ChatGPT answers, unedited

If your priorities are free/low-cost + zero platform transaction fees + course hosting + email list building, I’d start with systeme.io.

My shortlist

• systeme.io — best fit for your requirements

• Free plan: $0/month
• Up to 2,000 contacts
• 1 course
• Unlimited email sends
• Sales funnels + email marketing built in
• 0% platform transaction fees (you still pay Stripe/PayPal processing fees)
• No separate email service is necessary for the basic setup. Systeme.io Systeme.io

The big advantage is that your course and email list live in the same ecosystem, so you can do something like free mini-course → email sequence → paid course without stitching several services together.

• payhip.com — good if selling digital products is the priority

• Free plan
• Unlimited products
• Courses, memberships, downloads, etc.
• Can use free courses as lead magnets and collect email addresses
• But: the free plan takes 5% of sales, so it doesn't meet your "zero platform fees" requirement unless you move to the $99/month Pro plan. Payhip Payhip Help Center
• thinkific.com — better LMS, but not your low-cost option

• Stronger dedicated course-platform features
• Currently starts at $54/month monthly billing
• No free plan
• Payment/transaction economics depend on which payment system you use. Thinkific Thinkific

What I'd do

For a new email-list business, I'd keep it simple:

Landing page → free course → Systeme.io email list → automated welcome sequence → paid offer

You can start at $0, validate that people actually want the course, and only upgrade when you hit the free-plan limits. The free Systeme.io plan's 2,000-contact limit and one-course limit are probably plenty for an initial launch. Systeme.io

If you tell me (1) whether the course itself is free or paid, (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (3) what email service you're currently using (if any), I can narrow this down to the cheapest setup and tell you exactly how I'd structure it.

If your main goal is building an email list with a course as the lead magnet, I’d look at all-in-one platforms first, rather than paying for a separate course host + email service.

My shortlist

• Systeme.io — best fit for your use case. The free plan includes 1 course, up to 2,000 contacts, funnels, and email marketing, with 0% platform transaction fees. It can handle the course, landing page, email list, and basic automation in one place. Systeme.io Systeme.io
• Ruzuku — best if the course experience matters more than marketing. Its free plan is genuinely free and has 0% platform fees, but it's limited to 5 students. It has course discussions, quizzes, video, payments, etc. Ruzuku Ruzuku
• FreshLearn — worth considering for a small free course. Its free tier reportedly allows unlimited courses, 25 students, and 0% transaction fees, though its email/marketing capabilities aren't as compelling as Systeme.io's. Ruzuku
• Thinkific — better once you're willing to pay. Current pricing information indicates its entry paid plan is around $40/month annually, with zero platform fees when using Thinkific Payments; it isn't the $0 option anymore. Ruzuku
• Teachable — I'd skip for this particular goal. Its Starter plan currently charges a 7.5% transaction fee; 0% starts on the substantially more expensive Builder plan. Teachable Teachable

What I'd do

If you're building an email list first and using a free mini-course to attract subscribers, I'd start with Systeme.io.

A simple funnel would be:

Free course → email opt-in → automated welcome sequence → course delivery → nurture emails → paid offer

The big advantage is that you don't have to stitch together something like WordPress + LMS + Mailchimp + Zapier + Stripe just to get started.

And you can start at $0, with the important caveat that "0% platform fees" doesn't mean zero payment-processing fees when you actually sell something. Systeme.io

If you tell me (1) roughly how many subscribers you expect, (2) whether the course is free or paid, and (3) whether you want automated email sequences, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options for you.

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

My shortlist

• Systeme.io — best fit for your use case. Its free plan combines course hosting, funnels, checkout, and email marketing, with 0% platform transaction fees. Current comparisons put the free tier around one course and up to ~2,000 contacts, although the exact limits are worth checking before you build around them. Ruzuku OnlineCourseTools
• Ruzuku — best if the course itself is the priority. Its free tier has 0% transaction fees, but it's really designed for very small pilots (up to 5 participants). Ruzuku
• FreshLearn — another inexpensive testing option. Free tier with 0% transaction fees and up to 25 students, though it's less established and has fewer integrations. Ruzuku
• Thinkific — better once you're making real money. It's more course-focused, but the free plan information floating around online is now inconsistent/outdated; current 2026 sources indicate the free plan has been discontinued and paid plans start around $40/month annually. Ruzuku Course Profit Lab
• Teachable — I'd skip for your particular goal. Its entry plan now charges a transaction fee, so it doesn't fit your "zero platform fees" requirement as well. Teachable

What I'd do

If you're starting from scratch and your email list is the business, use Systeme.io.

