Best Online Course Builders

Over the last decade, online courses have become increasingly popular—and profitable.

With the growing availability of sophisticated learning management systems and digital technologies, the industry shows no sign of slowing down.

Additionally, since the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, participation in online education has skyrocketed—with over 100 million students enrolling in open online courses. 

Many entrepreneurs and professionals benefit from entering the e-learning industry, which researchers project will reach a net worth of $50 billion by 2026—but few know where to begin.

Anyone can develop a profitable online course with the right guidance and information. 

This guide to the best online course builders will help you select the best platform for your niche and budget, so you can start earning a passive income right away.

Best Online Course Builders of 2022 

Selling courses online is one of the most flexible and accessible ways to supplement—or replace—your income. 

Success in this field depends largely on the quality and flexibility of your digital course. 

To that end, choosing the best online course platform should be a crucial component of your business model.

Research suggests that the best learning management systems (LMS) are student-centered, offer easy access to resources and learning opportunities, prioritize accessibility, and optimize for asynchronous (not live) learning. 

The online course builders below leverage the above features to facilitate easy course creation and a seamless learning experience for your customers, allowing you to build—and scale—your profitable e-learning business.

1. Thinkific

Thinkific is one of the market’s most popular online course builders. 

Over 1.5 million users enroll on this course platform weekly— Thinkific caters to students across 190 countries.

With its accessible (and affordable) course creation software, beginner-friendly features, and quality marketing tools, Thinkific allows you to build and brand your website within minutes, launch profitable classes, track course sales metrics, and market your content.

Thinkific is an ideal course builder for beginners and those seeking to benefit from a wide range of functional and customizable features.

Thinkific Features

Thinkific is an extremely flexible learning management system. Its diverse, comprehensive features allow beginner and expert educators to build, launch, and market their courses with ease and ongoing support. 

Consider the following features.

A quality student experience – No matter your level of expertise, Thinkific ensures a smooth and comprehensive learning experience for your students. Your site will provide performance and tracking indicators, completion certificates, device optimization, and accessible navigation tools.

Accessible and flexible course builder – Thinkific’s course software empowers users to create quality lessons and courses from scratch. With Thinkific’s curriculum templates, you can create interactive videos, host webinars, offer quizzes and digital products, and more. 

Efficient automation features – Thinkific allows you to automate time-consuming aspects of your business, from communications to drip schedules.

Site Customization – Create your branded site within minutes. This platform allows you to build a membership site to cater to long-term customers or offer individual courses. Additionally, Thinkific allows you to create custom landing pages, enable eCommerce features, and use a free custom domain for your site.

Marketing tools – Thinkific also offers tools like SEO, retargeting, email integrations, upsells, bundles, coupons, free trials, and sales widgets to advertise your content. You can track important metrics like conversion rates and upsells.

Access to an exclusive community – Thinkific’s Studio for Online Course Creators Community is an invaluable resource for those seeking to extend their expertise and connect with other course creators.

Quality customer support and exclusive community – Thinkific offers multiple channels of customer support, including email, live chat, and phone calls. 

Additionally, you can take advantage of the website’s many resources and how-to guides in the help center.

Excellent security features – Thinkific prioritizes your data safety, so you can expect to benefit from 99.99% server uptime, free SSL certificates to encrypt and decrypt data, daily backups, and frequent software upgrades.

Thinkific Pros & Cons 

In addition to the above features, Thinkific offers many additional benefits. Consider the pros and cons of using Thinkific before making your decision.

Benefits of ThinkificDrawbacks of Thinkific
Benefits to using Thinkific includeImmediate access to funds Diverse payment methods and accepted currenciesAffiliate marketing options, which allow you to earn commission from advertising other sites or have other creators market yoursEasy integrations with third-party course softwareWhite label/branding options Drawback to using Thinkific include:Limited advanced functionalitiesFew quiz options beyond multiple choiceNo standard email marketing tool (though Thinkific enables integration with third-party email marketing software)

Thinkific Pricing

Thinkific offers several pricing plans depending on user needs.

