Positive mentions of Thinkific

If your priority is starting with essentially $0 upfront and avoiding a platform cut, I’d look at Thinkific first—but there’s an important 2026 pricing wrinkle.

My pick: Thinkific

thinkific.com

Thinkific is designed specifically for course creators, with video lessons, quizzes, discussions, checkout, and student management. Its current Basic plan is $40/month when billed annually, so it no longer appears to offer the old permanently free plan. Thinkific

So if you mean literally no monthly fee and no platform fee, I'd instead consider:

• Payhip — $0/month, unlimited products, but 5% transaction fee on its Free Forever plan. This is probably the easiest shoestring-budget option. Payhip
• Gumroad — $0/month, but 10% + $0.50 per direct sale, so it gets expensive as sales grow. Course Profit Lab
• Thinkific — better dedicated-course experience, but you'll need to move to a paid plan after its current trial. Thinkific

For your first course, I'd choose Payhip if you truly have $0 to spend. The 5% fee is a reasonable tradeoff for not having a monthly bill while you're testing whether anyone will buy.

One distinction: “0% platform fee” doesn't mean literally zero fees—payment processors such as Stripe can still charge processing fees. support.thinkific.com

If you tell me roughly what you'd charge for the course ($20, $50, $100, etc.) and how many students you expect, I can calculate which platform leaves you with the most money.

If your priority is “I want to start with $0 and avoid platform fees”, I’d choose Thinkific’s free plan—assuming its current free offering is available in your account/region.

The important distinction is that “free” and “no platform fees” are not the same thing:

Payhip's free plan gives you all features and unlimited products, but takes 5% of each sale, in addition to payment-processor fees. Payhip Payhip Gumroad has no monthly charge but takes 10% + $0.50 on direct sales, plus payment processing. Gumroad Gumroad

My recommendation

Start with Thinkific if your goal is to actually build a course business. You get a more traditional course-learning experience rather than simply selling a collection of videos/files. Current comparisons report a $0 free tier with 0% platform transaction fees. Course.Coach LogicalRefer

Choose Payhip instead if you want the absolute simplest setup and don't mind giving up 5% of sales. It's particularly attractive if you're selling a course alongside PDFs, templates, downloads, or memberships. Payhip

One thing I'd avoid as a first-time creator: paying $30–$150/month for a fancy platform before you've proven that people will buy your course.

If you tell me what your course is about and roughly what you'd charge ($20, $50, $100, etc.), I can recommend the cheapest setup—including where to host videos, collect email addresses, and take payments—without spending money upfront.

If you’re selling cohort-based classes and want to avoid big platform fees, I’d focus on platforms that either have low monthly costs + no revenue share or let you start with a cheap/free validation setup. The best choice depends on whether you need community, live sessions, payments, or just course delivery. Teachfloor LearnStream

Lowest-cost options to consider

1. Maven — best if you want a true cohort experience without upfront cost

• Cost model: No upfront platform subscription; takes a percentage of paid enrollments. Guideflow
• Good for: - Live instructor-led cohorts
• Workshops
• Expert-led programs
• Creators who don’t want to build tech
• Downside: - Revenue share can become expensive once you’re selling many seats. Guideflow

Best fit: “I’m testing my first cohort and don’t want monthly overhead.”

2. Podia — simple and budget-friendly

• Good for: - Courses + email + checkout in one place
• Small cohorts where community needs are modest
• Usually cheaper than all-in-one platforms like Kajabi. Teachfloor
• Downside: - Not built specifically around cohort mechanics, so you may pair it with Zoom/Discord/Slack. LearnStream

Best fit: “I want a simple storefront and don’t want to stitch together too many tools.”

3. Thinkific — affordable if you already have an audience

• Good for: - Structured lessons
• Payments
• Basic communities
• Running repeat cohorts
• Some plans avoid platform transaction fees when using their payment system. LearnStream
• Downside: - Cohort scheduling/community features are less native than cohort-first tools. LearnStream

Best fit: “I want a professional course home and I’ll run live sessions elsewhere.”