The important distinction is that Systeme.io isn't primarily a course platform—it's a marketing/funnel platform that happens to have course hosting. That's actually an advantage for what you're describing: someone can opt into your lead magnet → enter your email sequence → receive/promote the course → eventually get pitched your paid offer, without stitching together five different services. Ruzuku

One caveat: "zero platform fees" doesn't mean literally zero fees on sales. Payment processors such as Stripe can still charge their normal processing fees.

If you tell me (1) roughly how many subscribers you expect, (2) whether the course is free or paid, and (3) what email service you're currently using (Kit, Mailchimp, Beehiiv, etc.), I can narrow it down to the cheapest setup I'd actually use and show you the exact stack.

If your priorities are free/cheap + 0% platform fees + email-list building + course hosting, I’d start with systeme.io.

My shortlist

systeme.io is the standout for what you're describing. Its free tier currently gives you up to 2,000 contacts, 1 course, 3 funnels, unlimited email sending, unlimited students, and 0% transaction fees. You still pay normal Stripe/PayPal processing fees when someone buys. Systeme.io Systeme.io

That means you can build something like:

Landing page → email signup → automated welcome sequence → free/paid course → follow-up emails → offer your next product

without stitching together Mailchimp + Teachable + Zapier + a landing-page builder.

systeme.io

When I'd choose something else

• Ruzuku: Great if you want to run a very small test cohort. Its free plan has the full course functionality and 0% platform transaction fees, but you're limited to 5 students. Ruzuku
• beehiiv: I'd choose this if the email newsletter is the business and the course is secondary. Its free Launch plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers and unlimited email sends, but it's not really a traditional LMS. beehiiv.com

My recommendation: Start with systeme.io unless you already have a newsletter platform you love. At your stage, having the course + list + funnels + automations in one free account is hard to beat.

If you tell me (1) whether the course is free or paid and (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, I can narrow it down to the best setup for you.

Landing page → email signup → automated welcome sequence → free/paid course → follow-up emails → offer your next product

without stitching together Mailchimp + Teachable + Zapier + a landing-page builder.

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

My shortlist

🥇 I'd pick systeme.io

Its free plan currently includes 1 course, up to 2,000 student contacts, email marketing, funnels and 0% platform transaction fees. You still pay the normal Stripe/PayPal processing fee when someone buys, but systeme.io doesn't take an additional percentage. Systeme.io Systeme.io

That makes it particularly good for the funnel:

Free lead magnet → email list → free/low-cost course → paid course/offer

You also don't have to stitch together something like:

Course platform + Mailchimp/Kit + Zapier + landing-page software

because the email/funnel functionality is already part of systeme.io. Systeme.io

One important distinction

If by "integrates with email" you mean you already use Kit, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, etc. and want the course platform to sync subscribers into it, I'd probably choose Thinkific instead.

If you mean "I want the platform to help me build and grow the email list without paying for another email tool," then systeme.io is the much more compelling choice.

If you tell me (1) what email platform you're using, (2) whether the course is free or paid, and (3) roughly how many subscribers you expect, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options for your setup.

If your priority is building an email list + hosting a course + paying $0 in platform transaction fees, I’d narrow it to these:

🥇 My pick: SystemeScale

systemescale.com currently advertises a $0/month plan with:

• 1 course
• Up to 500 students
• 2,000 contacts
• Unlimited email
• Funnels/landing pages
• 1 automation rule
• CRM
• 0% transaction fees

That combination is unusually good for what you're trying to do because you don't have to bolt an email service onto your course platform. SystemeScale SystemeScale

So the basic funnel could be:

Lead magnet → email signup → automated emails → free course → pitch paid offer

You can do all of that inside one system.

🥈 If you care more about the course itself: Ruzuku

ruzuku.com has a genuinely free plan with 0% platform transaction fees, but the free tier is limited to 5 students. It supports video, PDFs, quizzes, discussions, and payments through Stripe/PayPal. Ruzuku

I'd use it for validating a course, not necessarily as the long-term home for an email-list business.

One important distinction

"Zero platform fees" doesn't mean literally zero payment costs. If you sell a course, Stripe/PayPal processing fees still apply. Ruzuku explicitly distinguishes its 0% platform fee from payment-processor fees. Ruzuku

Also, I'd be cautious with older articles recommending free Thinkific or Teachable plans—their pricing has changed substantially, and some current web results are clearly outdated. Ruzuku

Bottom line: If you're starting from scratch and your business is fundamentally email list → course → eventual paid offer, I'd start with SystemeScale. It gets you closest to an all-in-one setup without paying monthly or surrendering a percentage of sales.

If you tell me what email platform you're currently using (Kit, Mailchimp, Beehiiv, etc.) and whether the course is free or paid, I can recommend the cheapest exact stack.

