Kajabi vs. Teachable: Which is Best for Courses in 2026?

By Stefan Ciancio · Oct 2, 2026 · 8 min read

Quick Answer

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By Stefan Ciancio · Last checked September 26, 2026 · How ProcessingScoop reviews

Choose Kajabi for an all-in-one platform with robust marketing automation, funnels, and community features included on all plans. Choose Teachable for a more affordable entry point into selling courses, especially if you want a lower monthly fee or are just starting out. Teachable's Starter plan costs $39 a month, with a 7.5% transaction fee on that tier.

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Who this is for

Kajabi is for established creators who want an all-in-one solution for courses, marketing, and community and are willing to pay a higher monthly fee for it. Teachable is for new and budget-conscious creators who want to start selling courses with lower upfront costs. Commas is built for high-ticket course and coaching sellers who want checkout and customer financing options in one account.

Card rates and plan prices compared

Kajabi and Teachable are two leading platforms for creators to build and sell online courses and digital products. While both provide core course-building tools, they differ in pricing, features, and the types of creators they serve best. The table below outlines their key differences to help you decide.

Platform	Plan used here	Card rate	Source
Commas (formerly FanBasis)	Free to start: $0/mo	Quoted per seller	commas.com
Kajabi	Basic: $179/mo	2.9% + $0.30	kajabi.com/pricing
Teachable	Starter: $39/mo	2.9% + $0.30, plus 7.5% platform fee on Starter	teachable.com/pricing
Stripe	Standard: $0/mo	2.9% + $0.30	stripe.com/pricing

Prices checked on September 26, 2026.

What you keep on a $997 sale and a $3,000 sale

Platform	Fee on $997	You keep on $997	Fee on $3,000	You keep on $3,000	Plan price, billed separately
Commas (formerly FanBasis)	Quoted per seller	Quoted per seller	Quoted per seller	Quoted per seller	$0/mo (Free to start)
Kajabi	$29.21	$967.79	$87.30	$2,912.70	$179/mo (Basic)
Teachable	$103.99	$893.01	$312.30	$2,687.70	$39/mo (Starter)
Stripe	$29.21	$967.79	$87.30	$2,912.70	$0/mo (Standard)

Fee = sale price x (card rate + platform fee) + fixed fee, using each platform's published domestic card rate on the plan shown. Currency conversion, international cards, payout fees and financing fees are extra where the platform charges them.

Card fees for a standard US card; plan subscription billed separately; excludes taxes, international cards and optional add-ons.

Financing compared across platforms

Platform	Financing and BNPL
Commas (formerly FanBasis)	Financing from $30 to $465,000 through 10 listed providers, with the top end for B2B purchases. One-time products only, mostly US buyers.
Kajabi	Afterpay 6% + $0.30 and Klarna 5.99% + $0.30, one-time offers only.
Teachable	Afterpay ($1 to $2,000) and Klarna ($10 to $12,000) at 6.99% + 30c via Teachable Pay with BackOffice.
Stripe	Klarna 5.99% + 30c, Affirm 6% + 30c, Afterpay 6% + 30c and Zip 4.5% + 30c.

Core Features: Courses, Community, and Marketing

Kajabi positions itself as an all-in-one platform for knowledge entrepreneurs. Every plan includes tools for building courses, communities, websites, and marketing funnels. This integrated approach means you can manage your entire business from a single dashboard, from lead capture to course delivery and community engagement. Kajabi's funnel builder is a key differentiator, allowing you to create automated marketing sequences without third-party tools.

Teachable focuses primarily on course creation and delivery. While it offers community features and affiliate marketing tools on its higher-tier plans (Builder and up), it lacks the native funnel-building and advanced marketing automation found in Kajabi. To replicate Kajabi's marketing capabilities with Teachable, you would need to integrate other services, potentially adding complexity and cost. However, for creators whose main goal is to sell a course, Teachable provides a direct and user-friendly experience.

