* This post was updated in September, 2021. All articles may contain affiliate links. *
You want to build and sell a video course online. Great, now what?
You have an idea for a course, or maybe you’ve already shot a few videos. Let me say congratulations on changing your trajectory and moving towards a life as producing digital content. I have been there several times, but usually I’m working behind the scenes with an educator or personality that is much more dynamic and frankly, much smarter than I am.
In my supporting role I’ve spent a lot of time researching. There’s a lot to know about lighting, audio equipment, how to process payments, how to create lead capture forms and much more. One of the most complicated aspects of selling your course online is how to select which platform you should host, sell, and distribute your courses through.
When I first started creating education courses online it was much harder to find a tool to provide basic functions like video streaming and payment processing. In fact, I was thrilled to be able to simply collect the money with a tool like Selz. Fast forward to present day and there countless options to choose from when building an LMS. It’s actually quite complicated to tell which tool you will enjoy and which tool you’ll end up hating after three months.
Although switching e-course platforms isn’t impossible, it is a pain in the ass. If you can avoid it, you should.
So, if you want to create your own Learning Management System (LMS) from scratch or if you want to simply sell a few video courses to your audience, This post should break down the key platforms worth considering if you’re looking to sell a course online. If you just want to sell digital products like audio files and ebooks, check out my post on the best tools for selling digital products online.
Hopefully this post helps you save some time researching so you can spend more time creating.
For the purposes of this post, I’m going to drill down into the pros and cons of the major platforms you should consider if you are NOT a developer or WordPress guru. There are really powerful tools like OptimizePress, LearnDash and LifterLMS, but when I tried to build my site using those tools, I was in over my head. So, we’ll stick tools that the average person could use like Podia, Thinkific, and Teachable.
HOW I’M EVALUATING
For each company, I walk through the pricing, a quick summary in my own terms, and a list of pros and cons. If you find this helpful, consider leaving a comment below with some details about what you’re building. All solutions presented allow you to make your own coupon codes and provide multiple language options.
LET’S LOOK AT TEACHABLE…
Teachable is a mainstay in the online course platform list and they were recently acquired. They offer stability and a simple interface. Inexpensive choice if you want to build your own affiliate network.
HIGHLIGHTS
I have used Teachable for about a year on a project and the reason I chose them was price. They offered a $39/mo solution, which included the ability to build my own affiliate program.
In the time I spent on Teachable, I never had trouble with the tool. Their landing page tool and lack of customization was frustrating over time. I’ve also found the interface and support to be less user friendly compared to other tools.
Stay tuned on how they evolve in light of the Hotmart acquisition.
PRICING
Monthly plans run from $39 to $499/mo. They charge a 5% transaction fee on the lowest level and offer annual pricing discounts on all levels. They also offer a free version with a 10% transaction fee plus $1 per sale.
PROS
Here’s what helps Teachable stand out…
- Unlimited Hosting & Bandwidth
- Integration with Dropbox, which helps on load times for video content.
- Ability to release content over time
- Custom Domain Support
- Graded quizzes ($99/mo and up)
- Free version available
CONS
Here are the short-comings too consider…
- Inflexible landing page design
- Does not support individual product sales, only courses
- Recent acquisition of Teachable makes their future uncertain
- Affiliates unlock at $99/mo level
OVERALL GRADE: B
THINKIFIC, GREAT FOR STARTERS & ENTERPRISES
Thinkific is a strong tool and their free version is ideal for creators just getting started. They have a robust toolset to help you sell beautiful courses. It’s also great for large teams that need to manage vast course libraries.
HIGHLIGHTS
Thinkific is really impressive at getting you in the door and helping you get off the ground as a creator / teacher. Their interface, onboarding tools, and no-cost pricing makes it super easy.
If this is your first venture at selling courses online, I would strongly suggest you look into Thinkific.
The pricing is great for starters, but mid-level creators looking to switch platforms may appreciate the pricing of Podia a little better. Specifically if you plan to sell memberships and bundles.
Enterprise training programs are a perfect fit for their premier level offerings.
PRICING
Monthly plans run from Free, $499/mo. No transaction fees.