If your priority is building an email list first, I’d avoid paying for an expensive all-in-one course platform. You want:

• $0 platform transaction fees
• A free or very cheap starting point
• Good email integrations/automations
• Your own Stripe/PayPal account
• A clean path to scale once the list grows

My shortlist

Ruzuku's free tier is unusually generous on fees: it allows unlimited courses but caps you at 5 students, while paid plans have 0% platform transaction fees. Ruzuku Ruzuku

For your specific use case, I'd pick Systeme.io. Its free tier includes a course, up to 2,000 contacts, and email functionality, while its paid plans advertise 0% transaction fees. That means you can build the lead magnet → email sequence → free course → paid offer funnel without stitching several services together. Ruzuku SystemeScale

The important distinction is that "zero platform fees" doesn't mean zero payment processing fees. Stripe/PayPal will still charge their normal processing fee.

If you tell me (1) roughly how many subscribers you expect in the first year and (2) whether the course is free or paid, I can narrow this down to the cheapest setup and tell you exactly what stack I'd use.

If your main goal is build an email list first, then sell courses later, I’d avoid most “pure” course platforms. You want something that either owns the email relationship or integrates cleanly with your email provider.

My shortlist:

Course Profit Lab Don't Do It Yourself### My recommendation by situation

1. You’re starting from zero → use Systeme.io

This is probably the closest match to what you described.

You get:

• Landing pages
• Email capture
• Email broadcasts
• Automations
• Course hosting
• Funnels

The tradeoff: the course experience is more “marketing funnel” oriented than a premium learning platform. It’s excellent for a lead magnet → email sequence → paid course funnel. courseplatformpicks.com Don't Do It Yourself

A typical setup:

1. Free mini-course or email course
2. Collect emails
3. Send nurture sequence
4. Sell paid course/coaching/product

2. You already have email software → Thinkific

If you already use something like:

• kit.com
• mailchimp.com
• beehiiv.com

then a dedicated LMS makes more sense. Thinkific gives you a more polished student experience than most funnel-first tools. Course Profit Lab

3. You care about owning everything → WordPress + LMS

Stack:

• WordPress
• wordpress.org or another LMS plugin
• stripe.com payments
• Email provider of your choice

Pros:

• No platform lock-in
• No platform transaction fees
• Full control

Cons:

• More setup and maintenance. Course.Coach

What I would not pick for your goal

• Udemy: good for marketplace discovery, bad for building your own email asset.
• Teachable free/cheap tiers: check current pricing carefully; many older recommendations are outdated. Ruzuku
• Kajabi: great, but usually too expensive until you already have revenue.

My default stack for a new creator:

Free lead magnet → Systeme.io → grow list → move to Thinkific/WordPress later if needed.

One question changes the recommendation a lot: are you building a free course to grow the email list, or a paid course that collects emails from buyers?

If your priorities are (1) low cost, (2) zero platform transaction fees, and (3) building an email list, I’d narrow it to these:

Payhip is unusually generous on features: its free plan gives you unlimited products and revenue, but takes 5% of sales. Its $99/month Pro plan removes the platform transaction fee. Payhip

payhip.com

My pick: Podia

For building an email list around a course, I'd probably use Podia if you can afford ~$42–84/month.

Its big advantage is that courses, landing pages, email, checkout, digital products, and your website live together. The current Mover plan is $42/month annually and includes 100 email subscribers, but charges 5% per sale. Shaker is $84/month annually, includes 500 email subscribers, and has 0% Podia transaction fees. Podia Podia Help Center

Podia also lets you use an external email platform rather than forcing you to use Podia Email. Podia Help Center

podia.com

But there's an important distinction

If by "zero platform fees" you mean literally I don't want the course platform taking a percentage of sales, then:

• Payhip: no percentage only at $99/mo.
• Podia: no percentage at $84/mo annually.
• Teachable: no percentage at $89/mo monthly or $69/mo annually. Teachable

You'll still generally pay Stripe/PayPal payment-processing fees even when the platform's fee is 0%. Podia Teachable Help Center

If you're just starting and don't know whether the course will sell: I'd actually start with Payhip, accept the 5% fee temporarily, and avoid paying $40–100/month before you've validated demand.

If you're already confident you'll sell consistently: go Podia Shaker for the cleaner all-in-one email + course setup.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you have now (0 / <1k / 1–5k / 5k+) and whether the course is free or paid, I can tell you which setup will be cheapest and simplest.

Podia also lets you use an external email platform rather than forcing you to use Podia Email.

If your main goal is building an email list first and using the course as a lead magnet or future product, I’d prioritize email ownership + automation over the prettiest course player.

