ChatGPT answers, unedited

Yes. For your use case, I’d look at three main approaches:

• kajabi.com — the most “all-in-one” option. It combines paid newsletters, recurring memberships, courses, gated content, video, payments, email marketing, and community. You can have a subscriber pay monthly/annually and automatically unlock a course library or member-only content. Kajabi Kajabi Kajabi
• circle.so — particularly good if you want the paid subscription to feel like a membership/community, with courses and subscriber-only videos alongside discussions, events, and live sessions. Circle supports subscriptions, courses, video, and gated spaces. Circle Circle
• substack.com — best if your existing paid newsletter is already on Substack and you don't want to migrate. Substack now supports subscriber-only video posts and paywalled live video, so you can add video directly to the publication. However, its course functionality is less purpose-built than Kajabi or Circle. Substack Support Substack Support

How I'd think about it

For a paid newsletter that is expanding into courses, Kajabi is probably the closest conceptual fit: your newsletter, subscription, course catalog, and member-only content can live under the same system rather than stitching together a newsletter provider + course host + membership tool. Kajabi Kajabi

If you tell me what platform your newsletter is currently on (Substack, Beehiiv, Ghost, etc.) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can compare the migration effort and current pricing for the 2–3 most suitable options.

Yes. If you want paid newsletter + recurring subscriptions + courses + subscriber-only video under one roof, the main platforms I’d look at are:

The two I'd focus on

Kajabi is the most complete match if courses and video are going to become a substantial part of your business. It natively combines newsletters, memberships, courses, community, payments and marketing automation. Kajabi Kajabi

kajabi.com

Podia is the more straightforward alternative. It combines memberships, courses, video hosting, email marketing, website/landing pages and digital products. Its published pricing is also considerably lower than Kajabi's at comparable entry levels. Podia Podia Demo Site

podia.com

One important distinction

If your newsletter is already the core product and courses/videos are extensions of it, I'd think differently than if you're transitioning into a course/membership business where the newsletter is primarily the acquisition channel.

• Newsletter-first → beehiiv/Ghost are worth considering, with a separate course platform if necessary.
• Newsletter + courses + recurring membership as equal products → Kajabi or Podia make more sense.
• Courses/coaching becoming the main business → Kajabi has the more extensive all-in-one ecosystem. Kajabi Creator Economy

If you tell me roughly how many paid subscribers you have and what you currently use for the newsletter, I can compare the migration path and likely monthly cost of Kajabi vs Podia vs staying on your current newsletter platform + adding a course platform.

Kajabi is the most complete match if courses and video are going to become a substantial part of your business. It natively combines newsletters, memberships, courses, community, payments and marketing automation. kajabi.com kajabi.com

kajabi.com

Podia is the more straightforward alternative. It combines memberships, courses, video hosting, email marketing, website/landing pages and digital products. Its published pricing is also considerably lower than Kajabi's at comparable entry levels.

If you already run a paid newsletter and want to add courses + subscriber-only videos, you’ll usually want a platform that treats the newsletter as the audience engine and the course/video library as the paid membership product. The best fit depends on whether you’re more of a writer, educator, or community builder.

A few recommendations by scenario:

If your newsletter is the main product

Pick Circle. It’s built around turning subscribers into members, with courses, community, events, and payments in one place. Circle

If courses are the main product and the newsletter feeds sales

Pick Kajabi. It’s the most mature “creator business in a box” option, especially if you plan launches, email sequences, upsells, and multiple products.

If you want the simplest all-in-one setup

Look at Podia. It’s less complex than Kajabi and works well for creators selling courses, memberships, and downloads. Beehiiv

If you want one login and fewer tools

A newer all-in-one option is get-facet.com, which combines newsletters, memberships, courses, community, and paywalls in one platform. Facet Cloud

My shortlist for a paid newsletter creator would be:

1. Circle — best overall for a subscriber community + courses.
2. Kajabi — best if you expect a serious education business.
3. Podia — best value/simple setup.
4. Ghost + a course platform — best if your identity is primarily “publisher.”

A key question: Do you want the courses/videos to be included in the existing newsletter subscription (a premium membership), or sold separately as higher-priced courses? That changes the best choice quite a bit.

If your newsletter is the main product

Pick Circle. It’s built around turning subscribers into members, with courses, community, events, and payments in one place. Circle

If courses are the main product and the newsletter feeds sales

Pick Kajabi. It’s the most mature “creator business in a box” option, especially if you plan launches, email sequences, upsells, and multiple products.

If you want the simplest all-in-one setup

Look at Podia. It’s less complex than Kajabi and works well for creators selling courses, memberships, and downloads. Beehiiv

Yes. If your goal is to keep the paid newsletter and add courses + subscriber-only video without stitching together several services, I’d shortlist these:

• Circle — best overall fit. It combines newsletters, paid memberships, courses, community, events, and payments. This is particularly attractive if you want the newsletter to become a broader paid learning/community business. Circle
• Kajabi — best for a course-heavy business. It has native courses, memberships, communities, newsletters, email marketing, websites, payments, and analytics. Kajabi Kajabi
• Ghost — best if the newsletter is still the core product. It has excellent paid subscriptions, newsletters, member-only content, and tiered access. It can host a subscription-based course library, but it's less of a traditional structured-course platform than Circle or Kajabi. Ghost Developer Docs Ghost

What I'd choose

If you're already running a successful paid newsletter, I'd lean Circle if you want to evolve into:

Newsletter → paid membership → courses → exclusive videos → community

If the courses are going to become the main revenue driver, I'd choose Kajabi.

If you mostly want to keep your existing publishing/newsletter experience and bolt on a course/video library, Ghost is compelling. Ghost also takes 0% platform transaction fees on paid subscriptions, with Stripe processing fees still applying. Ghost Ghost

If you tell me what you're using for the newsletter now (Substack, Beehiiv, ConvertKit, Ghost, etc.) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can recommend the best migration path and compare the costs.

Yes. If your goal is paid newsletter + subscriber-only videos + courses in one system, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Podia

podia.com combines email/newsletters, paid memberships, courses, video, community, website and payments rather than making you stitch together several services. You can create paid membership tiers and use them to gate courses or premium content. Podia Podia

That makes it particularly suitable for a model like:

• Free newsletter → audience growth
• $10/month membership → premium newsletter + subscriber-only videos
• $25/month membership → everything above + course library
• Standalone courses → sell separately to non-subscribers
• Community → optional member discussion area

Podia's current plans start at $49/month, with a 5% transaction fee on Mover; the $99/month Shaker plan has no transaction fee. Podia

When I'd choose Kajabi instead

kajabi.com is the stronger choice if you're building a larger education business, particularly if you want sophisticated marketing automation, funnels, upsells, coaching, memberships and courses all tightly integrated. Kajabi

So, Podia = simpler and cheaper; Kajabi = more powerful but more expensive.

One important question is whether you want to move your existing paid newsletter onto the platform or keep something like Substack/beehiiv and simply add a course/membership layer. If you tell me what platform your newsletter is currently on and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can recommend the cleanest setup.

