificates as you move up tiers
- 30-day free trial with full feature access before paying
Cons
- No permanent free plan, and a 2.9% Thinkific Payments processing fee applies at every tier
- Memberships, live sessions and payment plans only unlock from the $82+/mo Start plan
Pricing: Paid from $40/mo · Payout: Via Stripe / Thinkific Payments · courses communities no transaction fee
🔥 Deal: 30-day free trial (no permanent free plan) plus save 25% by paying annually, e.g. Basic from $40/mo instead of $54/mo
4
The leading WordPress LMS plugin: courses, quizzes, drip, certificates and memberships on your own site.
#107k web rank · ▼ 1.5k this week · From $199/year; no per-sale cut · accepts Health & Supplements
7.8/10
LearnDash turns WordPress into a learning management system with courses, lessons, quizzes, drip schedules, certificates and group licensing, from $199 a year. It pairs with MemberPress or WooCommerce for checkout and requires your own video hosting. Best for publishers who already run WordPress and want zero revenue share. Read more →
Pros
- Full LMS on WordPress with no revenue share
- Integrates with MemberPress, WooCommerce and every payment plugin
Cons
- You host video and maintain the site
- Configuration-heavy
Pricing: Paid from $199/mo · Payout: Via your gateway · wordpress lms courses
5
Courses, downloads, webinars, coaching and a website with simple pricing; free plan at 10%, paid from $33.
#24k web rank · ▲ 100 this week · 10% on the free plan; 0% from $33/mo · accepts Health & Supplements
7.7/10
Podia sells courses, digital downloads, webinars and coaching from a simple storefront with email marketing included, free with a 10% fee or from $33 a month at 0%. Good for creators who value simplicity over configurability. Read more →
Pros
- Friendly, unlimited products, email included
- Webinars and coaching alongside courses
Cons
- Fewer advanced features than Kajabi
- Community feature was retired
Pricing: Free plan, paid from $33/mo · Payout: Via Stripe / PayPal · courses downloads webinars simple
🔥 Deal: 14-day free trial, full feature access, no credit card required
6
Interactive course platform with video quizzes, assessments, white-label apps and SCORM, from $29 a month.
#20k web rank · ▼ 152 this week · From $29/mo (Starter has $5 per sale fee; higher plans 0%) · accepts Health & Supplements
7.6/10
LearnWorlds focuses on learning quality: interactive video, assessments, certificates, SCORM and white-label apps, from $29 a month (the entry plan adds a $5 fee per sale). Suits professional training and academies more than quick creator courses. Read more →
Pros
- Interactive video, assessments and certificates suited to serious training
- White-label mobile apps
Cons
- Starter plan charges per sale
- Interface has a learning curve
Pricing: Paid from $29/mo · Payout: Via Stripe / PayPal · courses interactive video assessments
🔥 Deal: 30-day free trial (no credit card), plus 15% off for 6 months through Sep 30, 2026 — stacks with the standard 20% annual-billing discount
7
Marketplace and platform for live cohort-based courses; Maven takes 10% and helps with marketing.
#132k web rank · ▲ 484 this week · 10% of revenue
7.5/10
Maven hosts live cohort-based courses, handling applications, scheduling, payments and a marketplace of learners, for 10% of revenue. Instructors are vetted; the platform suits professionals teaching high-priced, hands-on programs. Read more →
Pros
- Cohort tooling (applications, schedules, live sessions) and a marketplace with buyers
- Free lightning lessons to attract students
Cons
- Cohort courses are labour-intensive
- Selective about instructors
Pricing: Free · Payout: Via Stripe after cohort ends · cohort courses live marketplace
8
Course marketplace with 70+ million learners; instructors keep 37% on marketplace sales and 97% on their own referrals.
#1.9k web rank · ▲ 4 this week · Instructors keep 37% of marketplace sales, 97% of sales from their own coupon links · accepts Health & Supplements
6.8/10
Udemy is the largest course marketplace: publish for free, and Udemy's promotions sell your course, paying instructors 37% on marketplace sales (97% when the student came through your own link). Constant discounting means low per-sale revenue, and you cannot email students. Useful for reach and validation; not for margin. Read more →
Pros
- Buyers come to you; no marketing needed to make first sales
- Free to publish
Cons
- Marketplace sets deep discounts and keeps 63%
- No access to student emails; hard to build a business on
Pricing: Free · Payout: Monthly (paid on the 6th for the prior month) · course marketplace udemy learners