4. Ruzuku — lightweight cohort-friendly option

• Good for: - Date-based cohorts
• Discussions
• Simple teaching workflows
• Some comparisons highlight its cohort scheduling and lack of transaction fees. Ruzuku

Best fit: “I want something simpler than a full LMS.”

5. DIY stack (often cheapest)

A lot of successful early cohort creators start with:

• Landing page: carrd.co or wordpress.org
• Payments: stripe.com or gumroad.com
• Live teaching: zoom.us or meet.google.com
• Community: discord.com, slack.com, or a private forum

This can keep fixed costs very low, but you’ll manage more pieces yourself.

What I’d pick by situation

LearnStream GuideflowA common mistake is paying for a “school platform” before validating demand. For a first cohort, a lean setup (checkout + Zoom + community + simple curriculum hub) is often enough. Once you have repeatable enrollment, moving to a dedicated cohort platform makes more sense. LearnStream

If you tell me:

1. expected cohort size (10? 50? 500?),
2. price per student, and
3. whether it’s live classes, self-paced + meetings, or mostly community,

I can narrow this to the cheapest setup that won’t become painful.

A common mistake is paying for a “school platform” before validating demand. For a first cohort, a lean setup (checkout + Zoom + community + simple curriculum hub) is often enough. Once you have repeatable enrollment, moving to a dedicated cohort platform makes more sense.

If you tell me:

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

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

My pick

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

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

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 priorities are low startup cost + no platform transaction fee + international selling + workable payment options, the shortlist is actually pretty small.

One important distinction: “0% platform fee” does not mean zero payment-processing fees. Stripe, PayPal, or another payment gateway can still charge you per transaction.

My top picks

*Plan limits and payment availability can vary, so verify the current terms for your country before committing.

1. thinkific.com — my first choice

Thinkific is particularly attractive because its free option has 0% platform transaction fees, according to current 2026 comparisons. OnlineCourseTools Course.Coach

It's designed specifically for courses rather than being primarily a digital-download store. That gives you things like lessons, student accounts, course progression and a proper learning environment.

Best if: you want to build a serious course business without paying monthly fees initially.

Watch out for: the biggest issue for someone in a developing country isn't Thinkific's platform fee—it's whether the payment processor you can connect to actually supports your country and your bank account.

2. systeme.io — potentially the best value

Systeme.io is worth a serious look if you want more than course hosting. It combines courses with landing pages, email marketing, sales funnels and other business tools.

A current 2026 comparison reports that its free plan allows you to sell a course without a time limit, albeit with limits on courses/contacts. OnlineCourseTools

Best if: you're starting from zero and don't want to separately pay for a website, funnel builder and email system.

3. ruzuku.com — good for a tiny first launch

Ruzuku currently advertises a free plan with 0% transaction fees, although it's limited to five participants. Its paid plans also advertise 0% transaction fees. Ruzuku

That makes it interesting for validating a course before investing money.

Best if: you're planning a small pilot with your first few students.

What about Payhip?

payhip.com is actually one I'd recommend investigating even though it doesn't meet your “no platform fees” requirement on the free plan.

Its free plan is $0/month but takes 5% per sale; its $99/month Pro plan has 0% platform fees. Payhip says it supports payment through providers including Stripe and PayPal. Payhip Payhip

The reason I still like it for creators in countries with limited payment infrastructure is that payment-method availability can matter more than the headline platform fee.

I wouldn't make Gumroad your first choice

gumroad.com is extremely easy to start with, but its current direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50 per transaction, and marketplace sales are 30%. Gumroad Gumroad

More importantly for your situation, Gumroad says payout methods vary by country, and in countries where PayPal isn't available to receive money, it may not have an alternative payout method. Gumroad

So I'd only choose it after confirming that you can actually withdraw your earnings in your country.

The biggest thing I'd check before choosing

For your situation, I'd rank the criteria:

1. Can I receive payouts in my country?
2. Can my students pay internationally with cards?
3. 0% platform transaction fee
4. $0 or very low monthly cost
5. Course-hosting features
6. Email/funnel/marketing tools

A platform advertising “global payments” isn't necessarily useful if its connected Stripe/PayPal account can't be opened by residents of your country.