Yes. If you want one platform to turn an existing paid newsletter into a broader subscription business with courses and subscriber-only video, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Kajabi

If your vision is “paid newsletter → membership → courses → premium video library”, Kajabi is probably the cleanest all-in-one choice. It supports paid subscriptions, courses, memberships, video hosting, email, payments, and funnels in the same ecosystem. Kajabi Kajabi

kajabi.com

But consider Circle

If you want the experience to feel more like a members-only club—newsletter + course library + videos + discussion/community—I'd seriously consider Circle. It combines newsletters, memberships/subscriptions, courses, payments, live streams and community in one platform. Circle Circle

circle.so

What I wouldn't choose

I wouldn't move a course-heavy business to beehiiv just because it's excellent for newsletters. Its strength is newsletter publishing, paid subscriptions and audience growth; course/product hosting isn't its focus. Beehiiv Beehiiv

Rule of thumb:

• Newsletter is the business, courses are an add-on → Ghost/beehiiv
• Courses are becoming a major revenue stream → Kajabi
• You want a paid membership/community with courses and video → Circle

If you tell me roughly how many paid subscribers you have and what you charge per month, I can compare the economics of Kajabi vs Circle vs staying on your current newsletter platform.

If your vision is “paid newsletter → membership → courses → premium video library”, Kajabi is probably the cleanest all-in-one choice. It supports paid subscriptions, courses, memberships, video hosting, email, payments, and funnels in the same ecosystem. kajabi.com kajabi.com

kajabi.com

But consider Circle

If you want the experience to feel more like a members-only club—newsletter + course library + videos + discussion/community—I'd seriously consider Circle. It combines newsletters, memberships/subscriptions, courses, payments, live streams and community in one platform.

If you already have a paid newsletter and want to add courses + subscriber-only video, you’ll usually want a platform that handles:

• recurring subscriptions/memberships
• gated content (videos, lessons, archives)
• course structure (modules, progress tracking)
• payments
• email/newsletter or integrations

A few strong options:

My shortlist based on a paid newsletter

• You want a “Netflix for subscribers” experience (videos, courses, community): Circle or Kajabi.
• You want to keep the newsletter as the center of the business: GetResponse or a newsletter platform + course/community add-on.
• You’re a solo creator and want simplicity: Podia.
• You want maximum control and don’t mind paying more: Kajabi.
• You want one tool instead of a stack: Facet Cloud, Systeme.io, or GetResponse. Facet Cloud Systeme.io

A common setup for newsletter creators is:

• Newsletter → membership tiers → course library → subscriber video vault
• Free readers get essays/previews
• Paid subscribers unlock videos + courses
• Higher tier gets live sessions/community

If you tell me your approximate subscriber count (e.g., 500 vs 50k), whether you’re on Substack/Beehiiv/ConvertKit/etc., and whether videos are pre-recorded courses or a Netflix-style library, I can narrow this down.

Yes. For your use case, I’d shortlist Kajabi, Podia, and Circle rather than trying to bolt a course platform onto your newsletter.

My pick: Kajabi

Kajabi is probably the closest match if your newsletter is already a meaningful paid business and you want to expand it into courses, memberships, and a library of exclusive videos.

Kajabi combines newsletters, paid memberships, courses, video lessons, website/landing pages, payments, and marketing automation. www.kajabi.com

The particularly useful model for you would be:

Free newsletter → paid newsletter → premium membership → courses/video library

You can then give paying subscribers access to ongoing content while selling individual courses or higher-priced tiers separately.

Podia is the value pick

Podia is worth serious consideration if you don't need Kajabi's more sophisticated marketing machinery. It combines email, courses, community, coaching, events, website, and digital products, with video hosting included. www.podia.com

It's particularly attractive if you want something relatively straightforward to operate rather than building a complicated marketing funnel.

Circle is the community/video pick

Circle becomes more compelling if the subscriber experience you envision is "private Netflix + course library + community" rather than primarily an email newsletter.

Circle supports paid memberships/subscriptions, courses, email, gated content, live streams, discussions, and video. circle.so

One caveat: if your newsletter itself is the core product and you're migrating an established publication, I'd evaluate the newsletter/subscriber-management experience carefully before choosing Circle.

What I'd choose

• You want the newsletter to become a larger education business: Kajabi
• You want inexpensive/simple all-in-one: Podia
• You want subscribers interacting with each other around your videos/courses: Circle
• You mainly want a newsletter platform and are adding courses as a secondary product: I'd also consider keeping your newsletter platform and integrating a course platform rather than migrating everything.

If you tell me what newsletter platform you're currently using, roughly how many paid subscribers you have, and whether the courses are included in the subscription or sold separately, I can recommend the best setup and migration path.

Yes. If your goal is paid newsletter + subscriber-only videos + structured courses under one login/paywall, I’d shortlist these:

My pick for your situation: Kajabi

kajabi.com is probably the cleanest fit if courses are going to become a major part of the business. It combines newsletters, paid subscriptions, courses, communities, websites, payments and marketing in one platform. Its course system supports structured modules, video lessons, resources, assessments and progress tracking. Kajabi Kajabi

The particularly useful part is that Kajabi now explicitly supports paid newsletters, premium issues and paywalled content, so you don't have to treat the newsletter and courses as completely separate products. Kajabi

If your newsletter is the core business: Ghost

ghost.org is extremely compelling if you already have a successful publication and want to add a course/video library around it. Ghost has native paid subscriptions, tiers, email newsletters and gated content. Ghost Developer Docs Ghost

You can also build subscription-based courses in Ghost, although it's more of a flexible publishing system than a purpose-built LMS. Ghost

If you want community around the courses: Circle

circle.so is worth serious consideration if the value proposition is "newsletter + courses + private community + video/live sessions." It combines memberships, subscriptions, courses, content and live/community features under one platform. Circle

If you want something simpler: Podia

podia.com combines courses, memberships, email marketing, digital products and multimedia content without being as elaborate as Kajabi. Podia

My ranking for your use case:

1. Kajabi — best if you're building a serious education business.
2. Circle — best if community and interaction are important.
3. Ghost — best if the paid newsletter remains the heart of the business.
4. Podia — best if you want straightforward and relatively uncomplicated.

If you tell me your current newsletter platform (e.g. Substack, Beehiiv, ConvertKit, Ghost) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can narrow this down to the best 1–2 options and explain what migration would look like.

kajabi.com is probably the cleanest fit if courses are going to become a major part of the business. It combines newsletters, paid subscriptions, courses, communities, websites, payments and marketing in one platform. Its course system supports structured modules, video lessons, resources, assessments and progress tracking. Kajabi Kajabi

The particularly useful part is that Kajabi now explicitly supports paid newsletters, premium issues and paywalled content, so you don't have to treat the newsletter and courses as completely separate products. Kajabi

If your newsletter is the core business: Ghost

ghost.org is extremely compelling if you already have a successful publication and want to add a course/video library around it. Ghost has native paid subscriptions, tiers, email newsletters and gated content. Ghost Developer Docs Ghost

You can also build subscription-based courses in Ghost, although it's more of a flexible publishing system than a purpose-built LMS. Ghost

If you want community around the courses: Circle

circle.so is worth serious consideration if the value proposition is "newsletter + courses + private community + video/live sessions." It combines memberships, subscriptions, courses, content and live/community features under one platform.

If you want something simpler: Podia

Yes. For your use case, I’d shortlist Podia, Kajabi, and Ghost—but they fit slightly different businesses.

My pick: Podia

podia.com is probably the closest match if you want one platform for paid subscriptions + courses + subscriber-only video.

• Paid memberships: You can create paid membership tiers and control access to content. Podia Podia Help Center
• Courses: Native course hosting with video, drip lessons, quizzes, downloads, and progress tracking. Podia Podia
• Subscriber-only content: Courses/products can be included with a membership, so you can make your paid subscription the key that unlocks your course library. Podia Help Center
• Newsletter: Email broadcasts and automated campaigns are built in and connected to your customers/members. Podia Help Center Podia
• Community: Paid members can also get access to private community spaces, chats, etc. Podia

So you could structure it like:

Free newsletter → Paid membership → subscriber-only videos → courses → community

How I'd compare the three

kajabi.com is the stronger choice if the courses themselves are going to become a major revenue stream. It now has newsletters, paid subscriptions, paywalled content, and native courses in the same ecosystem. Kajabi

ghost.org is particularly compelling if your newsletter/publication is the core product. It has native paid memberships and multiple premium tiers. Ghost Ghost You can also put protected Vimeo videos inside member-only Ghost posts. Ghost But it's less of a purpose-built course platform than Podia or Kajabi.

