ChatGPT answers, unedited

For occasional workshops, I’d usually avoid full course platforms (Kajabi, Thinkific, Teachable, etc.) because you’re paying monthly for features you may not use. A simple storefront with no monthly fee is likely the better fit.

My shortlist:

My pick for your situation

Start with Payhip if your workshops are actual courses (videos, PDFs, worksheets, recordings, modules). It gives you more “classroom” structure without requiring a monthly commitment. Payhip

Choose Gumroad if your workshops are mostly:

• live Zoom sessions,
• one-off tickets,
• downloadable materials,
• “buy this link and join” events.

Its simplicity is the main advantage, though the percentage fee is higher. Gumroad

A simple setup many occasional instructors use:

1. Create a free storefront.
2. Add one product per workshop.
3. Connect Stripe/PayPal.
4. Put the checkout link on your website, LinkedIn, newsletter, or event page.
5. After the workshop, upload the replay/materials as a bonus product.

If you tell me (a) live workshops vs self-paced courses, (b) typical price ($25, $100, $500+), and (c) whether you already have an audience, I can narrow it down.

For occasional course/workshop sellers who don't want a monthly fee, I’d look first at Payhip.

Why Payhip stands out

Payhip's Free Forever plan is $0/month, gives you unlimited products and revenue, and includes the same core features as its paid plans; it charges 5% per transaction, plus the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee. Payhip Payhip

That makes it particularly sensible if you might sell, say, 3–10 workshops a year but don't want to pay $30–$100 every month while you're inactive.

Example: on a $150 workshop, Payhip's platform fee is $7.50, before payment processing. With no monthly subscription, you're not paying anything during months when you sell nothing.

When I'd choose the others

• Gumroad — good if your priority is dead-simple selling. There's no monthly fee, but the direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50, plus payment processing, so it's substantially more expensive per sale than Payhip. Gumroad Gumroad
• Teachable — better if you're building a more substantial online-school experience with lots of structured courses. But its current Starter plan is $39/month (or $29/month annually) and takes 7.5% per sale, so I wouldn't choose it for truly occasional selling. Teachable

My practical pick: Payhip. It hits the sweet spot of no monthly commitment + actual course functionality + a storefront + relatively low per-sale fee.

payhip.com

If you tell me roughly how much you charge per workshop and how many you sell per year, I can calculate the actual annual cost of Payhip vs. Gumroad vs. Teachable for you.

For occasional workshop/course sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

1. Payhip — best overall for you

• $0/month on the Free Forever plan.
• 5% Payhip transaction fee, plus the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee.
• Unlimited products and revenue, with all features available even on the free tier. Payhip Payhip
• Good fit if you might sell a course, workshop recording, PDF/materials, or other digital products from the same storefront.
• You can leave it sitting there when you're not selling, without paying a monthly subscription.
• Gumroad — best for absolute simplicity

• No monthly fee.
• But the fee is considerably higher: 10% + $0.50 on direct sales, plus applicable processing; sales through Gumroad Discover are 30%. Gumroad Gumroad
• Very easy to create a product page and send people a link.
• Particularly attractive if you want almost zero setup and don't care about giving up a larger percentage of occasional sales.
• Podia / Teachable / Thinkific — probably overkill

• These make more sense if teaching courses is becoming a significant business rather than something you do occasionally. You're paying for a more complete "online school" environment.

What I'd do in your situation

Start with Payhip's free plan. It gives you a proper little storefront without committing to a monthly bill. When you have a workshop coming up, send attendees to your Payhip page to register/buy the course. When you aren't selling anything, your fixed cost is $0. Payhip

The nice part is that you don't have to upgrade just because you add more workshops—the free tier allows unlimited products and revenue. Payhip

payhip.com

One caveat: if by "courses" you mean live Zoom-style workshops with scheduled dates, attendee management, reminders, and perhaps booking, rather than self-paced digital courses, I'd choose differently. I can compare the best no-monthly-fee options specifically for selling live workshops.

For occasional workshop sellers, I’d generally avoid full learning-management systems (like Kajabi or Teachable) unless you’re running courses regularly. You want something with no monthly fee, a simple checkout page, and the ability to host videos/files or take payments when a workshop happens.

My top picks:

Payhip UxerWave### My recommendation for your situation

Start with Payhip. It’s probably the best balance for “I run a workshop every few months.” Its free tier lets you create a storefront without a subscription, and it supports courses, digital files, and memberships. Payhip

A simple setup could be:

1. Create a workshop product page: - Title + description
2. Date/time or access instructions
3. Price
4. Refund policy
5. Collect payment.
6. Deliver: - Zoom link (live workshop)
7. PDF workbook
8. Recording afterward
9. Bonus materials

Choose Gumroad instead if your priority is “I need something live in 15 minutes and don’t care about optimizing fees.” The Digital Shipper

A few questions would change the recommendation:

• Are your workshops live (Zoom/in-person) or self-paced recordings?
• Do you already have an audience (email list, LinkedIn, Instagram), or do you need the platform to help people discover you?
• What’s your typical price per workshop (e.g., $25, $100, $500+)?

For occasional workshops, I’d pick Payhip.

• Payhip — best overall: $0/month on its Free plan, with a 5% transaction fee plus Stripe/PayPal processing. It supports actual online courses, including videos, files, quizzes, assignments, drip content, and certificates. Payhip Tool Income Lab
• Gumroad — simplest alternative: $0/month, but its direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50. The upside is simplicity and more hands-off tax handling because Gumroad acts as merchant of record. StackDrawer
• Ko-fi — good if you already have a following there: its shop is useful for lightweight digital sales, but it's more creator/tip-page oriented than a dedicated course storefront. Getly

What I'd do in your situation

Use Payhip Free. You don't have to pay anything during months when you aren't selling, and you only give up 5% when a workshop actually sells. You also get the course functionality rather than having to cobble together a checkout plus video-hosting solution. Payhip

For example, on a $100 workshop, you'd pay Payhip $5 plus payment-processing fees. That's considerably more attractive for occasional sales than paying a monthly subscription.

payhip.com

If you tell me (1) your typical workshop price, (2) whether it's live Zoom-style or self-paced, and (3) roughly how many you sell per year, I can tell you whether Payhip, Gumroad, or another option is cheapest for your situation.