PROS
Here’s what helps Thinkific stand out…
- Great onboarding for new customers
- Free version available
- Ability to release content over time
- Awesome landing page builder
- Countdown timers to create urgency
- Robust suite of integrations (Stripe, Paypal, Email tools, Zapier, etc.)
- Scaleability with the Enterprise / Premier level
CONS
- Video load times are average
- Memberships and bundles are only available in the $99/mo level
- Flexible pricing options are only available in the $99/mo level
- Does not support individual product sales, only courses
OVERALL GRADE: A
THE SOCIAL & INTERACTIVE ONE
Of all the tools featured, LearnWorlds has some of the most unique tools for course creators. Their focus on interactive video and social networking for students makes this a good fit for people looking to build a community around their content.
HIGHLIGHTS
LearnWorlds has a lot to like in their platform. In my mind, the most compelling case for this platform is their innovative tools around video and ebook editing. I’ve spent a lot of time editing videos over the years and a lot of that could have been avoided with their interactive video editing.
Adding your own text, quizzes, etc. on top of the videos is really powerful and could save you a lot of time when editing videos. If you want your students to be able to interact with each other, their social-networking tools can help you achieve this as well.
PRICING
LearnWorlds has the most complicated pricing model of the bunch, which makes it difficult to tell how much the tool will be for your specific needs. The lowest level charges a $5 fee per transaction while the levels at $99+ don’t charge a fee
Pricing starts at $29/mo and goes up to $299+/mo. If you want affiliates, subscriptions, or to provide free courses, those are unlocked at the $99/mo price.
PROS
Here are the pros that help them stand out in a crowded market of platforms…
- Synchronized transcripts that are automatically extracted from your videos
- Video interaction overlays
- Note taking & highlighting for your students
- Ability to release content over time
- Variety of testing tools
- Branded digital certificates
- eBook creation tool
- Upsell and cross-sell
- Social networking for students
- Incorporation of other assets like YouTube & SoundCloud
- Tons of 3rd party integrations
CONS
Here are the short-comings to consider…
- $29/mo level charges a transaction fee of $5 per
- Price gets expensive if you want affiliates, memberships, or free courses
- No free plans available
- Does not support individual product sales, only courses
OVERALL GRADE: A-
THE ALL IN ONE TOOL
Although Podia lets you create & sell courses, they are the only tool that also lets you sell ebooks, audio files, webinars, and more. Of all the tools featured, it’s the most versatile as your business expands into new digital products & memberships.
HIGHLIGHTS
Podia is best for creators and solopreneurs who create multiple types of products, not just digital courses. Their customer service is the best I’ve experienced and the content they publish is consistently helpful for creators.
They are not an enterprise level LMS yet, but I’ve been told that the support of multiple team members being able to manage the content is coming soon.
PRICING
Monthly plans are either $39/mo. and $79/mo. No additional transaction fees. Affiliates & memberships are unlocked at the $79/mo price.
It’s also worth noting that they will migrate your courses off of another tool if you join at the $79/mo level.
PROS
Here’s what helps Podia stand out…
- No transaction fees
- Upsell and cross-sell
- Email marketing included
- Customizable landing pages
- Simple editor
- Ability to release content over time
- Sell other products beside courses
- Pre-selling available
- Ability to sell webinar access
CONS
Here are some things to consider with Podia…
- Difficult to administer at an enterprise level
- Bulk importing students requires Podia support
FINAL GRADE: A-
PRICE COMPARISON
One of the trickiest parts about choosing a learning management system is trying to figure out exactly what the monthly or annual costs will be. Some of the tools featured charge transaction fee like LearnWorlds or Teachable, but only on the lower levels. The best platform to offer a free version is Thinkific, but Teachable also has a free version that charges a 10% fee plus $1 for ever sale (and the free version is hard to find on their website).
Here’s a recap of the LOWEST option for each tool…
These prices are for the quoted monthly price on the website before any discounts for paying for the full year up front. $0/mo – Thinkific there are no subscriptions and each product has a cost of $10.
