ChatGPT answers, unedited

If by “without platform fees” you mean you’re willing to pay a monthly subscription, but you don’t want the platform taking a percentage of every sale, there are several good inexpensive options.

My shortlist

Current pricing varies by billing cycle and payment processor, so I'd verify the exact plan before committing. Recent 2026 comparisons put Thinkific around $36/mo annually with 0% platform fees when using its payment system, while Podia and LearnWorlds have lower entry prices but fee structures that depend on the plan. SavingSec Teachfloor StackScored

What I'd evaluate first

1. Thinkific — probably my first choice

Thinkific is the sweet spot if you want both live workshops and evergreen courses without building a complicated tech stack. You can sell courses, memberships and other learning products, and the paid plans can have 0% platform transaction fees when using Thinkific Payments. SavingSec Starters Tools

The downside is that you may need separate tools for sophisticated email marketing, funnels, or live delivery.

2. LearnDash — best if you want true ownership

This is particularly interesting if you're comfortable with WordPress. LearnDash currently starts around $199/year, takes no cut of your course revenue, and supports one-time purchases, subscriptions, memberships, bundles and drip-fed content. Liquid Web Liquid Web

You'd generally pair it with Stripe/WooCommerce and a webinar/live-video tool. It's less turnkey than Thinkific, but you're much less dependent on a course-platform company.

3. Podia — easiest

I'd consider Podia if your courses are relatively straightforward and you want courses + digital products + email + website/storefront in one place. Its higher-tier plans eliminate the platform transaction fee; the inexpensive entry plans can charge a percentage. SavingSec Podia

It's less LMS-heavy than Thinkific/LearnDash, which can actually be an advantage for a solo creator.

4. Systeme.io — budget wildcard

If your priority is keeping monthly software costs extremely low, I'd put Systeme.io on the evaluation list. It combines funnels, email marketing, sales and course delivery rather than being purely an LMS. Some current comparisons show a free tier with no platform transaction fee, although payment processing still applies. CourseMargin

One important distinction

“0% platform fees” doesn't mean 0% payment fees.

Even with Thinkific, Podia, LearnDash, etc., you'll normally pay Stripe/PayPal or another payment processor. That's fundamentally different from a platform taking, say, 5–10% of every course sale. CourseMargin

For example, on a $500 workshop, a 5% platform fee costs you $25 every time. At 20 sales/month, that's $500/month—so paying $30–50/month for a platform with no platform transaction fee can become dramatically cheaper.

For your particular model

If you're selling live workshops that later become evergreen courses, I'd rank them:

1. Thinkific — best balance of simplicity, course functionality and economics.
2. LearnDash — best if owning the entire infrastructure matters to you.
3. Podia — best if you want the least technical setup.
4. Systeme.io — best if minimizing monthly cost and having marketing/funnels together is paramount.
5. LearnWorlds — worth considering if the learning experience itself needs to be sophisticated.

I would not start with Kajabi if “inexpensive” is important. Its strength is consolidating marketing, email, funnels, courses and other business functions, but you're paying a substantial premium for that all-in-one approach. SavingSec

If you tell me roughly (a) workshop price, (b) expected students/month, (c) whether you need Zoom/live video built in, and (d) whether you already have a website/email system, I can calculate the actual monthly + per-sale cost of the top 4 and tell you where the break-even points are.

1. Thinkific — probably my first choice

Thinkific is the sweet spot if you want both live workshops and evergreen courses without building a complicated tech stack. You can sell courses, memberships and other learning products, and the paid plans can have 0% platform transaction fees when using Thinkific Payments. SavingSec Starters Tools

The downside is that you may need separate tools for sophisticated email marketing, funnels, or live delivery.

2. LearnDash — best if you want true ownership

This is particularly interesting if you're comfortable with WordPress. LearnDash currently starts around $199/year, takes no cut of your course revenue, and supports one-time purchases, subscriptions, memberships, bundles and drip-fed content. Liquid Web Liquid Web

You'd generally pair it with Stripe/WooCommerce and a webinar/live-video tool. It's less turnkey than Thinkific, but you're much less dependent on a course-platform company.

3. Podia — easiest

I'd consider Podia if your courses are relatively straightforward and you want courses + digital products + email + website/storefront in one place. Its higher-tier plans eliminate the platform transaction fee; the inexpensive entry plans can charge a percentage. SavingSec Podia

It's less LMS-heavy than Thinkific/LearnDash, which can actually be an advantage for a solo creator.

4. Systeme.io — budget wildcard

If your priority is keeping monthly software costs extremely low, I'd put Systeme.io on the evaluation list. It combines funnels, email marketing, sales and course delivery rather than being purely an LMS. Some current comparisons show a free tier with no platform transaction fee, although payment processing still applies. coursemargin.com

One important distinction

“0% platform fees” doesn't mean 0% payment fees.

Even with Thinkific, Podia, LearnDash, etc., you'll normally pay Stripe/PayPal or another payment processor. That's fundamentally different from a platform taking, say, 5–10% of every course sale.

For example, on a $500 workshop, a 5% platform fee costs you $25 every time. At 20 sales/month, that's $500/month—so paying $30–50/month for a platform with no platform transaction fee can become dramatically cheaper.