For occasional course/workshop sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

• Payhip — best overall: $0/month on the Free plan, with a 5% platform fee per sale plus payment processing. It’s particularly well suited to courses and gives you a proper storefront rather than just a payment link. StackDrawer SurcoPay
• Gumroad — easiest: Also $0/month, but its direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50. Its big advantage is simplicity, and it handles sales-tax/VAT obligations as the merchant of record. Gumroad
• Ko-fi — good if you already have an audience: Free to start and useful if you want workshops alongside tips, memberships, or other creator offerings. CashPilot

My recommendation

Choose Payhip if you're selling, say, a few workshops per year and want:

• A simple branded storefront
• Course hosting/delivery
• No monthly commitment
• Lower per-sale fees than Gumroad
• The option to upgrade later if your workshops become regular

If you want the absolute least setup and don't mind giving up more of each sale, choose Gumroad instead.

payhip.com · gumroad.com

If you tell me roughly what you charge per workshop ($25, $100, $500, etc.) and how many you expect to sell per year, I can tell you which is cheapest in actual dollars.

If you teach only occasionally and want no monthly fee, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

1. payhip.com — best overall for occasional workshops

• $0/month
• 5% transaction fee, plus Stripe/PayPal processing
• Unlimited products and revenue even on the free plan
• Built-in storefront, checkout, coupons, and digital/course delivery
• You can leave it sitting there between workshops without paying anything. Payhip Payhip
• gumroad.com — simplest

• No monthly fee
• 10% + $0.50 per direct sale, plus payment processing
• Particularly easy if you're selling a recording, PDF, or simple self-paced course.
• Gumroad also handles sales-tax obligations as merchant of record. Gumroad Gumroad
• podia.com — best if you become a regular course business

• Much more complete for courses, events, coaching, email, community, etc.
• But it isn't really a no-fee option: its current entry plan is $42/month when billed annually, with a 5% transaction fee. Podia Podia

What I'd choose in your situation

Payhip. You're paying only when you actually sell something, and the free plan doesn't cripple the features you need. That's a particularly good fit for someone who might run, say, 3–6 workshops a year rather than maintaining an active course business year-round.

If your workshops are live Zoom/in-person events rather than self-paced courses, I can also compare Payhip with Eventbrite, Luma, and Stripe Payment Links—the best choice can be different for that setup.

For occasional workshop sellers, I’d prioritize no monthly fee, easy checkout, and minimal setup over advanced course-school features. The “best” platform depends on whether you sell live workshops, self-paced courses, or digital materials.

Here are the strongest fits:

My recommendation for your situation

• You run a workshop a few times per year and already find your own students:

→ Gumroad is probably the simplest. You can create a product page, collect payment, and deliver materials without paying a subscription. SavingSec

• You want attendees to log in, watch recordings, download files, and revisit lessons:

→ Thinkific is the better long-term home. OnlineCourseTools

• You run live workshops (Zoom/in-person) and just need registration + payment:

→ Consider a simple checkout/event tool rather than a full course platform. A full LMS may be more than you need.

For an occasional instructor, I would avoid expensive all-in-one platforms like Kajabi unless workshops become a significant business; they are designed for creators selling continuously rather than a few times a year. Webflow

A couple of questions would narrow this down:

1. Are your workshops live (Zoom/in-person) or self-paced recordings?
2. Do you need to collect registrations only, or do you want a student portal with lessons?
3. Roughly how often do you sell—once a year, monthly, or weekly?

For occasional workshops, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

1. payhip.com — best overall for your use case

• $0/month on the Free Forever plan.
• 5% transaction fee, plus the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee.
• Unlimited products and revenue even on the free plan.
• Good fit if you might sell a workshop one month and nothing the next—you aren't paying a subscription during quiet periods. Payhip Payhip
• You can also sell downloads, which is useful if your workshops come with PDFs, recordings, templates, etc.
• gumroad.com — simplest

• No monthly fee.
• Direct sales currently cost 10% + $0.50 per transaction, plus applicable payment-processing costs; marketplace/discovery sales are 30%. Gumroad Gumroad
• Very easy to throw up a product and share a checkout link.
• I'd choose it if simplicity matters more than keeping fees low.
• podia.com — best if you become more serious

• Much more purpose-built for courses: courses, events, coaching, downloads, email, etc. Podia
• But it's not really a "no-fee storefront": its Mover plan charges a 5% transaction fee, while the higher plan removes that fee. Podia Help Center Podia Help Center
• Better once you're running workshops regularly and want a more polished teaching business.

What I'd do in your shoes

Start with Payhip. You get a genuine $0/month storefront, and you only pay when you actually sell something. That's particularly attractive for an occasional seller.

For example, if you sell a $100 workshop to 10 people, that's $1,000 in sales; Payhip's platform fee would be $50, before Stripe/PayPal processing. If you aren't selling anything for three months afterward, your storefront costs you $0 during those months.

If you tell me whether your workshops are live Zoom/in-person, prerecorded courses, or a mix, I can narrow this down further—because the best choice changes quite a bit depending on whether you need scheduling, Zoom integration, recordings, certificates, or just a checkout page.