My recommendation

If I were starting from your position, I'd test Thinkific and Systeme.io first, specifically checking their payment integrations for your country. If neither gives you a practical way to receive money, I'd look at Payhip next because accepting payments is more important than achieving 0% platform fees.

If you tell me which country you're in, I can narrow this down to platforms whose payouts and payment gateways actually work there, including local payment methods, and compare the real fees for a $20/$50/$100 course.

It's designed specifically for courses rather than being primarily a digital-download store. That gives you things like lessons, student accounts, course progression and a proper learning environment.

Best if: you want to build a serious course business without paying monthly fees initially.

Watch out for: the biggest issue for someone in a developing country isn't Thinkific's platform fee—it's whether the payment processor you can connect to actually supports your country and your bank account.

2. systeme.io — potentially the best value

Systeme.io is worth a serious look if you want more than course hosting. It combines courses with landing pages, email marketing, sales funnels and other business tools.

A current 2026 comparison reports that its free plan allows you to sell a course without a time limit, albeit with limits on courses/contacts. OnlineCourseTools

Best if: you're starting from zero and don't want to separately pay for a website, funnel builder and email system.

3. ruzuku.com — good for a tiny first launch

Ruzuku currently advertises a free plan with 0% transaction fees, although it's limited to five participants. Its paid plans also advertise 0% transaction fees. Ruzuku

That makes it interesting for validating a course before investing money.

Best if: you're planning a small pilot with your first few students.

What about Payhip?

payhip.com is actually one I'd recommend investigating even though it doesn't meet your “no platform fees” requirement on the free plan.

Its free plan is $0/month but takes 5% per sale; its $99/month Pro plan has 0% platform fees. Payhip says it supports payment through providers including Stripe and PayPal. Payhip Payhip

The reason I still like it for creators in countries with limited payment infrastructure is that payment-method availability can matter more than the headline platform fee.

I wouldn't make Gumroad your first choice

gumroad.com is extremely easy to start with, but its current direct-sale fee is 10% + $0.50 per transaction, and marketplace sales are 30%. gumroad.com gumroad.com

More importantly for your situation, Gumroad says payout methods vary by country, and in countries where PayPal isn't available to receive money, it may not have an alternative payout method.

If your priorities are low cost + 0% platform commission + international selling + payment options that can work in developing countries, I’d put systeme.io at the top of the list.

One important distinction: “0% platform fees” does not mean 0 payment-processing fees. Stripe, PayPal, etc. will still charge their own fees.

My shortlist

🥇 1. Systeme.io — my first choice

This is unusually well suited to a creator in a country with limited payment infrastructure.

Its free plan has 0% transaction fees, and its payment integrations currently include Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay, Flutterwave, Mercado Pago, Paystack, Xendit, and others. systeme.io

That matters because you aren't forced to rely exclusively on Stripe. For example, if Stripe isn't available in your country, another supported gateway may be.

The free plan also includes one course and up to 2,000 student contacts, while paid plans expand the course limits. systeme.iowww.lemonsqueezy.com

Why I'd choose it: you can start at $0, keep 100% of the sale apart from payment-processor fees, and have your course, landing pages, email marketing, funnels and affiliate system in one place.

🥈 2. Payhip — excellent if you want simplicity

Payhip is very easy to get started with and supports multiple payment gateways. It says PayPal is available in 200+ countries and Stripe in 45+ countries, while it has continued adding regional gateways. payhip.com

However, its free plan takes 5% per sale. The $99/month Pro plan is the one with 0% Payhip transaction fees; you still pay Stripe/PayPal processing fees. payhip.com

So I'd use Payhip if you value simplicity more than minimizing fees from your very first sale.

🥉 3. Thinkific — better LMS, but not ideal for your budget

Thinkific is considerably more sophisticated as a course-learning platform, but its current Basic plan is $54/month ($40/month billed annually). www.thinkific.com

It doesn't take a commission on sales when using its own payment system, but payment-processing fees still apply, and Thinkific Payments isn't available everywhere. Its current supported-country list is concentrated in places such as the US, Canada, UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong. support.thinkific.com

For someone in a developing country with limited payment options, I'd choose systeme.io before Thinkific unless you specifically need Thinkific's advanced LMS features.

