Comparisons

Course Platform Transaction Fees Compared (2026)

What each course platform takes from every sale, on top of card processing: plan fees, gateway fees and per-sale charges on 12 platforms, with what they cost on $60,000 of sales.

Ijharul Islam October 21, 2026 13 min read

A course platform's monthly price is only part of what it costs. Many also take a percentage of each sale on their cheaper plans, charge extra if you use your own payment processor, or add fees for subscriptions and tax. At any real volume, those fees can cost more than the plan.

This roundup lists the platform fees on 12 popular platforms, explains the kinds of fee to look for, and shows what each costs on an example of $60,000 a year in sales.

The short answer

Several course platforms take a cut of each sale on top of card processing: Teachable 7.5% on Starter, Podia 5% on Mover, LearnWorlds $5 per sale on Starter, Skool 10% + 30¢ on Hobby, Gumroad 10% + 50¢. Klasira charges 0% on every plan; Thinkific and Kajabi charge 0% on their own payment systems but more if you bring your own processor.

Key takeaways

Card processing (about 2.9% + 30¢ for US cards on Stripe) applies almost everywhere; platform fees come on top.
Entry plans carry most of the platform fees: Teachable, Podia and LearnWorlds drop them on higher plans.
Thinkific and Kajabi charge 0.5% to 2% extra if you connect your own Stripe instead of their payments.
Recurring payments often cost more: Stripe Billing adds 0.7%, and platform payment systems add similar charges.
Klasira, Stan Store and Payhip Pro take 0% on every sale.

Disclosure: we make Klasira, one of the platforms on this list. Every other product's details come from its own public pages, checked in October 2026 and linked at the end. We include each one's real strengths, and say who it suits better than us.

How we compared them

We read each platform's pricing page and fee help articles in October 2026. "Transaction fee" here means what the platform itself takes from a sale, not the card processor's fee, except for Skool and Gumroad's marketplace, where the platform fee includes processing.

At a glance

Platform	Price	Transaction fee	How you're paid	Student app
Klasira	See Klasira's pricing; 0% transaction fees	0%	Your own Stripe account, on Stripe's schedule	No
Teachable	$39, $89 or $189 a month ($29, $69 or $139 yearly)	7.5% on Starter; 0% above	Teachable Payments, daily (about 2 business days after a sale)	Yes, iOS and Android
Thinkific	$109, $219 or $499 a month ($82, $164 or $374 yearly)	0% on Thinkific Payments; 0.5% to 2% on direct Stripe	Thinkific Payments daily (2 business days in the US), or your own Stripe	Branded app as a $199/month add-on
Kajabi	$179, $249 or $499 a month ($143, $199 or $399 yearly)	0% on Kajabi Payments or PayPal; 0.5% to 2% on other processors	Kajabi Payments, monthly with a 7-business-day delay for new accounts	Yes; branded app on Pro
Podia	$49, $99 or $179 a month ($42, $84 or $150 yearly)	5% on Mover; 0% above	Your own Stripe or PayPal (PayPal on Shaker and up)	No
LearnWorlds	$49, $99 or $299 a month ($44, $79 or $249 yearly)	$5 per paid enrollment on Starter; none above	Your own Stripe, PayPal or Shopify	Branded app as an add-on
Skool	$9 a month (Hobby) or $99 (Pro)	10% + 30¢ on Hobby; 2.9% + 30¢ on Pro, 3.9% + 30¢ above $900 (processing included)	Weekly, through a Skool-managed Stripe Express account	Yes, iOS and Android
Gumroad	No monthly fee	10% + 50¢ per direct sale, plus card processing; 30% on Discover marketplace sales	Gumroad pays out (merchant of record), from a $100 minimum	No student app found
Payhip	Free, $29 or $99 a month	5% on Free; 2% on Plus; 0% on Pro	Straight to your PayPal or Stripe after each sale	No student app found
Stan Store	$29 a month (Creator) or $99 (Creator Pro); $300 or $948 a year	0%	Through Stripe or PayPal (their fees apply); cash out from $10	Not applicable (a storefront)
Circle	$89, $199 or $419 a month, billed yearly	2%, 1% or 1% by plan; 0.5% on Circle Plus	Not stated on the pricing page	Circle's iOS and Android apps on every plan; branded app on Circle Plus
Mighty Networks	From $79 a month billed yearly ($950 a year)	2%, 1% or 0.5% by plan	Through your connected Stripe account	Apps on iOS and Android; branded apps on Mighty Pro

Each platform's fees

1. Klasira

Best for: Creators who want a designed school, 0% transaction fees and every sale paid into their own Stripe account
Price: See Klasira's pricing; 0% transaction fees. Fee: 0%.

Klasira is a new course platform. You pick one of 15 designed school themes, build courses from video, text and file lessons, sell downloads, bundles, subscriptions and payment plans in your school's own currency, and get paid straight into your own Stripe account. Quizzes, assignments, certificates, drip schedules, a community, affiliates, order bumps and upsells are built in, and every student is a CRM contact for email automations.

Where it shines: 0% fees and direct payouts to your own Stripe; teaching and selling tools in one place; designed school themes.

