Published: July 31, 2026 | Last updated: July 31, 2026 | 18 min read
TL;DR
- Teachable has eliminated its standalone free plan in 2026. The new entry point is Starter at $39/month ($29/month annual) with a 7.5% transaction fee on every sale. (CourseUp, 2026)
- Teachable scores 84/100 in independent evaluations. It’s built for solo creators who want fast setup and a clean student experience without technical overhead. (ToolRadar, 2026)
- The 7.5% transaction fee on Starter is the hidden killer. Sell $1,000 in courses and you pay $75 in fees before payment processing. Upgrade to Builder ($89/mo) to eliminate transaction fees entirely. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
- Teachable wins for structured course businesses with quizzes, certificates, drip content, and affiliate programs. Thinkific wins for no transaction fees at entry ($0 on free plan vs Teachable’s 5-10%). (Blink, 2026)
- Kajabi is the all-in-one alternative at higher pricing ($55+/mo) with built-in email marketing, funnels, and communities — but Teachable is better for first-time creators validating a course idea. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
What Is Teachable and How Does It Work?
Teachable is a hosted online course platform that lets creators build, market, and sell courses, coaching, and digital downloads without needing a separate website, payment gateway, or video CDN. (Capterra, 2026) You upload videos, organize them into sections, set pricing (one-time, subscriptions, or payment plans), and Teachable provides the checkout, student accounts, progress tracking, and basic email notifications. (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
The core workflow is simple: build a school (your branded subdomain or custom domain), create courses with video, text, quizzes, and downloadable files, set pricing, and publish using Teachable’s built-in checkout pages. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
Teachable has been around since 2014, making it one of the established players in the online education space. (Fewer Tools, 2026) It currently powers thousands of active schools and processes millions in creator revenue each year. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
What Teachable is NOT: It’s not an all-in-one funnel builder, a robust email platform, or a community hub. If you’ve seen Kajabi ads promising to replace five tools, Teachable is more narrowly focused. That’s a feature for some creators and a real gap for others. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
Teachable Pricing 2026: What You Actually Pay
Teachable completely overhauled its pricing in mid-2025. The old Free, Basic, Pro, Pro+, and Business plans are gone. The current 2026 lineup has four tiers: Starter, Builder, Growth, and Advanced. (CourseUp, 2026) There is no standalone free plan anymore, but every paid tier includes a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
| Plan | Monthly Billing | Annual Billing (per mo) | Transaction Fee | Published Products | Active Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $39/mo | $29/mo | 7.5% | 5 | 100 |
| Builder | $89/mo | $69/mo | 0% | 50 | 500 |
| Growth | $189/mo | $139/mo | 0% | 100 | 2,000 |
| Advanced | $399/mo | $309/mo | 0% | 400 | 10,000 |
(CourseUp, 2026; Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
Annual billing saves approximately 22-26% across all tiers — $600/year savings on Growth alone, and $1,080/year on Advanced. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
The transaction fee structure is where new users get surprised. Starter charges 7.5% on every sale. Sell a $200 course ten times and that’s $150 gone before you’ve paid any ad costs or payment processing fees (typically 2.9% + $0.30 on top). ([Two Funnels Away, 2026](https://twofunnelsaway.com/teachable-review-is-it-worth-it-in-2026-6/)) The break-even point for upgrading from Starter to Builder is around $1,200 in monthly sales — once you cross that threshold, the $50/month price difference pays for itself by eliminating the 7.5% fee. (CourseUp, 2026)
Is Teachable Free in 2026?
Teachable no longer offers a standalone free plan as of 2025. The platform eliminated the free tier and replaced it with paid plans starting at $39/month. (CourseUp, 2026) Some older sources still reference a free plan with a 10% transaction fee, but this is outdated information. (FreshLearn, 2026)
However, Teachable does offer a 7-day free trial on all paid plans. You can build your course, set up your sales pages, and test the platform before committing. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
The student-facing Teachable mobile app (iOS and Android) is completely free for students to download and access courses they’ve purchased. (App Store, 2026) But as a creator, you need a paid plan to publish and sell courses.