What I'd avoid initially

Podia is good, but the no-transaction-fee plan is currently $89/month, so I don't think it makes sense for a new creator trying to keep costs extremely low. www.podia.com

Lemon Squeezy is attractive for global digital sales because it handles taxes and supports many currencies, but it charges 5% + $0.50 per transaction, with possible additional fees. www.lemonsqueezy.com So it doesn't meet your “no platform fees” requirement.

My recommendation

I'd start with:

Systeme.io free → connect the payment gateway(s) actually available in your country → launch your first course → upgrade only when you hit a genuine limitation.

The payment gateway available in your specific country is actually the most important factor here. A platform can advertise “global payments” while still being unable to pay you in your country.

If you tell me which country you're based in, I can check the currently available payment gateways there and give you the 3 cheapest course-platform/payment combinations, including which ones let students pay by card, PayPal, mobile money, bank transfer, or local payment methods.

For an early-stage SaaS founder, I’d shortlist Thinkific and Learn360, with one important distinction:

• learn-360.com — best if “cheap + 0% platform fee” is the priority. It has a $0 plan, keeps 100% of sales, and supports embedding/course delivery. The free tier is limited to 5 users, 5 courses, and 1 GB, so it’s best for validating the onboarding experience. Learn360
• thinkific.com — best overall for a serious SaaS onboarding academy. Its Basic plan is $54/mo monthly or $40/mo annually, with unlimited courses and 0% transaction fees when using Thinkific Payments. It can also complement an existing SaaS website rather than replacing it. Thinkific
• teachable.com — easy, but I wouldn't pick it for your criteria. Its $39/mo Starter plan takes 7.5% per transaction; you need the $89/mo Builder plan for 0% transaction fees. Teachable

My pick for a SaaS onboarding use case

Thinkific if you're building a real customer education hub:
yourapp.com/academy → Thinkific course

It gives you a mature course builder, quizzes, discussions, progress tracking, custom domain support, and the ability to integrate with an existing website. Thinkific

If by “easy embedding” you specifically mean “I want the course itself to appear inside my SaaS dashboard, ideally in an iframe/modal without users feeling like they've left the product,” tell me that—that changes my recommendation, and I can compare the best embeddable LMS/course platforms specifically.

For an early-stage SaaS founder building onboarding courses, I’d shortlist Thinkific first.

My pick: Thinkific

thinkific.com is probably the best balance for your use case. Its current Basic plan is $40/month when billed annually, supports unlimited courses, quizzes, discussions, custom domains, and—critically—Thinkific says it takes no commission from course sales. Thinkific Thinkific

For a SaaS onboarding course, I'd use it as the learning layer while keeping your SaaS website/app as the primary experience. Thinkific explicitly supports integrating with an existing website rather than requiring you to replace it. Thinkific

If "inexpensive" matters more than everything else

LearnWorlds Starter is cheaper at $24/month annually, and it's particularly strong for interactive learning. But it charges $5 per paid enrollment on Starter; you'd need the $79/month annual Pro Trainer plan to eliminate that fee. LearnWorlds

So I'd choose:

• Thinkific → best default for a SaaS customer academy/onboarding program.
• LearnWorlds → better if you want sophisticated interactive course experiences and assessments.
• Teachable → fine for a very simple course, but the Starter transaction fee makes it less attractive for a SaaS business. Teachable Help Center

One caveat: "no platform fees" doesn't mean no payment processing fees—you'll still generally pay Stripe/PayPal processing fees when charging customers. LearnWorlds

If your courses are free and used purely for product onboarding (rather than sold), I’d actually consider a different category of tools altogether—you may be able to get the cost dramatically below $40/month.

If "inexpensive" matters more than everything else

LearnWorlds Starter is cheaper at $24/month annually, and it's particularly strong for interactive learning. But it charges $5 per paid enrollment on Starter; you'd need the $79/month annual Pro Trainer plan to eliminate that fee.

