Best Platforms to Sell Online Courses for Influencers and Creators
As a content creator or social media influencer, selling online courses can be one of the most effective ways to monetize your expertise and audience. But with so many platforms available, finding the right one for your specific needs can be challenging. This guide breaks down the best platforms to sell online courses, focusing on the features that matter most to influencers and creators.
What to Look for in an Online Course Platform
Before diving into specific platforms, let’s identify the key features that make a course platform effective for creators:
- Ease of use - How quickly can you get your course up and running?
- Monetization options - Subscription models, one-time payments, bundles, etc.
- Customization - Branding options and control over your content
- Marketing tools - Email automation, landing pages, affiliate programs
- Community features - Engagement tools to connect with students
- Mobile accessibility - Apps and mobile-responsive designs
- Payment processing - Payout frequency, transaction fees, pricing flexibility
Top Platforms for Selling Online Courses
Teachable: Best for Marketing and Building a Complete Online School
Key features:
- Comprehensive marketing tools including email marketing
- Unlimited courses and students
- Custom domain support
- Advanced pricing options (subscriptions, bundles, payment plans)
- Student feedback mechanisms
- Robust analytics
Teachable stands out for creators who want to build a complete branded school with multiple courses. It offers powerful marketing capabilities with email sequences, affiliate programs, and upsell opportunities. Their iOS app allows students to consume content on the go, making learning accessible anytime, anywhere.
For example, fitness influencers often use Teachable to create a comprehensive “academy” with multiple workout programs at different price points, using the platform’s bundling options to create enticing package deals.
Pricing starts at $29/month with a 5% transaction fee on the basic plan, while higher tiers offer more features and lower transaction fees.
Podia: Best for Selling Digital Products and Memberships
Key features:
- All-in-one platform for courses, digital downloads, and memberships
- Zero transaction fees (just monthly subscription)
- Unlimited everything (courses, students, files)
- Built-in email marketing
- Webinar and community features
- Clean, intuitive interface
Podia excels for creators who want to offer more than just courses. You can easily bundle courses with digital downloads, create membership sites, and sell webinars all from one platform. Its clean interface makes it particularly appealing for beginners who don’t want to navigate a steep learning curve.
Consider how a food blogger might use Podia to sell cooking courses alongside downloadable recipe e-books and a monthly membership providing access to live cooking demonstrations—all managed through a single dashboard.
Pricing starts at $39/month with no transaction fees, making it cost-effective for creators with higher sales volumes.
Kajabi: Best for Marketing Automation and Business Management
Key features:
- Complete business platform (courses, websites, email marketing, funnels)
- Advanced marketing automation
- Ready-to-use templates and blueprints
- Built-in community features
- Comprehensive analytics
- Mobile app for creators and students
Kajabi is the premium option for established creators who want a complete business platform. It includes everything from website building to pipeline creation, email marketing, and detailed analytics. The platform’s automation capabilities allow you to put your course marketing on autopilot.
Imagine being a business coach who uses Kajabi to create a lead magnet that automatically funnels prospects through a nurture sequence, eventually offering them your signature course—all while you sleep. This “set it and forget it” capability is where Kajabi truly shines.
Starting at $149/month, it’s pricier than alternatives but eliminates the need for multiple tools and subscriptions, potentially saving money in the long run.
Mighty Networks: Best for Building Paid Communities Around Courses
Key features:
- Community-centered approach
- Combines courses with active community spaces
- Events and live streaming
- Native mobile apps
- Activity feeds and member profiles
- Subgroups and topics
Mighty Networks distinguishes itself by putting community at the center of the learning experience. It’s ideal for creators who believe in the power of peer-to-peer learning and want to build an engaged community around their expertise.
For instance, a language teacher might use Mighty Networks to create not just Spanish lessons but a vibrant community where students practice with each other, participate in cultural discussions, and join live conversation sessions—creating a much more immersive learning environment than videos alone could provide.
Pricing starts at $33/month for the Community Plan, with course capabilities available on higher-tier plans.
Thinkific: Best for Customization and Course Design
Key features:
- Highly customizable course player and site
- Drag-and-drop course builder
- Marketing tools and integrations
- Multiple payment options
- Student progress tracking
- Advanced quiz features
Thinkific offers extensive customization options, making it perfect for creators who want complete control over how their courses look and function. The platform’s focus on educational design features (like diverse content types and quiz options) makes it strong for delivering structured learning experiences.