Here are the best fits:

Don't Do It Yourself Ruzuku## My pick for your situation: Systeme.io

If you’re starting from scratch, I’d use Systeme.io because it combines:

• Landing pages
• Email capture forms
• Email broadcasts
• Automated sequences
• Course hosting
• Funnels
• Checkout/payment integration

That means a flow like:

Ad/social post → free mini-course signup → email sequence → paid course offer

can happen without stitching together five different tools. Its free tier is designed around exactly this kind of early-stage creator setup. Don't Do It Yourself Don't Do It Yourself

If you care most about owning your audience

Use:

• WordPress site
• LMS plugin (such as LearnPress/TutorLMS)
• Email provider (such as mailerlite.com or kit.com)

Pros:

• You own the site and student data
• No course platform lock-in
• More customization

Cons:

• More setup and maintenance

Course.Coach## If the course itself is the main product

I’d look at Thinkific.

It has a stronger classroom experience:

• Better lesson organization
• Student progress tracking
• More “professional course” feel

But you’ll probably still want a separate email platform because your email list is the asset you’re building. Don't Do It Yourself

A simple stack I’d recommend

For a first 1,000–5,000 subscribers:

Option A (cheapest):

• Systeme.io → landing page + email + course + checkout

Option B (more ownership):

• WordPress → course
• MailerLite/Kit → email list
• Stripe → payments

Option C (premium later):

• Thinkific/Podia/Kajabi once revenue justifies it

One thing I’d avoid: putting your free course only on a marketplace like Udemy. It can bring students, but it’s weaker for building a direct email relationship.

If you tell me whether this is a free lead magnet course or a paid course you’ll sell, I can narrow it to the best 1–2 choices.

If your priorities are free/low-cost + courses + email list + zero platform transaction fees, I’d start with systeme.io.

My shortlist

• systeme.io — best overall

• $0/month free plan
• Up to 2,000 contacts
• 1 course
• Unlimited email sending
• Email campaigns/automation
• Funnels + landing pages
• 0% platform transaction fees (Stripe/PayPal processing fees still apply)
• Free plan doesn't expire. Systeme.io Systeme.io

This is probably the closest match to what you're describing because you can build the lead magnet → email sequence → course → paid offer without stitching together several services.

• payhip.com — best if the course/store is the priority

• Free forever
• Courses, memberships, downloads, etc.
• But the free plan takes 5% per sale
• $29/mo reduces that to 2%; $99/mo gets to 0%.
• Free products can collect email addresses for your list. Payhip Payhip Help Center
• teachable.com — good course experience, but not your cheapest fit

• Current Starter is $39/mo ($29/mo annually) with a 7.5% transaction fee
• 0% transaction fees start at Builder: $89/mo ($69/mo annually). Teachable
• So I wouldn't choose it if minimizing costs is the goal.

What I'd do

Start with Systeme.io's free plan. You can keep your first 2,000 subscribers there, build your course, and run the email marketing without paying a platform fee on sales. Systeme.io

A simple setup would be:

Landing page → email signup → automated welcome sequence → free mini-course → pitch paid course/product

If you tell me what email platform you're currently using (ConvertKit/Kit, Mailchimp, Beehiiv, MailerLite, etc.) and whether the course is free or paid, I can narrow this down to the best 2–3 options for your exact setup.

If your priorities are free/low-cost + 0% platform transaction fees + email-list building, I’d look at these first:

🥇 My pick: Systeme.io

For what you're describing, Systeme.io is unusually good because you don't just get course hosting—you get the email list, funnels, automations, and course platform in one place.

Its current free plan includes:

• $0/month
• Up to 2,000 contacts
• 1 course
• Unlimited email sending
• Sales funnels
• Email campaigns/automation
• 0% platform transaction fees
• Stripe/PayPal payments
• No credit card required Systeme.io Systeme.io

So you could build something like:

Free mini-course → email signup → automated email sequence → paid course/product

without stitching together a course platform + Mailchimp/Kit + Zapier.

systeme.io

Ruzuku is worth considering

Ruzuku has a genuinely free plan with 0% transaction fees, but it's capped at 5 students, so I'd view it more as a way to validate a course than as the long-term home for an email-list business. Ruzuku Ruzuku

I wouldn't choose Payhip for your specific requirement

Payhip is excellent for selling digital products, but its free plan takes 5% of every transaction. The 0% plan is currently $99/month, so it doesn't meet your "zero platform fees" requirement unless your revenue makes the subscription worthwhile. payhip.com

Bottom line: If you're starting from zero and want to grow an email list around a course, I'd start with Systeme.io's free plan. It's probably the closest match to "I don't want to pay until this thing actually makes money."

If you tell me what you're teaching and whether the course is free or paid, I can also recommend the best course + email funnel setup for your specific situation.

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 — best fit for your use case

• Free plan
• 0% platform transaction fees
• Up to 2,000 contacts
• 1 course
• Unlimited email sending
• Email campaigns/automation
• Landing pages + sales funnels
• Stripe/PayPal payments
• Course enrollment can automatically add students to your contacts
• No separate email marketing platform required. Systeme.io Systeme.io

This is the one I'd pick if you're starting from scratch.