So I'd choose:

Yes. If your priority is selling both live workshops and evergreen courses while keeping platform transaction fees at 0%, I’d put these at the top of the evaluation list:

*Payment processing fees still apply; "0% platform fee" doesn't mean credit-card processing is free. Thinkific notes that payment processors commonly charge around 2.9% + $0.30, depending on payment method/location. Thinkific Support

My shortlist

1. systeme.io — best value if keeping costs very low is the priority

This is the first one I'd test. Its free plan supports a course, funnels, email contacts, etc., and the company says it charges 0% transaction fees on all plans. Paid plans currently start around $17/month. Systeme.io Systeme.io

It is particularly interesting for your model because it combines:

• evergreen courses
• sales pages/checkout
• email marketing
• funnels
• upsells
• memberships
• evergreen webinars

The catch: live interactive workshops aren't its strongest native capability. You'd likely use Zoom or another live-video service alongside it. Systeme.io

2. thinkific.com — best if live workshops are important

Thinkific is considerably more expensive, but its current Start plan specifically includes live cohorts/coaching, unlimited Zoom sessions, booking calendars, attendance tracking, memberships, payment plans, and courses. It is currently $109/month monthly or $82/month when billed annually. Thinkific

I'd choose this if your workshops are a substantial part of the business rather than simply an occasional add-on.

3. podia.com — best "I don't want to fiddle with technology" option

Podia combines courses, webinars, downloads, coaching, website, email marketing, and memberships. Its higher-tier plan eliminates transaction fees; current pricing information puts that tier around $99/month or $84/month annually. Podia

It's more expensive than Systeme.io, but potentially worth it if ease of use saves you time.

One important distinction

If by "without platform fees" you mean I don't want the platform taking 5–10% of every sale, there are plenty of good choices.

If you mean "I want essentially no fees at all," that's different. You'll still have payment-processing costs through Stripe/PayPal/etc. Even a 0%-transaction-fee platform doesn't eliminate those.

What I'd do in your situation

I'd test Systeme.io vs. Thinkific first:

• Systeme.io: cheapest, excellent for funnels + email + evergreen sales.
• Thinkific: substantially better if your live workshops need scheduling, Zoom integration, attendance, cohorts, assignments, etc.

If your business is primarily live workshops that you later turn into evergreen courses, I'd lean Thinkific.

If it's primarily evergreen courses with occasional live workshops, I'd lean Systeme.io.

And if you tell me roughly how much you expect to charge per workshop/course and how many sales or students you expect per month, I can do a real cost comparison at $2k / $5k / $10k / $25k monthly revenue—which will make the fee differences much clearer.

It's more expensive than Systeme.io, but potentially worth it if ease of use saves you time.

One important distinction

If by "without platform fees" you mean I don't want the platform taking 5–10% of every sale, there are plenty of good choices.

If you mean "I want essentially no fees at all," that's different. You'll still have payment-processing costs through Stripe/PayPal/etc. Even a 0%-transaction-fee platform doesn't eliminate those.

What I'd do in your situation

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

One important distinction: 0% platform fee does not mean 0% payment processing. Stripe/PayPal will still typically charge processing fees. CourseMargin

My shortlist

Pricing is changing frequently in 2026, so I'd verify the exact current tier before committing. Current comparisons put Thinkific around $49–54/mo, LearnWorlds around $29/mo, Podia around $42/mo, and LearnDash around $199–259/year depending on plan/billing. Cloudspress LearnWorlds Teachfloor

1. thinkific.com — probably where I'd start

This is the strongest match for live workshops + evergreen courses without a percentage going to the platform.

You can structure the business as:

• Evergreen self-paced course
• One-off live workshops
• Paid cohorts
• Bundles
• Memberships/community
• Upsells from workshops → evergreen course

The big advantage is that you're buying a conventional course platform rather than an expensive all-in-one marketing suite. Current 2026 comparisons report 0% platform transaction fees on the relevant Thinkific setup. LearnWorlds Teachfloor

I'd shortlist this first if you're serious about building a course business.