For occasional workshop/course sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

1. Payhip — best overall

• $0/month on the Free Forever plan.
• 5% transaction fee per sale, plus Stripe/PayPal processing.
• Includes online courses, a hosted storefront, digital downloads, memberships, coupons, and marketing tools even on the free plan. Payhip Payhip
• No need to pay during months when you don't sell anything.
• Particularly good if you're selling a workshop occasionally rather than trying to build a huge course business.

payhip.com

2. Gumroad — best for absolute simplicity

• No monthly fee.
• Direct sales cost 10% + $0.50 per transaction; marketplace/discovery sales can cost 30%. Gumroad Gumroad
• Very easy to create a product page and send people a link.
• I'd choose it if your workshops are more like "buy access to this recording/materials" than a structured online course.

gumroad.com

What I'd do in your situation

Start with Payhip. You can create a storefront, list each workshop as a course, and simply leave it there between launches. There's no monthly commitment, and the free plan doesn't restrict the number of products or revenue. Payhip

For example, if you sell a $100 workshop to 10 people ($1,000 total), Payhip's platform fee would be $50, before payment-processing fees. Gumroad's equivalent direct-sale platform fee would be $105 before its applicable processing costs. Gumroad Payhip

One caveat: if by "workshops" you mean live Zoom-style sessions where people choose a date/time and book a seat, rather than self-paced courses, I'd use a slightly different setup. I can recommend the best no-monthly-fee option for that specifically.

For occasional workshops, I’d pick Payhip.

• Payhip — best overall: $0/month, with a 5% transaction fee on its free plan. It supports actual online courses, including videos, files, quizzes, assignments, drip content, and certificates. You get a hosted storefront, so you don't need to build a website. Payhip Payhip
• Gumroad — best for absolute simplicity: $0/month, but the fee is 10% + $0.50 per direct sale, plus payment-processing costs. It's extremely easy to set up, but the higher fee makes it less attractive for workshops priced $50–$200+. Gumroad Gumroad
• Teachable/Thinkific/Podia — better for a serious course business: They provide more sophisticated course-school features, but you're generally moving into monthly subscription territory, which doesn't make much sense if you're only selling occasionally. PickLogic

My recommendation

Start with Payhip. It hits the sweet spot of:

No monthly commitment → proper course delivery → simple storefront → relatively low fee.

For example, on a $100 workshop, Payhip's platform fee is $5, versus Gumroad's $10.50 before any applicable payment-processing differences. Payhip also says all features are available on its free plan, rather than reserving course features for a paid tier. Payhip

payhip.com

If your "workshops" are actually live Zoom/in-person workshops rather than self-paced courses, I'd make a slightly different recommendation—there are better no-monthly-fee options for that use case.

For occasional workshop sellers, I’d usually avoid full course-business platforms (Kajabi, Thinkific, Teachable, etc.) because you’ll pay for features you may only use a few times a year. A simple storefront with no monthly fee is likely a better fit. TheGuideX

My shortlist:

My recommendation for your situation:

1. Choose Payhip if you mean “I run a workshop every few months and want people to buy a ticket/course without me building a website.” It’s the closest match: storefront + course hosting without a monthly commitment. The Digital Shipper Demilked
2. Choose Gumroad if your workshops are simple (for example, a live Zoom link + PDF + replay) and you mostly sell through your own email list or social media. TheGuideX
3. Move to a paid platform only when you need things like automated email funnels, certificates, cohorts, communities, or many courses.

A couple of questions would change the recommendation:

• Are your workshops live (Zoom/in-person) or self-paced recorded courses?
• Do you need the platform to host videos and lessons, or just collect payment and send materials?
• Roughly how many sales do you expect per workshop (10, 50, 500)?

For occasional workshop/course sellers who want no monthly fee, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

Why Payhip wins for you: its free plan includes online courses, unlimited products, and unlimited revenue; you pay 5% only when you make a sale, plus the normal payment-processing fee. Payhip Payhip

That makes it particularly good if you might sell, say, 3 workshops one month and none for the next two months. You're not paying a subscription while your storefront sits idle.

payhip.com

Gumroad is the runner-up. It's arguably even simpler, and it has no monthly fee, but its direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50, making it noticeably more expensive for course sales. It does have the advantage of acting as a merchant of record and handling worldwide sales-tax obligations. Gumroad Gumroad

gumroad.com

What I'd do in your situation

Start with Payhip Free. Put each workshop up as a course/product, collect payment, and send attendees the course access link. Don't pay for Kajabi/Podia/Teachable-level infrastructure until you're selling frequently enough that the extra features actually save you time.

If you tell me roughly how much you charge per workshop (e.g. $50, $100, $250) and how many you sell per year, I can calculate which platform leaves you with the most money.

If you teach occasionally and want a storefront with no monthly fee, I’d pick Payhip.

Payhip's free plan gives you a storefront and course functionality without a subscription; you pay a 5% transaction fee when you make a sale, plus payment processing. SaaSpicious UxerWave

Why I'd choose Payhip for you

For an occasional workshop instructor, avoiding a monthly bill matters more than squeezing out the lowest transaction fee. If you run a workshop every few months, a $29–$50/month course platform can cost you money even when you're not selling anything.

Payhip also has more course-oriented functionality than a simple digital-download storefront—useful if you want lessons, video, drip content, quizzes, or certificates rather than just taking payment and emailing someone a Zoom link. SaaSpicious

Gumroad is my second choice if your workshops are extremely simple and you value the absolute easiest setup. Its no-monthly-fee model is attractive, but its roughly 10% platform fee makes it substantially more expensive per sale than Payhip's free tier. The Digital Shipper

My recommendation: start with Payhip Free. If you're only selling, say, a handful of workshops a year, there's little reason to pay for Podia, Stan, Kajabi, etc.

If you tell me roughly how much you charge per workshop and how many you expect to sell per year, I can calculate which platform would actually leave you with the most money.

