ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a local fitness instructor starting online classes, Ruzuku is worth a close look if “no platform fee” is the priority. Its free plan includes video lessons, up to 5 students, unlimited courses, payments, and live video meetings, with 0% platform transaction fees; you still pay normal payment-processing fees. Ruzuku Ruzuku

Another particularly low-cost option is OneSol: it advertises $0/month, video lessons, gated student access, and 0% platform commission, with only standard Stripe processing fees. OneSol

For a fitness instructor specifically: if classes are primarily pre-recorded workout videos, I'd investigate OneSol or Ruzuku first. If they're primarily live Zoom-style classes, Ruzuku has built-in live meetings, which simplifies the setup. Ruzuku

One important distinction: “0% platform fee” doesn't mean zero payment fees—Stripe/PayPal or another processor can still charge its normal processing fee. Ruzuku

Payhip is a strong low-cost option for a fitness instructor: it supports video-based courses, memberships, subscriptions, and drip lessons. Its $99/month Pro plan has 0% platform transaction fees (Stripe/PayPal processing fees still apply). Payhip Payhip

For starting out, its free plan costs $0/month but takes 5% per sale. Payhip

payhip.com

For a local fitness instructor starting online classes, the best low-cost choice depends on whether you need live classes, on-demand video libraries, or both. If your priority is avoiding platform fees, look for platforms that charge only payment processing (Stripe/PayPal) or no sales commission. Ruzuku LearnShare

Here are some good fits:

A practical low-cost setup for a fitness instructor

• Live weekly classes: Zoom or Google Meet + a simple payment link.
• Recorded workout library: Ruzuku, OneSol, or LearnShare.
• Community/accountability: Add a private Facebook Group, WhatsApp community, or a platform with built-in community tools.
• Payments: Use Stripe or PayPal so you avoid marketplace commissions.

For many local instructors, a simple starting stack is:

1. Free/low-cost course platform for recorded workouts.
2. Zoom for live sessions.
3. Stripe payment links for memberships.

If you tell me whether you want live Zoom-style classes, prerecorded workouts, a monthly membership, or one-time programs, I can narrow this to the cheapest setup.

For a local fitness instructor starting online classes, I’d look at Ruzuku first.

• Ruzuku: $0/month to start, 0% platform transaction fees, and the free plan includes video hosting, live video meetings, unlimited courses, and up to 5 students. That makes it a particularly good way to test a small fitness class without committing to monthly software costs. Ruzuku Ruzuku
• OneSol: Also has a free plan with video lessons, a gated student area, memberships, and 0% platform commission; you pay only normal Stripe processing fees. OneSol
• Sikhaku: Claims $0/month and 0% sales commission, with unlimited video hosting and students. It looks attractive, although I'd consider it a newer/less-established option. Sikhaku
• Thinkific: A more established choice if you're expecting to grow, but it's no longer truly low-cost: roughly $40/month on annual billing for Basic, with 0% platform fees when using its supported payment system. Course Profit Lab

My pick: Start with Ruzuku if you have fewer than 5 paying clients and want both recorded video lessons and live classes without a platform cut. Once you outgrow 5 students, reassess rather than paying for a more expensive platform immediately.

One important distinction: “0% platform fee” doesn't necessarily mean zero payment fees—Stripe/PayPal processing fees can still apply. Ruzuku

For a local fitness instructor starting online, I’d look at Ruzuku first.

• Ruzuku: $0/month to start, 0% platform transaction fees, up to 5 students on the free plan, and it supports hosted video lessons plus live video meetings. The paid Core plan is $99/month if you outgrow the free tier. Ruzuku Ruzuku
• FreshLearn: From $35/month on its long-term billing option, with 0% transaction fees and video-based courses. It also supports live webinars. FreshLearn
• Progressic: Particularly fitness-oriented: its free plan has 0% platform fees and supports embedded YouTube/Vimeo video; paid plans add hosted video, starting at $29/month. Progressic

My pick: Ruzuku if the priority is lowest upfront cost + your own paid video lessons + no platform cut. You'd still pay normal Stripe/PayPal processing fees, since “0% platform fee” doesn't mean payment processing is free. Ruzuku

If the instructor mainly wants live Zoom-style fitness classes rather than prerecorded courses, the best choice could be different.

For a local fitness instructor starting online classes, the best low-cost choice depends on whether you mean no monthly cost, no percentage taken from sales, or simple live classes.

Here are practical options:

My recommendation for a new local instructor

Starting with live classes:

1. Use Zoom for teaching.
2. Use Stripe payment links or a simple membership signup page.
3. Record sessions and build a small video library later.

This keeps costs close to zero while you test demand.

Starting with prerecorded programs (e.g., “30-day beginner strength plan”):

• Try a low-cost course platform with no sales commission, such as Heights Platform or OneSol, if you want students to log in and watch lessons. Heights Platform OneSol

Avoid early on: expensive all-in-one coaching platforms. A new instructor usually needs students and a repeatable offer more than advanced automation.