  • The Free Plan allows you to access a basic course and website builder and offer free trials to prospective students.
  • The Basic Plan (from $39 a month) is perfect for entrepreneurs seeking to create multiple, fully-functioning courses.
  • The Pro Plan (from $79 a month) is ideal for medium-sized businesses seeking to use advanced customization and marketing tools.
  • The Premium Plan (from $399 a month) is for large e-learning institutions with several administrators.
Bottom Line: Should You Use Thinkific?
Thinkific pairs sophistication with simplicity, making it the perfect course platform for beginners and scalable businesses. Its advanced features are also adaptive for large institutions and education platforms.
For its various features, marketing and automation tools, site scalability, excellent customer service, and security features, Thinkific remains one of the best learning management systems available.

2. Kajabi

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for selling online courses and services. 

With Kajabi, you can create and customize a branded site, offer diverse products from live coaching to podcasts, build courses from quality templates, and use high-quality marketing and SEO tools. 

Although the website’s user interface takes some getting used to, Kajabi also offers the expert services of a qualified support team to guide you through the entire creation, sales, and marketing process.

Although Kajabi was initially designed for coaches, it has since evolved into a comprehensive learning platform for all online educators and service providers.

Kajabi Features

Kajabi is a one-stop shop for your business. 

In contrast with many similar services, Kajabi allows you to do everything in one place. Consider Kajabi’s many unique features below.

Comprehensive course builder – Your course builder is the core of your e-learning business. Kajabi’s quality course builder provides a basic curriculum structure that you can personalize to your heart’s content. Include videos, digital downloads, quizzes and assessments, and more.

Fully integrated platform – Kajabi markets itself as the only all-in-one platform for all your business, marketing, and sales needs. With this LMS, you won’t need to integrate with third-party software or juggle dozens of tabs to manage your e-learning business.

Kajabi allows you to maintain your online community, blog, podcast, and courses—all in the same place.

Scalable web builder – Kajabi’s website builder offers diverse templates for your needs and ensures that your website remains flexible and scalable to optimize growth. You can also fully brand your website and optimize for SEO through the platform.

Sophisticated marketing tools – From custom landing pages to quality funnels, Kajabi’s marketing tools optimize visibility and conversions. You can also easily build email marketing campaigns and capture contact information.

Sale features – Kajabi integrates with Stripe or Paypal and offers 1-click upsells, coupons and promotions, single price points and subscription fees, and payment plans to boost conversion rates.

Automations – Use one-click funnels, automated email campaigns and sequences, drip schedules, and streamlined purchase sequences to facilitate your business’s success.

Kajabi University – Kajabi University is a remarkable database of courses, webinars, and how-to guides that can teach you everything you need to know about business and marketing.

Highly responsive customer service: Kajabi offers 24/7 chat support, phone support, one-on-one coaching with Kajabi experts, and access to a helpful community of digital entrepreneurs.

Kajabi Pros & Cons 

Although Kajabi offers many benefits, there are several drawbacks to using this platform. Consider both before investing in a course platform.

Benefits of KajabiDrawbacks of Kajabi
Navigable user interface for teachers and students Embedded tools limiting the need for third-party integrations Offers live and asynchronous course optionsFlexibility and customization options for every brand Quality customer service Kajabi’s onboarding process lacks structure and requires patience to navigate.Inconsistent email deliverability 

Kajabi Pricing

Kajabi offers three pricing structures ranging from $119 to $315 a month. You can upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time without issue. 

Although Kajabi’s prices are higher than average, the company doesn’t charge transaction fees, which can save you money in the long run. 

  • Kajabi Basic Plan (from $119 a month): With this plan, you can offer three products, maintain 10,000 contacts, and include 1,000 members in your Kajabi community. 
  • Kajabi Growth Plan (from $159 a month): This plan allows users to create 15 products, maintain 25,000 contacts, and include 10,000 active members.
  • Kajabi Pro Plan (from $315 a month): This plan is best for larger institutions and allows you to create 100 products and maintain 100,000 contacts.
Bottom Line: Should You Use Kajabi?
Kajabi is an excellent resource for course creators and coaches for its functionality and customization options.
Choose Kajabi if you want an all-in-one service for your business and easy automation tools to maximize time efficiency.

3. Udemy

Udemy is a large-scale e-learning marketplace where education entrepreneurs can sell video courses on various topics.

Students can purchase individual classes, obtain a business subscription, and access an extensive content catalog.

Udemy is the best option for novice teachers and those seeking to earn additional income from online course creation. 

Udemy Features

As the most popular online learning management system in the market, Udemy caters to a wide range of professionals and entrepreneurs.