For occasional course/workshop sellers who want $0 monthly cost, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

Why Payhip: its free plan includes a hosted storefront and a proper online-course builder—videos, files, quizzes, assignments, drip content, and completion certificates—with no monthly fee. You pay 5% per sale, plus payment processing. Payhip

Gumroad is arguably even simpler, but its direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50, plus processing, so it gets noticeably more expensive for workshops. Gumroad

For example, on a $100 workshop sold directly, Payhip's platform cut is $5 versus Gumroad's $10.50, before payment processing.

My recommendation: start with payhip.com Free. You can leave the storefront sitting there between workshops, pay nothing when you're not selling, and upgrade only if your sales become frequent enough to justify it.

If you tell me roughly how you sell your workshops (Zoom/live, prerecorded, or in-person) and your typical price (e.g. $50–$300), I can narrow it down further.

For occasional workshop/course sellers, I’d pick payhip.com.

Why Payhip fits your use case

• $0/month on the Free Forever plan — you only pay 5% per sale, plus the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee. Payhip Payhip
• It includes online courses, not just downloadable PDFs/videos. You can have lessons, videos, quizzes, assignments, drip content, and certificates. Payhip
• You get a hosted storefront, so you don't need to build a website.
• You can sell courses, workshop recordings, PDFs, templates, memberships, etc. from the same store. Payhip
• The free plan doesn't artificially limit features; the paid plans mainly reduce the transaction percentage. Payhip

Payhip vs. the obvious alternative

Gumroad is also genuinely no-monthly-fee, but its direct-sale fee is currently 10% + $0.50, making Payhip considerably more attractive for occasional course sales. Gumroad Gumroad

My recommendation: Start with Payhip Free. For someone who might sell a workshop a few times a year, there's little reason to take on a $30–$100/month course platform until your sales justify it.

One caveat: if your "workshops" are primarily live Zoom/in-person events where you just need registration + payment, rather than self-paced courses, I'd choose a different setup. If that's what you mean, I can give you the best $0/month registration options too.

For occasional workshop/course sellers who want $0 upfront, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

1. Payhip — best overall for your use case

• $0/month on its Free Forever plan.
• 5% Payhip transaction fee, plus normal Stripe/PayPal processing fees.
• Unlimited products and unlimited revenue even on the free plan.
• Designed for digital products and courses, so you get a proper storefront rather than just a payment link. Payhip Payhip
• payhip.com
• Gumroad — simplest if you want almost zero setup

• No monthly fee.
• But the fee is considerably higher: 10% + $0.50 on direct sales, and 30% when customers discover you through Gumroad's marketplace. Gumroad Gumroad
• Good if you're primarily selling occasional one-off courses/workshops and sending people a link yourself.
• gumroad.com
• Podia — best if you're building a bigger teaching business

• Much more full-featured for courses, email marketing, community, events, etc.
• But it's not really a no-fee storefront: its current entry plan is $42/month when billed annually and charges 5% per sale; the no-transaction-fee plans start much higher. Podia Podia
• podia.com

Bottom line: For someone teaching workshops occasionally, I'd start with Payhip. You pay nothing during months when you don't sell anything, and 5% is substantially easier to swallow than Gumroad's 10% + $0.50.

If your workshops are live Zoom/in-person sessions rather than self-paced courses, I'd make the recommendation slightly differently—there are some better options for handling dates, registration, and attendee logistics.

For occasional workshops, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

1. payhip.com — best overall

• $0/month on the Free Forever plan.
• 5% transaction fee, plus normal PayPal/Stripe processing.
• Unlimited products and revenue, with all features available on the free plan. Payhip Payhip
• Good fit if you want a straightforward storefront where each workshop has its own product/checkout page.
• gumroad.com — simplest

• No monthly fee.
• Currently 10% + $0.50 on direct/profile sales, so it's noticeably more expensive than Payhip for paid workshops.
• Supports courses, tutorials, memberships, and digital products, and handles sales-tax obligations as merchant of record. Gumroad
• I'd choose it if simplicity and tax handling matter more than minimizing fees.
• ko-fi.com — best if you already have an audience

• No monthly fee and 5% on shop sales, plus payment processing.
• Particularly nice if you also want tips, memberships, commissions, or other creator-style offerings alongside workshops. Ko-fi Help Ko-fi
• Less course/storefront-oriented than Payhip.

Bottom line: For "I teach a workshop every now and then and don't want another monthly subscription," I'd start with Payhip. You can leave the storefront sitting there between workshops and only pay when someone buys.

If your workshops are live Zoom/in-person sessions rather than self-paced courses, there's a slightly different shortlist I'd recommend.

For occasional workshop/course sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

My shortlist

Why Payhip: its free plan has no monthly charge, includes course functionality, and charges 5% per sale. It also gives you a hosted storefront, so you don't need to build a website first. Payhip Payhip

For example, if you run only four workshops a year and sell $2,000 worth of tickets/courses, you'd pay roughly $100 in Payhip platform fees rather than paying a monthly subscription all year.

Gumroad is the runner-up if your priority is dead-simple setup. But its current direct-sale fee is around 10%, making it considerably more expensive once you have meaningful sales. PassiveKit

What I'd do in your situation

Start with Payhip Free. Create one storefront, list each workshop as a course/product, and only pay fees when someone actually buys. If you eventually start selling enough that the fees matter, you can move to a paid Payhip tier.

payhip.com

If you tell me roughly how much you charge per workshop ($50, $100, $300, etc.) and how many you expect to sell per year, I can calculate which platform would actually cost you the least.

For occasional workshop sellers, I’d prioritize no monthly fee, easy checkout, and low setup effort over advanced course-school features. The “best” choice depends on whether you’re selling live workshop seats or self-paced courses.

Best options for occasional sellers

1. Payhip — best overall fit

Best for: A few workshops per year, PDFs, recordings, mini-courses, and simple storefronts.