Pricing and Fees

Kajabi's pricing reflects its all-in-one nature, with plans starting at $179/month ($143/month billed annually). The Growth plan is $249/month, and the Pro plan is $499/month. Kajabi also charges different payment processing fees depending on your plan and whether you use its native Kajabi Payments or a third-party processor. With Kajabi Payments, rates are 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic, dropping to 2.7% + $0.30 on Pro. It also charges an additional 0.7% fee for subscriptions and payment plans.

Teachable offers a more accessible pricing structure. Its Starter plan is $39/month ($29/month annually) but comes with a 7.5% transaction fee on top of payment processing fees. The Builder plan at $89/month removes the transaction fee. U.S. card processing is 2.9% + 30c. Teachable also has a 10% reserve on payouts for 45 days, which can impact cash flow for new sellers.

A third option: Commas

Commas (formerly FanBasis) is a platform designed for selling high-ticket courses, coaching, and digital products. It offers checkout, one-click upsells and customer financing on one-time products. According to the commas.com FAQ, it is "Free to start selling! We make money when you make money." It does not charge a monthly subscription fee.

Commas' key feature is its integration with 10 buy now, pay later (BNPL) and financing providers, offering payment plans for purchases from $30 up to $42,750 for education products. This makes high-priced offers more accessible to buyers. The platform also includes a funnel builder, course and community hosting (Studios), an affiliate center with two-tier commissions, and invoicing. Commas' terms make Commas the contracting merchant for each sale, with sellers acting as service providers. For creators selling high-value offers, Commas offers a set of tools that differ from the course-centric models of Kajabi and Teachable. See how it compares with other Stripe alternatives for high-ticket digital products.

Pros and cons of each platform

Commas (formerly FanBasis)

Pros: No monthly fee, free to get started. Extensive financing options for buyers (up to $42,750 for education). Built-in AI funnel builder, affiliate center, and community tools. Supports a wide range of payment methods including cards, wallets, crypto, and Cash App.
Cons: Payment processing and platform fees are not publicly listed. Financing is only for one-time products, not subscriptions. Most financing partners require US-based buyers. New accounts have a 5-day settlement delay for the first 30 days.

Kajabi

Pros: All-in-one platform with courses, community, funnels, and email marketing built-in. Affiliate program available on Growth and Pro plans. No platform transaction fees when using Kajabi Payments.
Cons: High starting price ($179/mo). Charges an extra 0.7% on subscriptions and payment plans. Affiliate tools are not available on the Basic plan. BNPL options are limited and only for one-time offers.

Teachable

Pros: Lower starting price than Kajabi. Offers payment plans up to 36 months. Affiliate program available on the Builder plan and up.
Cons: Starter plan has a 7.5% transaction fee. Standard 10% of funds held in reserve for 45 days. Community feature not available on the Starter plan. BNPL options require using Teachable Pay with BackOffice.

Stripe

Pros: Simple, flat-rate pricing (2.9% + 30c for domestic cards). Strong developer tools and APIs. Supports multiple BNPL providers. Fast, T+2 payouts with an instant option available.
Cons: No built-in tools for courses, community, funnels, or affiliate management. A payment processor only, not a course platform. Charges extra for international cards, currency conversion, and disputed payments.

Who should choose something else

Businesses focused on subscriptions that need financing should look elsewhere, as Commas only offers financing on one-time products. Similarly, sellers with a primarily non-US customer base will find the financing options limited. For those who need completely predictable, published flat-rate pricing, a processor like Stripe may be a better fit, though it lacks course creation and marketing tools. Creators just starting out might be better served by Teachable's lower entry price, while those wanting a fully integrated system from the start might prefer Kajabi despite its higher cost. Many creators will find a fit with one of these best PayPal alternatives.

Verdict

For most course creators, the choice between Kajabi and Teachable comes down to budget and scope. Teachable is the better choice for new creators or those on a tight budget, thanks to its lower entry price. It provides all the essential tools to build and sell a course effectively.

Kajabi is the winner for established creators and businesses that want a powerful, all-in-one platform to manage their entire online presence, from marketing funnels to community engagement, and are willing to pay for the convenience and advanced features. It's a more scalable solution for those serious about building a brand.