Watch out for: New, with no mobile app, live classes, course importer or Zapier app yet, and you handle tax registration and filing yourself.

2. Teachable

Best for: Creators who want student apps and tax handled for them
Price: $39, $89 or $189 a month ($29, $69 or $139 yearly). Fee: 7.5% on Starter; 0% above.

Teachable sells courses, coaching and downloads, with student apps on every plan and its own payment system that calculates, collects and remits sales tax and VAT. Certificates need the Growth plan, and affiliates and built-in email start on Builder.

Where it shines: Student apps, tax remitted on Teachable Payments, a large creator base, payment plans up to 36 months.

Watch out for: 7.5% fee on Starter; certificates only on Growth; product limits of 5, 10 or 50 by plan.

3. Thinkific

Best for: Established course businesses that want unlimited courses and deep commerce tools
Price: $109, $219 or $499 a month ($82, $164 or $374 yearly). Fee: 0% on Thinkific Payments; 0.5% to 2% on direct Stripe.

Thinkific offers unlimited courses on every plan, quizzes, assignments, certificates, communities, Zoom sessions inside courses, and commerce tools such as order bumps, payment plans, bundles and gifting. Thinkific Payments remits US and Canadian sales tax. Plus adds SSO, SCORM and learning paths.

Where it shines: Unlimited courses, mature commerce, live sessions in courses, an enterprise tier.

Watch out for: Highest entry price here; a gateway fee if you connect your own Stripe; 0.7% extra on Thinkific Payments for subscriptions and payment plans.

4. Kajabi

Best for: Creators who want the most complete all-in-one and have the budget
Price: $179, $249 or $499 a month ($143, $199 or $399 yearly). Fee: 0% on Kajabi Payments or PayPal; 0.5% to 2% on other processors.

Kajabi covers courses, coaching with built-in live video, communities, newsletters and podcasts, with unlimited marketing emails, funnels and landing pages on every plan and an AI assistant called Cofounder. Affiliates and cohort courses start on Growth.

Where it shines: The broadest toolkit, live video coaching, a student app, unlimited marketing email.

Watch out for: Expensive; 5 products and 2,500 contacts on Basic; monthly payouts for new Kajabi Payments accounts.

5. Podia

Best for: Creators who sell courses, downloads, coaching and webinars from one simple site
Price: $49, $99 or $179 a month ($42, $84 or $150 yearly). Fee: 5% on Mover; 0% above.

Podia is an approachable all-in-one: courses, downloads, coaching, webinars and live events, a community, email marketing, and a website with a blog. Payments go to your own Stripe or PayPal, and Podia offers free migration help.

Where it shines: Simple to use, events and webinars, a website and blog, free migration help.

Watch out for: 5% fee on Mover; affiliates and upsells only from Shaker; 100, 500 or 1,000 email subscribers included by plan, more as a paid add-on; no app.

6. LearnWorlds

Best for: Training businesses that need SCORM, interactive video or white-labelling
Price: $49, $99 or $299 a month ($44, $79 or $249 yearly). Fee: $5 per paid enrollment on Starter; none above.

LearnWorlds combines a creator course platform with corporate learning features: interactive video, SCORM and HTML5 packages, learning paths, assessments, a community and, on higher plans, white-labelling, SSO and LTI. Certificates, subscriptions, payment plans and affiliates start on Pro Trainer.

Where it shines: Corporate learning depth, interactive video, a 30-day trial, 24/7 support from Pro Trainer.

Watch out for: $5 per sale on Starter; key selling tools need Pro Trainer; more complex than creators may need.

7. Skool

Best for: Community-led businesses built on discussion, live calls and gamification
Price: $9 a month (Hobby) or $99 (Pro). Fee: 10% + 30¢ on Hobby; 2.9% + 30¢ on Pro, 3.9% + 30¢ above $900 (processing included).

Skool is a community first: a feed, a classroom for courses, a calendar with video calls and livestreams, and points, levels and leaderboards. It's the merchant of record, so it handles sales tax and VAT, and its directory can send you members. We found no quizzes, certificates, coupons or payment plans in its help center.

Where it shines: Engagement through gamification, live calls, apps, discovery, no tax admin.

Watch out for: Thin course tools; 10% fee on Hobby; no website builder found; members pay in US dollars.

8. Gumroad

Best for: Selling a first download or small course with no monthly fee
Price: No monthly fee. Fee: 10% + 50¢ per direct sale, plus card processing; 30% on Discover marketplace sales.

Gumroad has no monthly plan; it takes a share of each sale instead: 10% + 50¢ on direct sales plus card processing, and a flat 30% (processing included) on sales through its Discover marketplace. Since 2025 it's the merchant of record and handles sales tax and VAT. Once your paid sales in a calendar month pass $20,000, new direct sales that month drop to 5% + 50¢. Payouts need a $100 balance and, on weekly or monthly schedules, each sale is held at least 7 days.

Where it shines: Nothing to pay until you sell, tax handled, a marketplace that can bring buyers.

Watch out for: The per-sale fee is the most expensive here once you sell regularly; basic course tools.