• Free to start
• You pay only when you sell (free plan has a transaction fee)
• Built-in storefront, checkout, coupons, and course delivery
• Less “corporate” feeling than big course platforms Listicler

Why I’d pick it for you: If you run a workshop occasionally, you don’t want a $50–$200/month platform sitting idle between launches.

2. Gumroad — simplest possible setup

Best for: “Here’s my workshop link, people click and pay.”

• No monthly subscription
• Very quick product pages
• Good for recordings, guides, templates, and simple courses
• Takes a percentage of sales rather than charging monthly TheGuideX

Tradeoff: It feels more like a digital-product checkout than a polished learning portal.

3. Thinkific — best if workshops become a bigger offering

Best for: Multiple courses, student tracking, quizzes, structured learning.

• More professional course experience
• Better if you expect regular enrollment
• Free options exist but are more limited than paid tiers Course.Coach

Tradeoff: More setup than an occasional seller usually needs.

4. Teachable — polished but less ideal for casual use

Best for: A serious course business.

• Strong course delivery tools
• Good student experience
• Free entry option exists, but transaction fees can make it less attractive for occasional sales Course.Coach

My recommendation by scenario

• 1–10 workshops/year, mostly live or downloadable materials: → Payhip
• You just need a payment link and don’t care about a classroom: → Gumroad
• You’re building a catalog of courses: → Thinkific
• You’re turning workshops into a business: → Teachable or a paid course platform

For a workshop teacher who sells only occasionally, I’d start with Payhip: it keeps your costs at roughly zero until you actually earn money, while still giving students a more professional buying experience than a simple payment link. Listicler

A couple of details could change the recommendation: are your workshops live (Zoom/in-person with tickets) or self-paced courses with videos/materials? And do you need registration management (dates, attendee limits, reminders), or just payment + access?

For occasional workshop/course sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

My recommendation: Payhip

payhip.com is particularly well suited to your situation because its Free Forever plan is $0/month with a 5% transaction fee, and it includes online courses, storefront hosting, payments, coupons, and other core features. Payhip Payhip

That means if you teach only a few workshops a year, you don't pay a subscription during the months you're not selling.

Payhip also handles EU/UK VAT automatically, which can be useful if your workshops attract international students. Payhip

When I'd choose something else

• Gumroad if your priority is absolute simplicity and you're mainly selling recordings, PDFs, or other digital files. Its current fee is considerably higher, though. PromptsToPassive
• Ko-fi if your storefront is more of a creator/supporter page and courses aren't the main thing you're selling.
• Teachable or Podia if you're eventually going to run a substantial catalog of courses and need a more sophisticated learning environment.

For your use case—“I occasionally teach a workshop and just want somewhere people can pay and access the material without a monthly bill”—I'd start with Payhip Free. You can upgrade only if your sales become frequent enough to justify it. Payhip

If you tell me roughly what you charge per workshop (e.g. $30, $100, $300) and whether it's live Zoom, in-person, or prerecorded, I can tell you which platform gives you the best economics and simplest setup.

For occasional course/workshop sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

Why Payhip is my pick

payhip.com has a Free Forever plan with unlimited products and revenue, and it includes all features; you pay 5% per sale, plus Stripe/PayPal processing. It specifically supports courses, memberships, bundles, and coaching, so it fits workshops better than a basic digital-download store. Payhip Payhip Help Center

For someone who might sell a workshop only a few times a year, that's attractive: no subscription sitting there while you're not selling anything.

When I'd choose Gumroad instead

gumroad.com is probably the easiest if your priority is "give me a link I can send people and don't make me configure much." It has no monthly fee and supports courses, memberships, and digital products. The downside is the higher fee: 10% + $0.50 per direct sale, plus payment processing. Gumroad Gumroad

So for a $100 workshop, Payhip's 5% platform fee is $5 versus Gumroad's $10.50 platform fee, before payment-processing costs.

My recommendation: Start with Payhip. It's still simple enough for occasional selling, but gives you a proper course/workshop storefront rather than just a payment-and-download page. If you tell me whether your workshops are live Zoom/in-person or self-paced, I can tell you the best setup for that specific use case.

For someone who only sells workshops occasionally and wants no monthly fee, I’d usually start with Payhip or Gumroad. The best choice depends on whether you value course features or absolute simplicity. Payhip Toolradar

Best overall for occasional workshop sellers: payhip.com

Why it fits:

• Free plan (no monthly subscription)
• Lets you sell courses, downloads, memberships, and coaching-style products
• More “course storefront” oriented than a simple checkout page
• Lower platform fee on the free tier than Gumroad (Payhip’s free plan charges a 5% transaction fee, while Gumroad is commonly cited at 10% on sales) Payhip ChikiPay

Good for:

• A live workshop + replay
• A mini-course with videos and PDFs
• Occasional cohorts
• Selling handouts, templates, or bonus materials

Simplest setup: gumroad.com

Why people choose it:

• Very fast to set up
• Clean product pages
• Good if you already have an audience and just need a payment link LaunchAdvisor

Tradeoff:

• Higher per-sale fees can matter if your workshops become popular. ChikiPay

Good for:

• “I’m running a workshop next month; I need a checkout page today.”
• One-off recordings
• PDFs, guides, or simple digital products

Other options worth considering

• ko-fi.com — nice if you already have a community and want a lightweight creator page, but it’s less course-focused.
• stan.store — useful if most sales come through Instagram/TikTok and you want a link-in-bio storefront, but it has a monthly cost rather than being truly free. UxerWave
• Dedicated course platforms like teachable.com or podia.com are better for a serious course business but usually make less sense for occasional workshops.

My pick for your situation:
Start with Payhip if you want your workshops to feel like actual courses. Choose Gumroad if you mostly need a simple “buy this workshop” link and don’t care about a learning portal. Payhip LaunchAdvisor

If your workshops are live (Zoom/in-person) rather than prerecorded, the recommendation shifts slightly because you may want registration, calendar, and reminder features.