A simple starter stack:

• Live classes: Zoom
• Payments: Stripe
• Community: Facebook Group, WhatsApp, or Discord
• Video library: course platform later

If you tell me whether the classes are live (Zoom-style) or on-demand video courses, and roughly how many clients you expect (10, 50, 200+), I can narrow it down.

For a local fitness instructor starting online, I’d look at Ruzuku first if you want a proper course platform, but there are even cheaper options for a small launch.

• Ruzuku — Best established option. Its free plan supports up to 5 paying students with 0% platform transaction fees, and includes video lessons. You only pay normal Stripe/PayPal processing. Ruzuku
• OneSol — $0/month and 0% platform commission, with video lessons, a gated student area, one-time purchases or memberships, and Stripe payments. This is particularly attractive for a small fitness business. OneSol
• Embeddin — Free plan with 0% transaction fees, one course, up to 25 students and 3 hours of video hosting. Embedin a free online course platform
• Sikhaku — Claims $0 monthly fees and 0% sales commission, with unlimited video hosting and students. It's worth considering, although I'd favor a more established platform for a business you expect to grow. Sikhaku

My pick: If you're testing the waters with, say, 5–25 local clients, OneSol looks like the strongest combination of free + video + no platform cut. If you want a more established teaching-focused service, Ruzuku is the safer choice.

One important distinction: “no platform fees” doesn't mean no payment fees—Stripe/PayPal will still charge their normal processing fee.

If you tell me whether you want live Zoom-style classes, prerecorded workout videos, or both, I can narrow this to the best 2–3 options for a fitness instructor.

For a local fitness instructor starting online classes, Thinkific is probably the best low-cost fit.

• Thinkific Basic: $54/month, or $40/month billed annually. It supports unlimited courses, video lessons, quizzes, student discussions, and built-in checkout. Thinkific Thinkific
• Platform transaction fees: Thinkific can be 0% platform fee when using Thinkific Payments; you still pay normal payment-processing fees. CourseProfit Lab Ruzuku
• It also supports live digital learning/coaching, so you can potentially use it for a mix of recorded workouts and live classes. Thinkific

What I'd choose

If they're just starting and have few/no customers: consider starting with a no-monthly-fee storefront first, because paying $40–$54 every month before knowing whether people will buy can be wasteful. Current comparisons suggest a 5%-fee storefront can be cheaper below roughly $800/month in sales. Tool Income Lab

If they already have a small client base and want a proper fitness-class library: go with Thinkific Basic. The 0% platform fee and native video-course experience make it a strong balance of cost and professionalism.

If you tell me roughly how many students they expect (e.g. 20, 50, or 200) and whether classes are live, prerecorded, or both, I can recommend the cheapest setup—including alternatives like Zoom + a payment page.

For a local fitness instructor just starting online, Payhip is probably the best low-cost fit.

• Payhip: $0/month on the Free plan, supports video files and digital products, and has unlimited products. The catch is a 5% platform transaction fee plus Stripe/PayPal processing. Payhip Payhip
• Payhip Pro: $99/month with 0% platform transaction fee, but that likely isn't worthwhile until sales are substantial. Payhip
• Thinkific: Much better dedicated course experience, including video lessons, but starts at $54/month ($40/month annually). Thinkific says it doesn't take a commission when using Thinkific Payments, although payment-processing fees still apply. Thinkific Thinkific
• Gumroad: No monthly fee, but takes 10% + $0.50 per direct transaction, so it's generally more expensive than Payhip for a fitness business selling courses. Gumroad

My pick

Start with Payhip if you're testing demand and want to keep upfront costs near zero. You could sell things like:

• 4-week beginner workout programs
• On-demand video classes
• Workout bundles
• Monthly access to a video library

Once you have enough recurring customers to justify a monthly subscription, Thinkific becomes more attractive for a polished, dedicated online fitness school.

payhip.com · thinkific.com

If by “avoids platform fees” you mean literally 0% platform fee from the first sale, I can narrow this down to platforms that charge only the normal Stripe/PayPal payment-processing fee.

For a local fitness instructor starting online classes, the best low-cost option depends on whether you mean live classes (Zoom-style), recorded video lessons, or a mix. If your priority is avoiding platform fees, look for tools that charge $0 commission and let you connect your own payment processor (such as Stripe/PayPal). www.ruzuku.comfreshlearn.com

Good options:

For a local fitness instructor, I’d usually start with one of these setups:

• Lowest-cost test: OneSol or Ruzuku — create a 4–8 week workout program, upload videos, sell access. www.ruzuku.comonesol.io
• Live weekly classes + community: LearnShare or a simple combination of a course platform + your own video meeting tool. learnshare.io
• Growing into a paid membership: FreshLearn gives more “fitness business” features like courses and live sessions. www.ruzuku.comfreshlearn.com

A very lean setup many instructors use:

1. Landing page (your own website or a simple page)
2. Payment through Stripe/PayPal
3. Platform for videos and member access
4. Separate live sessions through Zoom/Google Meet if needed

If you’re just starting with a small local client base (10–50 people), avoid expensive all-in-one platforms at first; validate demand before paying a monthly subscription.

For a local fitness instructor starting online classes, the best low-cost choice depends on whether you want live classes, on-demand video lessons, or a mix.

