What Is the Best Platform to Sell Online Courses?

The best platform to sell online courses in 2026 depends on your needs, budget, and audience. Teachable, Kajabi, Udemy, and Skillshare are the leading options, each with different strengths.

Teachable is the best all-around platform for most creators. It offers a user-friendly course builder, handles payment processing, provides student management tools, and offers customizable sales pages. Plans start at $39/month with a free tier available. You keep most of your revenue, and the platform handles technical details like hosting and file delivery.

Kajabi is the best premium platform for building a complete online business. Beyond courses, it includes website building, email marketing, sales funnels, and community features. Plans start at $69/month. It replaces multiple tools and is ideal if you want an all-in-one solution.

Udemy is the best marketplace platform with a built-in audience of over 70 million students. You do not need to drive your own traffic, but Udemy takes a significant revenue share (63% on organic sales, 97% on instructor-driven sales). It is ideal for reaching new audiences and building credibility through reviews.

Skillshare pays creators based on minutes watched rather than per-sale pricing. It works well for shorter, skill-based classes and provides exposure to a creative-focused audience.

Podia is a rising alternative with a clean interface, zero transaction fees on paid plans starting at $39/month, and support for courses, digital downloads, and memberships in one platform.

For maximum control, self-hosting on your own WordPress site with a learning management system plugin like LearnDash gives you complete ownership of your content, students, and revenue.

Practical takeaway: Start with Teachable for a balanced approach, Udemy for marketplace exposure, or Kajabi if you want an all-in-one business platform.