Although its offerings are more basic than other course platforms, you can benefit from a navigable user interface, basic course creation and promotion tools, and a wide array of resources for ambitious course creators.

Easiest and fastest course builder – Unlike other course builders, Udemy doesn’t require you to use a website. The course creation process is intuitive, and the platform offers a comprehensive onboarding structure to facilitate setup. 

Design and editing tools – Udemy’s course design and video editing tools allow you to produce visually appealing and marketable courses in no time. 

Quality student experience – There’s a reason so many people use Udemy. The platform is easily navigable for students, and users can access courses across many devices. Lessons consist of 30+ minute videos and additional digital resources, and students and teachers can communicate with the direct messaging tool.

Marketing Tools – Udemy’s Marketplace Insights tool allows you to gather and visualize important data and performance metrics to optimize your e-learning business.

The Udemy Teaching Center – This invaluable resource consists of articles, how-to guides, tips and tricks, and full-length lessons on everything from setting up your account to optimizing visibility and conversions. 

Affiliate Marketing options – Udemy makes it easy to partner with third-party websites or organizations, so you can promote their products and earn commission from each sale.

Unlimited courses and lessons – Unlike many similar course platforms, Udemy allows you to create as many courses as you want. The platform claims a fee on revenue and manages your taxes for you.

Udemy Pros and Cons 

Consider the following benefits and drawbacks to determine whether Udemy is the course platform for you and your following. 

Benefits of UdemyDrawbacks of Udemy
It’s a fast and easy way to get started Udemy’s Teaching Center offers answers to most questions.Many people already use Udemy, so you have access to a pre-existing database of clients.Unlike many other entrepreneurial platforms, Udemy offers tax management tools.Udemy maintains ownership of student data, so you can’t migrate your contacts onto a different platform.Using Udemy ensures that your students will also view your competitors’ courses, potentially driving down revenue. 

Udemy Pricing 

Udemy doesn’t charge content creators to sell their courses on the platform. 

However, the company uses an instructor revenue share model, which may reduce your profits.

Udemy claims that 3% of sales occur through instructor promotions and 63% of revenue on organic sales (sales with no affiliated coupon codes or referral links). 

Bottom Line: Should You Use Udemy?
You should use Udemy if you are new to the e-learning sector or if you have limited web design and course creation skills.
Udemy makes it incredibly easy to start and earn a profit immediately.
Just keep in mind that if and when you choose to scale your business,  you won’t be able to migrate your contacts and data.

4. Teachable

Teachable is an online course builder for entrepreneurs, content creators, and small online service providers.

The platform offers dozens of unique features, including a free version with paid-level benefits, easy integrations, immediate payouts, and more. 

Teachable’s main selling point is its flexibility and diversity of learning tools, which works best for those seeking customization options and multi-functional features.

This platform is cheaper than most, which ensures a high ROI for your e-learning business.

Teachable Features 

This platform offers more unique features than most—at an affordable pricing structure that maximizes your profits.

Consider the following features of Teachable.

Functional and customizable course builder – Teachable’s course builder allows you to create a website and select courses from the same accessible dashboard.

The drag-and-drop feature makes web design easy—even for total beginners—and teachers can offer multiple formats for learning, from live webinars to asynchronous courses. You can upload unlimited videos, files, quizzes, articles, and more. 

Student-friendly environment: Teachable prioritize the student experience, so you can benefit from a wide range of scheduling and communication tools to streamline enrollment. Additionally, Teachable offers completion certificates which act as a student incentive.

Affiliate marketing tools – Course creators can use affiliate marketing tools to promote other teachers and earn a commission on their sales or promote their courses on other creators’ websites.

Functional marketing tools – Teachable allows you to create quality course landing pages and integrate instant payout methods like Stripe and Paypal. Additionally, you can embed one-click upsells, bundle your courses together and offer them at a discounted price, and set up promotions to entice new or existing students.

Award-winning support – Teachable’s expert support team offers 24/7 phone and live chat support. Additionally, the website boasts a broad knowledge base and FAQ section to answer all of your immediate questions.

Teachable U – Teachable also offers an online training platform for teachers with paid plans. You can learn business, course creation, and content-specific skills and hacks across various formats, including live and recorded webinars, video lessons, articles, and more.

Teachable Pros & Cons 

Consider the following benefits and drawbacks of Teachable to determine if it will work for you.