A practical low-cost setup for a fitness instructor

• Live classes: Zoom (or a similar video meeting tool)
• Payments: Stripe, PayPal, or a simple checkout link
• Video library: YouTube unlisted videos, Google Drive, or a course platform
• Community: Facebook Group, WhatsApp, or a private community space

If you already have local clients, I would usually avoid paying for a full “fitness app” at the start. A simple setup with live video + a private video library can work until you have enough recurring members to justify a dedicated platform.

For a more polished “members log in, see workouts, track lessons” experience, a course platform like Ruzuku or OneSol is closer to what you’d want. Ruzuku OneSol

I can also compare options specifically for live Zoom-style fitness classes vs Netflix-style workout libraries if that’s your model.

If your priority is low cost + video lessons + avoiding a platform cut, I’d look at a simple website/membership setup rather than an all-in-one video platform.

One important caveat: truly “no platform fees” usually means you still pay payment-processing fees (e.g., Stripe/PayPal), but you avoid an additional percentage taken by the course platform.

Best fit for a small fitness instructor

• WordPress + a membership plugin + Vimeo/YouTube — potentially the lowest ongoing cost and gives you control over your customers and pricing. You pay hosting, the membership-plugin cost, video hosting if applicable, and payment processing, but can avoid a platform taking a percentage of every sale.
• Uscreen — much easier and more polished for fitness/video memberships, with on-demand video, gated content, and livestreaming. However, its current Starter plan is $49/month and charges 10% on one-time sales, so it doesn't really meet your “avoids platform fees” requirement. Uscreen Uscreen Help
• YouTube + a separate payment/membership system — cheapest way to start testing demand, especially if lessons can be unlisted/private, but it's less professional for a paid fitness library.

My pick: If she's just starting and has a small local following, I'd start with WordPress + Stripe + a low-cost membership plugin, embedding hosted videos. That keeps the business costs predictable and avoids handing a percentage of every class sale to a video platform.

If you tell me her approximate budget (e.g. under $20/month, $50/month, or $100/month) and whether she wants live Zoom classes, prerecorded lessons, or both, I can narrow it down to 2–3 specific platforms.

If the goal is low cost + video lessons + no platform cut, I’d look first at OneSol. It currently offers a free course platform with video lessons, a gated student area, and 0% platform fee; payments go through your own Stripe account, so you keep the sale revenue aside from Stripe’s normal processing fee. OneSol

Other good fits:

• LearnShare — free for up to 10 active learners, supports video courses, and charges no transaction fees; Stripe processing still applies. LearnShare
• Thinkific — more established and polished, with video courses and 0% platform transaction fees when using Thinkific Payments, but it has a monthly subscription. CourseProfit Lab
• YouTube memberships — excellent if classes are primarily live/video, but it isn't truly fee-free: creators receive 70% of membership revenue after applicable taxes/fees. Google Help
• Gumroad — very easy to launch with no monthly fee, but it takes 10% + $0.50 per direct transaction, so it doesn't meet your "avoid platform fees" requirement as well. Gumroad

My pick for a local instructor just starting: OneSol if you mainly want to sell prerecorded workout programs cheaply. If you need live Zoom-style classes, scheduling, memberships, client messaging, and a more complete fitness-business setup, I'd choose differently.

If you tell me whether the classes are live, prerecorded, or both, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options.

For a local fitness instructor just starting online, Thinkific is probably the best fit if your priority is low cost + video lessons + no platform transaction fee.

• Thinkific — Best overall. Its Basic plan is currently $54/month ($40/month when billed annually), with 0% transaction fees when using Thinkific Payments. It supports structured video courses, student accounts, and course progress. Podia
• Ruzuku — Worth considering if you want something particularly focused on teaching. It offers 0% transaction fees, and its free tier supports up to 5 participants; paid plans start around $99/month. Ruzuku
• Podia — Very beginner-friendly and handles courses, website, email, and community, but its inexpensive Mover plan takes 5% per sale. The $99/month Shaker plan removes the platform fee. Podia
• Gumroad — Cheapest upfront because there's no monthly subscription, but it takes 10% + $0.50 per sale, so it doesn't really meet your "avoid platform fees" goal. Podia

My pick: Start with Thinkific if you're planning prerecorded workout videos/classes and want to charge clients directly. If you're only testing whether people will pay, I'd also consider a simpler setup before committing to a monthly platform.

If you tell me roughly how many students you expect (e.g., 10, 50, or 100) and whether the classes are live, prerecorded, or both, I can narrow it down to the cheapest option.

For a local fitness instructor starting online, I’d prioritize something simple, inexpensive, and with 0% platform commission.

