Best Course & cohort platforms in 2026: Top 9 Picks, Ranked
Host and sell courses, cohorts and coaching programs: video hosting, drip, quizzes, certificates, checkout and affiliates. Below are the 9 course & cohort platforms we cover in 2026, ranked by our editor score, popularity rank, reader upvotes and how often readers click through.
Last updated September 2026 · 9 listings 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
9
Subscription learning platform paying teachers from a royalty pool by minutes watched plus referral bonuses.
#11k web rank · ▼ 193 this week · Royalty pool share by minutes watched; referral bonuses
6.3/10
Skillshare pays teachers a share of its subscription revenue pool based on minutes watched, plus bonuses for referring new members, monthly by PayPal. Earnings are modest and best for creative, design and illustration classes with high watch time. Read more →
Pros
- Passive royalties on creative and business classes
- Referral bonuses for bringing members
Cons
- Royalty rates are small and opaque
- Creative topics only really work
Pricing: Free · Payout: Monthly (16th) · classes royalties creative