7+ Best Online Course Platforms for Instructors

Are you an expert in your field looking to monetize your knowledge? If you are tired of splitting your revenue with marketplaces, it is time to find the best online course platforms for instructors.

The e-learning industry is booming. However, for serious coaches and educators, relying on basic sites is no longer enough. You need a dedicated Learning Management System (LMS) that gives you total control over your brand, your data, and your money.

In this guide, we will explore the top tools that empower you to build a profitable education business. Whether you are looking for Udemy alternatives for instructors or flexible WordPress solutions, we have you covered.

Why Instructors Are Leaving Marketplaces

Before we dive into the list, it is important to understand the shift in the market. Many new teachers start on marketplaces because they provide traffic. However, seasoned pros are moving toward the best online course platforms for instructors that offer independence.

Why? Because when you use a proprietary platform, you own the student data. You are not just a content creator; you are a business owner. This allows you to build a sales funnel, upsell coaching, and generate recurring revenue without paying a 50% commission fee to a third party.

If you are ready to build a real brand, here are the top platforms to consider.

1. LearnPress: The Best WordPress LMS for Value

For educators aiming to launch an online academy on a budget, LearnPress is widely recognized as the premier WordPress LMS for its exceptional versatility and cost-effectiveness. Frequently compared to Moodle for its robust capabilities, it is the trusted engine behind thousands of educational institutions worldwide.

Why it is the top choice: What makes LearnPress truly shine is its unbeatable value: the core plugin is entirely free, yet it possesses the horsepower to manage a full-scale university system. Engineered to be lightweight, it integrates seamlessly with virtually any WordPress design, though it performs best when paired with dedicated education themes. If you are searching for the best online course platforms for instructors who demand total control and ownership of their website, LearnPress is the ultimate solution.

Pros:

• AI Course Creator: Revolutionize your workflow by generating comprehensive course outlines, lessons, and quizzes in seconds. It is the perfect tool to overcome writer’s block and launch courses faster than ever.
• Smart AI Chatbot: Elevate student engagement by leveraging the power of WordPress LMS AI. This intelligent feature serves as a dedicated, 24/7 teaching assistant, instantly resolving learner queries and navigating them through course materials, ensuring seamless support without any manual intervention.
• Content Reusability: One of the smartest features is the ability to reuse lessons and quizzes across different courses. You do not need to recreate the same content twice; just build it once and assign it to multiple curriculums.
• Export/Import: If you manage multiple sites, LearnPress allows you to export your content to other WordPress sites easily.
• Monetization: Out of the box, it supports PayPal for selling courses. It also integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce, allowing you to use local payment gateways tailored to your region.
• Mobile App Integration: LearnPress supports mobile app connections, ensuring your students can learn on the go.

Cons

• Requires WordPress: You need a self-hosted WordPress site to use it (though this provides better control).
• Setup Curve: As a robust LMS, it may have a slight learning curve for absolute beginners compared to hosted solutions.

Pricing:

• Free: The core plugin is free to download and use forever.
• Pro Bundle: $299 for access to all premium add-ons like Certificates, Content Drip, and Gradebook.

For creators looking for zero-cost tools, LearnPress is the undisputed king of free online course platforms for beginners.

2. Thinkific: The Branding Powerhouse

When discussing the best online course platforms for instructors who value design but do not want to manage a WordPress site, Thinkific is a strong runner-up. It is widely considered one of the top white label online course platforms available today. Thinkific is designed to let you build a course business that looks and feels like your business, not theirs.

Pros:

• App Store: A massive library of third-party apps to extend functionality.

• Total Customization: You can modify the code to match your brand guidelines perfectly.

• Drip Content: Schedule your lessons to unlock over specific intervals. This keeps students from feeling overwhelmed and ensures they consume content in the correct order.

• Reliable Hosting: As a hosted solution, they handle security, updates, and maintenance for you.

Cons:

• No Email Marketing: Unlike some competitors, Thinkific does not have a built-in email marketing automation tool; you must integrate with Mailchimp or ConvertKit.

• Checkout Limitations: The checkout process is slightly less flexible for complex sales funnels compared to Kajabi.

Pricing:

• Free Plan: Available (limited courses).

• Basic: Starts at $36/month (billed annually).

• Start: $74/month for advanced features.

3. Kajabi: The All-in-One Marketing Beast

Kajabi is more than just a place to host videos; it is a complete business ecosystem. For many high-ticket coaches, Kajabi is arguably the best online course platform for instructors who hate integrating multiple software tools (the “Frankenstein” tech stack). It combines your website, courses, email marketing, and checkout into one dashboard.

Pros

• Pipelines (Sales Funnels): Pre-built templates for marketing campaigns that automate the journey from lead to sale.
• Integrated Email: Replace your email service provider with Kajabi’s robust internal system.
• Mobile App: A fantastic, centralized mobile app for students to access your content.
• Community: Strong community features that rival Facebook groups.