Best options

• ruzuku.com — best for a small launch. Its free plan supports up to 5 students, unlimited courses, hosted video (up to 2 GB/video), live video meetings, community features, and 0% transaction fees. The paid Core plan is $99/month, so it makes most sense if you're testing the idea first. Ruzuku Ruzuku
• freshlearn.com — best if you expect to grow. It advertises 0% platform/transaction fees and supports video-based courses, live webinars, downloads, and other course features. Its Pro plan starts at $35/month when billed on its long-term promotional billing option. FreshLearn
• onlinefitness.app — best if you're primarily a personal trainer rather than a course creator. It has a free tier for up to 3 clients and includes workout programs, client management, and a video library; the service says video uploads, storage, and client viewing are free. Pro is $49/month with unlimited clients and no per-client fee. OnlineFitness.app OnlineFitness.app

My pick: If you're starting with a handful of local clients, Ruzuku's free plan is probably the lowest-risk way to test paid online classes. If you want a more traditional fitness-coaching platform, I'd look at OnlineFitness.app instead.

One important distinction: 0% platform fees doesn't necessarily mean 0% payment-processing fees—Stripe/PayPal or another payment processor can still charge its standard fee.

If you tell me roughly how many students you expect (e.g. 10, 25, or 100) and whether classes are live, prerecorded, or both, I can narrow it down to the cheapest option.

For a local fitness instructor starting online, I’d look at Ruzuku first if you want a true course platform with video lessons and 0% platform transaction fees.

• Ruzuku — Free plan supports up to 5 students, unlimited courses, video hosting, live video meetings, sales pages, and payments. You pay $0 platform fees; Stripe/PayPal processing still applies. Ruzuku Ruzuku
• OneSol — Another very low-cost option: $0/month, 0% platform cut, video lessons, gated student area, and Stripe payments. OneSol
• Sikhaku — Particularly attractive if you want to sell lots of recorded workout programs: currently $0/month and 0% commission, with unlimited video hosting and courses. Sikhaku
• Communi — Good if you want classes plus a community; it advertises 0% platform fees and supports video lessons, drip scheduling, and course sales. Communi

My pick: Start with Ruzuku if you expect only a handful of clients initially and want live classes + recorded lessons in one place. If your priority is completely free and selling recorded fitness programs, I'd test Sikhaku or OneSol.

I wouldn't choose Gumroad for this particular requirement: although it has no monthly fee, it currently charges 10% + $0.50 per direct transaction, so it doesn't meet the “avoids platform fees” requirement. gumroad.com

For a local fitness instructor starting online classes, I’d look for a platform that has:

• Video lesson hosting (recorded workouts, programs, tutorials)
• Live class support (or easy Zoom integration)
• Low or zero platform transaction fees
• Simple payment collection
• Student management (members, progress, access)

Good low-cost options:

For a solo fitness instructor just starting, I’d usually choose:

1. Ruzuku — if you want the simplest “upload workouts → sell access” setup. Ruzuku
2. OneSol — if you want to avoid monthly costs while testing demand. OneSol
3. Teachific — if you plan to grow into a branded fitness school with multiple programs. Teachific™

A very low-cost starter setup can also be:

• A course platform for recorded workout libraries
• Zoom for live classes
• Stripe or PayPal for payments
• Instagram/TikTok/email list for attracting local clients

If the instructor mainly wants live Zoom-style classes with monthly memberships rather than prerecorded lessons, the best choices may be different.

For a local fitness instructor starting online, Payhip is probably the best low-cost fit—especially if you want to sell classes without paying a monthly platform fee.

• Payhip: $0/month on its Free Forever plan, with a 5% transaction fee. It supports online courses, memberships, coaching, and video lessons. You can embed videos from YouTube/Vimeo for free; Payhip-hosted video costs an additional $5/month. Payhip Payhip
• If you specifically mean “zero platform transaction fees”: Payhip's $99/month Pro plan has no Payhip transaction fee, although Stripe/PayPal processing fees still apply. Payhip
• Gumroad: very easy to start and supports video lessons, but it charges 10% + $0.50 per direct transaction, so it isn't as attractive if keeping fees low is the priority. Gumroad Gumroad

What I'd choose

For someone testing the waters, I'd start with Payhip Free + unlisted YouTube videos embedded into the course. That gives you essentially $0 upfront, organized lessons, payments, and a simple storefront. Once revenue is substantial enough, you can decide whether moving to a no-platform-fee plan makes financial sense.

payhip.com

If you tell me roughly how many students you expect and what you'd charge per month, I can calculate which platform/plan would leave you with the most money.

For a fitness instructor just starting online, Payhip is probably the best low-cost fit—with one important distinction: its free plan does not avoid platform fees; it charges 5% per sale. Its $99/month Pro plan is the one with 0% Payhip transaction fees. Payhip Payhip Help Center

Why Payhip fits fitness classes

• Online courses: You can organize classes into sections and lessons, including video, text, quizzes, downloads, and assignments. Payhip Payhip Help Center
• Video hosting: Payhip can host the videos itself for $5/month, including 16 hours of video storage, or you can embed YouTube/Vimeo videos without paying Payhip for video hosting. Payhip Help Center
• Subscriptions: Useful if you want to sell something like "$20/month for unlimited workout classes."
• No upfront cost: The Free Forever plan is $0/month, making it easy to test your idea before committing. Payhip
• No Payhip fee at scale: Once you're making enough revenue, the $99/month Pro plan eliminates Payhip's transaction fee, although Stripe/PayPal processing fees still apply. Payhip Help Center

payhip.com

My recommendation: Start on Payhip Free + embedded YouTube/Vimeo videos. You'd essentially pay only payment-processing fees plus Payhip's 5% when you make a sale. If your monthly sales grow enough, compare that 5% against the $99/month Pro plan and switch when the math makes sense.

