ChatGPT answers, unedited

If your priority is building an email list first, while keeping course delivery cheap and avoiding platform fees, I’d shortlist these:

1. payhip.com — best overall starting point

This is probably what I’d use for your situation.

• $0/month on the free plan.
• Courses are supported, including video, text, quizzes, downloads, assignments, and drip content. Payhip
• The catch: 5% transaction fee on paid sales. Payhip
• Free courses can be used specifically as lead magnets and collect students' email addresses. Payhip Help Center
• Integrates directly with ConvertKit, Mailchimp, AWeber, Drip, GetResponse, EmailOctopus, SendFox, and others; Zapier covers additional providers. Payhip
• You can use your own domain.

Best if: you're starting small, want $0 upfront, and your course is primarily an email-list-building funnel.

2. ruzuku.com — best if you need truly 0% transaction fees

Ruzuku currently has a free tier with 0% transaction fees, but it's limited to 5 participants. Paid plans eliminate the participant limitation but start around $99/month. Ruzuku

Best if: you're testing a course with a tiny beta group and absolutely don't want platform fees.

3. systeme.io — worth considering if email automation is the main thing

Systeme.io's free tier is unusually interesting because it's more of an all-in-one funnel + email + course platform. Current comparisons show a free tier with 0% transaction fees, up to 2,000 contacts, and one course. Ruzuku

Best if: you want your course to be part of a funnel—landing page → email sequence → course → paid offer—rather than just a standalone course.

What I would not pick

Teachable is less attractive for your requirements. Its current Starter plan is $29/month annually and takes 7.5% per transaction; the higher plans remove the platform transaction fee but cost considerably more. Teachable Help Center Teachable Help Center

Payhip vs. Systeme.io is probably the real decision.

My pick for you: Systeme.io if your primary asset is the email list; Payhip if you want the simplest possible course storefront.

If you tell me (1) roughly how many subscribers you expect, (2) whether the course is free or paid, and (3) which email provider you use/want to use, I can narrow it down to the cheapest setup—including the exact point where you'd start paying.

If your main goal is building an email list first and using a course as a lead magnet or future product, I’d avoid most “pure” course platforms. The best fit is usually an all-in-one funnel + email + course platform so you don’t pay for a separate email service.

My shortlist:

My recommendation by scenario

1. You’re building an audience and haven’t monetized yet

Use Systeme.io.

Why:

• Landing pages → email opt-in → automated email sequence → course delivery can all live together.
• You can give away a mini-course to grow your list.
• You avoid stitching together Mailchimp + Teachable + Zapier + website tools. Don't Do It Yourself

A typical setup:

1. Free checklist/mini-course opt-in page
2. Email welcome sequence
3. Free course
4. Pitch a paid course/coaching offer later

2. You already have an email list and want a premium course experience

Use Thinkific (or a similar dedicated LMS).

Better for:

• polished student dashboards
• quizzes
• structured learning paths
• certificates
• larger course catalogs

But you’ll probably pair it with an email platform.

3. You want the absolute cheapest validation

Use Ruzuku or a lightweight platform.

Good if:

• you’re testing with 5–20 students
• you don’t care about fancy branding yet
• you want to prove people will finish the course before investing

What I would not do initially

• Kajabi: excellent, but expensive for a first list-building experiment.
• WordPress + LMS plugins: can be cheap long-term, but you become your own tech support.
• Gumroad-style setups: simple, but not ideal if email list ownership and automation are the priority.

For most creators starting from zero, I’d pick:

#1 Systeme.io → grow list → validate offer → upgrade only when revenue justifies it. Don't Do It Yourself

A couple questions would change the recommendation:

• Is the course meant to be free to grow your email list or paid from day one?
• Are you expecting hundreds of students or a small cohort?

For most creators starting from zero, I’d pick:

#1 Systeme.io → grow list → validate offer → upgrade only when revenue justifies it.

A couple questions would change the recommendation:

If your priority is building an email list + hosting a course + paying $0 in platform transaction fees, I’d start with systeme.io.