For your particular model

If you're selling live workshops that later become evergreen courses, I'd rank them:

If your priority is selling live workshops + evergreen courses while keeping platform fees at or near zero, I’d evaluate these first:

Pricing and plan structures have changed substantially in 2025–26, so I'd be careful with older comparisons. For example, Thinkific's free plan has reportedly been replaced by a $49/month Basic tier, while Teachable's entry plan now carries a 7.5% transaction fee. Podia Aveliq

My shortlist for your particular model

1. Systeme.io — best if minimizing monthly cost is #1

This is the one I'd investigate first if you're starting small. Its free tier is unusually generous and combines courses with funnels, email marketing, sales pages, and webinar functionality. Current comparisons report 0% platform transaction fees on the free plan. OnlineCourseTools CourseMargin

The tradeoff is that the course/student experience isn't as sophisticated as Thinkific or LearnWorlds.

systeme.io

2. Thinkific — best if courses are the core business

If you're willing to spend ~$49/month, I'd probably choose Thinkific over Teachable. Its current Basic plan has 0% transaction fees when using Thinkific Payments, unlimited courses, and a community; it also supports coaching/webinar products, although some features are tier-limited. Podia

This is particularly attractive if you're planning to have both:

• live cohort/workshop offerings
• self-paced evergreen courses
• bundles between the two
• a growing student base

thinkific.com

3. Podia — best if you want "simple business in a box"

Podia is compelling if your workshops aren't just courses—you also want digital downloads, coaching, email, website, community, and memberships in the same place. Its entry plan currently has a 5% transaction fee, while the higher Shaker tier eliminates the platform transaction fee. Podia Aveliq

podia.com

What I'd not prioritize

Kajabi is excellent, but I'd only consider it once you're making enough revenue that its higher monthly subscription is justified. You're paying for the all-in-one marketing/CRM/funnel ecosystem rather than inexpensive course hosting.

Teachable is easy to use, but its current 7.5% entry-level transaction fee makes it less attractive for your stated goal. Once you move to the $89/month Builder tier, the platform fee drops to 0%, so it becomes a different calculation. Podia

One important distinction: "no platform fees"

Even platforms advertising 0% transaction fees generally don't mean you collect 100% of the sticker price. You'll still pay Stripe/PayPal/payment-processing fees. A typical Stripe-style charge is roughly 2.9% + $0.30, depending on your payment setup. CourseMargin

So I'd optimize for:

monthly platform cost + platform transaction fee + payment processing + live-video costs + email/marketing costs

rather than looking at the platform percentage alone.

If it were my business

I'd narrow it to Systeme.io vs. Thinkific vs. Podia.

• Under ~$1–2k/month revenue: Systeme.io
• Course-focused business with serious growth plans: Thinkific
• Courses + workshops + coaching + community + downloads: Podia
• Marketing automation is the main thing you need: Systeme.io
• Best polished learning experience: Thinkific

If you tell me roughly your workshop price, evergreen course price, expected sales/month, and whether workshops are Zoom-based or need native live video, I can calculate the actual monthly cost of these 3–5 options and tell you which is cheapest at your expected revenue.

podia.com

What I'd not prioritize

Kajabi is excellent, but I'd only consider it once you're making enough revenue that its higher monthly subscription is justified. You're paying for the all-in-one marketing/CRM/funnel ecosystem rather than inexpensive course hosting.

Teachable is easy to use, but its current 7.5% entry-level transaction fee makes it less attractive for your stated goal. Once you move to the $89/month Builder tier, the platform fee drops to 0%, so it becomes a different calculation. Podia

One important distinction: "no platform fees"

Even platforms advertising 0% transaction fees generally don't mean you collect 100% of the sticker price. You'll still pay Stripe/PayPal/payment-processing fees. A typical Stripe-style charge is roughly 2.9% + $0.30, depending on your payment setup.

So I'd optimize for:

monthly platform cost + platform transaction fee + payment processing + live-video costs + email/marketing costs

rather than looking at the platform percentage alone.

If it were my business

Yes. If by “without platform fees” you mean the platform itself takes 0% of each sale (you'll still pay normal Stripe/PayPal processing), there are several inexpensive options worth evaluating.

My shortlist

A few important current details:

• Teachery is particularly interesting if your priority is minimizing costs. It advertises 0% platform transaction fees, and its 2026 pricing includes a $49/month option plus a lifetime offer. Teachery Teachery
• Systeme.io is probably the most compelling cheap experiment: its free plan supports one course and 2,000 contacts, and it says it charges 0% transaction fees. It also combines funnels, email marketing, automation and courses, which can eliminate several other subscriptions. Systeme.io
• Thinkific is worth serious consideration if your live workshops are important. Thinkific has live events/community functionality, and its payment setup can avoid additional platform transaction fees. It did, however, raise subscription prices around August 13, 2026. Thinkific Teachery
• Podia is deceptively cheap at the entry level: its Mover plan currently has a 5% transaction fee. You need Shaker/Earthquaker to get 0% platform fees. Podia Help Center Podia Help Center
• LearnWorlds has a $5-per-enrollment fee on Starter, but Pro Trainer ($99/mo monthly or $79/mo annually) removes enrollment fees. It also explicitly supports live group sessions/webinars. LearnWorlds LearnWorlds

What I'd evaluate first

1. Systeme.io — if keeping total software costs tiny is #1

This is the one I'd test first if you're starting from scratch. You can potentially have:

landing page → email list → checkout → evergreen course → automated emails → webinar funnel

under one roof. The free/low-cost entry point is unusually attractive. Systeme.io

2. Teachery — if you already have your marketing/email stack

This is compelling if you don't need an elaborate built-in marketing machine. The 0% fee structure means that as your sales grow, your costs don't grow with revenue. Its advertised lifetime option makes it especially interesting for a long-term business. Teachery

3. Thinkific — if the actual teaching experience matters

I'd lean toward this if your business is fundamentally live workshops + polished self-paced courses, rather than primarily funnels and marketing. Thinkific has invested in communities and live events, while maintaining a conventional LMS structure. Thinkific

4. Podia — if simplicity beats everything

It's very approachable and combines website, products, courses, email, and selling. But I'd skip the fee-bearing tier if you're serious about sales—the 5% can become much more expensive than paying a higher monthly subscription. Podia Help Center Podia Help Center

One distinction I'd make

There are actually two different meanings of “no platform fees.”