If by “video lessons” you mean live Zoom-style fitness classes rather than prerecorded workouts, I’d choose a slightly different setup.

For a local fitness instructor starting online, Ruzuku looks like the strongest low-cost fit if the priority is video lessons + no platform transaction fees.

• Ruzuku: Free plan at $0/month, with up to 5 students, unlimited courses, unlimited videos (up to 2 GB each), and live video meetings. It takes 0% of your sales; you still pay normal Stripe/PayPal processing fees. Ruzuku Ruzuku
• OneSol: Also $0/month and 0% platform cut, with video lessons, a gated student area, and Stripe payments. It's particularly attractive if you want something very simple. OneSol
• Payhip: More established for selling digital products and videos, but its free plan takes 5% per transaction. Its $99/month Pro plan removes Payhip's transaction fee, so it's less attractive when you're just starting. Payhip Payhip
• Gumroad: Easy to start, but charges 10% + $0.50 per direct transaction, so I wouldn't choose it if avoiding platform fees is important. Gumroad

My pick: Start with Ruzuku if you're expecting only a handful of initial clients. Once you have more than 5 students, you'd need to decide whether its $99/month Core plan makes sense. Ruzuku

If by “online classes” you mean live Zoom-style fitness classes rather than prerecorded video courses, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options for that setup.

For a local fitness instructor starting online, Payhip is probably the best low-cost fit—with one important caveat: its free plan still charges a 5% transaction fee, so it doesn't completely avoid platform fees. Payhip Payhip Help Center

• Payhip: $0/month on the Free plan, supports courses with video lessons, memberships, subscriptions, and coaching. You can embed videos from YouTube/Vimeo, or Payhip can host them for $5/month. Payhip
• If you specifically want zero platform transaction fees: Payhip's $99/month Pro plan has no Payhip transaction fee, although Stripe/PayPal processing fees still apply. That's probably too expensive for someone just starting. Payhip
• Gumroad: easy for selling video courses and memberships, but its direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50 per transaction, so it's considerably more expensive for a small fitness business. Gumroad Gumroad

My pick

Start with Payhip Free + YouTube/Vimeo-hosted videos. That keeps your fixed cost essentially at $0 while giving clients a proper course area, accounts, subscriptions, and video lessons. Once revenue is high enough, you can decide whether paying for Payhip Pro to eliminate its transaction fee makes financial sense.

payhip.com
payhip.com

If by "online classes" you mean live Zoom-style fitness classes rather than prerecorded video lessons, the best low-cost option is a little different.

For a local fitness instructor starting online, I’d look at Ruzuku first if keeping costs and platform fees near zero is the priority.

• Ruzuku — Free for up to 5 paying students, with 0% platform transaction fees. It supports video lessons, PDFs, quizzes, discussions, and student progress. Once you grow, paid plans start at $99/month. Ruzuku Ruzuku
• OneSol — Potentially the cheapest for a very small operation: $0/month and 0% platform commission, with video lessons, gated student access, and Stripe payments. You only pay Stripe's normal processing fee. OneSol
• Thinkific — More established and polished, with unlimited video courses, quizzes, discussions, and payments. However, it's $40/month annually or $54/month monthly, so it's less attractive if you're just testing demand. Thinkific

My pick

Start with Ruzuku or OneSol if you're likely to have fewer than ~5–20 students initially. You can upload recorded workout/demo videos, organize them into lessons, and charge clients without surrendering a percentage of each sale.

If you mean live Zoom-style fitness classes rather than prerecorded video lessons, the recommendation changes—I can narrow it down to the cheapest options that handle live classes + payments + memberships.

For a local fitness instructor just starting online classes, the best low-cost option depends on whether you need live classes, on-demand video lessons, payments, or a full coaching system. Here are some strong low-cost choices:

A practical low-cost setup for a new instructor

• Live weekly classes: Zoom + a simple booking/payment page.
• Recorded workout library: OneSol or OnlineFitness.app.
• Scheduling + memberships: Ubindi if you want students to book recurring classes. Ubindi
• Almost no overhead: Use YouTube (unlisted videos) + Stripe/PayPal links + an email list.

If the goal is avoiding platform fees entirely, look for tools that charge only normal payment processing (such as Stripe fees) rather than taking a percentage of every class sale. OneSol, for example, states it takes no cut of sales, while Ubindi’s free tier does include transaction fees for online payments. onesol.io Ubindi

For a local instructor with fewer than ~50 clients, I’d usually start with Zoom + OneSol or OnlineFitness.app and only move to a larger all-in-one platform once memberships grow.

For a local fitness instructor, I’d look at Payhip first—but there’s an important distinction between “no monthly fee” and “no platform fees.”