Benefits of TeachableDrawbacks of Teachable
Teachable offers unlimited lessons, video bandwidth, and students on all paid plans.Teachable’s flexible payments feature allows you to offer multiple pricing structures.Teachable’s online forums are jam-packed with information.Teachable integrates easily with most common third-party software, from Google Analytics to Zapier.Teachable doesn’t offer phone supportTeachable is relatively inaccessible to foreign and multi-lingual users, and the platform is not ideal for non-U.S. currencies.

Teachable Pricing

Teachable offers four different pricing structures.

  • The Free Plan allows you to host unlimited students and create unlimited courses. You will, however, incur higher transaction fees than you would with a paid plan.
  • The Basic Plan ($39 a month) enables automation features, coupon codes and bundle options, marketing tools, and a private community feature.
  • The Pro Plan ($119 a month) offers advanced marketing features and no transaction fees.
  • The Business Plan ($299 a month) is best for larger enterprises (up to 20 administrators) and offers bulk enrollments and advanced customization features.
Bottom Line: Should You Use Teachable?
Teachable is an ideal resource for U.S.-based content creators seeking to create and sell courses within North America.
Additionally, Teachable is perfect for those seeking extensive customer support and numerous training and professional development options.

5. Skool

Skool is an all-in-one course builder and community management system for coaches, educators, and e-learning entrepreneurs. 

The Skool platform is easy for teachers and students, offers customization options to optimize engagement, visibility, and sales, and provides quality onboarding and continued support to set up the basics in under an hour.  

Skool is the brainchild of online entrepreneur Sam Ovens and proposes to resolve many of the challenges and gaps posed by alternative online course builders. 

Skool Features 

Skool is a brand-new software service for course creators, so its quality features are impressive, given its relatively recent emergence on the e-learning scene.

Additionally, Skool offers several unique features designed to eliminate the challenges associated with traditional platforms.

Course creation tool: Skool makes course creation simple with a pre-configured curriculum template that allows you to upload a video, description, links and files, and a transcript to each module. Skool does not offer embedded video hosting or sophisticated assessment tools.

Skool community management – Skool markets itself as a “course and community” tool, so your community is the centerpiece of your business on this platform.

With Skool, you can build a personalized community, post quality content, and engage directly with members.

Gamification features – Among Skool’s most unique features is the gamification tool, which allows you to award points to community members for posting and engaging. Users can also earn direct recognition from frequent engagement, boosting your organic marketing visibility.

Calendar integration – Skool has a unique calendar feature that allows you to display upcoming calls, webinars, and coaching sessions which convert to your members’ time zones.

Skool Pros & Cons 

There are several benefits and drawbacks to using Skool. Consider the following before making your decision.

Benefits of SkoolDrawbacks of Skool
Skool boasts a simple and navigable user interface for teachers and students.Skool offers a 14-day free trial.Skool’s community features facilitate interaction and organic marketing.The unique gamification tool incentivizes users to access the platform.With Skool will need to use third-party video conferencing and calendar tools.There is no live chat support on Skool.There is one pricing tier, and it’s relatively expensive.

Skool Pricing 

Skool offers a 14-day free trial, during which you can use all of the platform’s sophisticated features.

Only one pricing structure is available through Skool, costing $99 a month.

Bottom Line: Should You Use Skool?
Skool is an excellent tool for classroom teachers and online educators seeking to develop a community around their brand.
With an easy-to-use learning management system, interactive components, and a community-oriented structure, Skool facilitates relationship-building and student loyalty.

6. Podia

Podia is an all-in-one platform like Kajabi and Teachable that emphasizes the content creator’s experience.

With affordable pricing and flexible features, Podia is an ideal course-building solution for coaches, digital educators, and online service professionals. 

Podia offers easy third-party integrations and marketing tools to scale your business.

Podia Features 

Podia brings affordability and accessibility to an otherwise expensive market.

Consider the following features of Podia before making your investment.

Easy and fast course builder – Podia’s course builder allows you to develop your website and course offerings within minutes. You can upload videos, PDFs, and course materials directly to the platform and offer digital downloads, webinars, and coaching sessions in the same place.

Unlimited courses and products – With Podia, you can create as many products and courses as you wish. Additionally, you receive unlimited bandwidth and storage space for all your data and content.