For an existing paid newsletter that you're expanding into courses and video, I'd start with Podia. It gives you the fewest moving parts without forcing you to rebuild the business around a traditional LMS.

If you tell me what newsletter platform you're currently using (Substack, Beehiiv, ConvertKit, Ghost, etc.) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can recommend whether to migrate or keep the newsletter where it is and add a course platform alongside it.

Yes. If your goal is to turn an existing paid newsletter into a broader membership business with courses and subscriber-only video, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Kajabi

Kajabi is probably the closest match if you're already selling a paid newsletter and want to add courses without stitching together several services. It now combines paid newsletters, subscriptions/memberships, courses, community, payments, and email automation. Kajabi Kajabi Kajabi

kajabi.com

Choose Kajabi if: your newsletter is the core business and courses/videos are additional premium products you want to monetize.

Circle is especially compelling if community matters

Circle combines paid memberships, newsletters/email, courses, video/live streams, and community. Its course system supports video, audio, text and files, while paid memberships can gate access. Circle Circle

circle.so

Choose Circle if: you envision your subscribers having a members-only hub where they watch videos, take courses, discuss them, attend live sessions, etc.

Podia is the simpler/value-oriented option

Podia puts email, paid memberships, courses, community and video-hosted lessons under one roof. You can upload videos directly to courses and make products available as part of a membership. Podia Podia Help Center Podia Help Center

podia.com

Choose Podia if: you want something relatively straightforward and don't need the sophisticated marketing/membership ecosystem of Kajabi.

What I'd do in your situation

If you tell me what platform your newsletter is currently on (Substack, Beehiiv, Ghost, ConvertKit/Kit, etc.), your approximate number of paid subscribers, and whether the videos are short subscriber extras or a substantial video library, I can narrow this down to the best 1–2 options and explain whether it's worth migrating or keeping your existing newsletter platform and adding a course platform.

Yes. If your core business is already a paid newsletter and you want to add courses + subscriber-only video, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Podia

For your use case, Podia is probably the cleanest fit. It combines email/newsletters, paid memberships, courses, community, website, and checkout in one system. You can make a course or other product included with a membership, so your paid subscribers can automatically get access. Podia Podia Help Center

It also supports embedded video from services such as YouTube and Loom, and its newer setup puts courses and community together rather than making them separate experiences. Podia Podia

Kajabi if courses are going to become a major revenue stream

Kajabi is the stronger choice if you're thinking beyond "newsletter + some courses" toward a full education/membership business. It has paid memberships, courses, premium content, bundles, email automation, landing pages, and checkout built together. Kajabi

I'd choose Kajabi if you expect to sell things like:

• $200–$2,000+ flagship courses
• Multiple membership tiers
• Courses + coaching
• Upsells and funnels
• Automated onboarding/marketing

Ghost if the newsletter itself is the priority

If your newsletter is the heart of the business and the courses/videos are essentially premium content attached to the publication, I'd seriously consider Ghost.

Ghost has native paid subscriptions and premium tiers. Ghost Ghost You can also restrict posts to paying members and embed protected Vimeo videos for subscriber-only viewing. Ghost

The downside is that Ghost isn't really a dedicated course platform. Its own documentation essentially describes courses as something you can construct using memberships, tags, and customized content rather than a purpose-built course system. Ghost

So my ranking for you:

1. Podia — best balance of newsletter + memberships + courses + video
2. Kajabi — best if courses/memberships will become a substantial business
3. Ghost — best if you're fundamentally a publisher and courses are secondary

If you tell me your current newsletter platform (e.g. Substack, Beehiiv, ConvertKit/Kit, Ghost) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can narrow this down considerably—including migration difficulty, fees, video hosting, and what you'd pay at your subscriber count.

Kajabi is the stronger choice if you're thinking beyond "newsletter + some courses" toward a full education/membership business. It has paid memberships, courses, premium content, bundles, email automation, landing pages, and checkout built together.

I'd choose Kajabi if you expect to sell things like:

Yes. For your use case, I’d look at Kajabi and Circle first, with Substack as the easiest option if you want to stay newsletter-first.

My shortlist

• kajabi.com — best all-in-one business platform. It combines newsletters, paid memberships/subscriptions, courses, video lessons, community, payments, and marketing. You can make a subscription include access to one or more courses and other premium content. Kajabi Kajabi Kajabi

Best if: courses are going to become a meaningful revenue stream, not just an add-on.

• circle.so — best if community is important. Circle combines email/newsletters, paid memberships, courses, community, events, and payments. Circle

Best if: you want subscribers to interact with each other as well as consume your videos/courses.

• substack.com — best if your newsletter is the core product. Substack already handles paid subscriptions and subscriber-only video, including live video. Substack Support Substack

Best if: you want the least disruption to your existing newsletter business. The downside is that it's more newsletter/publication-oriented than a full-fledged course platform.

What I'd choose

If you told me “I already have a successful paid newsletter and now want to turn it into a premium education business,” I'd lean Kajabi.

You could structure it like:

Paid subscription → premium newsletter + subscriber-only videos + course library + new courses as they're released

That gives you one customer account, one payment relationship, and one place to manage access. Kajabi specifically supports recurring memberships and combining Courses, Communities, Downloads, and other content under a membership. Kajabi

If instead your model is “newsletter first, occasional video/course perks second,” I'd seriously consider staying on Substack rather than migrating.

If you tell me what you charge for the newsletter, roughly how many paid subscribers you have, and whether the courses will be included or sold separately, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 platforms and compare their costs/fees and migration difficulty.

Yes. If your goal is one platform for a paid newsletter + courses + subscriber-only video, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Kajabi

Kajabi is probably the closest match to what you're describing. It combines newsletters, paid memberships/subscriptions, courses, community, and video-based content in one ecosystem. Kajabi Kajabi

The attractive setup would be:

Free newsletter → paid subscription → subscriber-only videos/course library → occasional standalone paid courses

That lets you keep your newsletter and educational products under the same customer account rather than stitching together a newsletter platform, Stripe, course host, and video membership site.

kajabi.com

Podia is worth serious consideration

Podia is a particularly good alternative if you want something simpler and less enterprise-y. It combines courses, email, community, coaching, events, website, and sales in one platform. Podia Podia

podia.com

One caveat with Ghost

Ghost is excellent if the newsletter is the heart of your business. It has native memberships, paid subscriptions, and premium content, and you can use subscriptions to gate a course library. Ghost Ghost

But it's less of a turnkey course/video platform than Kajabi or Podia. Ghost itself even recommends dedicated services such as YouTube or Dropbox for larger media files. Ghost

ghost.org

So I'd choose:

• Kajabi → if courses/video are going to become a major revenue stream.
• Podia → if you want the easiest all-in-one setup and don't need Kajabi's depth.
• Ghost → if you're fundamentally a publication/newsletter that happens to offer courses.

One thing I'd investigate before migrating is whether you can import your existing paid subscribers and preserve their subscription status—that can matter more than the feature list.