My pick: systeme.io

Its free plan is unusually generous:

• $0/month
• 0% platform transaction fees — you still pay Stripe/PayPal processing fees
• 2,000 contacts
• 1 course
• Unlimited email sends
• Email sequences/automation
• Landing pages and sales funnels
• Course hosting and drip content
• Payments and automatic course enrollment Systeme.io Systeme.io Systeme.io

The big advantage for your use case is that the email list and course live in the same system. Someone can opt into a free lead magnet → enter your email sequence → buy the course → automatically get enrolled, without having to stitch together several services. Systeme.io

systeme.io

How I'd compare the alternatives

For example, Podia's free option has an 8% transaction fee, whereas systeme.io says all plans have 0% transaction fees. Ruzuku Systeme.io

One caveat: “0% platform fees” doesn't mean zero payment fees. Stripe/PayPal will still charge their normal payment-processing fee. CourseMargin

What I'd do in your position

If you're primarily trying to grow the list first, I'd make the funnel:

Free resource → email opt-in → 5–7 email welcome sequence → free mini-course → paid course

And put the whole thing in systeme.io initially. You can stay at $0 until you exceed the free plan's 2,000-contact limit or need more than one course. The next plan is currently listed at $17/month for 5,000 contacts and 5 courses. Systeme.io

If you tell me what kind of course you're building and roughly how many subscribers you expect (e.g. 500, 5k, 20k), I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options for your particular setup.

If your main goal is building an email list while delivering a course, I’d start with systeme.io.

My picks

Why I'd choose systeme.io: its free plan combines the things you're actually trying to accomplish: course hosting + landing pages/funnels + email marketing + automation. It currently allows one course and up to 2,000 contacts on the free plan, and it takes 0% of course sales (Stripe/PayPal processing fees still apply). systeme.io

That means you can do something like:

Free lead magnet → email signup → automated welcome sequence → free mini-course → nurture emails → paid offer

without having to glue together a course platform, Mailchimp/Kit, landing-page builder, and Zapier.

systeme.io

One important distinction

If by "email integration" you mean "I already use Kit/Mailchimp/etc. and want the course platform to connect to it," I'd make a different recommendation.

If you mean "I want the course platform itself to help me collect subscribers and send automated emails," then systeme.io is the clear first one I'd test.

I'd also avoid choosing based on old recommendations for Thinkific or Teachable free plans—their pricing/free tiers have changed substantially, and a lot of comparison articles are now outdated. www.ruzuku.com

If you tell me (1) whether the course is free or paid, (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (3) whether you're already using an email provider like Kit/Mailchimp, I can narrow it down to the cheapest setup for you.

If your main goal is build an email list + give away/sell a course + pay $0 in platform transaction fees, I’d start with systeme.io.

My ranking

🥇 I'd use systeme.io

The free plan currently gives you 1 course, up to 2,000 contacts, email marketing, funnels/landing pages, automation, and 0% platform transaction fees. You still pay the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee when someone buys something. systeme.iosysteme.iowww.ruzuku.comwww.thinkific.com

That's unusually well matched to an email-list-first business because you don't need to stitch together:

landing page → email service → course platform → payment processor → automation

You can keep most of that inside one system.

For example:

Free lead magnet/course → collect email → nurture sequence → paid course

And when someone enrolls, systeme.io can automatically add them to your contacts and trigger follow-up emails. systeme.iosysteme.iowww.ruzuku.comwww.thinkific.com

When I'd choose something else

Ruzuku is worth considering if you primarily care about the teaching experience rather than marketing. Its free plan has 0% platform fees, but it's capped at 5 students, so it's really more of a validation option. www.ruzuku.com

Thinkific is better if you eventually want a more sophisticated LMS/student experience. But it no longer has a free plan, and its current pricing starts substantially higher. www.thinkific.com

Podia would otherwise be appealing for simplicity, but its free plan takes 8% of sales, so I'd rule it out given your zero-fee requirement. www.ruzuku.com

Bottom line: I'd launch on systeme.io, especially if your course is really a vehicle for growing an email list and eventually selling something higher-ticket.

If you tell me (1) free course vs paid course, (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (3) whether you're already using Mailchimp/Kit/ConvertKit/etc., I can narrow this down to the cheapest setup for you.

If your main goal is “build an email list with a free/cheap course, and don’t give the platform a cut of sales,” I’d start with systeme.io.

