Best platform to sell online courses2026 honest comparison
We compare 8 platforms (Kourze, Hotmart, Kajabi, Teachable, Skool, Thinkific, Podia, Gumroad) on what matters to course creators: real commission, languages, AI tutor, automatic PPP, native community. Recommendations by profile at the end.
Complete 8-platform table
Head-to-head comparison — what matters to creators
| Platform | Pricing | Commission | Multi-lang | AI tutor | PPP auto | Community |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KourzeRecommended | Free $0 / Pro $119 | 9% → 0% | ✓ EN + ES + PT | ✓ Claude | ✓ 200+ countries | ✓ native |
| Hotmart | Free $0 | 9.9% + €0.50 FOREVER | PT-BR primary | ✗ | Local currency, no real adjust | ✗ (Telegram external) |
| Kajabi | $149-$399/mo | 0% all plans | English | ✗ (add-on $) | Manual | ✓ but rigid |
| Teachable | $59-$499/mo | 5% Basic, 0% Pro+ | Partial ES | ✗ | Manual country-by-country | ✗ only Comments |
| Skool | $99/mo flat | 2.9% FOREVER | English only | ✗ | ✗ flat global price | ✓ excellent |
| Thinkific | Free to $499/mo | 0% paid plans | Partial ES | ✗ | Manual | Limited |
| Podia | $39-$199/mo | 0% paid plans | English | ✗ | Manual | Yes but basic |
| Gumroad | Free $0 | 10% + fees | Partial ES | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Data verified 2026-05. Pricing in USD, no annual discounts. Commission = % the platform takes on each sale (does not include Stripe ~2.9% + $0.30).
Recommendation by profile
Which one is best for you?
Beginner creator (<1,000 audience)
Multi-language panel, 9% commission, AI tutor included. Start without risk. Upgrade to Starter $25 when billing >$500/mo.
Established creator ($5-30k/mo)
Pro $119 + 1% commission cheaper than Kajabi/Teachable in this range and includes AI tutor + PPP + community.
LatAm creator with Hotmart traction
Keep Hotmart for marketplace distribution (Hotmart Plus affiliates) and build your own brand on Kourze. Migrate audience gradually.
Pure paid community (no heavy courses)
Skool if audience is 100% English and billing $30k+. Kourze if you want community + courses + AI tutor in multi-language with PPP.
Established US billing $30k+/mo
Kajabi $199 + 0% if you need heavy email automation. Kourze Scale $229 + 0% if you want AI tutor + LatAm PPP + multi-language panel.
Sell unique digital products (ebook, template)
Gumroad if one-off product without community. Kourze if you want product + community bundle or plan to scale to courses.
Corporate university / formal institution
Both have SCORM, advanced certifications, SSO. If budget $$$ not a problem, Thinkific Plus / Kajabi Business.
Creator targeting EU audience
Multi-language panel + Stripe Tax for automatic IVA OSS + PPP captures LatAm market + 0% commission on Scale.
What course creators ask when evaluating platforms
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