Creating and selling online courses has never been easier—but choosing the right Online Course Creator can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a seasoned educator, coach, or entrepreneur, or just starting out, selecting a platform that aligns with your goals and skills is crucial. In this guide, I compare 10 of the most popular online course platforms to help you decide which is the best fit for your needs.
1. Kajabi
Overview: Kajabi (Top 10 Best Online Course Creator) is a premium online business platform that provides everything from course hosting to email marketing, sales funnels, and analytics. Known for its high-end features, Kajabi is tailored for professionals ready to scale their knowledge business.
Kajabi’s “pipelines” allow you to create fully automated sales funnels, complete with email sequences and upsells. It also supports subscriptions, podcasts, and mobile app access. The visual editor for pages and automation flows adds to the ease of use, despite the learning curve.
Pros Cons
Best For: Coaches, consultants, and businesses with a budget for a premium platform offering deep integrations and marketing tools.
2. Gumroad
Overview: Gumroad (Top 10 Best Online Course Creator) stands out as a minimalist yet powerful platform for selling digital goods, including courses. It’s highly favored by independent creators due to its no-fuss setup and direct-to-audience approach. With a clean interface and low learning curve, users can upload and sell their products within minutes.
It supports various file types, offers flexible pricing models (including pay-what-you-want), and handles taxes and VAT, which is a major plus for global sellers. Gumroad doesn’t lock you into a rigid course structure, making it a flexible solution for those offering simpler or self-paced content.
Pros Cons
Best For: Freelancers, artists, and indie creators looking to monetize knowledge or digital products quickly and efficiently.
3. Podia
Overview: Podia (Top 10 Best Online Course Creator) is a robust all-in-one platform designed for creators who want to offer online courses, digital downloads, webinars, and membership subscriptions. The platform removes the need for plugins or third-party integrations by including email marketing, product pages, and payment processing within its ecosystem.
Podia also allows you to host live events via Zoom integration and pre-sell courses to test market interest. Its user interface is modern and streamlined, making it accessible even to beginners, while also supporting affiliate marketing to expand course reach.
Pros Cons
Best For: Coaches, educators, and digital marketers who want to launch and manage multiple products from a single platform.
4. Systeme.io
Overview: Systeme.io (Top 10 Best Online Course Creator) is a budget-friendly, all-in-one marketing platform that covers course hosting, funnels, email marketing, and automation. Designed as an affordable alternative to Kajabi or ClickFunnels, it packs essential tools without the complexity or cost.
You can build an entire business within Systeme.io, including running affiliate programs and membership sites. Its automation workflows are simple yet powerful, and the built-in templates make launching courses quick and painless.
Pros Cons
Best For: Beginners, solopreneurs, and budget-conscious marketers looking for an affordable all-in-one platform.
5. Thinkific
Overview: Thinkific (Top 10 Best Online Course Creator) is an educator-friendly platform offering a scalable solution for course creators of all sizes. With a strong focus on course structure and student experience, it provides detailed customization options, quizzes, assignments, and drip content scheduling.
It’s particularly valuable for institutions and professionals needing compliance-ready learning tools. Thinkific integrates with hundreds of tools through Zapier and supports a free plan, making it an attractive entry point.
Pros Cons
Best For: Academic institutions, trainers, and creators who prioritize structured, scalable course delivery.
6. LearnWorlds
Overview: LearnWorlds (Top 10 Best Online Course Creator) specializes in learner engagement with advanced educational tools. The platform includes interactive video, assessments, SCORM uploads, and certifications, making it ideal for formal training programs.
It allows deep customization, including custom domains, white labeling, and user roles. LearnWorlds also excels in analytics, offering insights into learner behavior, course performance, and sales.
Pros Cons
Best For: Educational organizations and corporate trainers aiming to offer immersive learning experiences.
7. MailerLite
Overview: MailerLite (Top 10 Best Online Course Creator) is primarily known for email marketing, but its new course creation functionality lets users host basic courses alongside robust automation and landing page features. While not a dedicated LMS, it’s a valuable option for those already using MailerLite to manage their mailing lists.
It supports paid content, membership access, and email drip campaigns. For creators with limited needs or looking to supplement email-based courses, MailerLite offers a seamless extension of existing marketing efforts.
Pros Cons
Best For: Email marketers and solo entrepreneurs who want to deliver light educational content via an existing platform.
8. Mighty Networks
Overview: Mighty Networks (Top 10 Best Online Course Creator) is a community-first platform where courses live alongside vibrant member discussions. It’s ideal for creators looking to foster engagement through group chats, events, and exclusive member content.
Courses are tightly integrated with community spaces, allowing peer learning and increased retention. Its mobile app ensures easy access and engagement on the go. Monetization is possible through subscriptions and paid memberships.
Pros Cons
Best For: Community builders, coaches, and influencers who want to combine learning with social interaction.
9. Learnyst
Overview: Learnyst (Top 10 Best Online Course Creator) offers a white-label course platform specifically tailored for the Indian market. It supports a wide range of Indian payment gateways, multilingual content, and GST-compliant invoicing.
The platform lets educators create their own branded apps and websites. Features include test creation, student analytics, drip scheduling, and mock exams—ideal for competitive exam coaching.
Pros Cons
Best For: Indian educators and training centers looking for a localized, scalable e-learning solution.
10. Kartra
Overview: Kartra (Top 10 Best Online Course Creator) is a comprehensive business automation platform that includes course hosting, CRM, helpdesk, and video hosting. It shines with its marketing automation suite, allowing detailed tracking of user behavior and building conditional workflows.
The page builder and checkout system are highly customizable. With features like a calendar, affiliate management, and lead scoring, Kartra is more than a course platform—it’s a complete business management tool.
Pros Cons
Best For: Tech-savvy entrepreneurs and online business owners who want a unified system for courses, marketing, and sales.
Conclusion
Choosing the right Online Course Creator Platform depends on your specific needs, goals, and budget. Whether you’re a coach, a teacher, or a content creator, each of these platforms offers something unique. Evaluate your priorities—be it community-building, automation, pricing, or scalability—to find the platform that aligns best with your vision.
Summary Table: Online Course Creator Platform Comparison
| Platform | Best For | Key Strengths | Key Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kajabi | Coaches, consultants, businesses | Advanced marketing, all-in-one features | Expensive, learning curve |
| Gumroad | Indie creators, freelancers | Simple setup, flexible pricing | Basic course tools, limited analytics |
| Podia | Coaches, educators | No transaction fees, built-in tools | Limited design, fewer templates |
| Systeme.io | Budget-conscious entrepreneurs | Affordable, includes automation | Basic interface, limited customization |
| Thinkific | Trainers, institutions | Structured courses, custom branding | Fewer marketing tools |
| LearnWorlds | Corporate training, education | Interactive features, learner analytics | Complex setup, high pricing |
| MailerLite | Email-based educators | Easy automation, low cost | Not a full LMS |
| Mighty Networks | Community-driven learning | Integrated social features, mobile access | Basic course delivery |
| Learnyst | Indian educators, test prep | Localized payments, white-label options | UI could improve, regional limitations |
| Kartra | Online business owners | Full business suite, deep integrations | High cost, steep learning curve |
