Picking a course platform feels like choosing a phone plan: too many tiers, hidden fees you discover later, and every comparison site has a different recommendation depending on who pays them the most.

I’ve spent time inside all three of these platforms. Here’s how Teachable, Kajabi, and Podia actually compare when you strip away the marketing spin.

Quick overview

Feature	Teachable	Kajabi	Podia
Pricing	$39–199/mo	$149–399/mo	$33–75/mo
Transaction fees	0% on paid plans	0%	0%
Courses	Unlimited	Unlimited (varies by plan)	Unlimited
Coaching	Yes (add-on)	Built-in	Yes
Community	Basic	Built-in	Built-in
Email marketing	Basic (or integrate)	Full built-in	Basic built-in
Website builder	Landing pages	Full website	Basic site
Integrations	Extensive	Limited (by design)	Moderate
Student limit	Unlimited	Varies by plan	Unlimited

Teachable: best for straightforward course selling

Pricing: $39/mo (Basic), $119/mo (Pro), $199/mo (Pro+)

Teachable does one thing really well: it lets you build a course, set a price, and sell it. The course builder is intuitive, the checkout flow converts well, and you don’t pay transaction fees on any paid plan.

The platform handles video hosting, quizzes, completion certificates, and drip content. You get a decent page builder for sales pages, and the checkout is one of the best in the business: optimized for conversions with one-click upsells and order bumps.

Where Teachable falls short is everything outside the course itself. Email marketing is basic: you can send broadcasts to students, but there’s no real automation, segmentation, or funnel building. You’ll need a separate email tool like ConvertKit or Mailchimp, which adds cost and complexity.

The community feature exists but feels bolted on. If community is central to your offer, you’ll want something purpose-built. Coaching is available but it’s an add-on rather than a core workflow.

Best for: Creators who already have an audience and an email list elsewhere. You want a clean, reliable course platform: not a Swiss army knife. Teachers, tutors, and educators who want to sell recorded courses with minimal fuss.

Watch out for: The free plan charges a $1 + 10% transaction fee per sale. The jump from Basic to Pro is steep ($39 to $119) but Pro adds important features like affiliate marketing and advanced reporting.

Kajabi: the all-in-one platform for serious course businesses

Pricing: $149/mo (Basic), $199/mo (Growth), $399/mo (Pro)

Kajabi is expensive and it knows it. The pitch is that you’re replacing 5-7 separate tools: course platform, email marketing, website builder, community platform, podcast host, coaching tool, and sales funnel builder.

If you actually use all of those features, the math works out. A separate email tool ($50/mo), website ($30/mo), community platform ($40/mo), and course host ($39/mo) adds up fast. Kajabi rolls everything into one dashboard.

The email marketing is genuinely good: visual automations, tagging, segmentation, and broadcast scheduling. The website builder produces professional sites (not the cookie-cutter templates you see elsewhere). The community feature integrates directly with courses, so you can gate access by product purchase.

The downsides? Kajabi is opinionated. You’re locked into their ecosystem. Integrations with outside tools are limited compared to Teachable or Podia. If you already have a website you love, a Mailchimp list with 50,000 subscribers, and a Slack community: Kajabi wants you to abandon all of that and use theirs instead.

The learning curve is also steeper. There’s more to configure, more to maintain, and more to learn. You’re running a small SaaS product at that point.

Best for: Coaches and course creators building a six-figure digital product business. You want everything under one roof, you’re willing to invest upfront, and you don’t want to duct-tape five tools together.

Watch out for: The Basic plan limits you to 3 products, 3 funnels, and 10,000 contacts. Growth bumps that to 15 products and 25,000 contacts. If you’re just starting out, you’re paying $149/mo for capacity you won’t use for a year.

Podia: best value for creators who want more than just courses

Pricing: $33/mo (Mover), $75/mo (Shaker)

Podia is the quiet underdog that keeps getting better. At $33/mo you get unlimited courses, downloads, coaching, and a basic website. At $75/mo you add community, affiliate marketing, and embedded checkout.