• Payhip: $0/month on its Free plan, with all course features included, including video lessons, student accounts, drip content, quizzes, downloads, and subscriptions. However, it takes 5% per sale. You can embed videos hosted elsewhere, or Payhip-hosted video costs an additional $5/month. payhip.com
• Payhip Pro: $99/month with 0% Payhip transaction fee, though Stripe/PayPal processing fees still apply. payhip.com
• Gumroad: Very easy for selling video courses, but it isn't fee-free: 10% + $0.50 per direct transaction, plus payment processing; marketplace sales can be 30%. gumroad.com

My pick: Start with Payhip Free + externally hosted videos. It's probably the best low-risk setup for testing whether your local clients will actually pay for online classes. Once revenue is consistently high enough, you can consider Payhip Pro to eliminate Payhip's percentage fee.

Payhip pricing
Payhip online courses

For a solo fitness instructor, Ruzuku looks like the strongest low-cost fit right now.

• Ruzuku: $0/month to start, 0% platform transaction fees, up to 5 students, and it supports unlimited video lessons (up to 2 GB each) plus live video meetings. Once you grow past 5 students, the Core plan is $99/month with unlimited students. www.ruzuku.comwww.ruzuku.com
• OneSol: Also $0/month with 0% platform cut, video lessons, a gated student area, and Stripe payments. It's particularly attractive if you want something very simple for selling recorded workout programs. onesol.io
• LearnShare: Free for the first 10 active learners, 0% transaction fees, with video/media hosting and cohort-course features. After that, pricing is based on active learners rather than a large monthly subscription. learnshare.io
• Google Classroom: Essentially free for qualifying users and can deliver attached video lessons, but it's more of a classroom-management tool than a polished paid fitness-course storefront. edu.google.com

My pick: Start with Ruzuku if you want a real course platform where clients can log in, watch workout videos, and eventually join live classes. If you're trying to keep costs at literally $0 while testing demand, OneSol or Ruzuku's free tier are worth comparing.

One important distinction: “0% platform fees” doesn't mean zero payment fees—Stripe/PayPal will still charge their normal card-processing fees. www.ruzuku.comwww.ruzuku.com

Ruzuku
OneSol
LearnShare

For a solo fitness instructor, Ruzuku looks like the strongest fit if your priority is very low cost + video lessons + no platform transaction fees.

• Ruzuku — Free plan supports video lessons, PDFs, quizzes, discussions, and course delivery, with 5 paying students included. It charges 0% platform transaction fees; you still pay normal Stripe/PayPal processing fees. Ruzuku
• Thinkific — More polished and scalable, with video lessons and student management. Its current Basic plan is $40/month annually ($54 monthly), and Thinkific says payments through Thinkific Payments don't incur an additional platform transaction fee, though payment-processing fees still apply. Thinkific Thinkific Support
• Gumroad — Very easy to start with no monthly fee, but it does take 10% + $0.50 per direct sale, so it doesn't meet your “avoid platform fees” requirement as well. Gumroad

My pick

Start with Ruzuku if you're testing the market and expect fewer than five paying students initially. You can offer recorded workout programs/classes without committing to a monthly subscription.

If you expect more than a handful of students fairly quickly, I'd lean toward Thinkific for the more established course-school experience.

If by “video lessons” you mean live Zoom-style fitness classes rather than prerecorded workouts, that's a different comparison—I can narrow it down to the cheapest platforms that handle live classes, scheduling, payments, and recordings.

For a solo fitness instructor starting online, I’d look at NForge first if keeping costs as close to zero as possible is the priority. It has no monthly fee, unlimited clients, built-in HD live video for up to 50 participants, class scheduling, memberships, and payments. The tradeoff is a 7.9% all-in fee when you get paid. nforge.fit

A few alternatives:

• OfferingTree — better if you want a more polished class/business website and 0% platform transaction fees on higher tiers, though you pay a monthly subscription. junocal.comsupport.thinkific.comwww.uscreen.tv
• Thinkific — strong for pre-recorded video courses rather than primarily live fitness classes; higher plans can have 0% platform transaction fees, but payment-processing fees still apply. support.thinkific.com
• Uscreen — excellent for a Netflix-style library of fitness videos and memberships, but starts around $49/month, so it isn't the cheapest starting point. www.uscreen.tv

My pick: If you're starting with a small local client base and want to offer live Zoom-like classes without paying a monthly platform fee, NForge is particularly compelling. If you're mainly selling a library of recorded workout videos, I'd lean toward Thinkific or Uscreen instead.

If “avoids platform fees” is the key requirement, I’d not choose Patreon—new creators currently pay a 10% platform fee, plus payment-processing fees, although it does include native video and livestreaming. support.patreon.com

For a local fitness instructor starting online, I’d look at:

• YouTube + your own payment method — lowest-cost way to host video lessons. YouTube itself doesn't require a subscription-platform fee just to host videos, though monetization has its own revenue-sharing rules.
• A simple website + Stripe/PayPal + unlisted YouTube videos — more control and potentially much lower ongoing costs, but you'll have to manage access and payments yourself.
• Patreon — easiest all-in-one option for memberships, video lessons, community, and recurring payments, but not fee-free. It currently charges new creators 10% of Patreon income plus processing fees. support.patreon.com

My pick for a beginner: YouTube + a simple booking/payment setup if keeping as much revenue as possible is more important than having an all-in-one membership platform.