For occasional course/workshop sellers who want no monthly fee, I’d pick Payhip.

My recommendation

1. Payhip — best overall for your use case

• $0/month on the Free Forever plan.
• 5% transaction fee plus normal Stripe/PayPal processing.
• The free plan includes all features, unlimited products, and unlimited revenue. Payhip Payhip
• It supports courses, bundles, memberships, coaching, and digital products, so you can sell a workshop without needing a separate course platform. Payhip Help Center
• You get a simple storefront rather than having to build a website.

For someone who might sell a workshop one month and nothing the next, not paying $30–$100 every month is a big advantage.

2. Gumroad — simplest alternative

• Also $0/month, but its direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50, plus payment processing. Gumroad Gumroad
• Very easy to set up and has a marketplace/discovery component.
• I'd choose it if you care more about absolute simplicity and potentially being discovered by Gumroad users than keeping fees low.

Quick example

If you sell a $100 workshop:

• Payhip: $5 platform fee + payment processing
• Gumroad: $10 + $0.50 platform fee + payment processing

So for occasional sales, Payhip gives you the better combination of $0 monthly cost + relatively low per-sale fee.

payhip.com
gumroad.com

Bottom line: I'd start with Payhip. You can leave the store sitting there between workshops without paying anything, then upgrade only if your sales become frequent enough to justify it.

For occasional workshop sellers, I’d prioritize no monthly fee, easy checkout, and low maintenance over having a full “online school” platform. My top picks:

Best overall: Payhip

Best fit if you run a few workshops a year and want a real course storefront. SaaSpicious

• ✅ Free to start
• ✅ Can sell courses, downloads, memberships, and coaching
• ✅ Lets you host course content instead of just taking payment
• ✅ Lower free-tier transaction fee than some competitors (commonly listed as 5%, plus payment processing) SaaSpicious PassiveKit
• ❌ You bring your own audience (less marketplace discovery)

Good for: “I teach a weekend workshop every few months and want a simple page where people enroll.”

Simplest setup: Gumroad

Best if your workshops are occasional and you mostly need a payment link. LaunchAdvisor

• ✅ No monthly subscription
• ✅ Very fast to set up
• ✅ Good for PDFs, recordings, templates, and simple courses
• ❌ Less of a traditional course-learning experience
• ❌ Per-sale fees can add up if you grow ToolSkeptic

Good for: “I have a workshop recording or a one-off class and just need to sell access.”

Best if you become a regular course creator: Podia

Better once workshops become a meaningful business line. Podia

• ✅ Strong course hosting
• ✅ Email marketing and memberships
• ✅ More polished student experience
• ❌ Monthly cost makes less sense for occasional sellers ToolSkeptic

Good for: “I’m running workshops every month and building an audience.”

My recommendation for your situation

Since you said “occasionally” and “no-fee”, I’d choose:

1. Payhip — if you want a course-style storefront with lessons and student access.
2. Gumroad — if you just need a checkout page and don’t want any monthly commitment.
3. Podia — only when sales become frequent enough to justify a subscription.

A couple of questions would change the answer:

• Are your workshops live (Zoom/in-person) or self-paced recorded courses?
• Do you need the platform to host videos, or just take payments and send confirmation emails?
• Roughly how many sales do you expect per workshop (10, 50, 200+)?

For occasional course/workshop sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

Why Payhip is my pick

• Its Free Forever plan is $0/month, with all features, unlimited products, and unlimited revenue. payhip.com
• It specifically supports online courses, including video, files, quizzes, assignments, drip content, and completion certificates. payhip.com
• You can create a storefront without paying for a separate website.
• Since you're selling only occasionally, you avoid paying a subscription during months when you have no workshops.
• The 5% platform fee is considerably lower than Gumroad's current 10% + $0.50 direct-sale fee, before payment-processing costs. payhip.compayhip.comgumroad.com

Example: If you sell a $100 workshop, Payhip's platform fee is $5, whereas Gumroad's is $10.50 before payment-processing charges.

When I'd choose Gumroad instead

Choose Gumroad if your priority is absolute simplicity and you don't need much course-specific functionality. It has no monthly fee, supports courses, and can also expose products through its Discover marketplace. gumroad.com

My recommendation for you: Payhip if you're actually hosting a course/workshop; Gumroad if you're essentially selling a simple ticket/product with downloadable or streaming content.

Payhip · Gumroad

For occasional course/workshop sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

Why Payhip wins for you: its free plan includes all features, unlimited products, and unlimited revenue—you pay 5% only when you make a sale, plus normal Stripe/PayPal processing. It also supports online courses, so you don't need to cobble together a checkout and course-delivery system. payhip.com

Payhip

Gumroad is my second choice if you care more about absolute simplicity than fees. There's no monthly charge, but the current direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50 per transaction, plus card processing. Gumroad also acts as merchant of record for applicable sales taxes, which can be a meaningful convenience. payhip.comgumroad.com

Gumroad

For your particular use case

If you're thinking something like “I might run 3–8 workshops a year, I don't want another subscription, and I just want people to click a link, pay, and get the course/workshop info”, I'd use Payhip.

If your workshops are live/in-person rather than self-paced online courses, I can also compare Payhip with Eventbrite, Luma, and Squarespace—the answer changes a bit for ticketing and event logistics.

For occasional course/workshop sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

• Payhip — best overall: $0/month on its Free plan, with a 5% platform fee per sale plus payment processing. Crucially, the free plan includes its online-course builder, so you can host videos, files, quizzes, assignments, drip content, and certificates without paying a subscription. payhip.com
• Gumroad — simplest alternative: $0/month, but its direct-sale fee is higher (currently 10% + $0.50, with processing depending on the transaction). Its advantage is Gumroad Discover, which can potentially expose you to buyers you don't already reach. latuos.com
• Stan Store — probably overkill: starts around $29/month, so it makes more sense for someone selling regularly through social media rather than running an occasional workshop. boldtake.io

My recommendation

Start with Payhip Free. If you only run a workshop every few months, there's no reason to carry a monthly subscription. You can make a simple course landing page, take payment, and give attendees access to the course materials.