If you mean:

“I don't want the platform taking 5–10% of my sales.”

Then Teachery, Systeme.io, Thinkific, and higher-tier Podia/LearnWorlds are good candidates.

If you mean:

“I want to pay basically $0/month and only pay when somebody buys.”

Then the answer changes considerably, and I'd look at a checkout/payment system + inexpensive course hosting rather than a conventional LMS.

For your particular model—live workshops that can later become evergreen courses—I'd probably narrow the evaluation to Systeme.io vs. Teachery vs. Thinkific first. Those three represent three quite different approaches, and you can avoid spending money testing ten platforms.

Yes. If your goal is live workshops + evergreen/self-paced courses, while keeping platform fees close to zero, I’d focus on platforms that charge a flat monthly fee rather than taking a percentage of every sale.

One important distinction: “0% platform fee” does not mean zero payment processing. You’ll generally still pay Stripe/PayPal processing fees.

My shortlist

Current 2026 comparisons put Systeme.io and Thinkific among the strongest low-cost choices for avoiding percentage-based platform fees. onlinecoursetools.ioedubracket.com

1. Systeme.io — I'd test this first

This is particularly interesting if you're starting small.

Its free plan can host one course and 2,000 contacts, with no monthly fee and 0% platform transaction fee; paid plans start around $27/month and add more courses, funnels and automation. onlinecoursetools.ioedubracket.com

Why I like it for your model:

• Evergreen courses
• Sales pages and checkout
• Email marketing
• Funnels
• Webinars/live-event functionality on the appropriate tier
• No percentage-of-revenue platform fee

The tradeoff is that the student/course experience isn't as polished as some dedicated LMS products.

Best if: you care more about selling and marketing efficiently than having the fanciest classroom.

2. Thinkific — probably the safest overall choice

Thinkific is the one I'd investigate if your business is going to become primarily a course business.

It has structured course delivery, student management, payments, memberships and live/interactive learning options. Current comparisons put its paid entry level around $49/month, with 0% platform transaction fees in its primary markets. www.cloudspress.comwww.ruzuku.com

Best if: you expect to eventually have several evergreen courses and want a more purpose-built learning environment.

The downside is that you'll probably want separate tools for sophisticated email marketing/funnels.

3. LearnWorlds — worth a serious look

This is especially attractive if your workshops eventually become premium educational products.

The inexpensive Starter tier has a per-enrollment charge, while higher tiers eliminate that fee. LearnWorlds also has unusually strong interactive-video and assessment capabilities. onlinecoursetools.ioedubracket.com

Best if: your evergreen courses need quizzes, interactive video, certificates, assessments, etc.

I'd skip it initially if your courses are basically videos + PDFs + Zoom calls.

4. Podia — simplest setup

Podia is appealing if you want website + checkout + courses + digital products + email without assembling a bunch of software.

The catch is the lower-priced plan takes a percentage of sales; the higher plan removes the platform transaction fee. Current comparisons put the entry point around $39–42/month depending on billing/plan. www.teachfloor.comwww.ruzuku.com

Best if: you value simplicity more than squeezing out every last dollar of margin.

5. Ruzuku — interesting for live workshops

Ruzuku is more workshop/cohort-oriented than some of the slicker course platforms. Its paid plans have 0% transaction fees, and it supports discussions and live learning. www.teachfloor.comwww.ruzuku.com

But at roughly $99/month, I'd only choose it if the live workshop experience is central to your business.

What I'd choose for your particular model

I'd narrow it to three:

🥇 Systeme.io
If you're trying to keep costs extremely low and want sales funnels + email + live events + evergreen courses in one place.

🥈 Thinkific
If the long-term business is primarily high-quality evergreen courses, with live workshops as another product.

🥉 Podia
If you want the least complicated setup and don't mind paying a higher tier to eliminate transaction fees.

And there's a fourth approach that's worth considering:

Build your own lightweight stack

For example:

WordPress + LMS/plugin + Stripe + Zoom + email provider

That gives you essentially zero platform percentage fees and maximum ownership, but you trade money for technical complexity, maintenance and support.

For a business selling $5k–$20k/month, that can eventually make a lot of sense. For validating your first workshop, I'd avoid the complexity.

One thing I'd optimize for

Don't compare platforms primarily on their monthly price. Compare:

monthly fee + platform transaction fees + payment processing + webinar costs + email costs + software you'll need to add.

A $29 platform can easily become a $100/month stack once you add Zoom, email, landing pages and automation. Conversely, a $79 all-in-one can sometimes be cheaper overall.

If you tell me roughly (1) your workshop price, (2) evergreen course price, (3) expected monthly sales, and (4) whether you need Zoom-style live sessions, I can calculate the break-even point between these platforms and give you the cheapest setup at $1k, $5k, $10k and $25k/month in sales.