- Free with no transaction fees – Thinkific
- Free with a 10% + $1 fee per sale – Teachable
- Rate of $29/mo. + $5 fee per sale – LearnWorlds
- Rate of $39/mo. with no transaction fees – Podia
Here’s the LOWEST option if you want AFFILIATES…
If you think you’ll be able to build a network of people who are helping sell your courses and products (aka affiliates), here’s a look at the cost of each platform if you need affiliates.
- Rate of $49/mo with no transaction fees – Thinkific
- Rate of $79/mo. with no transaction fees – Podia
- Rate of $99/mo.with no transaction fees – LearnWorlds
- Rate of $119/mo. with no transaction fees – Teachable
MY RECOMMENDATIONS
My recommendations are conditional, but here are three buckets you may find yourself in…
IF YOU NEED A FREE OPTION TO START…
I understand that it’s scary to start paying monthly for a tool when you have never sold something online before. That’s why I’d suggest you go with Thinkific if you’re just getting started and want to sell some courses without spending any money up front.
IF YOU SELL OTHER DIGITAL PRODUCTS…
IF YOU’RE BUILDING AN ENTERPRISE LMS…
Comment below and tell me what tool you’re using and what you’re selling!
Great article, and one of the most helpful reviews I’ve read so far! I’m still a bit torn between Thinkific, Podia, and LearnWorlds. I’m leaning a little more heavily towards Learnworlds simply because I’m a complete newbie at video editing and that seems to be the platform that might help the most. Would that be the platform you would recommend most for someone that lacks video editing skills?
As someone who has spent a lot of time downloading, editing, and uploading videos, I know just how rough this process can be. It sounds like LearnWorlds will be a good fit for you. Glad you found this helpful… keep me posted!
Interesting comparisons. I am currently trying out both Thinkific and LearnWorld. They both seem to be at par with each other in terms of ease of use. I am torn regarding the one to use finally. The pricing compared here would make me to tilt towards Thinkific.
Thanks for the comment Philip, I think you’re right. The only callout is that LearnWorlds recently came out with a “single activity course”, which allows you to sell one-off products. Aside from that, the pricing certainly favors Thinkific.
Nice article. I haven’t yet come across a online course platform which seems to allow me to sell in the way I envision, and I was wondering if you might have perhaps seen any which do.
In essence I want to make the courses seem cheap at first sight, but enforce a minimum purchase amount for the more advanced courses, perhaps with some kind of pre-requisite system.
The course I’ve created has 6 hours of videos split over 15 modules:
– 5 intro modules which could be free.
– 5 advanced modules at $10 a piece
– 5 expert modules also at $20 a piece, but with a minimum buy of $40 (2x expert modules or 1x expert 2x advanced)
– The whole lot (all 15 modules) for $100
Ideally the system should know that someone has bought eg. 2x advanced courses in the past for $20 and so is allowed to purchase the single 1x expert module for $20.
Or am I overthinking this…
Shi, thanks for the great feedback and the follow-up question for your unique situation. The closest thing I’ve found is a feature offered by Podia. They allow you to sell bundles of products at a set price, while also setting single product prices. The cool part is that if you buy one product, or bundle, you can assign “upsell items” that the product they originally purchased. This way they can pay whatever the difference is to get up to the next product.
I’m not sure I’m explaining it properly, but I’ve done something similar (but not exactly the same) to what you’re describing. The free trial of Podia should help you see if it’s a good fit for you.
Very helpful article, thank you.
Candace, thank you so much for the comment… I’m really glad you found it helpful! Any other problems you’re facing or questions you have that I could help with?
I also found your article very interesting, thank you so much.
I was so undecided between Teachable, Thinkific and Learnworlds.
After reading your article I decided on Thinkific.
Thanks again!!
Thanks for the feedback, Jaques! I’m glad I could help you narrow down the platform that’s best for you.
Thanks Josh,
I have a podcast with both free and premium (member subscription) content and some online courses. I’ve got it all built in WordPress.
I’m currently using LearnDash for my courses.
It all ties together with Woo Commerce.
I’m realizing that in forward I’d like someone else handling the “back office” processes of keeping the infrastructure up and running. And so moving to something like Shopify for the e-commerce, or one of these platforms you mention here for the online learning makes sense to me.