• Thinkific — better course experience, weaker email marketing

• Historically attractive because of its 0% transaction fees.
• Its big advantage is a more dedicated/polished course platform.
• But you'd likely need a separate email marketing tool to really build and automate your list.

So you're potentially trading a free/cheap platform for additional software costs.

• Teachable — I'd skip for your criteria

• It's good for courses, but the low-end plans have platform transaction fees, making it less attractive when your explicit goal is zero platform fees. Systeme.io
• Podia — nice product, but not my choice for $0

• Good all-in-one concept, but its current pricing doesn't fit your "free/very low-cost + zero platform fees" requirement as well as systeme.io.

The setup I'd use

For a simple creator business, I'd make the funnel:

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

And keep the whole thing inside systeme.io:

Landing page → Email list → Automation → Course → Checkout

That means you don't have to stitch together something like ConvertKit + Teachable + Leadpages + Zapier just to get started.

One caveat: 0% platform fees doesn't mean $0 payment processing. Stripe/PayPal will still charge their normal processing fees when someone buys something. systeme.io is saying it doesn't add an additional platform transaction fee. Systeme.io

Bottom line: start with systeme.io's free plan. Once your list grows past 2,000 contacts or you need multiple courses, you can decide whether its paid plan is still the best fit or migrate to a more specialized course platform.

If you tell me what kind of course you're selling and roughly how big you expect your email list to get, I can narrow it down to the cheapest 2–3 setups and show you the actual monthly cost at 1k, 5k, and 10k subscribers.

If your priority is building an email list + hosting a course + paying $0 in platform transaction fees, I’d shortlist these:

🥇 My pick: Systeme.io

For what you described, systeme.io is probably the strongest starting point.

Its free plan currently includes 1 course, up to 500 students, 2,000 contacts, unlimited emails, 3 funnels, automation, and 0% transaction fees. That means you can build the email-list funnel and course without immediately stitching together several services. SystemeScale Systeme.io

A simple setup would be:

Landing page → email opt-in → automated email sequence → course → upsell

That's particularly attractive if your goal is growing an owned email list, rather than just selling courses.

🥈 Thinkific if the course itself matters most

thinkific.com has a stronger dedicated course-building experience. Current pricing information indicates 0% platform transaction fees when using Thinkific Payments, and its entry paid plan is around $40/month when billed annually. Podia EchoPulse Media

The catch: Thinkific isn't really your email-marketing platform. You'd typically connect it to something like Kit/MailerLite/etc. for your main list and marketing automation.

What I would NOT choose

Teachable wouldn't be my first choice for your requirements. Its current Starter plan is $39/month but carries a 7.5% transaction fee, while the 0%-fee plan is considerably more expensive. Podia

Gumroad is cheap to start but takes a percentage of sales, so it doesn't fit your "zero platform fees" requirement particularly well.

Bottom line

If you're starting from scratch and want to spend as little as possible: → Systeme.io.

If you're willing to pay ~$40/month for a better dedicated learning experience and use a separate email platform: → Thinkific.

If you tell me (1) free course vs paid course, (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (3) what email service you're using now (if any), I can narrow it down to the best 1–2 setups for you.

If your priorities are (1) free/very cheap to start, (2) zero platform transaction fees, and (3) email-list integration, I’d narrow it to these:

A couple of important catches:

• Thinkific says it takes no commission on sales, but payment-processing fees still apply. Its current U.S. Thinkific Payments rate is 3.9% + $0.30/transaction. Thinkific Thinkific Support
• Teachable currently charges $39/mo on Starter with a 7.5% transaction fee; its $89/mo Builder plan has 0% platform transaction fees. Teachable
• Payhip is free monthly but takes 5% per sale; its $99/mo Pro plan removes Payhip's transaction fee. Payhip
• Thinkific no longer has a free plan, so if $0 upfront is important, I'd look elsewhere. Thinkific

What I'd actually do

If you're building an email list first and the course is the monetization, I'd not start with Teachable or Thinkific.

I'd use an email platform as the center of the business, then put the course somewhere inexpensive/free. That way your subscribers belong to you, rather than making the course platform your primary marketing system.

If you tell me (a) whether the course will be free or paid, (b) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (c) whether you need video hosting, I can give you a specific $0–$20/month stack that has no platform cut on course sales.

If your priorities are building an email list + hosting a course + $0 platform transaction fees + very low cost, I’d start with systeme.io.