Cons

• Price: It is significantly more expensive than Udemy alternatives for instructors like Teachable or Thinkific.
• Complexity: The sheer number of features can be overwhelming for those just wanting to sell a simple video course.

Pricing

• Basic: $119/month (billed annually).
• Growth: $159/month.
• Pro: $319/month.

4. Teachable: The User-Friendly Choice

Teachable has long been a favorite in the creator economy. It is frequently cited as one of the best online course platforms for instructors who are not tech-savvy but want to launch quickly. Their philosophy is to get you up and running in minutes, removing the technical barriers that often stop educators from starting.

Pros

• Ease of Use: An intuitive drag-and-drop course builder that requires zero coding skills.
• Tax Handling: Teachable collects and remits EU VAT automatically, which is a massive legal relief for global sellers.
• Affiliate Management: Built-in tools to let students or partners promote your course for a commission.
• Coaching Products: Dedicated tools to sell and book one-on-one coaching sessions.

Cons

• Transaction Fees: Their lower-tier plans charge transaction fees (1% – 10%) on top of the monthly subscription.
• Design Limits: Less design flexibility for your landing pages compared to Thinkific or LearnPress.

Pricing

• Pro: $119/month (0% transaction fees).

• Free Plan: $0/month + $1 & 10% fee per transaction.

• Basic: $39/month + 5% transaction fee.

5. LearnWorlds: Best for Interactive Learning

If your teaching style is highly interactive, LearnWorlds is the best online course platform for instructors focused on the learning experience. While other platforms focus heavily on sales, LearnWorlds focuses on pedagogy. It is ideal for schools or corporate trainers who need to ensure students are actually retaining information.

Pros

• Interactive Video: Add buttons, quizzes, and table of contents overlays directly inside your video player.
• Social Network: A built-in community engine that functions like a private social media feed for your school.
• SCORM Support: Essential for corporate training and compliance with industry standards.
• Mobile Builder: They offer a white-label mobile app builder (at an extra cost).

Cons

• Learning Curve: The backend interface is feature-rich but can feel cluttered compared to Podia.
• No Free Tier: Unlike LearnPress or Thinkific, there is no permanent free plan to test the waters.

Pricing

• Starter: $24/month + $5 fee per course sale.
• Pro Trainer: $79/month (No transaction fees).
• Learning Center: $249/month.

6. Podia: The Simple Solution for Digital Sellers

Podia positions itself as the “all-in-one storefront.” It is one of the best platforms to sell online courses, digital downloads, and webinars from a single dashboard. If Kajabi is the heavy-duty truck, Podia is the sleek sports car—fast, simple, and efficient.

Pros

• Simplicity: The cleanest interface on the market. perfect for solo creators.
• All-in-One: Sell courses, webinars, and digital downloads (ebooks, presets) side-by-side.
• No Transaction Fees: Even on their lower paid plans, they don’t take a cut of your revenue.
• Email Marketing: Basic email broadcasting is included.

Cons

• Limited Customization: You cannot change the layout or design of your course pages very much.
• No Graded Quizzes: Lacks advanced student engagement features like graded assessments or certificates on lower plans.

Pricing

• Shaker: $75/month.

• Free: 8% transaction fee.

• Mover: $33/month.

7. Mighty Networks: The Community-First Platform

Education is changing. Nowadays, students want connection as much as they want content. Mighty Networks is unique because it starts as a community platform (like a private Facebook group) and adds courses on top. It is the best online course platform for instructors who prioritize group dynamics over static video lessons.

Pros

• Community Engine: The best-in-class features for activity feeds, member profiles, and subgroups.
• Recurring Revenue: Excellent tools for building paid memberships where content is updated regularly.
• Events: Built-in event management for Zoom calls and live streams.
• Discovery: Helps members find each other based on location or interests.

Cons

• Course Features: The actual LMS part (quizzes, assignments) is weaker than LearnPress or Teachable.
• Video Hosting: You may need to pay extra or use third-party video hosting depending on the plan.

Pricing

• Community: $33/month.
• Courses: $99/month.
• Business: $179/month.

How to Choose the Right Platform

With so many options, how do you select the best online course platforms for instructors for your specific needs? Here are the criteria you should evaluate:

1. Monetization & Fees

Look at the transaction fees. Some platforms charge $0 monthly but take 10% of your sales. Others, like LearnPress (via WooCommerce), allow you to use your own payment gateways to minimize fees. This is a key factor when looking for the best platforms to sell online courses.

2. Branding Control

Do you want to be the face of your business? Look for white label online course platforms. If you know WordPress, LearnPress offers the ultimate “white label” experience because you own the code.

3. Marketing Features

Do you already have an email list? If not, choose a platform with built-in email marketing and landing page builders. While Kajabi is great for this, LearnPress plugins can also turn your site into a marketing machine.