The main caveat: Payhip doesn't have a marketplace, so you'll need to send people your own link (email, LinkedIn, social media, etc.). If discovering new customers is more important than minimizing fees, I'd consider Gumroad instead. www.passivekit.com

Payhip · Gumroad

If you tell me roughly what you charge per workshop and how many you sell per year, I can tell you which is cheapest in actual dollars.

For occasional course/workshop sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

Why Payhip fits you best: its free plan includes online courses, a hosted storefront, unlimited products, and unlimited revenue; you only pay the 5% platform fee when you sell. payhip.com

That makes it particularly attractive if you might go weeks or months without selling anything. You don't have to keep paying a $30–$100/month subscription just to keep your storefront alive.

Gumroad is the runner-up. It's arguably even simpler, and it has no monthly charge, but its current direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50, substantially more than Payhip. gumroad.com

One important distinction: if your "workshops" are live Zoom/in-person workshops with a registration/payment page, rather than self-paced online courses, I'd make a slightly different recommendation.

If you tell me (1) typical workshop price, (2) whether they're live or self-paced, and (3) roughly how many you sell per year, I can tell you which platform is cheapest and simplest for your particular situation.

For occasional workshops, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

Why Payhip wins for you: its free plan has all features, unlimited products, and unlimited revenue, with a 5% transaction fee rather than a monthly subscription. It explicitly supports courses, bundles, memberships and coaching, so you can have a workshop storefront without paying during months when you don't sell anything. payhip.com

Payhip

Ko-fi is a close second. It's particularly nice if your workshops are more like "here's my link, sign up for this event." Its Shop has no listing fees or monthly charge and takes 5% on sales, with payments going directly to your PayPal/Stripe account. ko-fi.com

Ko-fi

Gumroad is attractive if you want more hands-off tax administration: Gumroad acts as merchant of record and handles sales-tax collection/remittance, but its direct-sale fee is considerably higher at 10% + $0.50 per transaction (plus payment processing). payhip.comko-fi.comgumroad.com

Gumroad

For your particular situation

If you're teaching, say, 4–10 workshops a year, I'd start with Payhip Free. You can make a page for each workshop, take payment, deliver course materials, and avoid a subscription when you're inactive.

If your workshops are live Zoom/in-person events rather than self-paced courses, I can also compare Payhip vs. Ko-fi vs. Eventbrite specifically for registration, payment, attendee management, and fees.

For occasional course/workshop sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

Why Payhip is my pick

Payhip has a Free Forever plan with no monthly charge, unlimited products, and all features; it takes 5% per sale, plus the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee. payhip.com

That's particularly good for your situation: if you run three workshops one month and nothing for the next six months, you don't pay anything while you're inactive.

It also supports things useful for workshops—coupons, pay-what-you-want pricing, digital/video content, and customer updates. payhip.com

Why I'd put Gumroad second

Gumroad is arguably even simpler, and it has no monthly fee. But its direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50 per transaction, substantially higher than Payhip's 5%. gumroad.com

Why I wouldn't choose Teachable

Teachable is much more course-oriented, but the Starter plan currently costs $39/month when billed monthly ($29/month annually) and takes 7.5% per sale. support.teachable.com That's hard to justify if you're only selling occasionally.

Bottom line: Start with Payhip Free. It gives you a storefront without committing to a subscription, and you can upgrade to $29/month + 2% later if your workshop sales become regular. payhip.com

If you tell me what your workshops look like (live Zoom sessions, in-person workshops, prerecorded courses, or a mix), I can narrow it down further—because the best platform changes depending on how you deliver the course.

For occasional workshop/course sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

Best fit: Payhip

• $0/month on the Free Forever plan.
• 5% transaction fee per sale, plus the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee.
• The free plan includes all features, including courses, unlimited products, and unlimited revenue. payhip.com
• You can create a simple storefront without maintaining a separate website.
• It supports courses, coaching, memberships, digital downloads, etc. payhip.com
• Particularly nice for your use case because you can leave the store sitting there and only pay when someone actually buys.

Runner-up: Gumroad

Gumroad is arguably even simpler, and it has a built-in Discover marketplace, which can help people find your courses. But its current direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50 per transaction, plus payment processing, so it's substantially more expensive for most workshop sales. gumroad.com

My quick verdict

For example, on a $100 workshop, Payhip's platform fee is $5, whereas Gumroad's is $10.50 before payment-processing considerations. gumroad.compayhip.com

So for someone who teaches workshops only occasionally, I'd start with Payhip Free. You don't need to commit to a monthly subscription, and you get the actual course-hosting/storefront functionality rather than having to cobble together checkout + video hosting + a website.

If your "courses" are actually live Zoom-style workshops rather than self-paced video courses, the best choice changes a bit—I can compare the best no-monthly-fee options specifically for that model.

For occasional workshops, I’d pick Payhip.

Payhip's free plan gives you unlimited products and revenue, with a 5% transaction fee; it supports online courses as well as digital products. payhip.com

Why I'd choose Payhip for you

If you might sell one workshop this month and nothing for the next three months, you don't want a $30–$50 monthly subscription sitting there during the quiet periods. Payhip lets you keep the storefront without a monthly charge and only takes a percentage when you sell. payhip.com

It also gives you more course functionality than a basic digital-download storefront: you can structure lessons and sell the course itself rather than cobbling together a checkout page and file delivery.