Yes. If your priorities are live workshops + evergreen courses + very low/no platform transaction fees, I’d evaluate these first:

1. Teachery — probably the first one I'd test

This is unusually attractive if "no platform fees" is non-negotiable. Teachery currently advertises $49/month, $470/year, or a $550 one-time lifetime price, with unlimited courses and customers and no transaction fees. www.teachery.cowww.teachery.co

You'd still pay Stripe/PayPal processing fees, of course—the distinction is that Teachery doesn't add its own percentage on top. help.teachery.cowww.podia.com

Best if: you're comfortable using Zoom for the live workshop and want the course platform primarily for checkout, content delivery, and evergreen sales.

2. Thinkific — best if the workshops are central

Thinkific is more purpose-built around education and includes live-event/community functionality. It also has no platform transaction fees on paid plans. www.teachery.cowww.teachery.co

One thing to note: Thinkific just increased prices in August 2026, by roughly 10%, so I'd verify the current checkout price before deciding. support.thinkific.com

Best if: you want your live workshops and evergreen courses to feel like one coherent learning business rather than cobbling together several tools.

3. Podia — easiest "everything in one place"

Podia is compelling if you want courses + workshops/events + website + email + checkout without assembling a technology stack. Its current plans include online courses, coaching, events, website, landing pages and email. www.podia.com

The catch is important: the lower-priced Mover plan currently has a 5% transaction fee. The Shaker plan is $84/month when billed annually and removes Podia's transaction fee. www.podia.com

So I'd only choose Podia if its integrated email/marketing features save you enough time to justify the higher monthly cost.

What I'd choose for your model

If you're selling, say, a $200 live workshop and then offering a $300–$500 evergreen course, I'd narrow it to:

🥇 Teachery → if minimizing platform costs is the priority
🥈 Thinkific → if student experience + live teaching are the priority
🥉 Podia → if simplicity and built-in marketing/email are the priority

The key distinction is "without platform fees" doesn't mean without payment fees. You will generally still pay Stripe/PayPal processing (roughly 2.9% + a fixed amount per transaction). help.teachery.cowww.podia.com

If you tell me roughly (1) your workshop price, (2) evergreen course price, (3) expected monthly sales, and (4) whether you need built-in email marketing, I can calculate the actual annual cost of Teachery vs Thinkific vs Podia and tell you which is cheapest for your business.

If your priority is selling live workshops + evergreen courses while minimizing platform fees, I’d evaluate platforms that either have 0% transaction fees or let you own the customer relationship. The cheapest choice depends on whether you need a full marketing system or just course delivery. www.operdrive.com

My shortlist by business stage

1. Testing your first workshops (under ~$2k/month revenue)

• Thinkific: best if you mainly need course delivery.
• Systeme.io: best if you need landing pages, email sequences, checkout, and basic courses cheaply.
• Podia: best if you want simplicity.

2. Selling live cohorts + evergreen recordings
Consider:

• Course host: Thinkific / Podia / LearnWorlds
• Live delivery: Zoom or Google Meet
• Email: Kit (formerly ConvertKit), MailerLite, or similar
• Community: Circle, Mighty Networks, or a private group

This “stack” often costs less than an all-in-one platform while keeping more control.

3. Scaling to a full education business

• Kajabi becomes more attractive when replacing several subscriptions and when marketing automation matters more than minimizing monthly spend. creatoreconomy.org

Features I would compare before choosing

• Transaction fees (a 5–10% fee can dwarf a monthly subscription once sales grow)
• Live workshop support (Zoom integration, calendar, reminders)
• Cohort tools (drip release, discussions, assignments)
• Email automation
• Checkout/payment plans
• Affiliate tracking
• Student data export (avoid being trapped)
• Custom domain/branding

A practical low-fee setup many creators use:

• Thinkific or Systeme.io → course + checkout
• Zoom → live workshops
• MailerLite/Kit → email marketing
• Stripe → payments

If you tell me your expected course price, monthly sales volume, and whether workshops are live cohorts vs one-off webinars, I can narrow this to the 2–3 platforms most likely to maximize your margins.

Yes. If your priority is live workshops + evergreen/self-paced courses while keeping platform transaction fees at zero or close to zero, I’d evaluate these first:

1. Thinkific — probably where I'd start

Thinkific is particularly attractive for your model because it's explicitly built around courses, memberships, coaching/webinars and live lessons, rather than trying to turn your business into a giant marketing suite.

One important recent change: Thinkific raised prices on August 13, 2026. Basic is now $54/mo monthly or $40/mo when billed annually, while Start is $109/mo monthly or $82/mo annually. Thinkific says it takes no commission on sales. support.thinkific.com

The catch: Basic gives you only 5 coaching/webinar sessions, whereas Start includes unlimited live lessons and coaching/webinars. www.thinkific.com

I'd choose Thinkific if: your evergreen courses will be the core business and your live workshops are a complementary product.

2. Podia — easiest/simple option

Podia is appealing if you want courses + workshops + website + email + checkout without stitching together a bunch of services.

Its current annual pricing is $42/mo for Mover, which charges 5% per transaction, and $84/mo for Shaker, which has 0% Podia transaction fees. Both support online courses, coaching and events. www.podia.com

So if you're serious about eliminating platform fees, I'd mentally treat Shaker at $84/mo as the relevant Podia plan.

I'd choose Podia if: you value simplicity more than having the deepest course/learning-management features.

3. Systeme.io — the sleeper option

This one is especially interesting if your business is workshop → email follow-up → evergreen course → upsell.