My picks

Why I’d choose systeme.io: its free plan currently gives you 1 course, up to 2,000 contacts, unlimited email sends, funnels, and 0% transaction fees. You can capture someone's email, enroll them in the course, and then email/automate follow-up from the same system. systeme.io

The important distinction is that 0% platform fees doesn't mean 0% payment processing. If you sell something, Stripe/PayPal will still charge their normal processing fees. systeme.io

The setup I'd use

Lead magnet → email capture → free mini-course → automated emails → paid offer

For example:

1. Landing page: “Get my free 5-day course”
2. Visitor enters email
3. They automatically get access to Lesson 1
4. Lessons drip out over 5 days
5. Email sequence nurtures them alongside the course
6. Day 5/7 → pitch your paid product, coaching, membership, etc.

That is exactly the sort of use case systeme.io is designed around: course hosting + funnels + email automation in one place. systeme.io

One caveat: systeme.io's course builder isn't as polished/deep as dedicated course platforms. If the course experience itself is your primary product, I'd look harder at Thinkific or similar. If the email list and marketing funnel are the priority, systeme.io is much more compelling.

If you tell me (1) free course vs paid course, (2) expected list size, and (3) whether you already use Mailchimp/ConvertKit/etc., I can narrow it down to the cheapest stack for you.

If your main goal is build an email list first, then deliver a course, I would avoid most “course-first” platforms and choose something that treats email as the asset you own.

My top picks:

www.ruzuku.comddiy.co

My recommendation: Systeme.io

For a new email list + free/low-cost course funnel, I’d start with Systeme.io:

• Landing page to collect emails
• Automated email sequences
• Course/membership delivery
• Funnels
• Payments when you’re ready
• No platform transaction fee on sales (payment processor fees still apply) www.ruzuku.comddiy.co

A simple setup:

1. Create a free lead magnet (PDF, mini-course, checklist, etc.)
2. Collect emails through a Systeme.io landing page
3. Send a 5–7 email nurture sequence
4. Deliver the free course
5. Pitch a paid product/service afterward

The biggest advantage: your email list stays the core asset rather than being trapped inside a course marketplace.

If you want the “best long-term creator stack”

I’d consider:

• Email: Kit or MailerLite
• Course hosting: Teachery, WordPress LMS, or Thinkific later
• Website: your own domain

That costs a bit more but gives you more control.

What I would avoid initially

• Kajabi — excellent, but expensive before you have revenue.
• Marketplaces like Udemy — you don’t really own the audience.
• Paying $50–$200/month for course software before validating demand.

If you tell me:

1. free course only vs paid course,
2. expected list size (100, 1k, 10k+), and
3. whether you need community/coaching,

I can narrow it to the best stack.

If your priority is building an email list + hosting a course + paying $0 in platform transaction fees, I’d start with Systeme.io.

My ranking

Systeme.io is the standout for what you're describing. Its free plan currently includes up to 2,000 contacts, 1 course, 3 sales funnels, unlimited email sends, unlimited students, and 0% transaction fees. systeme.io

That means you can essentially build:

Landing page → email signup → automated email sequence → free course → paid offer

without stitching together a course platform and an email provider.

The big advantage is that the email list is native to the same platform, rather than having to connect something like Mailchimp/ConvertKit to your course platform.

What about Thinkific?

Thinkific is better if the course itself is the centerpiece. Its free tier has course hosting and integrations with services like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and AWeber, but its fee structure isn't as attractive if your goal is specifically zero platform fees. support.thinkific.com

What about Teachable?

Teachable is excellent for selling courses, but I wouldn't choose it for your particular goal. Its current Starter plan is $39/month ($29/month annually) plus 7.5% transaction fees; the 0% transaction-fee tier starts at Builder, currently $89/month ($69/month annually). www.teachable.com

What I'd do in your shoes

Start with Systeme.io's free plan. You can stay there until either:

• you exceed 2,000 contacts,
• you need multiple courses,
• you need more sophisticated automation, or
• you outgrow its funnel/course functionality.

And importantly, don't pay for an email service separately at the beginning. Let the course platform handle the list, forms, automations, and course delivery.

If you tell me (1) free course vs paid course, (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (3) whether you're already using an email provider like Mailchimp/Kit/ConvertKit, I can tell you exactly which stack I'd use and what I'd avoid.