Important: Teachable’s changelog from July 2026 confirms that free plans (for existing users on legacy plans) will now only allow one published course, coaching bundle, or digital download product at a time. (Teachable Changelog, 2026)
Teachable Core Features: What You Get at Each Tier
Course Builder
Teachable’s drag-and-drop curriculum builder is genuinely easy to learn. You can organize content into sections and lectures, embed videos, and upload PDFs or audio files. Native video hosting is included — no separate Vimeo or YouTube account required. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
Quizzes are available on all paid plans. They are functional but basic — multiple choice only, no branching logic or weighted questions. If you need scenario-based assessments, you’ll need a workaround. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
Drip scheduling lets you release lessons on a calendar or delay them by X days after enrollment. Certificates of completion are available on Builder and above — not on Starter. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
Sales and Checkout Pages
Every Teachable plan includes customizable sales pages built inside the platform. You can add testimonials, an FAQ accordion, instructor bio, and a prominent buy button — all without touching code. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
Checkout is where Teachable quietly outperforms: order bumps, upsells, payment plans, and localized pricing are all native. Order bumps and upsells are available on Builder and above (not Starter). (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
Email Marketing
Teachable includes a basic email tool called Teachable:one (formerly Teachable Email). It lets you send broadcasts to your student list and set up drip sequences tied to course enrollment. The honest caveat: it’s not a replacement for a dedicated email marketing platform. If you need advanced segmentation, behavior-based automations, or deep analytics, you’ll want to connect Kit (formerly ConvertKit) or ActiveCampaign via Zapier or the native integration. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
Affiliate Program
Teachable’s affiliate program is available on Builder and above. You can recruit affiliates to promote your courses, track their performance through a reporting dashboard, and set commission rates. In July 2026, Teachable launched an improved affiliate experience with better performance tracking and automated affiliate communications. (Teachable Changelog, 2026)
Community Features
Teachable added community features on Pro and above (now Growth and above). But the community feature is an afterthought — it lacks the depth of dedicated community platforms like Skool or Circle. (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
Teachable Pros and Cons After 90 Days
What Teachable Does Well
Fast setup. You can have a course live within a few hours of starting. The curriculum builder is drag-and-drop and genuinely easy to use. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
Native video hosting. No separate Vimeo or YouTube account required. Teachable handles video hosting, streaming, and delivery.
Clean checkout. Order bumps, upsells, payment plans, and localized pricing are all native. Conversion-focused details like these matter more than fancy page design. (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
BackOffice tax handling. If you run revenue splits with co-creators, Teachable does paperwork competitors make you handle manually. (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
Student experience. The student-facing side is clean and distraction-free. Learners get a simple dashboard, a progress tracker, and the ability to leave comments on each lesson. (Marc Andrews, 2026)
Mobile app. Native iOS and Android apps for students, with seamless progress syncing. (App Store, 2026)
High user satisfaction. Teachable has 80% positive reviews out of 64 reviews on Capterra, with most reviewers describing course creation as user-friendly and supporting diverse content types. (Capterra, 2026)
Where Teachable Falls Short
Transaction fees on Starter. The 7.5% fee is the quiet killer. Combined with the monthly cost, cheap-looking plans aren’t cheap once you’re selling. (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
Product and student caps. Starter only allows 5 published products and 100 active students. Growth caps you at 100 products and 2,000 students. These force upgrades faster than most operators expect. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
No free plan anymore. New creators must start at $39/month (Starter) or get a 7-day free trial then pay. No free tier at all. (Fungies, 2026)
Limited native marketing tools. No built-in email marketing platform (just basic broadcasts), no native funnel builder, and community features are an afterthought. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
Outdated page templates. Page templates look like 2019, and meaningful innovation has been slow while Kajabi pushed all-in-one depth and Skool reframed what course communities look like. (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
Poor customer support. Multiple users report slow and unresponsive support when it comes to resolving errors. Tickets are handled on an obscure in-house system where you have no idea if they saw your issue or when they will answer. (Software Advice, 2026); (Capterra, 2026)
Billing complaints. A Teachable user was charged $500 across repeated cancellation attempts according to Trustpilot reviews. (Ruzuku, 2026)
Teachable Reviews Reddit: What Users Are Saying in 2026
Based on 150 Reddit mentions across 10 subreddits, Teachable has a 70% positive sentiment score in the EdTech space. Reddit users most frequently discuss Teachable in r/MasterTheMarket. (Reddgrow, 2026)
The most common complaints on Reddit revolve around the 2025 pricing changes. As one user noted: “As of Jan 2026, Teachable has completely changed its pricing plans, and it’s a tough pill to swallow, especially for creators who’ve been using the platform for years.” (FreshLearn, 2026)
The overall sentiment around Teachable’s May 2025 update is overwhelmingly negative and critical. While Teachable frames the update as a way to “lower transaction fees,” the community has interpreted it as a significant price hike that simultaneously cuts features and imposes harsh new limits. (FreshLearn, 2026)
Teachable vs Thinkific: Which Is Better in 2026?