Kajabi is probably the closest match to what you're describing. It combines newsletters, paid memberships/subscriptions, courses, community, and video-based content in one ecosystem. Kajabi Kajabi

The attractive setup would be:

Free newsletter → paid subscription → subscriber-only videos/course library → occasional standalone paid courses

That lets you keep your newsletter and educational products under the same customer account rather than stitching together a newsletter platform, Stripe, course host, and video membership site.

kajabi.com

Podia is worth serious consideration

Podia is a particularly good alternative if you want something simpler and less enterprise-y. It combines courses, email, community, coaching, events, website, and sales in one platform. podia.com podia.com

podia.com

One caveat with Ghost

Ghost is excellent if the newsletter is the heart of your business. It has native memberships, paid subscriptions, and premium content, and you can use subscriptions to gate a course library.

But it's less of a turnkey course/video platform than Kajabi or Podia. Ghost itself even recommends dedicated services such as YouTube or Dropbox for larger media files.

Yes. If your goal is paid newsletter + courses + subscriber-only video, I’d shortlist these three:

My pick: Circle

For an existing paid newsletter, I'd lean toward Circle. It is designed to combine newsletters, paid memberships/subscriptions, courses, video/live content, and community in one branded member area. You can create different access tiers and gate particular spaces or courses to paying subscribers. Circle Circle

That gives you a structure like:

• Free newsletter → public content
• Paid newsletter → premium posts + subscriber-only videos
• Premium tier → everything above + courses
• VIP tier → courses + community + live sessions

Circle specifically supports uploading video into courses and also supports paid memberships and subscriptions. Circle Circle

When I'd choose Kajabi instead

Pick Kajabi if the courses are going to become the main business rather than an extension of the newsletter. It has a particularly strong combination of courses, memberships, newsletters, marketing automation, payments, and sales funnels. Kajabi Kajabi

It's more of an online-business operating system, whereas Circle feels more like a membership/community home.

When I'd choose Podia

Podia is probably the easiest option if you want to keep things straightforward. It combines email, paid memberships, courses, digital products, community, and your website. Courses can contain video, audio, text and downloads, and memberships can be monthly or annual. Podia Podia

So, for your particular use case:

Existing newsletter → add membership/video/course layer → Circle.

Building a serious course business around the newsletter → Kajabi.

Want the simplest all-in-one creator platform → Podia.

If you tell me what newsletter platform you're currently using (Substack, Beehiiv, Ghost, ConvertKit, etc.) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can tell you which migration would make the most sense and what you'd actually pay.

Yes. For your use case, I’d shortlist Kajabi, Circle, and Podia rather than stitching together a newsletter + course platform + video membership.

My ranking

1. kajabi.com — best all-in-one business platform

• Paid newsletters/subscriptions
• Full courses with video lessons, modules, resources, and progress tracking
• Paywalled premium content
• Memberships and recurring payments
• Email marketing and automations
• Strong sales funnels/upsells
• Particularly good if you expect courses to become a significant revenue stream. Kajabi explicitly connects paid newsletter subscriptions with courses and other offers. Kajabi Kajabi
• circle.so — best for a subscriber community + courses + video

• Paid memberships and subscription tiers
• Courses
• Subscriber-only content and video
• Newsletter/email
• Live streams, discussions, DMs, events
• Excellent if you want your paid subscribers to have a Netflix/learning-community-style hub, rather than simply receiving a course. Circle Circle
• podia.com — best for simplicity/value

• Courses with video
• Memberships/community
• Email newsletters
• Digital products
• Website/store
• Less sophisticated than Kajabi for marketing automation, but very straightforward for a creator who wants everything in one place. Podia Podia

What I'd choose for a paid newsletter

If your model is:

Free newsletter → paid newsletter → subscriber-only videos → courses → premium membership

I'd lean Circle if the ongoing subscriber experience is the priority, and Kajabi if the business/sales funnel and courses are the priority.

If you already have a successful newsletter and mainly want to add a course library and private video area without creating a complicated tech stack, Circle is probably the most interesting fit. It specifically supports newsletters, memberships, courses, exclusive content, and video/live experiences in the same platform. Circle Circle

One caveat: if your existing newsletter is on something like Substack, Beehiiv, or Ghost, the best choice may be different depending on whether you want to move the newsletter or simply connect the new course/video platform to it.

If you tell me what newsletter platform you currently use, roughly how many paid subscribers you have, and whether the courses are included in the subscription or sold separately, I can narrow this to the best 1–2 options and compare their current pricing/fees.

If you already run a paid newsletter and want to add courses + subscriber-only videos, the best platform depends on whether you want to stay newsletter-first or become a full education/membership business.

Here are the strongest all-in-one options:

My shortlist for a paid newsletter creator

1. If your newsletter is the main business → Ghost + a course platform

• Best publishing experience
• Strong ownership of your audience
• Feels like a magazine/newsletter brand

2. If you want to turn subscribers into students → Kajabi

• Best for premium courses
• Good for $500–$5,000+ course businesses
• More expensive, but fewer integrations to maintain

3. If you want “Netflix + classroom + community” → Circle

• Great for subscriber-only videos, discussions, cohorts, and memberships. Circle

4. If you want the simplest single login → Facet Cloud or Podia

• Less technical overhead
• Good for adding courses without rebuilding your whole business. Facet Cloud Squarespace

A practical setup many newsletter operators use:

• Free newsletter → audience growth
• Paid membership tier → premium articles + video library
• Higher tier → courses, cohorts, office hours, community

If you tell me:

1. your current newsletter platform (Substack, Beehiiv, Ghost, ConvertKit, etc.),
2. subscriber count, and
3. whether videos are a library or structured courses,

I can narrow this to the best 2–3 choices.

Yes. If you already run a paid newsletter and want to add structured courses + subscriber-only video, I’d look at these three first:

My pick: Kajabi

kajabi.com is probably the closest match to what you're describing. It combines newsletters, paid memberships/subscriptions, courses, video lessons, community, payments, and marketing automation in one system. Kajabi Kajabi

The big advantage is that you can structure your business like:

Free newsletter → paid subscription → subscriber video library → flagship course → higher-priced products/coaching

You don't have to bolt a course platform onto your newsletter. Kajabi specifically supports courses with video lessons, resources, assessments, and progress tracking, while its membership system handles recurring access. Kajabi Kajabi

When I'd choose something else

• Ghost — If the newsletter/publication is still the heart of your business and you care a lot about owning the publishing infrastructure. Ghost has native paid memberships, newsletters, gated content, and can be configured for subscription-based courses, although it's not as polished a dedicated course experience as Kajabi. Ghost Ghost
• Patreon — If your main product is membership + exclusive videos/content, rather than a serious structured course business. Patreon now supports newsletters alongside member-only videos and other content. Patreon Help Center
• Substack — Excellent if you want to stay primarily a newsletter/video publisher. It supports paid subscriptions and video, but I wouldn't choose it if courses are going to become a major product. Substack Substack

If you tell me roughly how many paid subscribers you have and whether your courses are included in the subscription or sold separately, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options for your business model.

kajabi.com is probably the closest match to what you're describing. It combines newsletters, paid memberships/subscriptions, courses, video lessons, community, payments, and marketing automation in one system. kajabi.com kajabi.com

The big advantage is that you can structure your business like:

Free newsletter → paid subscription → subscriber video library → flagship course → higher-priced products/coaching

You don't have to bolt a course platform onto your newsletter. Kajabi specifically supports courses with video lessons, resources, assessments, and progress tracking, while its membership system handles recurring access.