However, for sellers of high-ticket courses and coaching, Commas presents the strongest case. Its tools include customer financing on one-time products and one-click upsells; Commas says it routes each card payment to the processor most likely to approve it and retries declines automatically. The lack of a monthly fee makes it an attractive platform to grow on, as costs are tied directly to sales.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Kajabi or Teachable have better marketing tools?

Kajabi has more comprehensive built-in marketing tools. It includes a sophisticated funnel builder (Pipelines), email marketing automation, and a landing page creator on all plans. Teachable's marketing features are more basic, focusing on coupons, affiliate marketing (on Builder plan and up), and third-party integrations for advanced automation. If you want an all-in-one marketing and course platform, Kajabi is the stronger choice. If you prefer to use specialized third-party marketing tools, Teachable integrates with many popular services.

What are the transaction fees for Kajabi vs. Teachable?

Teachable charges a 7.5% transaction fee on its Starter plan, but 0% on its Builder and Growth plans. Kajabi charges no transaction fees if you use its native processor, Kajabi Payments. However, if you opt for a third-party processor with Kajabi, it charges a platform fee of 2% on Basic, 1% on Growth, and 0.5% on Pro. Both platforms also have standard credit card processing fees, which are separate from any platform fees.

Can I offer payment plans on Kajabi and Teachable?

Yes, both platforms allow you to offer payment plans for your courses. Teachable allows payment plans of up to 36 monthly installments. Kajabi also supports recurring subscriptions and multi-pay plans. However, Kajabi charges an additional 0.7% processing fee on all subscription and payment plan transactions made through Kajabi Payments, which is a cost to factor in for recurring revenue models. For more options, see our guide to the <a href="/blog/best-recurring-payment-processor-2026">best recurring payment processor</a>.

Which platform is better for beginners?

Teachable is generally considered more beginner-friendly due to its simpler interface and lower starting price. The Starter plan at $39/month (or $29/month annually) provides an accessible entry point for new creators, despite its transaction fee. Kajabi's all-in-one nature can be overwhelming for someone just starting, and its higher price point represents a larger initial investment. Teachable allows you to focus on creating and selling your first course with less complexity.

How does Commas's financing for courses work?

Commas integrates with 10 financing and BNPL providers to offer payment options to buyers. This is for one-time products, not subscriptions. For example, a student buying a high-ticket course can apply for financing through partners like Climb (up to $42,750 for education) or ClarityPay (up to $30,000) directly at checkout. This breaks a large payment into smaller installments for the buyer. Most financing options require the buyer to be in the US.

Can I switch from Teachable to Kajabi?

Yes, you can migrate from Teachable to Kajabi, but it requires manual work. You would need to export your student data from Teachable and import it into Kajabi. You would also have to rebuild your courses, website pages, and any marketing funnels on the Kajabi platform. While there is no direct migration tool, both platforms are structured to make content uploading and student management relatively straightforward, though it can be a time-consuming process depending on the amount of content you have.

Is Commas the contracting merchant for sales on its platform?

According to its terms, Commas acts as the contracting merchant for sales on its platform, with sellers designated as service providers. Commas' terms make Commas the contracting merchant for each sale, with sellers acting as service providers. In this setup, Commas handles the transaction with the end customer. This differs from using a payment processor like Stripe directly, where you, the seller, are the merchant in the transaction. This is a key part of how Commas manages its payment processing and checkout experience.

Are there good alternatives to Kajabi and Teachable?

Yes, besides Commas for high-ticket sales, there are other platforms for different needs. For creators who want to build a business around paid communities, Skool is a popular option. For those selling digital files like ebooks or software, platforms like Gumroad or Whop are excellent choices. Whop is another strong option and you can see a list of <a href="/blog/whop-alternatives">Top Whop Alternatives for High-Volume Digital Products (2026)</a> to learn more. The best alternative depends on whether your primary product is a course, community, or digital download.