Thinkific is Teachable’s direct competitor with nearly identical positioning: a pure course platform with slightly different pricing and feature mix. (StackScored, 2026)
| Feature | Teachable | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier courses | 1 course (legacy) or none | 3 courses (no fee) |
| Transaction fees | 7.5% on Starter, 0% on Builder+ | 0% on all plans |
| Entry paid plan | $39/mo (Starter, 7.5% fee) | $36/mo (annual, 0% fee) |
| Student experience | Excellent | Good |
| Customization | Limited | Better |
| Community features | Basic (Growth+) | Good (Thinkific Communities) |
| Email marketing | No (needs third-party) | No (needs third-party) |
(Blink, 2026; StackScored, 2026)
Choose Thinkific when: You want no transaction fees even on the free/entry plan, need more than one course on free tier (3 courses vs 1), or want better customization options. Thinkific has a slight edge for total beginners because its entry-level paid plan has no transaction fees. (Blink, 2026)
Choose Teachable when: You want a polished student experience, are comfortable with transaction fees on lower plans, or already have an audience on Teachable’s network. (Blink, 2026)
Teachable vs Kajabi: Focused Course Platform vs All-in-One
Teachable and Kajabi compete on the same surface but were built for different operator profiles and price tiers. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
| Feature | Teachable | Kajabi |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | First-time creators, budget-conscious | Established creators, all-in-one |
| Free plan | Yes (legacy) or 7-day trial | No free plan, 14-day trial only |
| Entry paid plan | $39/mo (Starter, 7.5% fee) | $55/mo (Kickstarter, annual) |
| Mid-tier price | $89/mo (Builder, 0% fee) | $159/mo (Growth, annual) |
| Transaction fees | 7.5% on Starter, 0% on Builder+ | 0% on all paid plans |
| Email marketing | Basic on paid plans | Full email platform with automations |
| Funnel builder | No native funnel builder | Native funnel and pipeline builder |
| Community | Yes (Growth+) | Yes, included on all paid plans |
| Website builder | Limited course-focused pages | Full website builder with templates |
| AI tools | Basic AI assistant | Kajabi AI for content generation |
The fundamental difference: Teachable is course-first — the course player, course builder, student experience, and payment processing are the core of the product, with email and basic marketing features added around the edges. Kajabi is knowledge-commerce-first — the platform was built around the idea of replacing multiple tools (email marketing, funnels, websites, communities, podcasts) with one consolidated platform. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
Teachable wins for: First-time course creators, budget-conscious creators, and anyone who wants to validate a course idea without committing to a $300+ per month subscription. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
Kajabi wins for: Established creators running a full course business with email marketing, funnels, communities, and multiple revenue streams who want everything consolidated. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
Teachable vs Udemy: Self-Hosted vs Marketplace
Teachable and Udemy serve fundamentally different business models. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
| Feature | Teachable | Udemy |
|---|---|---|
| Business model | Self-hosted course platform | Course marketplace |
| Ownership | You own your students and data | Udemy owns the student relationship |
| Pricing control | You set your own prices | Udemy controls pricing (frequent discounts) |
| Revenue share | You keep most (minus fees) | Udemy takes ~50% on average |
| Distribution | You drive your own traffic | Udemy provides marketplace traffic |
| Branding | Full branding control | Limited branding |
Teachable wins for: Creators who want to build a real course business with brand equity, customer relationships, and pricing power.