My pick: Systeme.io

Its free plan is unusually strong for this use case:

• $0/month
• 0% platform transaction fees — you still pay Stripe/PayPal processing fees
• 1 course
• Up to 2,000 contacts
• Unlimited email sends
• Email campaigns and automation
• Sales funnels and checkout
• Custom domain support
• Unlimited students according to its current pricing page Systeme.io Systeme.io

The big advantage is that your course and email list live in the same system. Someone can opt into your free course, get tagged/added to your list, receive an automated sequence, and later be offered your paid product without stitching together several services. Systeme.io

If you outgrow the free plan, the Startup plan is currently $17/month and increases the limits to 5 courses and 5,000 contacts, while retaining 0% platform transaction fees. Systeme.io

How I'd compare the alternatives

For example, LearnWorlds' current Starter plan is $29/month and charges $5 per paid enrollment, while its no-enrollment-fee Pro Trainer plan is $99/month. LearnWorlds

One important distinction: "0% platform fees" doesn't mean zero payment processing. If you sell something through Stripe/PayPal, the processor still takes its normal fee. Systeme.io

What I'd do in your position

If the course is primarily a lead magnet for growing an email list, I'd actually lean heavily toward Systeme.io rather than a traditional LMS. You don't need fancy LMS features yet; you need:

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

Systeme.io gives you that whole funnel in one place at $0 to start. Systeme.io

If you tell me (1) whether the course is free or paid, (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (3) what email platform you currently use (Kit, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, etc.), I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options for your exact setup.

If your priority is building an email list + hosting a course + keeping platform fees at $0, I’d narrow it to a few options.

My top pick: Thinkific

Thinkific is probably the best fit if the course itself is the main product.

• 0% platform transaction fees when using Thinkific Payments. Ruzuku
• Strong course builder and student management.
• Integrates with external email/marketing tools.
• Much more course-focused than an all-in-one marketing platform.
• The catch: the free plan/pricing information online is currently inconsistent, so I'd verify the exact plan available to you before committing. Recent sources indicate Thinkific has changed its free offering. Podia Course.Coach

thinkific.com

If email marketing is the main priority: Systeme.io

I'd seriously consider systeme.io if you're essentially building a lead magnet → email sequence → paid course funnel.

It combines:

• Email marketing
• Landing pages
• Funnels
• Course hosting
• Automations
• Payments

That means you don't necessarily need a separate course platform + email service + landing-page tool.

systeme.io

If you want dead-simple: Payhip

Payhip is another good starting point for a small course/digital-product business. The tradeoff with platforms like this is that the free plan generally means paying a percentage when you sell, so it doesn't satisfy your "zero platform fees" requirement as cleanly as a true 0%-fee paid plan.

What I'd do in your situation

If you're starting from scratch and the email list is the asset you care about most, I'd build it like this:

Lead magnet → email list → automated emails → course offer → course platform

And I'd choose Systeme.io if you want everything under one roof, or Thinkific + your existing email provider if you want a better dedicated learning experience.

One important distinction: "zero platform fees" doesn't mean zero payment-processing fees. Stripe/PayPal/card processing fees can still apply even when the course platform takes 0%.

If you tell me (1) whether the course is free or paid, (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (3) what email service you're using/want to use, I can give you a very specific cheapest 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

• 🥇 Systeme.io — best fit for you

• $0/month on the free plan
• Includes 1 course
• Up to 2,000 contacts
• Built-in email marketing, funnels, automation, checkout, and course delivery
• 0% platform transaction fee (you still pay normal payment-processing fees such as Stripe)
• You can keep your email list and course in one system. Podia Systeme.io
• systeme.io
• 🥈 Ruzuku — good if the course itself is the priority

• Has a genuinely free tier with 0% platform fees
• But the free plan is extremely limited: 5 participants, so it's not ideal for growing an email-list-driven business. Ruzuku Ruzuku
• 🥉 Thinkific — better once you're willing to pay

• Nice dedicated course platform and no transaction fees on its paid plans, but the free plan information you'll find online is outdated. Current sources indicate the free tier was removed, with paid plans starting around $54/month monthly. Podia
• Teachable — I'd skip for your particular goal

• Current Starter pricing is $39/month and carries a 7.5% transaction fee. The 0% tier starts at $89/month. Teachable

What I'd actually do

For an email-list-first business, I'd use:

Landing page → free email course/lead magnet → Systeme.io email sequence → paid course

That lets you validate demand without paying for five different tools. Systeme.io is unusually well suited to this because the email marketing and course delivery are part of the same platform. Systeme.io

One important distinction: "zero platform fees" doesn't mean zero fees on sales. Payment processors such as Stripe can still charge their normal processing fee. CourseMargin

If you tell me (1) roughly how many subscribers you expect, (2) whether the course is free or paid, and (3) what email service you're already using (if any), I can narrow this down to the cheapest setup and tell you exactly what I'd use.

