Which course or funnel platform is cheapest in 2026?

Systeme.io is the only major platform with a permanent free plan (2,000 contacts, 3 funnels, 1 course, 0% transaction fees). Among paid-only platforms, Thinkific starts lowest ($54/mo, $40/mo annual), followed by Teachable ($39/mo entry with a 7.5% transaction fee), ClickFunnels ($97/mo), Kajabi ($179/mo), and GoHighLevel ($97/mo, agency-oriented). All prices verified September 2026.

Which platforms charge transaction fees on sales?

Teachable charges 7.5% per sale on its entry Basic plan (0% on Growth/Pro tiers). Systeme.io charges 0% on every plan including free. Kajabi, Thinkific, ClickFunnels, and GoHighLevel do not advertise per-sale transaction fees on their standard plans, though payment-processor fees (~2.9% + $0.30) apply everywhere.

Independent resource · All prices verified 2026-09-07/08 from official pricing pages · Not affiliated with any platform listed

Course & Funnel Platform Pricing Compared (2026)

Five major platforms, every number below verified from official pricing pages this week — plus a free interactive calculator for each, so you can run the math at your volume instead of guessing from list prices.

The verified comparison table

Platform	Entry price	Top tier listed	Transaction fees	Free plan?	Best for
Systeme.io	$0 (permanent free plan)	$97/mo	0% on all plans	Yes — permanent (2,000 contacts, 3 funnels, 1 course)	Solo founders, budget-conscious, simple stacks
Thinkific	$54/mo ($40 annual)	$219/mo ($164 annual)	None advertised	Trial only at check date	Course-delivery polish, brand-focused creators
Teachable	$39/mo ($29 annual)	$189/mo	7.5% per sale on Basic (0% on Growth $89/Pro $189)	No (7-day trial)	Polished course hosting with existing audience
ClickFunnels	$97/mo ($81 annual)	$297/mo ($248 annual)	None advertised	No (14-day trial)	Funnel-heavy businesses, complex funnels
Kajabi	$179/mo ($143 annual)	$499/mo ($399 annual)	None advertised	No	Premium all-in-one, established brands
GoHighLevel	$97/mo ($970/yr)	$497/mo + add-ons	None advertised (add-ons $29–$97/sub-account)	No (14-day trial)	Agencies managing client sub-accounts

Sources: systeme.io, thinkific.com, teachable.com, clickfunnels.com, kajabi.com, gohighlevel.com — all fetched 2026-09-07/08. Payment-processor fees (~2.9% + $0.30/sale) apply on every platform and are excluded from these figures. Prices change; verify before purchasing.

Run the math at your volume

Teachable fee calculator — what the 7.5% fee costs at your sales volume
Thinkific plan calculator — tier fit + annual-billing savings
Kajabi switching worksheet — migration cost math at your contact count
ClickFunnels pricing worksheet — usage-based overpay check
GoHighLevel cost calculator — agency vs solo cost profile

How to read this honestly: cheapest is not best. Thinkific and Teachable win on course polish; ClickFunnels on funnel depth; GoHighLevel for agencies; Kajabi for premium bundling. Systeme.io wins on price and bundling breadth, with simpler individual tools. The calculators exist precisely because the right answer depends on your volume and usage — not on the list price.

Three patterns worth knowing

The fee trap: entry tiers sometimes carry per-sale fees (Teachable Basic: 7.5%). A $79/mo plan with 0% fees can beat a $39/mo plan with 7.5% once you sell enough — the fee calculator shows your crossover.
The bundle premium: Kajabi and GoHighLevel charge $179–$497 for depth and bundling. Rational if you use the depth; expensive if you need a fraction of it.
The free-plan asymmetry: Systeme.io is the only permanent free plan in this group. For validating a first offer, that's a genuine differentiator — with real limits (1 course, 3 funnels, 2,000 contacts).

Decide with your whole stack in view

Software Cost Calculator — compare your complete tool stack, not one platform.
Full platform comparisons — feature-level breakdowns.
Systeme.io free plan guide — the real limits, honestly stated.

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Also free: What software you actually need · All decision tools

FAQ

Which platform is cheapest in 2026? Systeme.io (permanent free plan; paid from $17/mo). Among paid-only: Thinkific $54/mo entry, Teachable $39/mo entry but with a 7.5% per-sale fee, ClickFunnels and GoHighLevel $97/mo, Kajabi $179/mo. Verified Sept 2026.

Which platforms charge per-sale transaction fees? Teachable Basic (7.5% per sale; 0% on higher tiers). Systeme.io: 0% on all plans. Others: none advertised on standard plans; payment-processor fees (~2.9% + $0.30) apply everywhere.

Affiliate disclosure: links to systeme.webbistry.com may earn us a commission if you sign up through them, at no cost to you. This does not influence the comparison — every platform's strengths and the cases to stay on each are stated plainly. Prices verified 2026-09-07/08; confirm on official pages before purchasing.