When I'd choose something else

For a paid newsletter that wants to expand into courses + subscriber-only video, you’re looking for a platform that handles:

• recurring memberships/subscriptions
• email/newsletter delivery
• gated video or course libraries
• payments
• member accounts (so subscribers don’t need separate logins)

The best fits depend on whether you want to stay newsletter-first or become a full education/membership business.

Best all-in-one options

Circle — best for premium memberships + courses

circle.so

Best if: your newsletter is becoming a community, learning hub, or “Netflix for your niche.”

Pros:

• Paid memberships and subscriptions
• Course hosting with video lessons
• Private communities and discussions
• Live events, Q&As, cohorts
• Good member experience

Cons:

• Newsletter publishing is not as mature as dedicated newsletter platforms
• Usually better if you want interaction/community, not just sending emails

Circle positions itself as a platform combining courses, community, memberships, payments, and newsletters. Circle Circle

Kajabi — best polished “business in a box”

kajabi.com

Best if: you want to sell expensive courses, memberships, coaching, and bundles.

Pros:

• Strong course builder
• Video hosting
• Email marketing
• Landing pages
• Funnels
• Membership tiers

Cons:

• More expensive
• Can feel heavier if you mainly run a newsletter

Podia — best simple creator setup

podia.com

Best if: you want straightforward courses and paid content without a lot of complexity.

Pros:

• Courses
• Digital downloads
• Memberships
• Email marketing
• Simple interface

Cons:

• Less community-focused than Circle
• Less advanced automation than Kajabi

Ghost — best if your newsletter is the core product

ghost.org

Best if: you already have a publication and want paid subscribers, with courses handled separately.

Pros:

• Excellent paid newsletter experience
• Own your site and subscriber data
• Memberships built in

Cons:

• Course hosting/video libraries require integrations or another tool

Systeme.io — best budget all-in-one

systeme.io

Best if: you want newsletter + courses + memberships + funnels at a lower cost.

Pros:

• Email newsletters
• Courses
• Membership areas
• Digital products
• Funnels

Cons:

• Less premium member experience than Circle/Kajabi

Systeme.io

My shortlist for your situation

Since you already have a paid newsletter, I’d narrow it to:

1. Circle → if your subscribers should feel like members of a club/community
2. Kajabi → if courses will become a major revenue stream
3. Ghost + a course platform → if the newsletter itself is your brand asset
4. Podia → if you want simple and affordable

A common creator stack is:

• Newsletter + paid subscribers: Ghost or Kit
• Courses + video: Circle, Kajabi, or Podia
• Community: Circle

If you tell me your approximate subscriber count (e.g., 500 vs 50,000), whether videos are a library or a structured course, and your monthly budget, I can narrow it to 2–3 choices.

Yes. If you want one platform to combine a paid newsletter + subscriptions + courses + subscriber-only video, I’d shortlist Kajabi and Ghost.

My pick: Kajabi

Kajabi is probably the better fit if courses and video are going to become a major part of the business.

It natively combines:

• Paid newsletters and premium newsletter content
• Recurring memberships/subscriptions
• Structured courses with modules and lessons
• Video-based course content
• Gated content for paying members
• Marketing, checkout, email automation, and upsells

Kajabi specifically supports recurring memberships where subscribers can get access to Courses, Communities, Downloads, and other content. Kajabi Kajabi

kajabi.com

Ghost: better if the newsletter is the core business

Ghost is excellent if you're fundamentally a publisher/newsletter creator who wants to add courses and video rather than become a full-fledged course business.

Ghost gives you native newsletters, paid subscriptions, member tiers, and protected content. Ghost Ghost It can also be used to build subscription-based courses, although its course functionality is more flexible/custom than a dedicated course platform. Ghost

For subscriber-only video, Ghost can gate Vimeo videos behind member-only posts. Ghost

ghost.org

The decision I'd make

For your specific use case, I'd lean Kajabi if you're planning to make courses a meaningful revenue stream. If the paid newsletter will remain the main product and courses/videos are primarily bonuses for subscribers, I'd choose Ghost.

If you tell me what you're using for the newsletter now (e.g. Substack, Beehiiv, ConvertKit, Ghost) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can recommend the best migration path and compare the actual costs.

For a paid newsletter that you want to expand into courses + subscriber-only videos, you’ll usually want an “all-in-one creator business” platform rather than a newsletter-only tool. The best fit depends on whether your newsletter is the core product or the courses are becoming the main business.

My shortlist for your situation

1. If your newsletter already has paying subscribers and courses are an upsell:

→ Kajabi is probably the closest match. It lets you turn the newsletter audience into a membership/course ecosystem without stitching together multiple tools. Kajabi Kajabi

2. If you’re a solo creator and want something easier/less expensive:

→ Podia is a strong option. It handles courses, memberships, email, and video without much complexity. Podia Podia

3. If your newsletter brand is the main asset and courses are occasional:

→ Keep Substack for the newsletter and add a dedicated course platform later. Substack already supports paid subscriptions and video/community features, but it is less LMS-oriented. Substack

A common migration path is:

• Small paid newsletter → Substack + course add-on
• Growing creator business → Podia
• High-ticket courses, memberships, funnels → Kajabi

If you tell me your approximate subscriber count, monthly revenue, and whether the videos are a course curriculum or more like Netflix-style subscriber content, I can narrow it down.

If you already have a paid newsletter and want to add courses + subscriber-only videos, you’re looking for a platform that treats the newsletter as the audience hub, not just an email tool. The best fit depends on whether you prioritize simplicity, community, or a full creator business stack.

Best all-in-one options

My shortlist for your situation

• If your newsletter is the main asset and courses are an extension: Kit + a course platform is often the most flexible route. Kit
• If you want subscribers to feel like members of a club: Circle is a strong choice because discussions, courses, and events live together. Circle
• If you want to replace multiple tools and run a full creator business: Kajabi is the most established all-in-one option. Kajabi
• If you want a simpler “one login, one site” setup: Facet Cloud is built specifically around combining newsletters, memberships, and courses. Facet Cloud

A few questions would narrow this down:

1. How many paid subscribers do you have (roughly: <1k, 1–10k, 10k+)?
2. Are your courses one-time purchases or included in the newsletter subscription?
3. Do you need a community/chat area, or just gated videos and lessons?

Yes. If your goal is to turn an existing paid newsletter into a broader membership business with courses and subscriber-only video, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Kajabi

kajabi.com is probably the closest match to what you're describing. It now combines paid newsletters, recurring memberships, courses, communities, video-based lessons, checkout, and email automation in one system. Kajabi Kajabi

The useful part for you is that you can make the subscription itself the access mechanism: someone pays monthly/annually and gets your premium newsletter plus a library of courses and subscriber-only content. Kajabi supports recurring memberships and can revoke access when a subscription ends. Kajabi

Podia if you want simpler

podia.com is worth considering if you don't need sophisticated marketing automation. It combines email, courses, digital products, community, and video hosting, and is designed to keep the setup relatively straightforward. Podia University Podia Demo Site

Circle if the community matters

circle.so is especially attractive if your paid subscribers should have a community alongside the newsletter, courses, and videos. Circle positions itself as an all-in-one platform for email, community, courses, events, and payments. Circle

For your particular use case, I'd rank them:

1. Kajabi — best if courses/video are becoming a major revenue stream.
2. Circle — best if subscriber interaction/community is central.
3. Podia — best if you want to keep things straightforward.