The free plan exists, while the current paid tiers shown by Systeme.io include Startup and a $47/mo Webinar plan, with features including courses, sales funnels, automation, email marketing, Stripe/PayPal integration and evergreen webinars. systeme.io

It's less polished as a dedicated learning environment than Thinkific, but you get much more of the marketing/funnel machinery for the money.

I'd choose Systeme.io if: you're a marketer/creator first and an online-school operator second.

4. Teachable — good, but I'd compare carefully

Teachable's current plans are Starter $29/mo annually / $39 monthly, Builder $69/$89, Growth $139/$189, and Advanced $309/$399. support.teachable.com

The important distinction for you is that Starter isn't zero-fee, while Builder is the first tier I'd consider if avoiding platform transaction fees is a priority.

So at roughly $1,000–$3,000/month in course/workshop revenue, I'd compare Teachable Builder against Thinkific rather than looking at the cheaper Starter plan.

5. LearnWorlds — worth a look if course quality matters

I'd put LearnWorlds on your shortlist if your courses need interactive video, assessments, certificates, learning paths, etc. It's more "online school" than "sell some PDFs and videos."

It's less compelling if your workshops are primarily live Zoom-style sessions and your evergreen courses are relatively simple.

One distinction I'd make

"Without platform fees" doesn't mean "without payment fees."

Even on a 0% platform-fee plan, you'll generally still pay Stripe/PayPal processing, e.g. roughly 2.9% + $0.30 for a typical U.S. Stripe card transaction. Podia explicitly distinguishes its own transaction fee from the payment processor's fee. www.podia.com

So I'd optimize for:

monthly subscription + platform transaction fee + payment processing + live-event capability

rather than simply looking for "$0 fees."

My shortlist for your particular model

I'd narrow it to:

🥇 Thinkific — best dedicated course business
🥈 Podia — easiest all-in-one creator business
🥉 Systeme.io — cheapest if funnels/email/evergreen webinars matter heavily
4. Teachable — strong alternative, but I'd want a reason to choose it over Thinkific
5. LearnWorlds — best if you need sophisticated learning features

If you tell me roughly (1) workshop price, (2) evergreen course price, (3) expected monthly sales, and (4) whether you already have an email list, I can calculate the actual monthly cost and break-even point for Thinkific vs Podia vs Systeme.io vs Teachable.

Yes. If by “without platform fees” you mean no percentage taken from each sale (while accepting normal Stripe/PayPal processing fees), I’d focus on these:

Prices are current as of August 2026 and can change; annual billing generally lowers the monthly equivalent.

1. Systeme.io — probably the first one I'd test

If you're bootstrapping, this is unusually compelling. Its free plan includes up to 2,000 contacts, funnels, email marketing, and a course, with 0% transaction fees. Paid plans start around $27/month. systeme.io

It also has a dedicated evergreen webinar capability on the Webinar plan, and you can connect Zoom for live sessions. systeme.io

Best if: you want courses + landing pages + email + funnels + payments in one inexpensive system.

Weakness: the actual learning experience is less polished/sophisticated than Thinkific.

2. Thinkific — my pick if courses are the core business

Thinkific is stronger if you're building a serious course business rather than primarily a marketing funnel.

Its current pricing has Basic around $40/month when billed annually, while Start is around $82/month annually after its August 2026 pricing update. www.thinkific.com

The important distinction for you: Start includes unlimited live lessons, coaching/webinars, memberships, bundles, payment plans, etc. www.thinkific.com

Thinkific also integrates directly with Zoom for live lessons and webinars. support.thinkific.com

Best if: you expect your evergreen course catalog to become the main asset and want a high-quality student experience.

3. Podia — probably the easiest setup

Podia is particularly interesting for your live workshop → evergreen course model.

It explicitly supports selling live workshops, webinars, and events, with Zoom/Google Meet/YouTube Live integration. After an event, you can host and sell the replay. help.podia.com

Current pricing is $42/month annually for Mover, which has a 5% transaction fee, or $84/month annually for Shaker with no Podia transaction fee. www.podia.com

So if you get to meaningful sales volume, Shaker can be quite attractive.

Best if: you want the least technical setup and expect to sell workshops, courses, downloads, coaching, etc. from one storefront.

4. Teachable — worth evaluating, but I'd skip the cheapest tier

Teachable's Starter plan is $29/month annually but takes 7.5% per transaction. Builder is $69/month annually with 0% transaction fees. systeme.iowww.thinkific.comwww.teachable.com

So if "no platform fees" is a hard requirement, I'd only consider Builder or above.

It's a mature, straightforward option, but I don't see a compelling reason to choose it over Thinkific or Podia for your particular combination of live + evergreen.

5. LearnWorlds — if instructional quality matters

I'd put LearnWorlds on the evaluation list if your courses are more sophisticated—interactive video, assessments, learning paths, etc.

The important caveat is to avoid choosing purely on the low advertised starting price: LearnWorlds' lower tier has per-enrollment economics, while higher tiers eliminate that fee. support.learnworlds.com

What I'd actually shortlist

For your use case, I'd test three:

🥇 Systeme.io — if minimizing monthly cost is the priority
🥈 Thinkific — if the evergreen courses are the long-term business
🥉 Podia — if live workshops + simplicity are equally important

There's also an interesting business model here:

Live workshop → recording/replay → evergreen course → automated email funnel → upsell/coaching

Systeme.io is particularly good at the funnel/automation side, while Thinkific is stronger on the learning-delivery side, and Podia sits nicely in the middle. Systeme.io's evergreen webinar functionality is specifically designed to sell courses/products automatically from prerecorded webinars. systeme.io

One important distinction: “0% platform fee” doesn't mean zero payment fees. Stripe/PayPal will still charge their normal processing fee; for example, Podia explicitly lists Stripe at 2.9% + $0.30 for standard U.S. processing. www.podia.com

If you tell me roughly (1) your workshop price, (2) course price, (3) expected monthly sales, and (4) whether you already have an email list, I can calculate the actual monthly/annual cost and break-even point for these platforms rather than just comparing sticker prices.