The interface is genuinely pleasant. Where Teachable can feel utilitarian and Kajabi can feel overwhelming, Podia feels like it was designed by someone who respects your time. Course creation is fast, the messaging system works smoothly, and digital downloads (ebooks, templates, guides) are a first-class citizen rather than an afterthought.

Community is included on the Shaker plan and it’s actually usable: not a barely-functional forum, but a real discussion space with topics, direct messages, and product-gated access. For creators selling a mix of courses, downloads, and community access, Podia bundles everything at a price that won’t stress your bank account.

The trade-offs are real, though. Email marketing is basic: you can send broadcasts but the automation is limited. The website builder works for simple sites but you won’t win any design awards. Reporting is functional but not deep. And if you need advanced quiz features, SCORM compliance, or enterprise-grade analytics, you’ll outgrow Podia.

Best for: Solo creators, tutors, and educators selling a mix of courses, digital downloads, and community access. You want everything in one place without paying Kajabi prices. Perfect for those earning $1,000–10,000/mo from digital products.

Watch out for: No free plan (there’s a 14-day trial). The Mover plan doesn’t include community or affiliates: you need Shaker for those. Migration from another platform can be manual.

Which platform fits your situation?

Choose Teachable if you already have your marketing stack figured out (email, website, community elsewhere) and you just need a rock-solid course delivery platform.

Choose Kajabi if you want to consolidate everything into one platform, you’re willing to invest $149+/mo, and you’re building a course business as your primary income.

Choose Podia if you’re a solo creator or small team selling a mix of products, you want simplicity and good value, and you don’t need enterprise features.

Budget-conscious educators and tutors: Start with Podia. The $33/mo entry point gives you room to experiment with courses, downloads, and coaching without a significant financial commitment. Upgrade when revenue justifies it.

Established coaches with proven offers: Go Kajabi. The all-in-one approach saves time (which is worth more than money once you’re earning consistently), and the built-in email marketing will likely replace a separate tool you’re paying for.

For more on the email side of running a course business, see our guide to the best email marketing tools for creators. And if you’re a coach looking at the CRM side, check out the best CRMs for coaches.

Related reading: Kajabi Pricing (2026): Basic vs Growth vs Pro Explained · Thinkific Pricing (2026): Free vs Basic vs Start vs Grow · Best LMS for Small Training Companies (2026) · Best Scheduling Software for Tutoring Centers (2026)

FAQ

Can I switch platforms later without losing students?

Yes, but it’s not seamless. You can export student data (emails, names) from all three. Course content needs to be manually re-uploaded. Kajabi and Teachable let you export student progress data. Podia’s export is more limited. Plan for 1-2 weeks of migration work.

Do any of these platforms handle taxes automatically?

Teachable handles EU VAT and US sales tax calculation and remittance on their BackOffice plan. Kajabi and Podia calculate taxes but you’re responsible for remittance. All three integrate with tools like TaxJar if you need full tax automation.

Which platform has the best mobile experience for students?

Kajabi has a branded iOS app (your name, your icon) on the Growth plan and above. Teachable has a student-facing iOS/Android app. Podia works well on mobile browsers but doesn’t have a dedicated app. If mobile is critical for your students, Kajabi wins here.

Can I sell coaching or 1:1 sessions alongside courses?

All three support coaching. Kajabi has it most deeply integrated: you can bundle coaching with courses, gate access, and manage scheduling. Teachable’s coaching is functional but feels separate from courses. Podia handles coaching bookings and payments but scheduling is manual or via Calendly integration.

What happens if I outgrow the cheapest plan?

Teachable: Basic to Pro is a big jump ($39 to $119) but adds affiliates and advanced reports. Kajabi: Basic to Growth ($149 to $199) is reasonable and adds more products/contacts. Podia: Mover to Shaker ($33 to $75) adds community and affiliates. All three let you upgrade mid-billing-cycle with prorated charges.