One important consideration: if you're already running the newsletter on Substack, beehiiv, Ghost, etc., the best choice may be different because migrating your paid subscribers isn't necessarily worth it. If you tell me which newsletter platform you're currently using and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can compare the migration options and costs.

kajabi.com is probably the closest match to what you're describing. It now combines paid newsletters, recurring memberships, courses, communities, video-based lessons, checkout, and email automation in one system. Kajabi Kajabi

The useful part for you is that you can make the subscription itself the access mechanism: someone pays monthly/annually and gets your premium newsletter plus a library of courses and subscriber-only content. Kajabi supports recurring memberships and can revoke access when a subscription ends. Kajabi

Podia if you want simpler

podia.com is worth considering if you don't need sophisticated marketing automation. It combines email, courses, digital products, community, and video hosting, and is designed to keep the setup relatively straightforward.

Circle if the community matters

Yes. If your goal is paid newsletter + subscriber-only videos + courses under the same subscription/account, I’d look at these first:

My pick: Kajabi

For what you're describing, Kajabi is probably the closest match. It combines paid newsletter subscriptions, memberships, courses, video/course hosting, payments, email automation, and landing pages in one system. Its newsletter product specifically supports paid subscriptions and paywalled content, while its course product handles structured video courses. Kajabi Kajabi

That means you could have something like:

$15/month → premium newsletter + weekly subscriber-only videos
$30/month → everything above + Course A
$300/year → everything + bonus course/content

The big downside is cost: Kajabi is substantially more expensive than simpler platforms, so I'd only choose it if you're serious about making the courses/videos a significant part of the business. Webflow

When I'd choose Circle instead

If the community aspect is important—discussion, member profiles, cohorts, live events, etc.—I'd seriously consider Circle. It combines memberships, courses, community, events and payments, and is particularly strong for community-driven learning. Circle Circle

One important distinction

If your existing newsletter is already doing well on beehiiv, Ghost, or another platform, I wouldn't automatically migrate it. You may be better off keeping the newsletter where it is and adding a dedicated course/membership layer.

If you tell me (1) what platform your newsletter is currently on, (2) roughly how many paid subscribers you have, and (3) whether the videos are short weekly content or full courses, I can narrow this down to the 2–3 best options and compare their costs for your situation.

Yes. If your goal is paid newsletter + courses + subscriber-only video, I’d look at these three first:

My pick: Kajabi

For what you're describing, Kajabi is probably the closest match. It now combines newsletters, paid subscriptions, courses, memberships, communities, payments and marketing automation in one system. Kajabi Kajabi Kajabi

You could structure it roughly as:

• Free newsletter → audience growth
• Paid newsletter subscription → premium written content
• Member tier → subscriber-only videos and ongoing content
• Courses → higher-priced educational products
• Upsells/bundles → e.g. paid newsletter + course
• Community → discussion around the courses/content

Kajabi specifically supports paid newsletter access and premium/paywalled content, alongside its course and membership products. Kajabi Kajabi

Podia is the one I'd compare against it

Podia is especially attractive if you want something less elaborate. It combines email/newsletters, courses, memberships, community, digital products and checkout, so you can keep your newsletter and educational content under the same customer account. Podia Podia

Its email system can also segment subscribers based on purchases and memberships, which is useful for sending different newsletters to free vs. paying members. Podia Help Center Podia Help Center

My rule of thumb:

• Kajabi → you want to build a serious education/membership business around the newsletter.
• Podia → you want the same basic architecture with less complexity.
• Circle → your primary product is the community, with courses/newsletters supporting it. Circle's current positioning explicitly combines email, courses, community, events and payments. Circle

If you tell me roughly how many paid subscribers you have and what you charge per month, I can compare the economics of Kajabi vs. Podia vs. keeping your existing newsletter platform and adding a course platform.

Yes. If your goal is “paid newsletter + subscriber-only videos + courses” in one platform, I’d shortlist these:

My recommendation: Kajabi

For what you're describing, Kajabi is probably the cleanest migration path. It combines newsletters, paid subscriptions, courses, communities, and digital products rather than treating courses as an add-on. help.kajabi.comcircle.so

That means you could structure your business roughly like:

Free newsletter → Paid newsletter → Premium video library → Courses → Higher-priced programs

And subscribers can use the same account rather than bouncing between your newsletter platform, Teachable, Vimeo, etc.

One important alternative: Circle

If your vision is less “newsletter + courses” and more “paid members' club with content, discussion, courses, and video,” I'd seriously consider Circle. It specifically combines email, community, courses, events, and payments. circle.so

Where Ghost fits

If you love your existing newsletter and primarily want to add a course/video library, Ghost is attractive because its paid memberships and tiered content access are excellent. It can even be used to build subscription-based courses. docs.ghost.org

But Ghost isn't really a polished LMS/video-course platform in the way Kajabi is. You'd likely be building more of the course experience yourself or using integrations.

So, in one sentence:

• Kajabi → best if courses become a major revenue stream
• Circle → best if community/membership becomes the product
• Ghost → best if the newsletter remains the heart of the business
• beehiiv → best if you're primarily building a media/newsletter business

If you tell me what platform your newsletter is currently on (Substack, beehiiv, ConvertKit, Ghost, etc.) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can narrow this down to the best 1–2 options and compare the migration/pricing tradeoffs.

Yes. If you already run a paid newsletter and want to add structured courses + subscriber-only video, I’d look at these three first:

• kajabi.com — best all-in-one fit. It combines paid newsletters, recurring memberships, courses, video/course content, email automation, checkout, and community. You can make a subscriber’s recurring payment unlock a course library and other premium content. Kajabi Kajabi Kajabi
• circle.so — best if community is important. It combines email/newsletters, paid memberships, courses, events, community, and payments in one branded environment. Circle
• ghost.org — best if the newsletter/publication is the core business. Ghost has excellent built-in paid subscriptions and can organize subscription-based courses, but it's less of a purpose-built LMS than Kajabi. Ghost Ghost

What I'd choose for your use case

If your model is roughly:

Paid newsletter → subscriber gets premium videos → subscriber gets a course library → potentially add higher-priced courses later

I'd pick Kajabi.

It lets you have one customer account/payment relationship across the newsletter, membership, and courses, and you can use subscriptions, one-time payments, or payment plans. Kajabi Kajabi

If instead the newsletter itself is the product and the courses/videos are an extension of it, Ghost is particularly attractive. Its paid subscription infrastructure is native, and it currently advertises 0% platform payment fees (with Stripe processing separately). Ghost Ghost

If you tell me roughly how many paid subscribers you have and what you charge per month, I can compare Kajabi vs Ghost vs Circle on cost, video/course experience, migration, and fees and tell you which one I'd use.

Yes. If you already run a paid newsletter and want to add courses + subscriber-only video, I’d look at these three:

My pick: Circle

For what you're describing, Circle is probably the closest fit. It combines paid memberships/subscriptions, courses, video, email, and community in one place. You can create different membership tiers and gate specific courses, videos, and spaces behind them. circle.so

That makes a model like this straightforward:

Free newsletter → paid newsletter → premium membership → courses → subscriber-only video library

Circle also lets you upload video directly into courses/content rather than making YouTube/Vimeo your primary content-management layer. circle.sowww.podia.com

When I'd choose Kajabi instead

Choose Kajabi if your newsletter is really the front end of a larger education business—especially if you expect to sell expensive courses, coaching, or multiple products. It has courses, memberships, communities, email marketing, payments and sales funnels integrated together. www.kajabi.com

The tradeoff is that Kajabi tends to make more sense once you're generating substantial revenue; it's a more elaborate platform than you need if your main goal is simply "paid newsletter + courses + exclusive videos."

Podia

Podia is worth considering if you want something simpler. It combines courses, memberships, digital products, email marketing, website/landing pages, and community, and lets you bundle those products together. www.podia.com

My ranking for your use case:

1. Circle — best if subscriber community + exclusive video + courses are central.
2. Kajabi — best if you're building a serious course/education business with funnels and multiple products.
3. Podia — best if you want inexpensive, straightforward all-in-one functionality.