Easy and flexible integrations – Podia allows you to integrate several email service providers, payment portals, and data analysis tools.

No transaction fees – With your paid Podia membership, you won’t have to pay transaction fees on any of your revenue. Many other platforms charge transaction fees, so this is an advantage.

Pre-launch mode – Unlike many similar services, Podia allows you to build your courses and set up your website before investing in a pricing package. You can thus focus on marketing and boosting your brand’s visibility without worrying about incurring charges.

Built-in learning features – Podia offers quizzes and certificates that you can hand out to your students.

Affiliate marketing program – With advanced pricing plans, you can develop an affiliate marketing program and capitalize on your contacts to generate buzz around your brand.

Podia Pros & Cons 

There are several benefits to using Podia, but you should also consider the platform’s drawbacks for the best results.

Benefits of PodiaDrawbacks of Podia
Podia is straightforward to use for creators and students.Podia is optimal for beginners and offers relatively comprehensive support.Diverse integrations and payout methods are available through Podia.Pre-configurations and templates make it easy to launch your courses fast.Podia allows you to bundle your offers and create membership plans. Podia does not offer a free plan, though pre-launch mode will allow you to save money.Podia offers few customization features and no email personalization tools.Podia does not have a mobile app.

Podia Pricing 

Podia offers four pricing structures.

  • The Free plan charges 8% transaction fees and allows you to use the most basic features.
  • The Mover plan ($33 a month) does not charge transaction fees; you can access unlimited downloads, coaching, and courses.
  • The Shaker plan ($75 a month) offers affiliate marketing programs.
  • The Earthquaker plan ($166 a month) offers everything, including onboarding calls, priority support, and monthly coaching.
Bottom Line: Should You Use Podia?
Podia is the best platform for those seeking an all-in-one course-building solution with easy integrations and affordable pricing structures.
It is an excellent alternative to pricier platforms and prioritizes the creator experience to ensure a rapid learning curve.

7. Learnworlds

Learnworlds is a lesser-known online course builder—but it offers many of the same features as other platforms.

Learnworlds’ main selling point is its interactive video feature, which allows you to create and edit high-quality, engaging videos to appeal to your learners. Still, the platform also enables tons of unique learning activities that aren’t available elsewhere. 

Learnworlds Features

Learnworlds offers many specialized features ideal for online educators and digital entrepreneurs.

Consider the following top features of Learnworlds.

Comprehensive course builder – Creating your first course with Learnworlds is easy. Choose from dozens of learning tools and templates to begin with. Create interactive videos with interactive videos, questions, polls, embedded quizzes, and more. 

Embedded video hosting – You can host webinars or hold coaching sessions directly on the platform or integrate your preferred third-party video conferencing software.

Unique learning tools – With Learnworlds, you can offer diverse learning experiences to your students. Learnworlds allows you to embed videos, audio, forms, quizzes, certificates, exams, assignments, slide sharing, and more.

Networking tools – Learnworlds allows you to build a community around your brand and allow your members to connect. A social-first learning experience is critical for those seeking to teach professional skills and entrepreneurial ventures.

Creator resources – Learnworlds offers question banks to help you design your assessments, and you can get help from an expert support team at any time through chat, phone, or email. Learnworlds also hosts a blog, frequent training, and free eBooks and checklists to guide you through the course creation process.

Learnworlds Pros & Cons

Before investing in Learnworlds, consider the following pros and cons. 

Benefits of LearnworldsDrawbacks of Learnworlds
The platform is affordable and offers many complementary resources.The interactive video feature is unique and promotes engagement.Learnworlds offers a 30-day free trial.Learnworlds runs regular updates and offers frequent promotions.Create complete courses with Learnworlds.Cheaper payment plans do not include 24/7 customer support access.The company still needs to iron out glitches on the platform. 

Learnworlds Pricing 

Learnworlds offers four pricing plans.

Additionally, you can benefit from their 30-day trial to test the product before you invest.

  • The Starter plan ($24 a month) is for novice course creators and offers limited support options.
  • The Pro Trainer ($79 a month) is for professional trainers and offers most of the features you need to create a successful e-learning business.
  • The Learning Center ($249 a month) nixes transaction fees and offers unlimited, 24/7 support.
  • High volume & corporate plans are available by request.
Bottom Line: Should You Use Learnworlds?
Learnworlds is an excellent and affordable alternative to many pricier programs, and its social-centric structure is ideal for businesses that rely on engagement and networking.
You should use Learnworlds if you teach business or marketing-related content or if you want to prioritize engagement and interactivity in your courses.

8. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a social-centric online community and course-building platform.

This platform is cloud-based and prioritizes communication, engagement, and data protection, so you can harness the power of social networks without worrying about compromising your personal and customer information.  

Mighty Networks is ideal for creators who prioritize their online communities and wish to develop a loyal client base.

Mighty Networks Features 

Mighty Networks is an online community platform first, so its unique features will help you optimize your brand’s digital interactive space.

Consider the following features of Mighty Networks.

Cloud-based community builder – Your network is the heart of your Mighty Networks business. You can set and control privacy settings, create sub-groups within your community, and publish across various formats. You can also create polls and questions within your community to harness feedback and generate buzz around your products.

Easy course creator – Mighty Networks offers an accessible course creation tool that allows you to drag and drop curriculum elements. You can add up to 25 MB of files and embed videos through third-party platforms like Vimeo. 

Automation features – With Mighty Networks, you can enable drip schedules to ensure your learners complete only the required sections. Additionally, Mighty Networks creates automatic landing pages for your courses. You can also automate invites and cancel a membership if a payment fails. 

Membership site features – Mighty Networks is a membership platform, so the platform makes it easy to collect passive income from your following. Members can personalize key features of their accounts, join subgroups, and connect directly.

Flexible payment options – You can choose to charge for access to your community, access to sub-groups, and course enrollment. 

Mobile app – The Mighty Networks mobile app allows you to manage your business and community on the go, which is ideal for traveling entrepreneurs and professionals. The platform is also optimized on the student end for mobile and tablet access.

Mighty Networks Pros & Cons 

There are several key differences between Mighty Networks and other similar course platforms. Consider the following. 

Benefits of Mighty NetworksDrawbacks of Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is an excellent alternative to Facebook groups since it offers many unique and useful features.The online course builder is straightforward to use and prioritizes engagement.Membership features make automation and payments easy.This platform allows you to track engagement metrics easilyMighty Networks doesn’t offer built-in video hosting or recording tools.The basic plan does not allow you to create courses—you have to upgrade to a Business Plan. 

MightyNetworks Pricing 

Mighty Networks offers three pricing structures. 

Additionally, you can benefit from a two-month free trial, which is far longer than most other platforms allow. 

  • The Community Plan ($39 a month) offers a website and paid membership options.
  • The Business Plan ($119 a month) is best for established businesses seeking to offer courses and enable analytics.
  • The Mighty Pro Plan (varies) is ideal for larger institutions seeking customizable payment structures.
Bottom Line: Should You Use Mighty Networks?
Mighty Networks is a top-quality resource for brands seeking to develop loyal and connective followings.
Use Mighty Networks if your area of expertise centers around networking and engagement with your client base.

9. Kartra

For most business owners, marketing can pose a challenge.

The marketing field is always changing and evolving; unless you’re a marketing professional, it probably isn’t your area of expertise.

Kartra is an all-in-one sales and marketing platform allowing you to build, sell, and promote your digital products seamlessly. 

The platform offers many crucial features for entrepreneurs and business owners seeking marketing solutions.  

Kartra Features

Kartra is an excellent resource for marketing and sales optimization. Its many features focus on promoting your brand, products, and website and improving engagement and visibility. 

Page and site builder – Kartra allows you to build pages around your products and design a basic website to house your brand. The page builder is not sophisticated enough for an established business but will support a strong membership site.

Customizable settings – Kartra allows you to optimize for keywords and search engine results. You can also generate tracking codes, tags, and more. Kartra also allows you to enable redirects to other sites and landing pages.

Customer relationship management – Since Kartra prioritizes marketing features, it has a comprehensive CRM feature that allows you to manage and organize your contacts and leads, driving conversions.

Membership options – Kartra is primarily for membership sites, so you can easily set up recurring payments and membership features within the platform. You can also serve digital downloads and products on your site.

Easy and functional integrations: Kartra integrates with third-party payment portals and marketing tools like PayPal, Stripe, Zapier, Kajabi, OptimizePress, and more.

Funnels – Like Kajabi, Kartra allows you to create sales funnels and optimize them with automation tools. This minimizes the need for time-consuming funnel creation and ensures your learners end up where you want them to.