2. learnworlds.com — best for a polished learning experience

Worth considering if your evergreen course is going to be substantial.

It has stronger interactive-learning capabilities than some of the simpler platforms, including interactive video and assessments. The catch is that the cheapest plan has a per-enrollment fee, so you'd want to move to a higher plan if you're selling significant volume. LearnWorlds

3. systeme.io — best if keeping costs extremely low is priority #1

This one is particularly interesting.

It combines:

• Courses
• Landing pages
• Email marketing
• Sales funnels
• Checkout
• Automations
• Affiliates

And there is a free tier, with paid plans starting relatively inexpensively. Current comparisons report 0% platform transaction fees on the free tier, although payment processing still applies. Cloudspress CourseMargin

The tradeoff is that it's more marketing/funnel-first than a sophisticated LMS.

For someone saying “I want to sell workshops and courses without paying Kajabi money”, though, I'd definitely test it.

4. learndash.com — best if you want to own the infrastructure

LearnDash is a WordPress LMS rather than a hosted course marketplace.

You pay for the software, host your WordPress site, and use your own payment processor. That means no percentage platform fee, but you take on hosting, WordPress maintenance, plugins, backups, etc.

It's attractive if you want maximum control and expect this to become a substantial business.

5. podia.com — easiest all-in-one

Podia is appealing because it handles courses, digital products, email, website, coaching and community in one relatively simple interface.

But I'd be careful here: the inexpensive tier has a platform transaction fee, while the higher tier eliminates it. LearnWorlds SoloStore

So if “no platform percentage” is a hard requirement, compare the no-fee Podia tier against Thinkific rather than simply choosing Podia's cheapest plan.

What I'd actually test

I'd narrow your evaluation to three:

1. Thinkific — best balance of course + workshop capabilities.
2. Systeme.io — cheapest way to get the business machinery running.
3. LearnWorlds — strongest alternative if the actual learning experience is important.

I wouldn't start with Kajabi for your stated goal. It's excellent, but you're essentially paying a premium to consolidate marketing, CRM, email, funnels and courses; current pricing is substantially higher than the inexpensive options. LearnWorlds

And I wouldn't choose Gumroad if avoiding platform fees is important: it's inexpensive to start, but its percentage fee becomes expensive as sales grow. SoloStore

One thing I'd optimize for

Don't compare platforms on monthly price alone. For example, at $10,000/month in course/workshop sales, a 5% platform fee costs $500 every month. A $50–100/month subscription with 0% platform fees can therefore be dramatically cheaper.

If you tell me roughly (a) your workshop price, (b) evergreen course price, (c) expected monthly sales, and (d) whether you need Zoom/live video built in, I can calculate the actual monthly/yearly cost of the top 3 and tell you which one is likely cheapest for your business.

Podia is appealing because it handles courses, digital products, email, website, coaching and community in one relatively simple interface.

But I'd be careful here: the inexpensive tier has a platform transaction fee, while the higher tier eliminates it.

Yes. If your priorities are cheap + multilingual + no platform transaction fees, there are several viable choices. One important distinction: “no platform fees” usually does not mean zero payment-processing fees—Stripe/PayPal fees can still apply.

Best options

🥇 Thinkific — probably my first choice

Thinkific is particularly attractive if you want a real course platform without giving up a percentage of every sale. Current comparisons put its paid plans at 0% platform transaction fees when using Thinkific Payments; fees can apply if you connect an external payment processor. Ruzuku Don't Do It Yourself

For multilingual courses, you can create separate versions of your course for English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, etc., and customize course/site content. The main caveat is that native interface localization is not the same thing as automatically translating your course.

thinkific.com

🥈 Teachery — excellent if you want simplicity

Teachery is worth looking at if you don't need a huge ecosystem. Its big advantage is straightforward pricing and no Teachery transaction fee. Teachery

I'd consider it if you're planning something like:

• English course
• Spanish version
• French version
• Same videos/content structure
• Separate pricing or landing pages for each market

teachery.co

🥉 LearnWorlds — best if multilingual is central to the business

LearnWorlds is more education-focused and has stronger tools for building a polished “online school.” Its higher-tier plans eliminate platform transaction fees, while the entry plan has a per-enrollment charge. Ruzuku