Udemy wins for: Creators who want passive distribution to Udemy’s audience and are willing to trade ownership and pricing control for that reach. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
Teachable scores 84/100 in independent evaluations, while Udemy is ranked differently as it serves a marketplace model rather than a course creation platform. (ToolRadar, 2026)
Teachable Alternatives: Best Options in 2026
Thinkific
Direct competitor with no transaction fees on any plan. Free plan allows 3 courses. Entry paid plan at $36/mo (annual) with 0% fees. Better customization than Teachable. (StackScored, 2026)
Kajabi
All-in-one knowledge commerce platform bundling courses with email marketing, funnels, websites, communities, and AI tools. Higher pricing starting at $55/mo but no transaction fees. Best for established creators. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
Podia
Simpler, all-in-one platform with no transaction fees beyond payment processing. Bundles courses, digital downloads, email marketing, and community features. Flat monthly fee ($42–$150/mo). Noticeably simpler to set up than Teachable. (Pocketsflow, 2026)
ThriveCart Academy
Launched in May 2026, ThriveCart Academy is ThriveCart’s community-first course platform. Built on the premise that courses alone don’t transform student outcomes — community does. (ThriveCart, 2026)
Gumroad
Lets you list a product and share a link with almost zero setup. Best for creators selling smaller digital products where the customer just wants to buy a file and download it. (OpenCart, 2026)
Landingi
Budget option starting at $29/month with a free plan. Basic landing page builder for course creators on a tight budget. (RevenueGeeks, 2026)
Is Teachable Trustworthy? Security and Reliability
Teachable has achieved SOC 2 Type II accreditation, a major milestone in their commitment to protecting customer data. SOC 2 is a rigorous, independent audit that evaluates how well a company safeguards customer information across key trust areas including security, availability, confidentiality, and privacy. (Teachable, 2026)
Teachable undergoes an annual audit that reviews the effectiveness of their security controls over time, not just at a single point. The platform strives for and generally exceeds an average of 99.99% uptime. (Teachable Help Center, 2026)
However, users should be aware of phishing operations that use the Teachable platform to appear credible. Attackers exploit the trusted Teachable facade to lure victims into submitting login details and payment information. Always verify you’re on the legitimate teachable.com domain. (PhishDestroy, 2026)
Can You Really Make Money on Teachable?
Yes, creators make money on Teachable. The platform processes millions in creator revenue each year. (Two Funnels Away, 2026) But the economics depend heavily on which plan you choose.
Teachable Payments handles payouts. The platform collects payments through its own processor, deducts its fees, and then sends your share on a schedule. Free plan schools receive payouts on the 15th of the following month for earnings made in the prior month. Paid plan schools receive faster payout cadences. (Teachable Help Center, 2026)
The revenue math: On Starter with 7.5% transaction fees, selling $1,000 in courses costs you $75 in platform fees plus ~$29 in payment processing (2.9% + $0.30) — roughly $104 in fees on $1,000 revenue. On Builder with 0% transaction fees, you pay just the ~$29 in processing fees plus the $89 monthly subscription. (Pocketsflow, 2026)
The break-even point for upgrading from Starter to Builder is around $1,200 in monthly sales. Below that, Starter is cheaper despite the fee. Above that, Builder pays for itself. (CourseUp, 2026)
Teachable has also added monetization features in 2026: memberships that drive 43% higher student lifetime value, digital downloads with pricing plans, and improved affiliate tools. (Teachable Changelog, 2026)
Who Should Use Teachable?
Best fit for:
- Solo course creators who want fast setup and a clean student experience without technical overhead. (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
- Coaches, consultants, freelancers, and subject-matter experts who want to sell a single course or a small catalogue. (Marc Andrews, 2026)
- Non-technical users — people without any knowledge about web development can get a page up and running within the first day. (Software Advice, 2026)
- Teams with co-instructors — BackOffice automates payouts and tax forms. (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
- Creators who need quizzes, certificates, drip content, and affiliate programs in an established platform. (Fewer Tools, 2026)
Not a good fit for:
- Community-driven educators — Skool or Circle handle the community half far better. (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
- Creators on a tight budget — no free plan, entry at $39/month. (Fungies, 2026)
- Creators who need advanced marketing automation — you’ll need to bolt on extra software. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
- Large academies with dozens of instructors, complex branching logic, or white-label mobile app requirements. (Marc Andrews, 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Teachable free in 2026?