Easy course creation – Kartra’s course builder uses a drag-and-drop model to facilitate design and function. Additionally, you can enable automation and marketing tools directly in the platform to effectively promote your course offerings.

Kartra Pros & Cons 

There are several benefits and drawbacks to using Kartra. Consider them below.

Benefits of KartraDrawbacks of Kartra
Unique marketing features and SEO tools.Easy to use, all-in-one platformEnables embedded video hosting and data analysis capabilities.Offers quality pre-configured resources and templates.Integrates with an array of third-party software and websites.The course builder only has basic functionalities and isn’t ideal for difficult courses.Kartra is primarily a marketing tool and lacks other platforms’ support and customization options.

Kartra Pricing 

Kartra offers a $1 free trial. The free trial period only lasts two weeks, but you can invest in one of several pricing packages after that.

Bottom Line: Should You Use Kartra?
Kartra is ideal for business owners and entrepreneurs seeking marketing capabilities for their courses. 
Although this platform does not offer the best course builder in the market, its marketing tools and features are unparalleled. 
Use Kartra if you struggle with the sales and marketing aspects of your e-learning business.

How To Choose Your Online Course Builder

The best platform for your business is one you will use. 

Ultimately, accessibility matters—for both you and your student base. If your platform is challenging to navigate or inaccessible in specific markets, this will considerably limit your engagement (and revenue).

Additionally, consider the following considerations to select the best online course platform for your business or brand.

Learning Experience 

If your focus is course creation, choose a platform that allows you to customize and diversify your course offerings to your heart’s content.

Consider which tools you may need to deliver your content effectively. For example, pick a course builder with embedded video hosting and audio editing features if you teach voice lessons.

Affordability 

Choose a course platform that aligns with your budget. If you are spending more than you are making from your platform, it’s not worth the investment. 

Consider complementary products and features to determine which platform will generate the highest return on your investment.

Additionally, decide whether or not you want a platform that charges transaction fees or membership fees since this will affect your profits.

Free Trials and Pre-Launch Options

If you are beginning your course creation journey, consider selecting a service offering a free trial or pre-launch design options.

If you aren’t making money, you shouldn’t incur a charge.

Functionality 

Your choice should hinge mainly on the functions you need to make your business work.

For example, if you work in a field that prioritizes networking, choose a course builder that prioritizes community-building and engagement, like Mighty Networks.

Additionally, consider which features you may need in the future. If you plan on scaling your business, choose a platform that allows complete courses and students. 

Marketing Tools

Marketing is an essential element of any successful business, and you want a platform that will enable you to promote your products effectively.

If you have some marketing understanding, choose a platform that allows marketing tools and analytics. If you don’t, choose a managed approach from a platform like Katra.

Additionally, consider choosing a platform that supports affiliate marketing so that you can benefit from organic engagement.

Community Features

Social networking is an increasingly important aspect of online education. Consider a platform that allows you to develop a rich community around your brand, engage with learners, and facilitate interactions among your members.

If you want to generate passive income, consider using a platform that enables membership fees and facilitates recurring payments.

Creator Support Options

For course creators in general (and beginners in particular), customer support is a crucial feature.

Building, launching, and promoting an online course requires a certain degree of expertise. If you don’t personally have experience in this area, consider leveraging the skills of others by choosing a platform that offers multiple avenues of customer support, online communities, and learning databases.


Conclusion 

Choosing the best online course creator for your services can be overwhelming. With this guide at your disposal, you can choose based on well-researched characteristics and the particular features of your business or brand.

Remember that creating courses online is an art that requires patience and practice—if you aren’t successful right away, keep learning and keep going.


Frequently Asked Questions

Consider our most commonly asked questions below.

What is the best online course builder?

The best online course builder is one that adapts to your specific needs. Choose an affordable option like Udemy if you are just getting started, or select a platform that prioritizes course creation, like Teachable.

What is the best free online education platform?

Udemy is the best free online course builder, though the company charges transaction fees on each purchase.

How should I choose my online course builder?

Choose your course creation platform based on your business’s unique characteristics, budget, and current following or customer base.

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James Edge

James Edge

James is on a mission to uncover the greatest study guides and prep courses to ensure you pass your exam on your first attempt. He has personally assessed hundreds of study materials and developed courses himself.

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