One important question is where your newsletter currently lives. If you tell me whether you're on Substack, beehiiv, Ghost, ConvertKit, or something else, I can tell you which of these would involve the least painful migration and how I'd structure the paid tiers.

Yes. If your goal is “paid newsletter + subscriber-only videos + courses, all under one login/paywall,” I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Kajabi

For what you're describing, Kajabi is probably the cleanest all-in-one fit. It now combines newsletters, paid subscriptions, courses, communities, and other digital products in one platform. www.kajabi.com

That lets you structure your business something like:

$15/month newsletter
→ weekly premium newsletter
→ subscriber-only videos
→ archive of premium content

$199 course
→ available as a separate purchase or bundled with membership

$30/month premium membership
→ newsletter + all videos + selected/all courses

The big advantage is that you don't have to make your newsletter live in one system, your course in another, and your video membership somewhere else.

Podia is the value-oriented alternative

Podia is particularly attractive if you want something simpler. It has built-in email/newsletters, courses, community, website, checkout, and digital products. www.podia.com

I'd choose Podia over Kajabi if you're primarily a newsletter creator who is adding courses, rather than building a sophisticated marketing funnel/education business.

Ghost is worth considering if the newsletter is the core

Ghost is arguably the nicest fit if you think of yourself primarily as a publisher. It has native paid memberships and lets you restrict posts/content to paid tiers. ghost.org

Ghost can also be used to create subscription-based courses, but it's less of a traditional course-hosting platform than Kajabi or Podia. ghost.org

So my ranking for your use case:

1. Kajabi — best all-in-one if courses will become a significant revenue stream.
2. Podia — best if you want simplicity and good value.
3. Ghost — best if your paid newsletter remains the main product.
4. Circle — best if you want to turn the newsletter into a community/membership business. Circle currently combines email, courses, community, events, and payments. circle.so

If you tell me roughly how many paid subscribers you have now and what you charge per month, I can narrow this down to the best 1–2 options and compare the economics.

Yes. If you want one platform to handle a paid newsletter + courses + subscriber-only video, I’d narrow it to three:

My pick: Kajabi

Kajabi is probably the closest match to what you're describing. It explicitly combines newsletters, paid subscriptions, courses, memberships, video/content delivery, payments, and marketing automation in one system. www.kajabi.com

The model could look like:

Free newsletter → paid newsletter → premium video library → flagship course → all-access membership

That means you can sell a recurring subscription and use the same subscriber/account to control access to your courses and premium videos.

Circle is worth a serious look

Circle is especially attractive if you want the paid content to feel like a membership community, rather than simply a course portal. It supports paid subscriptions/memberships, courses, video, events, discussions, and gated spaces. circle.so

I'd choose Circle over Kajabi if your vision is something like:

"Subscribers get the newsletter, a private video library, courses, discussions, and live Q&As."

I'd choose Kajabi if the priority is:

"I want one system for selling and delivering my newsletter, courses, memberships, and marketing funnels."

One important alternative: keep your newsletter platform

If you're already happy with your newsletter platform, don't automatically migrate it. For example, Kit is particularly strong for newsletter-first creators who also sell courses/digital products, while beehiiv is particularly strong for newsletter growth and paid subscriptions. tiergauge.com

If you tell me which platform your newsletter is currently on (Substack, beehiiv, Ghost, Kit, etc.) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can tell you the best setup—and whether it's worth migrating or just adding a course/membership platform.

For a paid newsletter that you want to expand into courses + subscriber-only videos, you’ll usually want a platform that handles:

• recurring subscriptions
• gated video/course content
• member management
• email/newsletter delivery
• payments and tiers

The best fits depend on how much you want the newsletter to remain the “center” of the business:

My shortlist:

If your newsletter is the main product → Kit + Circle

Good for:

• free newsletter → paid newsletter → premium community/course funnel
• keeping your email list as the core asset
• adding courses without rebuilding everything kit.comcircle.so

If you want one all-in-one system → Kajabi

Good for:

• “Netflix for my subscribers” style libraries
• multiple courses
• recurring memberships
• automated sales funnels

If you want the easiest migration from a newsletter business → Ghost or Kit

Good if you already have:

• paying readers
• a strong email audience
• occasional premium videos/courses rather than a full academy

If you want a creator membership hub → Circle

Circle is especially strong if your paid subscribers should interact with each other, attend events, and access courses in one member space. kit.comcircle.so

A common setup for newsletter creators is:

Newsletter: Ghost / Kit / beehiiv
→ Courses + community: Circle / Kajabi
→ Video hosting: Vimeo, Wistia, or the platform’s built-in hosting

If you tell me:

1. your current newsletter platform (Substack, beehiiv, Ghost, Mailchimp, etc.),
2. subscriber count, and
3. whether courses are included in the subscription or sold separately,

I can narrow it to the best 2–3 options.

Yes. If you already run a paid newsletter and want to add courses + subscriber-only video, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Kajabi

If the business is evolving from newsletter → education business, Kajabi is probably the cleanest fit. It combines courses, memberships, video, email marketing, payments, landing pages and automations rather than making you bolt a course platform onto your newsletter. Current comparisons also consistently put Kajabi in the course/membership all-in-one category. www.beehiiv.com

Kajabi

But there's an important distinction

If your newsletter is the main product and courses/videos are add-ons, I'd consider keeping the newsletter platform and adding a course/community layer. For example, Circle is particularly strong if you want subscribers to have a member area where they can watch lessons, discuss them, and interact with each other. kompozy.io

Circle

If you tell me what you're using for the newsletter now (Substack, beehiiv, Ghost, ConvertKit, etc.) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can tell you whether I'd migrate everything to one platform or keep your newsletter where it is and add courses/video alongside it.

Yes. If your starting point is a paid newsletter and you want to add courses + subscriber-only video, I’d look at these three first:

My pick: Circle

For your particular use case, Circle is probably the strongest fit. It combines paid memberships/subscriptions with courses, video, community, email, and one-time purchases. You can make a subscription tier that unlocks particular courses or private content, rather than maintaining separate subscriber and course systems. circle.socircle.so

Its current Professional plan is listed at $89/month, with courses, paid memberships, live streams, website building, and unlimited members; Business is $199/month and adds more automation/customization. circle.so

Example setup:

• Free newsletter → public content
• $10/month → newsletter + subscriber-only videos
• $25/month → everything above + Course A
• $50/month → everything + all courses/community/live sessions

That model is very natural in Circle because access can be gated by membership and payments. circle.socircle.so

When I'd choose something else

Podia is attractive if you don't really need a community. It's more of a straightforward creator-business platform: website + email + courses + digital products + community. university.podia.com

Kit is worth considering if your newsletter is the core business and the courses are an extension. It has paid subscriptions, digital products, customer billing, and automation around subscriber/customer tags. tiergauge.com

Ghost is another strong option if you care about owning your publishing platform and having a very newsletter-centric experience. It has native memberships, subscriptions, payments and newsletters, but it's less of a turnkey course/community platform than Circle. ghost.org

Bottom line: If you want to turn your newsletter into a membership business with courses and a Netflix-like library of exclusive videos, I'd shortlist Circle first, Podia second, and Kit third.

If you tell me roughly how many paid subscribers you have and what you charge per month, I can compare the actual economics of those three for your business.