This would be my pick if you're envisioning multiple languages + multiple courses + a proper branded academy, rather than simply selling one course.

learnworlds.com

💰 Systeme.io — cheapest starting point

systeme.io is interesting if keeping your initial costs extremely low matters more than having the most sophisticated learning environment. Current 2026 comparisons report a free tier with 0% platform transaction fees, alongside funnels, email marketing and course functionality. Don't Do It Yourself CourseMargin

The tradeoff is that it feels more like an all-in-one marketing/sales system that includes courses than a dedicated multilingual learning platform.

systeme.io

One I'd be cautious about: Teachable

Teachable is very easy to use, but its cheapest current plan has a 7.5% transaction fee. You need the higher tier to get 0% platform transaction fees. Teachable Ruzuku

So if you're specifically saying “I don't want the platform taking a percentage of my sales,” I'd look at Thinkific, Teachery, or LearnWorlds first.

teachable.com

What I'd choose for your situation

If you're launching one course in 2–5 languages, I'd shortlist:

1. Thinkific — best overall.
2. Teachery — cheapest/simple option with no platform cut.
3. LearnWorlds — best if multilingual education is a major part of the business.
4. Systeme.io — best if your priority is keeping upfront cost near $0.

One thing I'd investigate before choosing is how you want the multilingual experience to work. There is a big difference between:

A. One course where students choose English/Spanish/French inside the same course

versus

B. Separate English, Spanish and French versions, each with its own sales page, price, emails and student enrollment.

If you tell me how many languages, your expected monthly sales/students, and whether you'll sell one course or several, I can narrow this down to the 2–3 cheapest platforms and calculate what you'd actually pay per month/year at your expected revenue.

systeme.io

One I'd be cautious about: Teachable

Teachable is very easy to use, but its cheapest current plan has a 7.5% transaction fee. You need the higher tier to get 0% platform transaction fees. teachable.com Ruzuku

So if you're specifically saying “I don't want the platform taking a percentage of my sales,” I'd look at Thinkific, Teachery, or LearnWorlds first.

If by “no platform fees” you mean you keep 100% of the course revenue aside from Stripe/PayPal processing fees, there are several good options. For a multilingual course, I’d narrow it to these:

*Prices can change; these are current published prices I found. LearnWorlds Thinkific Teachable

My picks for your situation

1. Thinkific — probably the sweet spot

Thinkific explicitly supports creating and delivering courses in multiple languages, including localized site settings and student communications. Its current Basic plan is $54/month monthly or $40/month when billed annually, with no platform transaction fee. Thinkific

thinkific.com

2. LearnWorlds — best if multilingual learning is central to the product

LearnWorlds gives you more sophisticated LMS functionality. The catch is that its cheap Starter plan charges $5 per enrollment. The Pro Trainer plan is $79/month annually and removes those enrollment fees. LearnWorlds

learnworlds.com

3. Teachable — worth considering if you want automated translation

Teachable now includes free subtitles and translations, and its platform supports global payments and taxes. However, the inexpensive Starter plan takes 7.5%, so you'd want to move to a 0%-fee tier if you're expecting meaningful sales volume. Teachable

teachable.com

One important distinction

“No platform fees” doesn't mean zero fees altogether. Even on a 0%-platform-fee plan, you'll generally still pay Stripe, PayPal, or another payment processor's processing fee. Thinkific, for example, says its payment tools are available through Thinkific Payments, while LearnWorlds explicitly notes that Stripe/PayPal fees remain separate from its own platform fees. Thinkific LearnWorlds

If you're launching, say, English + Spanish + French and want to keep costs low, I'd start with Thinkific. If you need separate localized versions of courses, sophisticated assessments, certificates, or a more full-featured LMS, I'd look at LearnWorlds.

If you tell me how many languages, expected students/month, course price, and whether you need translated audio/video or just translated text/subtitles, I can work out the cheapest option for your specific launch.