Yes. If by “without platform fees” you mean the platform takes 0% of each sale—while you still pay normal Stripe/PayPal processing—I’d focus on these:

My shortlist for your model

1. Thinkific — probably where I'd start.
It's particularly well suited if you have two products: recurring live workshops/cohorts plus an evergreen self-paced course. Thinkific has live events/community functionality, and its payment setup can avoid an additional platform transaction fee. Note that Thinkific increased prices around August 13, 2026, so I'd verify the exact current checkout price before subscribing. support.thinkific.com

2. Teachery — best if keeping costs brutally low is the priority.
It charges 0% transaction fees and currently advertises $49/month, $470/year, or a $550 lifetime option. The tradeoff is that it's more of a lean course-selling platform: you'll likely use external tools for email marketing, video, and live delivery. www.teachery.co

3. Podia — best “I don't want to stitch together five tools” option.
Podia includes courses, website, email, coaching and events. Its Shaker plan has no Podia transaction fee, although the cheaper Mover plan takes 5%. Current annual pricing shown by Podia is $84/month for Shaker. help.podia.comwww.podia.com

4. Systeme.io — worth a serious look if marketing/sales funnels matter.
The $47/month Webinar plan includes courses, funnels, email automation, Stripe/PayPal integration and evergreen webinars. That's unusually inexpensive if you're going to sell workshops through funnels rather than simply putting up a course storefront. systeme.io

One important distinction

“0% platform fee” doesn't mean zero fees. You'll still generally pay your payment processor—e.g. Stripe's card processing fee. Podia explicitly distinguishes its 0% platform fee from Stripe/PayPal processing charges. help.podia.comwww.podia.com

What I'd choose

If you're selling something like:

Live $100–500 workshops → record them → turn the best material into a $200–1,000 evergreen course

I'd evaluate Thinkific vs. Teachery vs. Podia first.

• Want the best student/course experience: Thinkific
• Want the lowest long-term cost: Teachery
• Want email + website + courses + selling in one place: Podia
• Want sophisticated funnels/automations cheaply: Systeme.io

I wouldn't automatically choose Kajabi for this use case. It's excellent, but you're paying substantially more for its all-in-one marketing ecosystem; you may not need that overhead when you're starting.

If you tell me roughly your expected course price, workshop price, monthly sales volume, and whether you already have an email list, I can calculate the actual annual cost of these options and identify the cheapest one for your business.

Yes. If by “without platform fees” you mean no percentage of each sale going to the course platform—while accepting that Stripe/payment processing still costs money—I’d shortlist these:

My top 3 for your use case

1. Systeme.io — investigate first if keeping costs extremely low is the priority.
Its Free plan includes up to 2,000 contacts and one course; Startup is $17/month and supports five courses. Importantly, Systeme.io advertises 0% transaction fees on all plans, and its Webinar plan ($47/month) adds automated webinar functionality. systeme.io

The tradeoff is that it's more of a marketing-funnel/business platform with courses than a beautiful, dedicated LMS. If you're comfortable with a less premium student experience, it's hard to beat on economics.

2. Thinkific — my likely choice for a serious course business.
Thinkific just raised its prices on August 13, 2026: Basic is now $54/month monthly or $475/year, while Start is $109/month. support.thinkific.com With Thinkific Payments, you avoid its additional third-party payment-gateway fee; payment processing still applies. support.thinkific.com

It's particularly attractive if your model is:

free workshop → paid live workshop → evergreen course → higher-ticket program

rather than primarily a community.

3. Teachable — good if you want simplicity and a polished checkout/student experience.
Its current Builder plan is $69/month when billed annually and has 0% platform transaction fees. Starter is cheaper at $29/month annually but takes 7.5% per sale. support.thinkific.comsupport.teachable.com

So if you're doing meaningful sales volume, Builder is much more interesting than Starter.

One I'd not prioritize for your requirement

Podia is very appealing operationally, but its inexpensive Mover plan takes 5% per sale. You have to move to Shaker at $84/month annually to eliminate Podia's transaction fee. www.podia.com

Heartbeat is excellent if the community itself is part of what you're selling. It combines evergreen/cohort courses, paid events, live rooms, memberships and community. But its Build plan is $49/month and still takes 5%, falling to 2.5% and 1.25% at higher tiers. www.heartbeat.chat So it doesn't really satisfy your “no platform fees” requirement.

LearnWorlds is worth considering if course quality/interactivity matters more than absolute price. Its Pro Trainer tier is currently $99/month and has no transaction fees, with live sessions and unlimited paid courses. www.learnworlds.com

What I'd choose

If you're starting lean:

Systeme.io → Thinkific → LearnWorlds

I'd test those three rather than signing up for 8–10 platforms.