If your priority is building an email list + hosting a course + paying $0 in platform transaction fees, I’d start with systeme.io.

My pick: systeme.io

Their free plan is unusually generous:

• $0/month
• 0% platform transaction fees — you still pay Stripe/PayPal processing fees
• 1 course
• Up to 2,000 contacts
• Unlimited email sending
• Built-in email campaigns and automation
• Sales funnels and checkout
• Course hosting and drip content
• No separate Mailchimp/ConvertKit subscription required initially systeme.io

That makes it particularly good if the email list is the main asset you're trying to build rather than just finding somewhere to host videos.

systeme.io

How I'd compare the main options

Thinkific's free plan does offer course hosting and email integrations, but its paid tiers are needed for more advanced functionality, and its current pricing structure includes transaction fees on lower tiers. thinkific.github.io Podia's free option takes 8% of sales, so I'd rule it out given your "zero platform fees" requirement. www.ruzuku.com

One important distinction

If by "integrates with email" you mean "I already use ConvertKit/MailerLite/etc. and want the course platform to send student events into it," I'd evaluate this differently.

If you mean "I want the course platform itself to collect emails and automatically email my subscribers," systeme.io is the clear starting point because you can avoid paying for a separate email platform while your list is small. It explicitly includes unlimited email sending and 0% transaction fees on its plans. systeme.io

My suggested setup: free systeme.io → free lead magnet → email sequence → free/paid mini-course → eventually upgrade only when your list/course volume requires it.

If you tell me (1) whether the course is free or paid, (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (3) which email service you're currently using, I can narrow it down to the cheapest setup for you.

If your priority is building an email list + hosting a course + paying $0 in platform transaction fees, I’d start with systeme.io.

My picks

Systeme.io's free tier currently gives you 1 course, up to 2,000 contacts, sales funnels, email marketing/automation, and 0% platform transaction fees. You'd still pay the normal Stripe/PayPal payment-processing fee when you sell something. systeme.iosysteme.io

That's unusually good for an email-list-building strategy, because you don't need to stitch together something like an email provider + landing-page builder + course host.

Check out Systeme.io

What I'd do

If you're starting from scratch:

Lead magnet/free course → Systeme.io landing page → email opt-in → automated email sequence → course → eventually paid offer.

The big advantage is that your email list lives in the same ecosystem as the course and funnel. You can start free and only upgrade once the 2,000-contact / 1-course limits actually become a problem. systeme.iosysteme.io

One caveat: don't confuse “0% platform fee” with “zero fees.” Payment processors such as Stripe/PayPal still charge their normal processing fees. www.coursemargin.com

If you tell me (1) whether the course is free or paid, (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (3) whether you already use an email service like Mailchimp/Kit, I can narrow this down to the cheapest setup for you.

If your priority is building an email list first, while keeping course delivery free/cheap and avoiding platform fees, I’d start with systeme.io.

My pick: systeme.io

systeme.io

Its free plan is unusually well matched to what you're trying to do:

• $0/month
• 1 course
• Up to 2,000 contacts
• Unlimited email sending
• Email campaigns/automation built in
• Sales funnels and landing pages
• 0% platform transaction fees — you still pay normal Stripe/PayPal processing
• Unlimited students
• No separate email provider required initially systeme.io

That means you can do something like:

Free lead magnet → email signup → automated email sequence → free mini-course → paid course

without stitching together a course host + ConvertKit/Mailchimp + landing-page tool.

If you want a more traditional LMS

Thinkific is worth considering, but its economics are less attractive for your particular goal. Its free tier offers unlimited courses/students and email-provider integrations, but the free plan has a 10% transaction fee. thinkific.github.io

Thinkific

So I'd choose Thinkific if course experience/learning features are more important than having your email marketing and funnel in the same system.

What I'd avoid for your goal

Podia is easy to use, but its free offering has an 8% transaction fee, so it's not a great fit if "zero platform fees" is a hard requirement. www.ruzuku.com

LearnWorlds is more sophisticated as an LMS, but its Starter plan charges a per-enrollment fee, making it less attractive while you're validating your offer. www.learnworlds.com

Bottom line

For what you described, I'd go with systeme.io and not overbuild yet. Get the list growing, validate the course, and only migrate to a more specialized LMS if the course eventually needs features systeme.io doesn't provide.