9. Payhip

Best for: Low-cost selling of downloads and courses, paying as you grow
Price: Free, $29 or $99 a month. Fee: 5% on Free; 2% on Plus; 0% on Pro.

Payhip gives every plan the same features and unlimited products; you choose between a higher transaction fee and a monthly price: 5% on the free plan, 2% on Plus and 0% on Pro. Payhip says it collects, reports and remits EU and UK VAT on digital sales for you.

Where it shines: A real free plan, all features on every plan, instant payouts to PayPal or Stripe.

Watch out for: Simpler course and site tools than course-first platforms.

10. Stan Store

Best for: Social media creators selling from a link in bio
Price: $29 a month (Creator) or $99 (Creator Pro); $300 or $948 a year. Fee: 0%.

Stan Store is a link-in-bio storefront for courses, digital products and bookings, designed for creators selling from Instagram or TikTok. Creator Pro adds discount codes, upsells and order bumps, affiliates and email.

Where it shines: Fast setup for social sellers, 0% fees, mobile-first checkout.

Watch out for: A storefront rather than a full school; upsells, coupons and affiliates need Creator Pro.

11. Circle

Best for: Brands running a community with courses and events
Price: $89, $199 or $419 a month, billed yearly. Fee: 2%, 1% or 1% by plan; 0.5% on Circle Plus.

Circle is a community platform with courses, events and paid memberships, and unlimited members on every plan. It charges a transaction fee on every plan, from 2% down to 0.5%.

Where it shines: Polished community spaces and events, unlimited members.

Watch out for: A transaction fee on every plan; priced for communities more than solo course sellers.

12. Mighty Networks

Best for: Community-first courses and cohorts
Price: From $79 a month billed yearly ($950 a year). Fee: 2%, 1% or 0.5% by plan.

Mighty Networks runs courses and events inside a community, with an AI co-host and apps. Its transaction fee falls from 2% on Launch to 0.5% on Growth, deducted from payouts in your connected Stripe account.

Where it shines: Community and cohort features, apps, events.

Watch out for: A transaction fee on every plan; community-first rather than a course school.

What kinds of fees do course platforms charge?

Platform transaction fee: a percentage of each sale on certain plans (Teachable Starter, Podia Mover, Payhip Free and Plus, Circle, Mighty Networks).
Per-sale fee: a fixed amount per sale, like LearnWorlds Starter's $5 per paid enrollment.
Third-party gateway fee: extra if you use your own processor instead of the platform's (Thinkific and Kajabi).
Card processing: the processor's fee, such as Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢ for US cards, plus 1.5% for international cards and 1% for currency conversion.
Recurring and tax extras: Stripe Billing's 0.7% on subscriptions, or a platform's own charges for subscriptions, payment plans and tax tools.

What do the fees cost on $60,000 of sales?

Example (illustration, not data): $60,000 of course sales in a year, as 300 sales of $200. The platform fee only; card processing of about $1,830 comes on top, except where noted.

Platform	Plan	Platform fee for the year
Klasira	Any plan	$0
Teachable	Starter (7.5%)	$4,500
Teachable	Builder and up	$0
Thinkific	Any plan, Thinkific Payments	$0
Thinkific	Grow, own Stripe (1%)	$600
Kajabi	Any plan, Kajabi Payments	$0
Kajabi	Basic, own Stripe (2%)	$1,200
Podia	Mover (5%)	$3,000
LearnWorlds	Starter ($5 a sale)	$1,500
Skool	Hobby (10% + 30¢, processing included)	$6,090
Gumroad	Direct sales (10% + 50¢)	$6,150
Payhip	Free (5%) / Plus (2%)	$3,000 / $1,200
Circle	Professional (2%)	$1,200
Mighty Networks	Launch (2%)	$1,200

Compare these with the plans' own prices: a plan that costs more each month but takes 0% often costs less overall once you sell regularly.

How to choose

Estimate your yearly sales, then add each platform's plan price and fees on that figure.
Check whether 0% depends on using the platform's own payments, and what those payments add for subscriptions and tax.
Check how and when you're paid, not just how much: payout schedules and holds differ.

Frequently asked questions

Which course platforms have no transaction fees?

Klasira on every plan; Teachable from Builder; Podia from Shaker; LearnWorlds from Pro Trainer; Payhip Pro; Stan Store; and Thinkific and Kajabi on their own payment systems.

Does Teachable charge transaction fees?

Only on Starter, at 7.5% per sale. Its other plans charge 0%, with card processing on every plan.

Do I still pay Stripe fees with 0% transaction fees?

Yes. A 0% platform fee means the platform takes nothing; Stripe or PayPal still charge processing, about 2.9% + 30¢ per US card sale on Stripe.

Are Skool's fees higher than other platforms?

On Hobby, yes: 10% + 30¢ a sale. On Pro, 2.9% + 30¢ includes processing, so it's about the same as Stripe alone.

Try Klasira with your own course

Klasira takes 0% of every sale and pays you through your own Stripe. Pick a theme, add one course and connect Stripe, then judge it on your own material. Start your school or see pricing.

Sources

Details about other companies in this post were checked against these public pages in October 2026. Products, prices and rules change, so confirm with each source before you decide.

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