No. Teachable eliminated its standalone free plan in 2025. The entry point is now Starter at $39/month ($29/month annual) with a 7.5% transaction fee. A 7-day free trial is available on all paid plans. (CourseUp, 2026)
Is Teachable worth it in 2026?
Yes, for most solo creators and small teams. It’s not the cheapest platform and not the most feature-rich, but it hits a specific sweet spot: letting non-technical people build, sell, and deliver online courses without needing a developer or a weekend lost to YouTube tutorials. (Marc Andrews, 2026)
What are the disadvantages of Teachable?
Teachable’s main disadvantages are: 7.5% transaction fees on Starter, product and student caps on lower tiers (5 products/100 students), no free plan anymore, limited native marketing tools, outdated page templates, and poor customer support. (Creator Economy Tools, 2026)
Can you really make money on Teachable?
Yes. Teachable processes millions in creator revenue each year. The economics depend on your plan: Starter charges 7.5% transaction fees; Builder ($89/mo) eliminates them. The break-even point is around $1,200 in monthly sales. (CourseUp, 2026)
Is Teachable trustworthy?
Yes. Teachable has achieved SOC 2 Type II accreditation and undergoes annual security audits. The platform strives for 99.99% uptime. However, beware of phishing sites using the teachable.com subdomain. (Teachable, 2026)
Which is better, Udemy or Teachable?
Teachable wins for creators who want to build a real course business with brand equity, customer relationships, and pricing power. Udemy wins for creators who want passive distribution to Udemy’s audience and are willing to trade ownership and pricing control for that reach. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
Is Thinkific better than Teachable?
Thinkific has a slight edge for total beginners because its entry-level paid plan has no transaction fees and its free plan allows 3 courses. Teachable has a more polished student experience. For established creators, the difference is small — both are missing email marketing and charging per-student fees at scale. (Blink, 2026)
Is Kajabi better than Teachable?
Kajabi is better for established creators who want an all-in-one solution with email marketing, funnels, communities, and AI tools. Teachable is better for first-time creators who want to validate a course idea without committing to a $300+ per month subscription. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
What is the Teachable app?
The Teachable app is a free mobile app (iOS and Android) for students to access courses they’ve purchased on any Teachable-powered school. Course progress syncs seamlessly across devices. (App Store, 2026)
Does Teachable have transaction fees?
Yes. Starter charges 7.5% transaction fees on every sale. Builder, Growth, and Advanced have 0% transaction fees. This is on top of payment processing fees (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). (CourseUp, 2026)
What are the best Teachable alternatives in 2026?
The best Teachable alternatives are Thinkific (no transaction fees), Kajabi (all-in-one), Podia (simpler, cheaper), ThriveCart Academy (community-first), Gumroad (digital products), and Landingi (budget). (StackScored, 2026)
Is Teachable good for beginners?
Yes. Teachable’s course builder is drag-and-drop and genuinely easy to use. You can have a course live within a few hours of starting. However, the no-free-plan policy and 7.5% transaction fees on Starter make it less beginner-friendly than Thinkific’s free plan with 0% fees. (Two Funnels Away, 2026)
Key Takeaways
- Teachable has eliminated its standalone free plan in 2026. New creators start at $39/month (Starter) with a 7.5% transaction fee, or upgrade to Builder ($89/mo) for 0% fees. (CourseUp, 2026)
- Teachable scores 84/100 in independent evaluations. It’s built for solo creators who want fast setup and a clean student experience without technical overhead. (ToolRadar, 2026)
- The 7.5% transaction fee on Starter is the hidden killer. Sell $1,000 in courses and you pay $75 in fees before payment processing. Upgrade to Builder at $89/mo to eliminate transaction fees entirely. (Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
- Teachable has achieved SOC 2 Type II accreditation and strives for 99.99% uptime. However, customer support complaints and billing issues are common on review platforms. (Teachable, 2026)
- Thinkific wins for no transaction fees at entry ($0 on free plan vs Teachable’s 7.5% on Starter). Kajabi wins for all-in-one marketing and communities at higher pricing. (Blink, 2026; Ecommerce Paradise, 2026)
- Teachable is worth it for solo creators who need quizzes, certificates, drip content, and affiliate programs in an established platform. It’s not a good fit for community-driven educators or creators on a tight budget. (Fewer Tools, 2026)