And there's an important distinction: “0% platform fee” does not mean “0% payment fee.” You'll generally still pay Stripe/card processing—e.g. roughly 2.9% + $0.30 for a typical U.S. card transaction, depending on the platform/payment setup. support.thinkific.comsupport.teachable.com

If you tell me roughly (a) your expected monthly sales, (b) workshop price, (c) evergreen course price, and (d) whether you need email marketing/community built in, I can calculate the actual monthly cost at $2k/$5k/$10k/$25k in sales and tell you which one is cheapest.

If your goal is sell live workshops + evergreen courses while minimizing platform fees, I’d evaluate platforms that either charge $0 transaction fees or let you keep most revenue. (You’ll still usually pay payment processing fees from Stripe/PayPal.) creatoreconomy.orgwww.coursemargin.com

Here are the strongest inexpensive options:

www.savingsec.comwww.teachfloor.com

My shortlist by business model

1. You’re starting and want the lowest overhead

• Thinkific: good if your priority is hosting a professional course and keeping fees low.
• Systeme.io: good if you need landing pages + email + checkout + course access in one inexpensive stack. creatoreconomy.orgwww.coursemargin.com

2. You’ll run live workshops regularly

• Podia: simple for workshops, digital products, and courses.
• Mighty Networks / Skool: better if the workshop value comes from interaction, networking, and ongoing community. www.savingsec.comwww.teachfloor.com

3. You expect higher-ticket programs ($500–$5,000+)

• Thinkific + your own email marketing tool can be cost-efficient.
• Kajabi becomes worth evaluating when you want an all-in-one system (courses + email + funnels + automation), but it is usually a bigger monthly commitment. creatoreconomy.org

A low-fee stack I’d seriously consider

• Course hosting: Thinkific or Podia
• Live delivery: Zoom
• Payments: Stripe
• Email marketing: ConvertKit/Kit, MailerLite, or similar
• Community (optional): Circle, Mighty Networks, or Skool

This avoids giving a percentage of every sale to a marketplace.

A few questions would narrow this down:

1. What price point are you targeting (e.g., $49 workshop, $499 course, $2,000 cohort)?
2. Do you need built-in live webinar hosting, or just a place to sell access to Zoom sessions?
3. Roughly how many students/month do you expect in year one?

Yes. If by “without platform fees” you mean the platform should not take a percentage of every sale—while you’re okay paying a modest monthly subscription—I’d focus on these:

My shortlist for your use case

1. Thinkific — probably where I'd start.

It is particularly well matched to a business that has both live workshops and evergreen courses. You can create self-paced, scheduled, and cohort courses, and its Zoom integration lets you put live lessons directly into courses. www.thinkific.com

The important caveat: use Thinkific Payments if avoiding platform transaction fees is the priority. Thinkific says third-party payment gateways can incur additional transaction fees, whereas transactions through Thinkific Payments don't incur that third-party fee. support.thinkific.com

2. Podia — easiest to operate.

I'd seriously consider this if you don't need a sophisticated LMS. Podia is unusually good for your combination because it explicitly supports paid live workshops/webinars + replay sales + evergreen courses. You can run the live event through Zoom, Google Meet, or YouTube Live. www.podia.com

The catch is choosing the right plan: Mover has a 5% transaction fee, while Shaker eliminates the platform transaction fee. www.learnworlds.com

3. Systeme.io — investigate if minimizing your monthly bill is the priority.

This is the wildcard I'd test. Its free plan has 0% platform transaction fees, and the paid Webinar tier is reported around $47/month while adding live-webinar capabilities. www.coursemargin.com

It's more of a marketing/funnel/email + course platform than a dedicated LMS, which can actually be an advantage if you're selling workshops through funnels.

4. LearnWorlds — if course quality/experience matters more than absolute cost.

The Starter plan is inexpensive, but it charges $5 per enrollment. Pro Trainer is ~$99/month ($79 annual) and removes that fee. www.learnworlds.com

So I'd skip Starter if your explicit goal is "no platform fees" and compare LearnWorlds Pro Trainer vs Thinkific once you're doing meaningful sales volume.

One thing I'd not optimize for

Don't interpret “no platform fees” as “no fees whatsoever.” You'll still normally pay Stripe/PayPal/card processing, e.g. roughly 2.9% + $0.30 in a typical U.S. transaction. Those are payment-processing costs rather than the course platform taking a commission. support.thinkific.com

If I were choosing for you

I'd test these three first:

🥇 Thinkific — best balance of course delivery + live workshops + 0% platform fee
🥈 Podia — easiest/least technical, particularly good for selling workshops and replays
🥉 Systeme.io — lowest-cost option if funnels/email/marketing are as important as the LMS

If you tell me roughly (a) your workshop price, (b) expected monthly sales, and (c) whether you need email marketing/funnels, I can calculate the actual monthly cost and break-even point for these platforms rather than just comparing headline prices.

Yes. If by “without platform fees” you mean you’re willing to pay Stripe/PayPal processing, but don’t want the course platform taking a percentage of every sale, I’d focus on these:

Current comparisons show Thinkific and Systeme.io among the strongest combinations of low fixed cost and 0% platform transaction fees. www.coursemargin.com

What I'd evaluate first

1. Thinkific — probably your best fit

If your business is fundamentally “I teach workshops and sell the recordings/curriculum afterward,” Thinkific is the first platform I'd test.