If you tell me what kind of course you're building and whether it's free, paid, or both, I can recommend the exact setup (landing page → email opt-in → course → email automation) I'd use.

If your priorities are (1) free/very cheap, (2) zero platform transaction fees, and (3) building an email list alongside your course, I’d start with systeme.io.

My picks

Why I’d choose systeme.io: its free plan includes 2,000 contacts, 1 course, sales funnels, unlimited email sends, and 0% transaction fees. It also has automation, tags, email campaigns, Stripe/PayPal integrations, and landing pages, so you can build the whole funnel without stitching together several services. systeme.io

The basic funnel could be:

Free lead magnet → email signup → automated email sequence → free/paid course → upsell

That is particularly attractive when your email list is the primary asset, because you aren't forced to pay for a separate email service right away.

One important distinction

"Zero platform fees" doesn't mean zero payment-processing fees. If you sell something, Stripe/PayPal will still charge their normal processing fees. systeme.io says it adds no transaction fee of its own. systeme.io

I would not pick Thinkific for this particular goal. It doesn't currently have a free plan, and its U.S. pricing increased to $54/month for Basic as of August 13, 2026. support.thinkific.com

And Teachable's cheapest current plan has a 7.5% transaction fee; you need Builder at $69/month annually to get 0% platform transaction fees. support.teachable.com

Bottom line: start with systeme.io's free plan. You can get your lead magnet, email list, automation, landing page, and first course running without paying a monthly platform fee.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you expect (e.g. 500, 2k, 10k+) and whether the course is free or paid, I can narrow it down to the cheapest setup and tell you exactly what I'd use.

If your priority is building an email list first, while keeping course costs near $0 and avoiding platform transaction fees, I’d narrow it to these:

My pick: Systeme.io

For your specific goal, I'd start with Systeme.io. Its free plan combines landing pages + email marketing + automation + course hosting, rather than making you bolt together a course platform and an email provider. Current information indicates the free tier supports up to 2,000 contacts, with one course and three sales funnels. www.ruzuku.com

That means you can build something like:

Free lead magnet → email signup → automated email sequence → free mini-course → pitch paid course

without paying for ConvertKit/Mailchimp and a separate course host.

If you already have an email platform

I'd choose Ruzuku instead. Its free plan has 0% platform transaction fees, Stripe/PayPal payments, and a real course builder, but it's limited to 5 students, so it's more useful for validating the course than scaling it. www.ruzuku.com

FreshLearn is another interesting option: its free tier is $0 with one product and 25 manual enrollments, while its paid plans advertise 0% transaction fees and native integrations including Mailchimp. freshlearn.com

One important distinction

"Zero platform fees" doesn't mean zero payment fees. You'd still generally pay Stripe/PayPal's normal processing fee when someone buys your course. The platforms above aren't taking an additional percentage of the sale.

If you tell me which email service you're using (or whether you haven't picked one yet), and whether the course is free or paid, I can tell you the cheapest setup I'd use—including the exact stack.

If your priority is building an email list + hosting a course + paying $0 in platform transaction fees, I’d start with systeme.io.

My picks

\*Pricing/fee structures have changed recently, so I'd verify before committing.

Systeme.io is the standout because its free plan currently gives you 2,000 contacts, 1 course, email marketing, funnels, automation, and unlimited email sends, while charging 0% platform transaction fees. You still pay normal Stripe/PayPal processing fees when someone buys. systeme.io

The important distinction: "0% platform fee" doesn't mean zero payment fees. Stripe/PayPal will still take their normal processing percentage.

What I'd do in your position

If you're primarily trying to grow an email list with a free course/lead magnet, I'd use:

Landing page → email opt-in → automated email sequence → free course → paid offer

And keep the whole thing inside Systeme.io initially. That means you don't have to stitch together a course host + Mailchimp/Kit + Zapier + checkout.

Once you get past roughly 2,000 contacts, their Startup plan is currently listed at $17/month and increases the limit to 5,000 contacts and 5 courses. systeme.io

If you tell me what kind of course you're selling, your expected list size (e.g. 500, 5k, 20k), and whether the course is free or paid, I can tell you which platform I'd personally choose and why.