Tech educators particularly love Thinkific’s ability to create interactive assessments and quizzes that test practical knowledge, along with its robust progress tracking that shows students exactly where they are in their learning journey.
A free plan is available for basic needs, with paid plans starting at $49/month.
Gumroad: Simplest Option for Quick Course Sales
Key features:
- Extremely simple setup
- Low entry barrier
- Handles digital products of all types
- Decreasing fee structure as you sell more
- Basic subscription capabilities
- Direct integration with creator workflows
If you’re looking to start selling quickly with minimal setup, Gumroad provides a straightforward solution. It’s not specifically designed for courses but works well for simple video courses and digital downloads. The platform is popular among creators who want to test ideas before investing in more complex solutions.
Consider how an illustrator might use Gumroad to sell a simple “Introduction to Digital Art” course consisting of a few video lessons and a resource pack—all set up in under an hour without any technical headaches.
Gumroad charges a fee per sale rather than a monthly subscription, starting at 8.5% + $0.30 per transaction, with rates decreasing as you sell more.
Patreon: Best for Subscription-Based Content Access
Key features:
- Tiered membership model
- Strong recurring revenue focus
- Established patron community
- Content dripping capabilities
- Integration with other platforms
- Community engagement tools
While not exclusively a course platform, Patreon vs OnlyFans offers a compelling option for creators who prefer a membership/subscription model for their educational content. It works well for creators who regularly release new content and want to build a community of paying supporters.
Many podcasters and YouTubers use Patreon to offer premium educational content to their most dedicated fans. For example, a history YouTuber might offer in-depth history courses as a higher-tier reward for their Patreon supporters, creating a natural upsell from their free content.
Patreon takes 5-12% of your monthly income depending on your plan, plus payment processing fees.
Specialized Platforms Worth Considering
Skillshare: Best for Teaching Creative Skills
Skillshare uses a different model where instructors are paid based on watch time from premium members. It’s excellent for creative topics and provides built-in discovery for new students, but offers less control over pricing and branding.
The platform is particularly popular among creators teaching design, photography, writing, and other creative disciplines. A watercolor artist, for instance, might find a ready audience of students already browsing Skillshare for painting classes.
LearnWorlds: Best for Interactive Courses
LearnWorlds stands out for its interactive video features, allowing you to add notes, questions, and interactive elements directly within video content. It’s ideal for creators who want to create highly engaging learning experiences.
This functionality is perfect for subjects requiring active engagement. For example, a music teacher can embed practice questions at key moments in their instructional videos, ensuring students are following along and comprehending the material.
Udemy: Best for Reaching New Audiences
Udemy offers access to millions of potential students but gives you less control over pricing and takes a significant percentage of sales that come through their marketplace (though you keep more from students you bring directly).
Many creators use Udemy strategically alongside their own platforms—placing introductory courses on Udemy to reach new students, then directing those students to their own website for advanced offerings.
Choosing the Right Platform for Your Needs
Consider these factors when making your decision:
- Budget constraints - Platforms range from free with transaction fees to hundreds per month
- Technical expertise - Some platforms require more setup than others
- Existing audience - Larger audiences may benefit from self-hosted solutions
- Content type - Video-heavy courses have different needs than text or community-based learning
- Growth plans - Choose a platform that can scale with your ambitions
The All-in-One Alternative: Blurbay
For creators looking for maximum flexibility, Blurbay offers a unique alternative that combines several monetization methods:
- Subscription options for recurring access to your content
- Paid community features through Telegram integration
- Individual video sales for one-off purchases
- Complete course structures with sequential or all-at-once unlocking
- Digital file sales for supplementary materials or standalone products
- Live event selling for webinars and group sessions
The platform provides a SEO-friendly profile that connects all your social media and content offerings in one place, making it ideal for influencers managing multiple income streams.
For example, a fitness influencer could use Blurbay to sell a comprehensive “90-Day Transformation” course while also offering one-off workout videos, nutrition guide PDFs, and exclusive access to a supportive Telegram community—all managed through a single platform with a unified payment system.
Final Thoughts: Making Your Decision
The best platform for your online courses ultimately depends on your specific goals, content type, and audience needs. Consider starting with a platform that has low entry barriers to test your course concept, then potentially migrate to a more robust solution as you grow.
Many successful creators eventually use multiple platforms – perhaps selling quick, shorter courses on simple platforms while hosting their flagship programs on more comprehensive solutions.
Whatever platform you choose, focus first on creating valuable content that solves real problems for your audience. The right technology will amplify your expertise, not replace it.