Teachable dropped its free plan years ago, and the pricing structure in 2026 has a trap worth understanding before you sign up: the entry-level Starter plan still charges a 7.5% transaction fee on every single sale, on top of your subscription — a cost many first-time buyers don't notice until their first payout.
Teachable is a dedicated course hosting platform with a polished student experience, including native iOS and Android apps on every plan — a genuine differentiator from competitors that only offer mobile-optimized web pages.
Starter: $29/month billed annually — charges a 7.5% transaction fee on every sale on top of the subscription. On a $200 course, that's an extra $15 per sale.
Builder: $69/month billed annually — 0% Teachable platform fees, plus built-in affiliate marketing for your own courses.
Growth: $139/month billed annually — adds Zapier/webhook/API access, bulk student import, priority support.
Standard payment processing fees (2.9% + 30¢ for US cards, plus 1% for international) apply on every plan regardless of tier. Zapier integration and developer tools are locked behind Growth — Starter and Builder have neither, meaning you can't easily connect Teachable to your email list or CRM on the cheaper plans.
Native mobile apps for students on every plan, automatic U.S. sales tax and global VAT handling, unlimited video hosting, and course certificates included at every tier.
Pros: Native mobile apps genuinely improve the student experience over web-only competitors, automatic tax/VAT handling removes real administrative headache, 30-day money-back guarantee reduces trial risk.
Cons: Starter's 7.5% transaction fee is a real cost most buyers underestimate — Builder's $40/month jump often pays for itself past a few sales, no built-in email marketing or sales funnels (competitors like Kajabi include this), and Zapier/API access requiring Growth locks basic automation behind the priciest tier.
Creators dedicated to course hosting who want a polished student experience — mobile apps, automatic tax handling — and are prepared to run their own email marketing separately get the most value, especially once past Starter's transaction fee.
Kajabi bundles email marketing and funnels that Teachable lacks, at a higher starting price. Systeme.io undercuts Teachable significantly with zero transaction fees on every plan, including free, though with a less polished course-building interface.
Teachable earns its price for creators who value a professional student experience and are willing to pair it with separate email tools. Calculate your expected sales volume against the Starter transaction fee before choosing your tier — it's the detail most likely to surprise you on your first payout.
Starter: $29/month billed annually — charges a 7.5% transaction fee on every sale on top of the subscription. On a $200 course, that's an extra $15 per sale.
Builder: $69/month billed annually — 0% Teachable platform fees, plus built-in affiliate marketing for your own courses.
Growth: $139/month billed annually — adds Zapier/webhook/API access, bulk student import, priority support.
Native mobile apps for students on every plan, automatic U.S. sales tax and global VAT handling, unlimited video hosting, and course certificates included at every tier.
Creators dedicated to course hosting who want a polished student experience — mobile apps, automatic tax handling — and are prepared to run their own email marketing separately get the most value, especially once past Starter's transaction fee.
Pros: Native mobile apps genuinely improve the student experience over web-only competitors, automatic tax/VAT handling removes real administrative headache, 30-day money-back guarantee reduces trial risk.
Cons: Starter's 7.5% transaction fee is a real cost most buyers underestimate — Builder's $40/month jump often pays for itself past a few sales, no built-in email marketing or sales funnels (competitors like Kajabi include this), and Zapier/API access requiring Growth locks basic automation behind the priciest tier.
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