Yes. If you already run a paid newsletter and want to add structured courses + subscriber-only video, there are three strong options:

My pick: Kajabi

Kajabi

Kajabi is probably the closest match to what you're describing. It combines newsletters, paid subscriptions/memberships, courses, gated content, video, payments, and marketing automation in one system. Its membership product uses the same course-style modules/lessons, so you can make a paid subscription that unlocks an ongoing library rather than selling each course separately. www.kajabi.com

I'd choose Kajabi if your plan is something like:

$15/month newsletter → $30/month newsletter + video library → $200 course

That gives you room to build a proper education/membership business around the newsletter.

If you want the least disruption: Substack

Substack

Substack has become considerably more capable for video. You can now upload/record native video, paywall it for paid subscribers, offer free previews, and run subscriber-only live video. support.substack.com

The catch is courses. Substack is excellent for a sequence of paid articles/videos, but it isn't really a dedicated course-learning environment with the structured curriculum/progress experience you'd get from Kajabi.

Ghost is the middle ground

Ghost

Ghost is excellent if your newsletter/publication is the core business. It has paid tiers, newsletters, memberships and protected content, with 0% transaction fees on subscriptions. ghost.org

You can even build subscription-based courses in Ghost, but you'll be doing considerably more of the course architecture yourself; Ghost itself describes one-off course sales as something that generally requires an integration. ghost.org

Bottom line:

• Newsletter is the main product, courses are an add-on → Substack
• Courses/membership are becoming a major revenue stream → Kajabi
• You want maximum control over your own publication/site → Ghost

If you tell me roughly how many paid subscribers you have and what you charge per month, I can narrow this down to the best option financially and tell you whether it's worth migrating from your current newsletter platform.

Yes. For your use case—paid newsletter + courses + subscriber-only video—I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Kajabi

Kajabi is particularly well suited if you want to turn your newsletter into a membership business rather than just bolt a course onto your existing publication. It supports paid newsletters, recurring memberships, courses, communities, and video/content products in one system. You can also bundle multiple products into a single subscription and revoke access when someone cancels. www.kajabi.com

For example, you could have:

$15/month — Newsletter

• Weekly premium newsletter
• Subscriber-only video archive

$30/month — Premium

• Everything above
• Course 1
• Monthly live session

$300 — Standalone course

• Course access without the ongoing newsletter subscription

Kajabi also supports drip/rolling content, which could work well if you want new course modules or videos released over time. help.kajabi.com

Podia is the one I'd investigate if cost/simplicity matters

Podia combines email, courses, video, community, memberships, and a storefront, so it's unusually close to what you're describing. Its courses support video, audio, text, downloads, quizzes, and drip content. www.podia.com

Its current pricing page lists plans from $42/month when billed annually, with higher tiers offering more products/videos and removing Podia's transaction fee. www.podia.com

Bottom line: If you're already running a successful paid newsletter and want to build a larger education/membership business around it, I'd lean Kajabi. If you want something more straightforward and less expensive, Podia is probably the strongest alternative.

If you tell me what platform your newsletter is currently on (Substack, Beehiiv, Ghost, ConvertKit, etc.) and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can compare the best migration path and actual costs for your situation.

Yes. If you want one platform to handle your paid newsletter + courses + subscriber-only videos, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Kajabi

Kajabi is probably the closest match to what you're describing. It combines paid newsletters/subscriptions, courses, memberships, communities, and video-based content in one system. Kajabi specifically supports paywalled newsletter content and native membership products, while its course builder handles structured lessons. www.kajabi.com

The big advantage is that you can structure your business something like:

Free newsletter → Paid newsletter → Video library → Courses → Premium membership

and use the same customer/account/payment infrastructure rather than stitching together your newsletter platform, course platform, and video membership separately.

Podia is the simpler alternative

Podia is worth a serious look if you don't need Kajabi's heavier marketing automation. It has email/newsletters, courses, community, website, and digital products integrated together. www.podia.com

I'd choose Podia if your priority is "I want this to be easy to run" rather than building a sophisticated marketing funnel.

Ghost makes sense if the newsletter is the core business

Ghost is excellent for paid publications: it has native memberships, paid subscriptions, multiple tiers, and newsletters. docs.ghost.org

But I'd put it behind Kajabi/Podia for your particular use case because courses aren't really Ghost's native strength. Ghost itself describes subscription-based courses as something you can build using its content/membership system, rather than a dedicated course product. ghost.org

Bottom line:

• Kajabi → best if courses and video memberships are going to become a significant part of the business.
• Podia → best value/simplicity.
• Ghost → best if you're fundamentally a newsletter publisher who is adding some educational content.

If you tell me roughly how many paid subscribers you have now and what you charge per month, I can compare the current pricing/transaction costs of Kajabi vs Podia vs Ghost and tell you which would likely be cheapest for your business.

Yes. If you already run a paid newsletter and want to add courses + subscriber-only video, I’d shortlist these:

My pick for your situation: Ghost

If the newsletter is the core business, Ghost is probably the cleanest transition. It has native paid subscriptions, newsletters, member accounts, and tier-based access control. You can make individual posts/pages available only to paying subscribers. docs.ghost.org

Ghost also explicitly supports selling courses through recurring memberships. You can organize course material into a library and restrict it to particular membership tiers. ghost.org

For video, you can publish video content as members-only posts and embed/host the video through your preferred video provider. So it's more of a membership + publishing platform that can deliver courses, rather than a traditional LMS.

When I'd choose Kajabi instead

If your plan is:

newsletter → flagship courses → video library → memberships → upsells

I'd lean toward Kajabi. It was built around selling knowledge products and natively combines courses, memberships, newsletters, email marketing, websites, payments and analytics. help.kajabi.com

It's the stronger choice if the course becomes the main product rather than an extension of the newsletter.

Podia is the middle ground

Podia is worth considering if you want something easier than Kajabi but more course-oriented than Ghost. It combines courses, memberships, digital products, website, email marketing, bundles and multimedia products in one system. www.podia.com

My rule of thumb:

• 80% newsletter / 20% courses & video → Ghost
• 40% newsletter / 60% courses & video → Kajabi
• Want simple all-in-one without Kajabi's complexity → Podia

If you tell me roughly how many paid subscribers you have and what you charge per month/year, I can compare the actual economics of Ghost vs Kajabi vs Podia for your business.

Yes. For your use case, I’d shortlist Circle and Kajabi—both combine recurring subscriptions, gated content, courses, and video hosting.

My pick: Circle

Circle is particularly good if your newsletter is evolving into a paid membership/community.

• Paid monthly/annual subscriptions and tiered paywalls
• Host courses with video, audio, text, and files
• Put courses and individual content spaces behind different paywalls
• Member discussions, live streams, events, messaging, etc.
• Subscription access can automatically be revoked when payment ends
• Current Professional plan is listed at $89/month; Business is $199/month. circle.so

That makes it a strong fit for something like: newsletter → premium membership → subscriber-only videos → structured courses → community.

Kajabi is the better alternative if you're building a course business

Kajabi is more of an all-in-one creator-business platform. It combines courses, memberships, email/newsletters, websites, payments, marketing automation, and analytics. help.kajabi.com

Its courses support video/audio lessons, quizzes, drip content, paywalls, and community integration. help.kajabi.com

I'd choose:

One important consideration: if you're already running the newsletter on Substack, Beehiiv, Ghost, etc., I wouldn't automatically migrate the newsletter itself. You can potentially keep your newsletter where it is and use Circle/Kajabi as the paid-content layer, depending on how you want subscriber access synchronized.

If you tell me which newsletter platform you're currently using and roughly how many paid subscribers you have, I can recommend the cleanest setup (and the likely monthly cost) rather than just picking a platform generically.