Choosing the Best Online Course Platform: Kajabi vs. Teachable and More

Building a profitable online course business is a hot trend today, but the vast number of online course platforms can be overwhelming. This article breaks down the key differences and helps you choose the right platform for your needs.

• Goals: What do you want to accomplish with your course? Do you want to maximize income, build leads, or integrate it into your broader business?
• Functionality: Do you require specific features like email marketing, CRM tools, or landing page builders? How much customization do you need?
• Pricing: Determine your budget. Platforms like Kajabi can cost $119-$159/month, while others like Teachable offer a $29/month plan.
• Audience: Do you have an existing audience or are you aiming to build one? Marketplaces like Udemy already have a huge student base.
• Content: What types of content will you create? Will it be video, written lessons, or a blend of both?

4 Main Categories of Online Course Hosting

While many online course platforms share similar features, understanding their categorization can help narrow down your search.

• Standalone Hosted Online Course Platforms: These platforms offer custom domains for your courses. Think of them as white-label solutions, allowing you to control branding and pricing while providing basic tools for course creation. These are excellent entry-level options for new course creators.
• Full Suite Online Course Platforms: These platforms combine everything you need to manage your online presence: content management, CRM, landing page builders, email marketing, and automation. While they are robust and offer complete control, they come with a higher price tag. Think Kajabi as an example.
• Marketplace Online Course Platforms: These are the most popular and user-friendly platforms, offering templates and marketing tools. While they lack branding control and limit access to student data, they already have a large audience and can market your courses for you.
• WordPress Plugin Online Course Hosting: If you have a WordPress website, plugins like LearnDash can integrate your courses seamlessly. However, this option requires technical know-how for setup and maintenance.

7 Best Online Course Platforms

We've compiled a list of popular online course platforms, highlighting their strengths and features.

1. Teachable: The Best Platform for Quick and Easy Setup

Teachable is a standalone platform known for its ease of use and beginner-friendly approach. It offers subdomains and custom domains for your courses, giving you complete control over branding and pricing. You also retain access to your student data, allowing you to nurture relationships and market to them beyond the platform.

• Pros: Easy to use, affordable pricing plans, access to student data.
• Cons: Limited design customization options, basic marketing features.

2. Podia: The Best Platform for Membership-Based Courses

Podia is ideal for membership-based courses, where students subscribe to access ongoing content. It offers customizable websites with member dashboards, flexible layouts, and pay-for-access content. While membership models require ongoing content creation, they offer the potential for recurring revenue.

• Pros: Strong membership features, easy website creation, built-in email marketing.
• Cons: Higher pricing for membership features, limited course structure options.

3. Kajabi: The Best Platform for Additional Features

Kajabi is a comprehensive all-in-one solution that combines everything you need for building and marketing your online courses. It offers landing page builders, email marketing, CRM tools, and advanced automation features. While powerful, Kajabi is known for its high price tag.

• Pros: Comprehensive platform, robust marketing features, zero transaction fees.
• Cons: Expensive, can be overwhelming for beginners.

4. Thinkific: The Best Platform for Customization

Thinkific and Teachable share many similarities, but Thinkific offers more design customization options and charges zero transaction fees. It provides a user-friendly interface and allows you to build engaging courses with a wide range of features.

• Pros: Flexible design options, easy course creation, zero transaction fees.
• Cons: Basic marketing features compared to Teachable, fewer third-party integrations.

5. Udemy: The Best Platform for a Large Student Base

Udemy is a popular online course marketplace with a massive student base. It provides simplified course creation and offers built-in marketing and promotion tools. However, you lose control over branding, course structure, pricing, and student data.

• Pros: Large student base, easy to publish courses, free to start.
• Cons: Limited control over course branding and features, low revenue per student.

6. LearnDash: The Best Platform for WordPress Websites

LearnDash is a WordPress plugin that lets you integrate online courses into your existing website. It offers robust features and integrates with popular plugins like WooCommerce and Stripe. However, it requires technical expertise for setup and maintenance.

• Pros: Seamless integration with WordPress, flexible features, access to third-party plugins.
• Cons: Requires technical knowledge, can be complex to manage.

7. Pathwright: The Best Platform for Advanced Course Creators

Pathwright is known for its advanced features and intuitive course creation tools. It allows for custom content uploads, flexible customization options, and the creation of interactive and engaging courses. While it offers advanced features, it may not be ideal for beginners and comes with a higher price tag.

• Pros: Advanced features, flexible course design, interactive content creation.
• Cons: Limited design customization options, higher pricing compared to other platforms.

How to Choose the Right Online Course Platform for You

Ultimately, the best online course platform depends on your individual needs and goals. Consider the following factors to make an informed decision.

• Your budget: Platforms like Teachable and Thinkific offer affordable plans, while Kajabi and Pathwright are more expensive. Determine your budget constraints before exploring options.
• Your tech skills: If you're not comfortable with technical setup, standalone platforms like Teachable or Podia are better options. LearnDash requires a basic understanding of WordPress.
• Your audience: If you're starting with a smaller audience, Teachable or Thinkific provide better control over branding and student data. Udemy offers a large audience but limits your control.
• Your course goals: Kajabi is great for comprehensive business solutions. Podia is ideal for membership-based courses. Choose the platform that aligns with your course goals.

Launch Your Profitable Online Course with Kajabi

With its comprehensive features and all-in-one approach, Kajabi empowers you to create and sell your online courses with ease. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced course creator, Kajabi offers the tools you need to build a successful online business.

• Easy Course Creation: Kajabi's intuitive interface makes it easy to create engaging courses with videos, text, quizzes, and interactive elements.
• Powerful Marketing Tools: Kajabi provides everything you need to attract students, including landing page builders, email marketing, and automation features.
• Membership Sites: Kajabi makes it easy to create membership sites for your courses, offering recurring revenue and building a loyal community around your brand.

Ready to Take Your Online Course Business to the Next Level?

Choosing the right online course platform is crucial for success. Kajabi stands out as a powerful and comprehensive solution that can help you build a thriving online course business. Try Kajabi today and experience the difference.