Choosing a Platform to Sell Online Language Courses, by Cost
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Picking where to host a language course is mostly a cost question at first: a monthly plan price, a cut taken from each sale, and card or PayPal fees on top. This article compares three platforms using only what each vendor’s pricing page states, and it flags the gaps. Kajabi, LearnWorlds and Udemy are not covered here.
Entry-level plans at a glance
| Platform | Entry plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing | Platform fee on sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable | Starter | $39/month | $29/month | 7.5% on Starter |
| Thinkific | Start | €107/month | €79/month | Not stated per plan on the vendor’s page |
| Podia | Mover | $49/month | $42/month ($504/yr) | 5% on Mover |
Thinkific is priced in euros and the other two in dollars, so the figures are not directly comparable without a currency conversion, which we have not done. Because of that mix, and because Thinkific’s per-plan sales cut is not stated, we do not rank these three on price.
Teachable
On the vendor’s pricing page, Teachable’s Starter plan is $39/month on monthly billing and $29/month on annual billing. The Builder plan is $89/month monthly versus $69/month annually.
Starter takes a 7.5% transaction fee. On Builder and Growth the fee is 0% when you use Teachable Payments. That 0% is not the whole cost: payment-processing fees are separate and still apply. The page lists U.S. cards at 2.9% + 30¢, international cards at 3.9% + 30¢, U.S. PayPal at 3.49% + 49¢, international PayPal at 4.99% + 49¢, and $15 for each chargeback. Taxes are also separate from the platform fee, though tax handling (U.S. sales tax and global VAT/GST) is listed as included.
Other points from the page:
- There is no free plan.
- The page is inconsistent on trials. The plan cards and FAQ describe a 7-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, while a promotional pop-up mentions a 30-day trial. Check the current terms before signing up.
- Video storage is up to 1TB on Starter through Growth.
- Drip content is included on all listed plans.
Thinkific
Thinkific’s Start plan is €107/month on monthly billing and €79/month on annual billing. Thinkific offers a 30-day free trial on every plan, and there is no free plan.
For payments, Thinkific Payments has standard processing of 2.9%, and customers using it do not pay a separate third-party gateway fee. If you use Stripe or PayPal instead, a gateway fee applies that varies by plan, on top of the standard Stripe or PayPal fees. The vendor’s page does not state the transaction-fee percentage for each plan, and it does not state a refund policy.
For teaching, the Start plan lists 200 GB/month of video bandwidth. Zoom meetings and webinars are included on all plans, and Start includes unlimited Zoom sessions. The page mentions only “automated sales tax solutions”, so VAT handling is not stated.
Podia
Podia’s Mover plan is $49/month on monthly billing and $42/month on annual billing, which the page lists as $504/yr. Podia charges a 5% fee on Mover. The Shaker and Earthquaker plans carry no Podia transaction fee, but that does not remove other costs: Stripe or PayPal still charge a standard 2.9% + 30¢, which may vary by location, and taxes are separate.
Podia has a 14-day free trial with no card required. Refunds are available within 72 hours of the most recent payment, and annual plans do not get partial refunds. The pricing page lists “Events (Live & In-person)” but does not describe live webinars or classes in detail, does not state drip content, and mentions “Sales tax (230 countries)” without addressing VAT.
What matters for language courses
Language courses are usually video- and practice-heavy, so these sourced points are the relevant ones:
- Video volume: Teachable states up to 1TB of storage. Thinkific states 200 GB/month of video bandwidth on Start. These are different measures (storage versus monthly bandwidth), so they cannot be compared directly. Podia’s page does not give a video limit in the material we reviewed.
- Live conversation practice: Thinkific explicitly includes Zoom sessions, with unlimited sessions on Start. Teachable’s page mentions coaching only as a product type, without live-class details. Podia lists events but gives no detail.
- Lesson pacing: Teachable includes drip content. Podia’s page does not state it, and Thinkific’s is not covered in what we reviewed.
- Selling to buyers abroad: Teachable lists global VAT/GST handling. Thinkific and Podia pages do not state VAT handling. International card fees on Teachable are higher than U.S. card fees, which matters if most of your learners are outside the U.S.
Who it suits, and who should look elsewhere
Teachable suits sellers who want drip lessons, a large storage allowance and stated VAT/GST handling. Its Starter plan takes 7.5% of sales, so higher-volume sellers should look at the plans with a 0% fee, remembering the processing fees above.
Thinkific suits teachers who plan regular live Zoom lessons alongside recorded material, and who want a long trial. Its downsides are the euro pricing, the unstated per-plan sales cut and the unstated refund policy.
Podia suits those who want a short, card-free trial and a simple structure. Look elsewhere if you need confirmed drip content, detailed live-class features or stated VAT handling, since its page does not state them.
None of these platforms is a free option. If you need a no-cost start, none of the three fits.
What we could not verify
- Teachable live classes (coaching is mentioned only as a product type) and per-plan video limits beyond the 1TB figure.
- Thinkific’s refund policy, VAT handling and per-plan transaction fee.
- Podia’s drip content, live webinar or class details, and VAT handling.
- Any vendor outside these three.
Prices and terms change, so confirm them on each vendor’s pricing page before buying. Figures here were last verified on 2026-10-27.