If your priorities are building an email list + hosting a course + selling it without platform transaction fees, I’d start with systeme.io.

My shortlist

• 🥇 systeme.io — best overall for your use case

• Free plan
• Course hosting
• Built-in email marketing and automation
• Funnels + checkout
• 0% platform transaction fees
• No need to connect a separate email service initially
• Their current pricing page says all plans include unlimited emailing and no transaction fees. Systeme.io
• The free tier is designed specifically around combining courses, email, and funnels. Systeme.io Systeme.io
• 🥈 Thinkific — better course experience, weaker email side

• Good dedicated course builder
• 0% platform transaction fees under its applicable payment setup
• But you'll generally want a separate email marketing system, so it becomes less attractive if email-list growth is central to your business. Systeme.io
• 🥉 Teachable — polished, but I'd skip it for your requirements

• Nice course platform, but its current entry-level economics aren't as attractive if your goal is specifically zero platform fees + low cost. Systeme.io

What I'd actually build

For a lean setup:

Landing page → email opt-in → automated email sequence → free/paid course → checkout → follow-up emails

With systeme.io, you can keep those pieces in one place instead of paying for something like:

Course platform + ConvertKit/MailerLite + funnel builder + checkout software

That's the biggest reason I'd choose it for an email-list-first business.

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

If you tell me (1) free course vs paid course, (2) roughly how many subscribers you expect, and (3) whether you already use an email platform like Mailchimp/Kit/MailerLite, I can tell you exactly which setup I'd use and what I'd pay at 100, 1,000, and 10,000 subscribers.

If your main goal is building an email list + delivering a course, I’d strongly consider systeme.io.

My pick: Systeme.io

It’s unusually well matched to what you described:

• $0/month to start
• 0% platform transaction fees — you still pay Stripe/PayPal processing fees
• 1 course on the free plan
• Up to 2,000 contacts
• Built-in email marketing and automation
• Landing pages/forms for collecting leads
• Sales funnels
• Course hosting
• Drip course content
• You don't have to stitch together a course platform + Mailchimp/ConvertKit + landing-page tool. Systeme.io Systeme.io

That's particularly attractive if the course is really a lead magnet / entry point into your email funnel, rather than a giant standalone academy.

Other options I'd consider

One caveat: there is conflicting/outdated information online about Thinkific's free plan, so I'd verify its current plan before committing. Recent 2026 sources disagree about whether the free tier remains available. Ruzuku EduBracket

What I'd do in your situation

I'd build:

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

with Systeme.io handling essentially the whole thing.

That lets you start at $0 rather than paying for something like Kajabi just to discover whether people actually want the course. Systeme.io's free plan currently gives you 2,000 contacts, which is a pretty generous runway for an initial list. Systeme.io

If you tell me what kind of course you're building and roughly how many subscribers you expect (100 / 1,000 / 10,000+), I can tell you which platform I'd choose and what the cheapest stack would be.

If your priority is building an email list first, hosting a course second, and paying $0 in platform transaction fees, I’d strongly consider systeme.io.

My top picks

🥇 I'd use Systeme.io

The free plan currently includes 2,000 contacts, unlimited email sends, 1 course, 3 sales funnels, marketing automation, and 0% platform transaction fees. It doesn't expire and doesn't require a credit card. Systeme.io Systeme.io

That makes it unusually well suited to the funnel you're describing:

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

And you don't have to "integrate" a separate email provider—the email system is built into the same platform. You can trigger emails from form submissions, purchases, tags, and course activity. Systeme.io

systeme.io

The main catch is that you'll still pay the normal Stripe/PayPal payment-processing fees when you sell something. "0% platform fees" doesn't mean 0% payment-processing fees. Systeme.io

Why I wouldn't pick Podia for this particular goal

Podia is nice, but its current Mover plan is $42/month annually ($39? depending on billing/current promotion) and takes 5% per sale. Its free email allowance is only 100 subscribers, and the free period is a 30-day trial rather than a permanent free course platform. Podia Help Center Podia

What about Thinkific?

Thinkific is stronger if the course itself is the centerpiece and you want a more polished learning environment. But it doesn't currently offer a permanent free plan, and its paid plans start at $54/month monthly ($40/month annually for Basic). Thinkific Thinkific

So for your specific use case, my ranking would be:

1. Systeme.io — best if keeping costs near $0 is the priority.
2. Thinkific — best if you're willing to pay for a more dedicated course experience.
3. Podia — best if you value simplicity and don't mind the monthly cost/transaction fee.
4. Kit + separate course platform — worth considering if your business is primarily an email/newsletter business.

If you tell me roughly how many subscribers you're expecting (e.g. 500, 2,000, 10,000+) and whether the course is free or paid, I can narrow this down to the cheapest setup—including the email provider, landing page, checkout, and course host.

