If you’re thinking about creating your first online course or switching to a different platform, there are lots of choices for course creators out there. In this post, I’ll help you compare some of the most popular platforms, so you can pick the one that’s just right for you, fits your budget, and suits your business.

Learn

Learn from ThriveCart is an excellent option if you already use ThriveCart for your cart. The best part about Learn is that it’s easy to use, very customizable, and works seamlessly with your email marketing platform and with ThriveCart.

As an extra bonus, there is no monthly fee for ThriveCart, and Learn is included for free with your ThriveCart one-time purchase. It is a higher investment at first, but over time with no monthly fees, it makes a lot more sense cost-wise.

• Email Marketing ❌
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ✅

Podia

Podia is a pretty cost-effective option for course creators and is super easy to use. They have a powerful built-in membership option on their higher-up plans and a solid affiliate program setup for your digital products and courses.

• Email Marketing ✅
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅ (not a lot of customization options)
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ❌

Kajabi

Kajabi is a great all-in-one option, but it is also fairly pricey for newer course creators. Because Kajabi has many built-in features and extras, it can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming for people who aren’t necessarily technologically savvy.

• Email Marketing ✅
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ✅

Systeme.io

Systeme.io is a great Kajabi alternative that is also an all-in-one solution (and my personal fave), and it might be a bit easier to use for anyone who struggles with tech. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on loads of complicated tools and integrations to run your online business.

With Systeme.io the all-in-one business-building platform you can get started and it will cost you nothing!

• Email Marketing ✅
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ✅

Kartra

Another similar all-in-one option and alternative is Kartra. They include a lot of features and can replace a lot of separate programs that you might be using now.

• Email Marketing ✅
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ✅

Teachable

Another popular digital course platform option is Teachable. They don’t include email marketing abilities, but honestly, it’s better to keep that separate and use ConvertKit or ActiveCampaign anyway.

• Email Marketing ❌
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ❌

WordPress Course Platform Options:

Another alternative is using a WordPress plug-in to build your course or membership site directly on your website. These options usually allow a lot more control over the design, but you do need to be a little WordPress savvy to do all of the technical setup and maintenance and the design side of things.

MemberPress, MemberVault, and AccessAlly are all excellent WordPress options.

Final Thoughts

No matter what digital course platform you choose, it’s important to make sure it will work for you, your product suite, and your business. But, don’t forget your client or student experience! Which platform will work the best for your students? Do they have a preference that they love on the end-user side of things?

Stuck on where to start? Get your 20-Day Quickstart Course Creation Challenge here!