If you're a complete beginner and your priorities are cheap/free + simple setup + avoiding platform fees, I’d narrow it down to these:

My top picks

1. Payhip — easiest place to start

• Free to set up.
• Unlimited products and revenue.
• Very beginner-friendly.
• The catch: the free plan takes 5% per sale, plus normal PayPal/Stripe processing fees. Its $99/month Pro plan has 0% platform transaction fees. Payhip Payhip Help Center
• payhip.com
• Thinkific — better if you want a "real school"

• Designed specifically for online courses.
• More polished course/student experience than a simple digital-product store.
• However, it no longer has a free plan; it currently offers a 30-day trial, and paid plans start at $54/month monthly after its August 2026 pricing increase. Thinkific Support Thinkific
• If you use Thinkific Payments, you're paying payment-processing fees rather than an additional platform transaction fee. Thinkific Thinkific Support
• thinkific.com
• Teachable — easy, but I'd skip it for your particular goal

• It's beginner-friendly and very course-focused.
• But its lower-priced plans can have transaction fees, so it doesn't fit your "no platform fees" requirement as well as you'd like.

What I'd do in your shoes

Start with Payhip. Don't spend $50–$100/month before you've proven that people actually want your course.

You can create the course, put it online, and start selling it for essentially $0 upfront. Once you're making enough sales that the 5% fee becomes painful, then consider moving to a platform with no platform transaction fee.

One important distinction: "no platform fees" doesn't mean "no fees at all." Payment processors such as Stripe or PayPal will normally still take their processing fee when someone pays you. Payhip explicitly notes this. Payhip

If you tell me what you want to teach (e.g. fitness, cooking, coaching, crafts, business, language, etc.) and roughly how much you want to charge, I can recommend the simplest setup and walk you through exactly what I'd use.

For someone with no tech skills, I’d avoid anything that requires WordPress, hosting, plugins, or building your own website. You want a “sign up → upload videos/PDFs → add a price → share link” experience.

My recommendations:

1. Systeme.io — best overall free starting point

systeme.io

Best for: A beginner who wants to sell a first course without paying monthly fees.

Pros:

• Free plan available
• Course hosting + sales pages + email tools in one place
• No coding needed
• Good if you eventually want funnels, email lists, and marketing tools

Cons:

• The course area is more basic than premium platforms
• Less “beautiful” than some dedicated course platforms

This is probably where I’d start if you’re building a small paid course from scratch. courseplatformpicks.com OnlineCourseTools

2. Podia — easiest interface

podia.com

Best for: Someone who values simplicity over advanced features.

Pros:

• Very beginner-friendly
• Clean course builder
• Also handles digital downloads, memberships, and email

Cons:

• Free/low-cost options may include transaction fees
• You may need a paid plan as you grow SavingSec Oversite

3. Gumroad — simplest “just sell something”

gumroad.com

Best for: A first mini-course, workshop, ebook, templates, or downloadable lessons.

Pros:

• Extremely easy setup
• No monthly subscription required
• Good for testing an idea

Cons:

• Not a full classroom experience
• Limited quizzes, student tracking, community features Threecus

4. Thinkific — best if you want a more “professional school” feel

thinkific.com

Best for: A serious course business after you know people want your content.

Pros:

• Strong course structure
• Better student experience
• More education-focused

Cons:

• Free options and pricing have changed over time, so check current limits before committing. Ruzuku

What I would choose in your situation

• $0 budget + beginner: Systeme.io
• Want the easiest interface: Podia
• Testing a small idea this month: Gumroad
• Planning a real course business: Thinkific

I would not start with:

• WordPress + LMS plugins (too technical)
• Kajabi (excellent, but expensive for a beginner)
• Building a custom website

A simple beginner path:

1. Record lessons with your phone or Zoom.
2. Put videos in Systeme.io or Podia.
3. Create a simple sales page.
4. Get your first 5–10 students.
5. Upgrade only after you have proof people will pay.

If you tell me (1) whether you want to sell the course or give it away, (2) your expected price, and (3) whether it’s video/audio/PDF/live classes, I can narrow it down to one platform.