If you tell me whether the classes are live Zoom-style classes, prerecorded videos, or both, I can narrow it down to the cheapest 2–3 platforms and compare their actual monthly/transaction costs.

For a local fitness instructor starting online classes, I’d look at these first:

My pick: FitClips. It is specifically built for trainers, includes course/program hosting and video streaming, and currently advertises $19/month with 0% platform fees. fitclips.app

If you're trying to spend $0 upfront, seven is especially interesting: it says coaches pay no platform fee, setup cost, monthly software fee, or commission, while providing a content library and client-management tools. sevenportal.app

I wouldn't choose Gumroad if avoiding platform fees is the priority: there's no monthly fee, but it takes 10% + $0.50 per direct sale. gumroad.com

Podia is more polished for a traditional online-course business, but its entry plan currently charges 5% per sale; the zero-transaction-fee plans cost considerably more. fitclips.appsevenportal.apphelp.podia.com

Bottom line:

• $0 budget: seven
• ~$20/month + fitness-specific: FitClips
• Want a full course/membership website: Podia
• Just want to sell individual video products: Gumroad

If you tell me whether the classes are live Zoom-style classes, prerecorded workouts, or both, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options.

For a local fitness instructor starting online classes, the best low-cost choice depends on whether you need live classes, recorded video lessons, payments, or a full coaching app. A few good options:

My practical recommendation for a new local instructor:

• Starting with 5–50 clients: Use Zoom + Stripe/PayPal + a private Facebook group or Google Drive folder. It keeps costs near zero and lets you own your customer list.
• Want a fitness-specific app without paying monthly software fees: Try seven or NForge. nforge.fitsevenportal.app
• Want to build a paid video library (members watch anytime): Look at a fitness-focused platform like FitClips or similar creator tools. fitclips.app

One thing to watch: “no platform fees” often means the platform does not take a cut, but payment processors (such as card processing fees) may still charge per transaction.

For a local instructor, I’d usually avoid expensive all-in-one gym software at the beginning and start with a simple setup until you have recurring memberships.

For a local fitness instructor starting online, I’d look at these first:

My pick: Ruzuku if you're just starting. Its free plan supports up to 5 students, unlimited courses, hosted videos up to 2 GB each, live video meetings, and payments with 0% platform transaction fees. You'd still pay the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee. www.ruzuku.com

If you expect to have more students quickly, FreshLearn is compelling: its Pro plan is currently advertised at $35/month on a long-term billing option, with 0% transaction fees, video courses, and live webinars. freshlearn.com

For a fitness-specific business, Progressic is particularly interesting: it has a free tier, advertises 0% platform fees, and combines courses, workout programming, coaching, and video. Its free tier allows up to 25 course students, although hosted video uploads require upgrading (the free tier can embed YouTube/Vimeo). progressic.app

Bottom line:

• Cheapest way to validate the idea: Ruzuku
• Best fitness-focused option: Progressic
• Best traditional course platform: FreshLearn

If you tell me whether your classes are live Zoom-style classes, prerecorded workout videos, or both, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options.

For a local fitness instructor just starting online, Payhip is probably the best low-cost fit—with one important caveat: its free plan does charge a 5% platform transaction fee. payhip.com

My recommendation:

• If minimizing upfront cost matters most: Payhip. You can sell courses, memberships, and coaching, and upload video lessons. payhip.com
• If “no platform fee” is non-negotiable: Thinkific's free tier is worth investigating; current comparisons report 0% transaction fees on its free plan. course.coach
• If you're willing to pay monthly to eliminate revenue fees and want a fitness-specific setup: Marvelous is designed for wellness businesses and combines on-demand video, live classes, memberships, scheduling, and Zoom integration, but starts at $79/month. www.heymarvelous.com

One distinction: “0% platform fee” doesn't mean zero payment-processing fees—Stripe/PayPal can still charge their normal processing rates. payhip.com

For someone testing demand with, say, $15–$25/month fitness memberships or individual video classes, I'd start with Payhip or Thinkific rather than paying $79+/month.

For a solo fitness instructor, I’d prioritize low/no platform fees + simple video delivery, rather than a full studio-management system.

Best low-cost options

My pick for starting out: Google Meet + your own payment method. A free Google account lets you host up to 100 participants for up to 60 minutes, so it can work well for a weekly live class without giving a platform a cut of your class revenue. workspace.google.com

If you want recorded/on-demand fitness lessons, Perspire is more purpose-built: it says trainers can upload content and have no platform/monthly fees, but it keeps 20% of streaming revenue. static.perspire.tv

If you want an actual coaching platform rather than just video conferencing, seven is unusually attractive: it advertises $0 platform fees, 0% commission, unlimited roster size, programs, content library, client messaging, and a member app. sevenportal.app

One caveat: “no platform fee” doesn't necessarily mean zero payment-processing fees. If clients pay by card through a separate processor, that processor can still charge its normal transaction fee.