Gumroad is my runner-up if your workshops are extremely simple. It also has no monthly fee, but its current fee is 10% per sale, so Payhip is generally more economical if you're bringing your own workshop customers. gumroad.com

Bottom line:
👉 Payhip if you want a simple storefront + actual course delivery.
👉 Gumroad if you want the absolute simplest “here's my workshop, pay me” setup.
👉 Skip Podia/Teachable until you're selling often enough that their extra course/business features justify a recurring subscription.

Payhip Gumroad pricing

For occasional course/workshop sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

My ranking

Why Payhip wins for you: its free plan is genuinely $0/month, has all features, unlimited products and revenue, and supports actual online courses—not just selling a PDF or video file. It charges 5% per transaction, plus the normal PayPal/Stripe processing fee. payhip.comgumroad.compayhip.com

That makes it particularly good if you might teach one workshop this month and nothing for the next two months: there is no subscription quietly eating into your revenue.

Gumroad is the runner-up. It's extremely simple and has no monthly charge, but its current fee is 10% + $0.50 per direct sale, and its course functionality is less purpose-built than Payhip's. payhip.comgumroad.compayhip.com

One important distinction

If by "courses" you mean live Zoom workshops, rather than self-paced courses, I'd still lean Payhip: you can sell the workshop through the storefront and provide the Zoom details/materials afterward. If you mean self-paced video courses with quizzes, progress tracking, certificates, etc., Payhip is also surprisingly capable on the free tier. payhip.comgumroad.compayhip.com

Bottom line: start with Payhip. You get a professional-looking storefront without committing to a monthly bill, and you can move to the $29/month plan later if your sales volume makes the lower 2% transaction fee worthwhile. payhip.com

For occasional course/workshop sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

Why Payhip is the best fit

• $0/month on the free plan — you pay 5% per sale, plus the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee. payhip.com
• It has actual course functionality, not just a checkout page: lessons, videos, quizzes, downloads, drip content, student accounts, certificates, and payment plans. payhip.com
• You get the storefront and sales page, so you don't need to build a separate website. payhip.com
• There's no need to commit to a subscription when you're only running a workshop every so often.

Payhip

The main alternative: Gumroad

Gumroad is also $0/month, and it's very easy to use, but its fee is considerably higher: 10% + $0.50 per direct transaction, before payment-processing costs. gumroad.comgumroad.com It does support courses, memberships, and other digital products. gumroad.com

So I'd rank them:

My recommendation: Start with Payhip's free plan. For someone selling a workshop occasionally, the absence of a monthly fee matters more than having a sophisticated creator-business platform. If your workshops become frequent enough that the 5% fee adds up, you can reassess later. payhip.com

If your workshops are live Zoom/in-person events rather than self-paced courses, the best choice changes somewhat—I can compare the simplest no-monthly-fee options specifically for taking workshop registrations and payments.

For an occasional workshop seller, I’d prioritize no monthly commitment, easy setup, and low friction for students over advanced “online school” features. The best choice depends on whether you mean live workshops, self-paced courses, or just a checkout page for occasional events.

My shortlist:

My recommendation for your situation:

• 1–5 workshops per year: Start with Gumroad (or a similar pay-as-you-go storefront). You avoid paying during months when you sell nothing. www.savingsec.com
• Monthly workshops or a growing catalog: Use Podia or Thinkific so students get a more professional course portal. picklogic.cocourse.coach
• Mostly live Zoom workshops: Consider pairing a simple payment page with your existing Zoom workflow rather than paying for a full LMS.

A few questions would change the recommendation:

1. Are your workshops live (Zoom/in-person) or self-paced recordings?
2. Roughly how often do you sell them (a few times/year vs monthly)?
3. Do you need certificates, email marketing, or student discussion areas?

For occasional workshops, I’d prioritize no monthly fee, quick setup, and only paying when you sell rather than a full “online school” platform. A few good fits:

My pick for your situation:

• 1–10 workshops/year, mostly live Zoom or in-person: Gumroad or Payhip. Create a sales page, collect payment, send attendees the details. Lowest commitment. theguidex.comcourse.coachwww.savingsec.com
• You want recordings, modules, quizzes, student logins: Thinkific. theguidex.comcourse.coachwww.savingsec.com
• You expect workshops to become a regular business: Podia or Teachable. theguidex.comcourse.coachwww.savingsec.com

For an occasional workshop instructor, I’d avoid platforms like Kajabi unless you already have a steady audience; they’re designed for creators running a larger education business rather than someone opening a few workshop seats now and then. www.savingsec.com

A useful question: are your workshops live (Zoom/in-person with scheduled dates) or self-paced courses people buy anytime? That changes the best choice quite a bit.

For occasional workshop/course sellers, I’d pick Payhip.

🥇 My pick: Payhip

Payhip has a genuinely free plan with unlimited products and unlimited revenue, charging 5% only when you make a sale (plus the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee). payhip.compayhip.comko-fi.com

That's a particularly good fit if you might sell one workshop this month and nothing for the next three months—there's no subscription sitting there eating money.

It also gives you more than just a payment link: you can use it for digital products, courses, coupons, mailing-list integrations, and an embedded checkout. payhip.com

🥈 Ko-fi if you want really simple

Ko-fi is excellent if your workshop is basically "here's my page → here's the workshop → pay → get access/link." Its free tier has no monthly fee and charges 5% on shop sales. ko-fi.com

🥉 Gumroad

Gumroad is extremely easy, but its current fee is 10% + $0.50 per direct transaction, plus payment processing, so I'd choose Payhip for most occasional sellers. gumroad.com

Bottom line: If by "courses" you mean actual video/lesson courses, I'd start with Payhip. If you mainly need a simple checkout page for occasional live Zoom/in-person workshops, I'd seriously consider Ko-fi.

If you tell me whether your workshops are live (Zoom/in-person) or self-paced, I can narrow it down to the best 1–2 options.