If you are just building your first digital course or considering switching course hosting platforms, there are many options out there for course creators. In this post, I’ll be comparing a few of the most popular digital course platforms so you can make a more informed decision about which one is right for you, your budget, and your business!

Learn

Learn from ThriveCart is an excellent option if you already use ThriveCart for your cart. The best part about Learn is that it’s easy to use, very customizable, and works seamlessly with your email marketing platform and with ThriveCart.

As an extra bonus, there is no monthly fee for ThriveCart, and Learn is included for free with your ThriveCart one-time purchase. It is a higher investment at first, but over time with no monthly fees, it makes a lot more sense cost-wise.

• Email Marketing ❌
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ✅

Podia

Podia is a pretty cost-effective option for course creators and is super easy to use. They have a powerful built-in membership option on their higher-up plans and a solid affiliate program setup for your digital products and courses.

• Email Marketing ✅
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅ (not a lot of customization options)
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ❌

Kajabi

Kajabi is a great all-in-one option, but it is also fairly pricey for newer course creators. Because Kajabi has many built-in features and extras, it can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming for people who aren’t necessarily technologically savvy.

• Email Marketing ✅
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ✅

New Zenler

New Zenler is a great Kajabi alternative that is also an all-in-one solution but might be a bit easier to use for anyone who struggles with tech. A great feature that New Zenler has is the ability to host live classes and live interactive webinars as well.

• Email Marketing ✅
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ✅

Kartra

Another similar all-in-one option and alternative is Kartra. They include a lot of features and can replace a lot of separate programs that you might be using now.

• Email Marketing ✅
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ✅

Teachable

Teachable is another popular course platform option. They don’t include email marketing abilities, but honestly, it’s better to keep that separate and use ConvertKit or ActiveCampaign anyway.

• Email Marketing ❌
• Affiliate Program ✅
• Landing Pages ✅
• Membership Option ✅
• Tripwires ❌

WordPress Course Platform Options:

An additional alternative is using a WordPress plug-in to build your course or membership site directly on your website. These options usually allow a lot more control over the design, but you do need to be a little WordPress savvy to do all of the technical setup and maintenance and the design side of things.

MemberPress, MemberVault, and AccessAlly are all excellent WordPress options.

No matter what digital course platform you choose, it’s important to make sure it will work for you, your product suite, and your business. However, don’t forget your client or student experience! Which platform will work the best for your students?