🥇 I'd use Systeme.io

The free plan currently includes 2,000 contacts, unlimited email sends, 1 course, 3 sales funnels, marketing automation, and 0% platform transaction fees. It doesn't expire and doesn't require a credit card. Systeme.io Systeme.io

That makes it unusually well suited to the funnel you're describing:

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

And you don't have to "integrate" a separate email provider—the email system is built into the same platform. You can trigger emails from form submissions, purchases, tags, and course activity. Systeme.io

systeme.io

The main catch is that you'll still pay the normal Stripe/PayPal payment-processing fees when you sell something. "0% platform fees" doesn't mean 0% payment-processing fees. Systeme.io

Why I wouldn't pick Podia for this particular goal

Podia is nice, but its current Mover plan is $42/month annually ($39? depending on billing/current promotion) and takes 5% per sale. Its free email allowance is only 100 subscribers, and the free period is a 30-day trial rather than a permanent free course platform. help.podia.com podia.com

What about Thinkific?

Thinkific is stronger if the course itself is the centerpiece and you want a more polished learning environment. But it doesn't currently offer a permanent free plan, and its paid plans start at $54/month monthly ($40/month annually for Basic).

So for your specific use case, my ranking would be:

If your main goal is building an email list first and using a course as a lead magnet (rather than running a giant course marketplace), I’d prioritize email ownership + automation + low/no fees over fancy course features.

Here are the strongest fits:

Don't Do It Yourself RateTheTool## My recommendation for an email-list-first business

Option 1: Systeme.io (probably your best fit)

Use it like:

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

Pros:

• Email marketing is built in
• Funnels and course hosting are in one place
• You avoid stitching together 5 tools
• Good for lead magnets and simple courses

The downside: the course experience is more "marketing funnel" oriented than a premium learning platform. Don't Do It Yourself

Option 2: Thinkific + separate email tool

Use this if you care more about the student experience:

Email platform → opt-in → Thinkific course → upsell

Good email tools to pair with it:

• MailerLite — budget-friendly newsletters/automation
• ConvertKit (now Kit) — creator-focused email automation
• Beehiiv — newsletter-first businesses

The tradeoff is you’re managing two systems instead of one. Thinkific is stronger as a learning platform, but email marketing is usually handled through integrations. LaunchAdvisor

What I would avoid initially

• Kajabi: excellent, but expensive before you have revenue.
• Teachable/other platforms with revenue cuts: fine for testing, but percentage fees hurt once you sell consistently. Course.Coach
• Building a custom WordPress LMS too early: you’ll spend time maintaining software instead of growing the list.

A simple stack I’d choose:

Starting from zero:
→ Systeme.io

Already have an audience and want a premium course brand:
→ Thinkific + MailerLite/Kit

Planning a large info-business with multiple products:
→ Move to a paid all-in-one later

One question changes the recommendation a lot: is your course going to be free as an email lead magnet, or are you planning to sell the course immediately?

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

My shortlist

🥇 I'd pick Systeme.io

Its free tier currently gives you up to 2,000 contacts, unlimited email sends, 1 course, 3 funnels, and 0% transaction fees. That is unusually well aligned with what you're trying to do. systeme.io

The important part is that you don't have to bolt together:

landing page → email provider → automation → course platform → checkout

Systeme.io can handle those pieces in one system. You can, for example:

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

And when you start selling, its pricing page says the platform takes 0% transaction fees; Stripe/PayPal processing fees still apply. systeme.io

When I'd choose something else

Thinkific — if the course itself is the centerpiece and you want a more dedicated LMS/student experience. I'd use it if you're expecting the course catalog to become a significant business rather than primarily using the course as an email-list funnel.

Teachable — worth considering if you care heavily about the polished student-facing experience and want lots of third-party integrations. Its App Hub supports email services such as Mailchimp, Kit, and AWeber. www.teachable.com

Podia — attractive if you're going to sell a mix of courses, downloads, memberships, etc., and want a very simple storefront.

What I'd do in your position

Start Systeme.io free and don't pay for anything until you actually hit a limit.

Your initial setup could be:

1. Landing page — collect email.
2. Free mini-course — 3–5 lessons.
3. Welcome automation — deliver the course automatically.
4. Email sequence — educate → build trust → offer your paid product.
5. Checkout — Stripe/PayPal.
6. Upgrade only when your list exceeds 2,000 contacts or you need additional courses/automation.

The free plan is permanent rather than merely a trial, according to its current pricing information. systeme.io

Bottom line: for what you described, I'd choose Systeme.io first. It's hard to beat free + course + email marketing + funnels + 0% platform transaction fees in one place. systeme.io

If you tell me (1) roughly how many subscribers you expect, (2) whether the course is free or paid, and (3) what 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 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.