Free online course platforms
Two of the eight platforms have a free plan: systeme.io Free (0% platform fee, 1 course, 500 students) and Payhip Free Forever (5% fee, unlimited products). At $1,000/month in sales (20 sales at $50) systeme.io Free costs $35 in card processing and Payhip Free $85.
Last checked 2026-10-18 on the official pages.
| Free plan | Fees per sale | Courses/products | Limits | Cost at 20 × $50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| systeme.io Free | no platform fee; processing 2.9% + $0.30 | up to 1 | 2,000 contacts, 500 students | $35 |
| Payhip Free Forever | 5% platform fee; processing 2.9% + $0.30 | unlimited | $85 |
Try systeme.io ↗ (affiliate link)
Disclosure: Links marked “affiliate link” (systeme.io, Skool) earn CourseCost a commission if you sign up, at no cost to you. Prices, totals and rankings are calculated the same way for every platform and never depend on affiliate status.
Visit Payhip (official site) ↗
Free trials (no free plan)
- Teachable: 7-day free trial, 30-day guarantee
- Thinkific: 30-day free trial
- Kajabi: free trial, 30-day money-back guarantee
- Podia: 14-day free trial, no card
- LearnWorlds: 30-day free trial
- Skool: 14-day free trial
Monthly cost = plan price + platform transaction fee + card processing on every sale, at the US card rate each platform states (international cards, currency conversion, sales tax tools and payment plans cost extra on most platforms). Student and contact caps (systeme.io, Kajabi, Thinkific) are checked against 12 months of buyers (sales per month × 12). monthly price = the platform does not publish an annual price as a number, so the monthly price is used. Ties are broken by name. Affiliate status is never used.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free online course platform?
Two of the eight platforms have a free plan: systeme.io Free (0% platform fee, 1 course, 500 students) and Payhip Free Forever (5% fee, unlimited products). At $1,000/month in sales (20 sales at $50) systeme.io Free costs $35 in card processing and Payhip Free $85.
Do Teachable, Thinkific or Kajabi have a free plan?
No. Teachable has a 7-day free trial, Thinkific a 30-day free trial and Kajabi a free trial; all three need a paid plan after that.