Compare course platforms
Compare Knola with
every major course platform.
Prices, fees and features for 10 course platforms, side by side. Every price comes from the platform’s own pricing page, checked 24 Sept 2026.
The short answer
Which course platform should you choose?
If you only read one part of this page, read this.
- Most course platforms charge you every month, whether you sell anything or not, and most still leave the recording to you.
- Knola is one payment (from $97). It drafts your course, turns lessons into slides and narrated video lessons, makes ebooks, and writes the sales page and checkout. Already made your course? Upload it and host it yourself: the AI is optional. Pay once and your course stays online.
- Choose a community platform such as Skool or Circle if members mainly pay for the community. Choose an all-in-one such as Kajabi if you want email marketing in the same monthly plan. Choose Knola if you want to build and sell a course without a monthly bill.
Every platform, side by side
Filter by what you need. Tap a platform to see the full comparison.
Showing 11 of 11 platforms
| Platform | Starts at | How you pay | No monthly fee | AI builds the course | Narrated video | Sales pages + funnels | Community | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KnolaBuilding and selling a course without a monthly bill | $97 once | One payment0% with your own checkout | ||||||
| KajabiCourses, email and community in one plan | $179/mo | Monthly0% on Kajabi Payments | vs Kajabi | |||||
| SkoolPaid communities with courses on the side | $9/mo + 10% | Monthly10% on Hobby, 2.9% on Pro (incl. card fees) | vs Skool | |||||
| Stan StoreSelling simple products from social media | $29/mo | Monthly0% (card and payout fees apply) | vs Stan Store | |||||
| ThinkificTeam training, group sales and communities | $54/mo | Monthly0% on Thinkific Payments | vs Thinkific | |||||
| TeachableCourses with native student mobile apps | $39/mo | Monthly7.5% on Starter, 0% above | vs Teachable | |||||
| ThriveCartAdvanced checkout, affiliates and sales tax | $47/mo | Monthly, or $495 lifetime0.35–0.5% tax fee on new accounts | vs ThriveCart | |||||
| MoodleSchools and training teams with IT support | $170/yr (MoodleCloud) | Free software you host, or yearly hosting0% (payment gateway fees only) | vs Moodle | |||||
| CirclePaid communities with courses inside | $89/mo (billed yearly) | Monthly or yearly subscription2% on Professional | vs Circle | |||||
| PodiaSimple all-in-one: email, community, store | $49/mo + 5% | Monthly5% on Mover, 0% above | vs Podia | |||||
| LearnWorldsTraining companies needing SCORM | $29/mo + $5 a sale | Monthly$5 per sale on Starter, 0% above | vs LearnWorlds |
Entry prices are the cheapest paid plan, billed monthly where the platform publishes a monthly price, from each platform’s own pricing page, checked 24 Sept 2026. Card processing fees apply on every platform and are not included.
The AI is optional
Already made your course? Just host it on Knola.
The AI is there when you want it, never required. Bring the course you built, arrange it your way and sell it, for the same one-time fee.
- Upload your own videos, PDFs and files
- Write and arrange every lesson yourself in the editor
- Add quizzes, certificates and drip release
- Sell it with a checkout, order bumps and upsells
- Pay once and your course stays online.
Compare Knola with each platform
- Knola vs KajabiKajabi: courses, email and community in one plan. $179/mo, monthly.The Kajabi alternative
- Knola vs SkoolSkool: paid communities with courses on the side. $9/mo + 10%, monthly.The Skool alternative
- Knola vs Stan StoreStan Store: selling simple products from social media. $29/mo, monthly.The Stan Store alternative
- Knola vs ThinkificThinkific: team training, group sales and communities. $54/mo, monthly.The Thinkific alternative
- Knola vs TeachableTeachable: courses with native student mobile apps. $39/mo, monthly.The Teachable alternative
- Knola vs ThriveCartThriveCart: advanced checkout, affiliates and sales tax. $47/mo, monthly, or $495 lifetime.The ThriveCart alternative
- Knola vs MoodleMoodle: schools and training teams with it support. $170/yr (MoodleCloud), free software you host, or yearly hosting.The Moodle alternative
- Knola vs CircleCircle: paid communities with courses inside. $89/mo (billed yearly), monthly or yearly subscription.The Circle alternative
- Knola vs PodiaPodia: simple all-in-one: email, community, store. $49/mo + 5%, monthly.The Podia alternative
- Knola vs LearnWorldsLearnWorlds: training companies needing scorm. $29/mo + $5 a sale, monthly.The LearnWorlds alternative
- Course platforms with no monthly feeEvery one-time and lifetime option we could find, compared.See the one-time options
Questions about choosing a course platform
What is the cheapest course platform?
It depends on how long you keep it. Paid entry plans on the platforms we compared run from $9 a month (plus 10% of every sale) to $179 a month, and the bill keeps coming whether you sell anything or not. Knola is a one-time payment of $97 for Solo or $197 for Studio, so within a year it usually costs less than a monthly plan.
Is there a course platform with no monthly fee?
Yes. Knola is a one-time licence: pay once and your course stays online, with no monthly fee to keep it there. A few others sell one-time or lifetime options too; we compare them on our no-monthly-fee page.
Which course platform uses AI to build the whole course?
Several platforms have AI for outlines and lesson text. Knola drafts the whole course from your notes, turns each lesson into slides with a speaker script, and narrates them into video lessons in an AI voice or your own. You bring the knowledge; Knola builds everything around it.
Do I have to use Knola’s AI?
No. The AI is there when you want it, never required. If you have already made your course, upload your videos, PDFs and files, write and arrange the lessons yourself, add quizzes and certificates, and sell it with Knola’s checkout. It is the same one-time licence: pay once and your course stays online.
Which course platform is best for beginners?
Pick the one that does the most of the work you find hardest. If recording videos and writing sales pages is what stops you, Knola does both for you. If you mainly want a community, a platform like Skool or Circle fits better.
Our promise
Pay once and your course stays online.
No monthly fee to keep it there. That is the whole deal.
- One paymentSolo $97 or Studio $197. No monthly bill, whether you sell or not.
- Your course stays onlineWe don’t take courses down from people who paid for a licence.
- Your work is never locked inExport your content as PDF, HTML or Markdown at any time.
- 30-day money-back guaranteeIf Knola is not for you, tell us within 30 days and we refund every penny.