Here’s my concern/question…..
With WordPress I’m in control and I know WP is not going away anytime soon. But with using another platform, I’m dependent on them staying in business, and as you pointed out Teachable was recently acquired by another company. So I have concerns about building my ecosystem into a platform that I have no control over.
I’d like to get your thoughts on two things:
1- Stability, do you see any of these platforms as being more or less stable in the long run.
2- eCommerce, which one would you say has the best backend for managing the e-Commerce side. I’m especially interested in being able to sell memberships and subscriptions to my courses and podcasts.
Again, thanks for this informative and well written review.
Cheers.
M
Michael, thanks for the thoughtful question. I’ve worked in two different startups and I’ve learned that anything can happen at any time, so there are no guarantees that any of these tools will last. That being said, SAAS based businesses, (especially those with paying customers) are slightly more stable than other startups. I don’t see a lot of risk in switching to any of these tools based on stability.
Your next question about eCommerce & having a flexible tool for memberships, courses, subscriptions, etc. The clear winner is Podia. The other tools mostly/solely focus on selling courses and Podia lets you sell it all. I hope you found this answer helpful.
HI Josh
Thanks for the reply. I’m looking at both Podia and Learnworlds at this time. You like Podia for selling memberships, but it looks like Learnworlds also does memberships and subscriptions.
I also have free content, which are podcast episodes, that shows up in a blog like manner on my current website and that is the backbone of my business. I know that I can build that into Learnworlds easily, as I’ve been testing that. Would Podia also all me to do that.
Finally, how would you characterize the difference between Podia and Learnworlds membership and subscriptions services. That look pretty equal to me. And I like that Learnworlds integrates with Shopify which means I’d have stellar eCommerce abilities.
Your thoughts?
Cheers
M
Michael, thanks for the follow-up question and you’re correct that there’s a lot of overlap in what’s possible. Hopefully, this helps clarify the differences. LearnWorlds has a membership, but their whole platform is oriented around courses. That’s great if all you plan to sell are courses, and if you’re only selling courses, they are the better choice, along with Thinkific. The reason Podia has been so useful to me is their versatility. I can sell courses… but I also have the ability to package & sell audio files, ebooks, live webinars, coaching subscriptions, etc. Having a platform that can support a wide range of product types is why I find it to be such a helpful tool.
P.S. LearnWorlds recently came out with what they call “Single Activity Courses”. If you want to sell an ebook or other digital product, you can technically do it there.
Thank you for the great, clear review, Josh!
I wish I had found you before I spent a couple of months researching the whole market.
My choice goes for LearnWorlds as my membership is heavily relying on the community, and from what I have seen, they have a good solution (not exactly a competitor to Facebook, but hopefully one day they will be able to offer an affordable Going Live option – Honeycomb is way too expensive).
I would love to hear your opinion on the social networking aspects of the memberships platforms.
Keep up the great work, thanks again!
Cheers,
iskra
You’re right Iskra, LearnWorlds is the hands-down winner if you are also trying to build a community for your learners to engage with each other. Thanks for the comment!
Enjoyed your article. My question is this . . . I have been repairing cameras for 40 years. I want to make complete videos, tear down and service, on separate camera models. But, I want to stop piracy of my videos as much as possible. I saw an article on Podia that suggested Streaming videos instead of using a Digital Downloading service. I have considered using Podia or Payhip. Do you have thoughts on the subject???
Kori, ACR
Kori, it seems like Selz is a great option for you because they give you complete control over if your customers can download or stream the videos. You can also set a cap on the number of times someone can download or stream the content. If I were you, I would check out Selz over the other options based upon your needs and the price of Podia being a bit more expensive.
Thanks Josh! Great Insight!
I am wondering if you are planning to do a list for tools/services that do 1:1 live sessions, Group Training etc. I am really trying to find an alternative to Yondo – they look all fancy but you need to commit for a year – which is out of my budget. Current alternative seems to be just use Skype/Zoom.
I’ve had a difficult finding the ideal solution for this as well. There are ways to hack it together with Podia and Thinkific, but that’s really meant for 1 to many, not 1-to-1.