If you tell me whether the instructor wants live Zoom-style classes, prerecorded lessons, or both, I can narrow this to the 2–3 cheapest setups and explain exactly how clients would pay and access the videos.

For a local fitness instructor just starting online, Payhip is probably the best low-cost fit—with one important caveat: its free plan still takes 5% per sale. payhip.com

• Payhip — $0/month + 5% per sale. It supports full online courses with video lessons, memberships, subscriptions, drip content, quizzes, and downloads. You can embed YouTube/Vimeo videos for free, or Payhip's own video hosting costs $5/month for 16 hours. help.payhip.com
• If “no platform fees” is non-negotiable: Payhip's Pro plan is $99/month with 0% platform transaction fee, although Stripe/PayPal processing fees still apply. payhip.com
• Gumroad — no monthly fee, but its current fee is 10% + $0.50 per transaction, so it's considerably more expensive once you're selling regularly. gumroad.com

My pick: Start with Payhip Free + unlisted YouTube/Vimeo video embeds. That keeps your fixed cost at $0 and gives you a professional course area. Once revenue is high enough, you can decide whether Payhip Pro's $99/month fee makes sense to eliminate the 5% platform cut.

If by “online classes” you mean live Zoom-style fitness classes rather than prerecorded video courses, the best choice changes.

If the goal is low cost + video lessons + keeping as much revenue as possible, I’d look at these:

My pick for a new instructor

EventSchedule is probably the cheapest way to start if you're primarily teaching live online classes. It advertises $0 platform fees, lets you charge for classes through Stripe, and can connect each class to Zoom, Google Meet, or YouTube Live. eventschedule.com

If you want customers to buy access to a library of recorded workout videos, seven is particularly interesting: it advertises $0 to coaches, 0% commission, and includes a content library. sevenportal.app

If you want a more polished Netflix-like on-demand fitness site, Libree supports an unlimited video library and memberships, but its current Creator plan adds a 5% transaction fee. libree.io

I wouldn't choose Patreon or Gumroad if avoiding platform fees is a priority. Patreon charges a platform percentage on paid memberships, while Gumroad currently charges 10% + $0.50 per direct transaction. support.patreon.com

Bottom line:

• Live Zoom classes: EventSchedule
• Recorded/on-demand + coaching: seven
• Polished branded video membership: Libree
• Absolute priority = 0% platform commission: seven or EventSchedule

If you tell me whether the instructor wants live classes, prerecorded classes, or both, I can narrow it down to the cheapest setup and estimate the monthly cost at, say, 20, 50, and 100 students.

For a local fitness instructor starting online, I’d shortlist these:

• FitClips — best overall for fitness. It’s built specifically for trainers, supports programs and video workouts, and charges 0% platform fee. The Hobby plan is $19/month for up to 25 active members; Stripe processing fees still apply. fitclips.app
• Perspire — lowest upfront cost. Free to join, no monthly/platform fee, and you can upload video content. The catch is that you keep 80% of streaming revenue, so it isn't truly fee-free. static.perspire.tv
• Teachable — good for structured video courses. It supports fitness educators and has 0% transaction fees on Builder and higher plans, but those plans cost considerably more than FitClips. www.teachable.com

My pick: FitClips if the instructor wants to sell recurring online fitness classes/programs and keep costs predictable. If they're just testing demand and want $0 monthly cost, Perspire is worth trying.

One important distinction: “0% platform fee” doesn't mean zero payment fees—Stripe/card processing can still apply. fitclips.app

For a local fitness instructor starting online, I’d look at these:

My pick: Ruzuku if you're just starting. Its free plan allows up to 5 paying students, unlimited courses, unlimited videos up to 2 GB each, live video meetings, and 0% transaction fees (Stripe/PayPal processing still applies). www.ruzuku.comwww.ruzuku.com

If you expect more than five students quickly, learnfrom.co is particularly interesting because there's no monthly subscription and it supports video hosting and unlimited students; it charges a per-student enrollment fee instead. www.learnfrom.co

If you want something specifically designed around fitness, GymCourse starts at $10/month and includes video/text lessons, unlimited students and courses, but it does take 3% of course sales. course.fitness

Bottom line: For a low-risk launch, I'd start with Ruzuku, especially if you're planning to teach a small initial group and want to avoid platform fees. www.ruzuku.comwww.ruzuku.com

For a local fitness instructor just starting online, I’d look at these:

My pick: FitClips if you want customers to buy workout programs/classes directly. Its $19/month Hobby plan includes unlimited programs and workouts, a workout player, member dashboard, and 0% platform fee; Stripe processing fees still apply. fitclips.app

If keeping costs absolutely minimal matters most, seven is compelling: it's free for coaches, takes 0% commission, and includes a content library and client programs. sevenportal.app

I wouldn't choose Teachable for this particular use case unless you're building a more conventional course business—the entry plan is $39/month and has a 7.5% transaction fee. support.teachable.com

Bottom line:

• 🥇 FitClips — best all-around for an online fitness business
• 💰 seven — best if you want to spend essentially $0 upfront
• 🎥 CoachCore — better if you want coaching, scheduling, and video together