You get a proper LMS rather than just a checkout page: courses, student accounts, lessons, communities, payments, etc. Current pricing comparisons put its entry point around $49/month, with 0% platform transaction fees in the relevant plans/markets. www.schoolmaker.com

Thinkific official site

2. Systeme.io — if keeping costs extremely low is priority #1

This is the sleeper choice. Its free tier has 0% platform transaction fees, and paid tiers add funnels, email marketing, courses and webinar functionality. The free plan is particularly interesting if you're validating your workshop concept before committing to monthly software costs. www.coursemargin.com

Systeme.io official site

3. Podia — if you want simplicity over maximum LMS sophistication

Podia is attractive if you want website + email + courses + digital products + webinars in one relatively uncomplicated system. Its higher-tier plan removes the platform transaction fee, although the monthly cost is higher. www.podia.com

Podia official site

One important distinction

“0% platform fees” doesn't mean zero fees overall. You'll generally still pay payment processing—e.g. Stripe's card processing fee. The useful comparison is:

monthly subscription + platform transaction fees + payment processing + any webinar/email/automation tools you need.

For example, a platform charging $49/month and 0% can become considerably cheaper than a $0/month platform taking 5–10% once you're selling $2,000–$5,000/month. www.coursemargin.com

My shortlist for your model

I'd narrow it to:

• Want the best dedicated course platform: Thinkific
• Want to spend almost nothing initially: Systeme.io
• Want the simplest creator-business setup: Podia
• Want a very workshop/cohort-oriented experience: Ruzuku
• Want sophisticated educational/course experiences: LearnWorlds
• Want to assemble your own stack and optimize checkout: ThriveCart

If you tell me roughly (a) your workshop price, (b) expected students per workshop, (c) whether workshops are Zoom-based, and (d) whether you need email marketing/landing pages, I can calculate the actual monthly + per-sale cost for the 5–6 best options and tell you which one is cheapest at your expected revenue.

Yes. If by “without platform fees” you mean the platform takes 0% of your sales (while you still pay Stripe/PayPal processing), there are several inexpensive options worth evaluating.

My shortlist

\*Pricing changes frequently; these are current 2026 figures gathered from recent pricing comparisons, so I'd verify the exact plan before purchasing. www.stackscored.com

What I'd evaluate first

1. Thinkific — probably your best starting point

Thinkific is particularly attractive if you want live workshops + an evergreen library without giving up a percentage of every sale. Current comparisons put the annual-billing entry plan around $36/month, with 0% platform transaction fees on paid plans. www.stackscored.comwww.learnworlds.com

I'd look at it first if your business is primarily courses and workshops, rather than community.

Thinkific official site

2. TrainerCentral — particularly interesting for live workshops

This one deserves more attention than it usually gets. Its feature comparison includes a built-in live classroom, courses, drip content, quizzes, email automation and 0% transaction commissions. oweb.zohowebstatic.com

If your business revolves around teaching live sessions that later become evergreen products, having the live classroom inside the LMS could simplify your stack considerably.

TrainerCentral official site

3. Ruzuku — worth testing if live teaching is central

Ruzuku explicitly advertises 0% transaction fees, with a free tier for up to five participants and paid plans starting around $99/month in current comparisons. www.stackscored.comwww.ruzuku.com

It's less compelling for someone wanting a huge marketing ecosystem, but potentially very good if the teaching experience itself is the priority.

Ruzuku official site

4. LearnWorlds — best if you want a more premium learning experience

The inexpensive Starter plan has a $5 enrollment fee, so I wouldn't choose it if “no platform fees” is a hard requirement. But Pro Trainer and above have 0% transaction fees. It has particularly strong interactive-video/course capabilities. www.stackscored.comwww.learnworlds.com

LearnWorlds official site

5. Teachable — good, but watch the fee tier

Teachable's lower-priced plans have transaction fees, while the higher tier removes them. That means it can look inexpensive initially but become more expensive as your sales grow. www.stackscored.comwww.learnworlds.com

Teachable official site

One I'd probably skip for your specific requirement

Podia is wonderfully simple, but if zero percentage-of-sales fees is a hard requirement, you need its higher Shaker tier. Its Mover plan currently charges 5%. www.stackscored.comwww.learnworlds.com

That's still inexpensive, but I'd rather put that money toward a platform that is already 0%.

The bigger question: what does “live workshop” mean for you?

There are actually two very different setups:

A. Live cohort → recording becomes evergreen course

You teach 4–6 live sessions, record them, then sell the edited recordings as a self-paced course.

B. Evergreen course + recurring live workshops

People buy your evergreen course and periodically get invited to live Q&A/workshops.

For A, I'd lean TrainerCentral or Ruzuku.

For B, I'd lean Thinkific or LearnWorlds.

If you want courses + workshops + email marketing + checkout + landing pages all in one, then I'd also consider an all-in-one platform—but I'd be careful about paying $100–$200+/month before you have meaningful sales. Current comparisons put Kajabi substantially higher than these budget options. www.stackscored.comwww.learnworlds.com

One important distinction

“No platform fees” doesn't mean zero payment fees. You'll generally still pay your payment processor (e.g. Stripe), typically around 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction in the U.S. The 0% figure means the course platform itself isn't taking another percentage. www.coursemargin.com

If I were narrowing this to three for a lean creator business, I'd demo:

1. Thinkific — best all-around course business
2. TrainerCentral — strongest intriguing option for live teaching
3. Ruzuku — worth comparing if workshops/cohorts are the heart of the business

If you tell me roughly (a) your workshop price, (b) evergreen course price, (c) expected monthly sales, and (d) whether you need built-in email/landing pages, I can calculate the actual monthly cost and break-even point for 5–7 platforms rather than just comparing sticker prices.