Transaction fees are a percentage of every sale that goes straight to your platform instead of your pocket. This guide covers which course platforms charge zero transaction fees, on exactly which plans, and what you will still pay no matter where you sell.
What Transaction Fees, Processor Fees, and Gateway Fees Actually Mean
These three terms get mixed up constantly, so let's define them clearly before comparing platforms.
Transaction fee: An extra percentage your course platform charges on top of payment processing. This is the fee you can avoid by choosing the right platform or plan.
Payment processor fee: A fee charged by companies like Stripe or PayPal for handling the actual card transaction. Every platform passes this cost to you, and it is unavoidable regardless of which platform you use.
Gateway fee: A fee some platforms add when you connect a third-party payment processor instead of using their native payment system. Thinkific is the clearest example of this structure.
When a platform advertises "0% transaction fees," it means the platform itself takes no additional cut. You still pay processor fees on every sale. That distinction matters a lot when you are reading pricing pages.
Platform-by-Platform Fee Breakdown
Here is what each major platform actually charges, with links to their official pricing pages so you can verify every number yourself.
Teachery
Teachery charges 0% transaction fees on every plan, with no asterisks and no plan tiers that unlock the zero-fee rate. See Teachery pricing.
Monthly: $49/month
Annual: $470/year
Lifetime: $550 one-time payment
All three options include 0% Teachery transaction fees. You pay standard payment processor fees on top, but the platform never takes a percentage of your revenue.
Teachable
Teachable's fee structure depends heavily on which plan you choose. See Teachable pricing.
Starter: $39/month with a 7.5% transaction fee
Builder: $89/month, 0% base transaction fee
Growth: $189/month, 0% base transaction fee
Advanced: $399/month, 0% base transaction fee
The 0% rate on Builder and above is listed as a base rate subject to payment and usage terms, so review those terms before assuming the rate applies in every scenario.
Podia
Podia's transaction fees also depend on your plan. See Podia pricing.
Mover: $49/month or approximately $42/month on an annual plan, with a 5% transaction fee
Shaker: $99/month or approximately $84/month annually, 0% Podia transaction fee
Earthquaker: $179/month or approximately $150/month annually, 0% Podia transaction fee
If you are on Mover and selling $3,000 per month, you are handing over $150 every month in platform fees alone, before processor costs. Moving to Shaker eliminates that entirely.
Thinkific
Thinkific uses a gateway fee model rather than a straightforward transaction fee. See Thinkific fee details.
Using Thinkific Payments: no added gateway fee
Using a third-party gateway on Basic: 5% gateway fee (in supported countries)
Using a third-party gateway on Start: 2% gateway fee (in supported countries)
Using a third-party gateway on Grow: 1% gateway fee (in supported countries)
The practical takeaway: use Thinkific Payments and you avoid the gateway fee entirely. Use a third-party processor and the fee depends on your plan and country.
Kajabi
Kajabi states no revenue sharing on any plan. However, payment processing and provider-dependent fees can still apply depending on how you collect payments. See Kajabi pricing. Kajabi's plans start at a significantly higher price point than the other platforms on this list, so factor that monthly cost into any comparison.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
Platform | Plan | Monthly Cost | Platform Fee | Condition for 0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Teachery | All plans | $49/mo or $470/yr or $550 lifetime | 0% | No condition required |
Teachable | Starter | $39/mo | 7.5% | N/A |
Teachable | Builder+ | $89/mo+ | 0% base | Builder plan or above; subject to payment and usage terms |
Podia | Mover | $49/mo or ~$42/mo annual | 5% | N/A |
Podia | Shaker+ | $99/mo or ~$84/mo annual | 0% | Shaker plan or above |
Thinkific | Any paid plan | Varies by plan | 0% gateway fee | Must use Thinkific Payments; third-party gateways incur 1-5% depending on plan and country |
Kajabi | All plans | Higher price point | No revenue share | Provider-dependent processing fees may apply |
Why the Transaction Fee Math Matters
Monthly plan costs get most of the attention when creators compare platforms, but transaction fees scale with your revenue. The more you earn, the more they cost.
At $5,000 in monthly course sales, a 5% transaction fee costs $250 per month, or $3,000 per year. That is separate from your monthly platform subscription. Choosing a plan without a transaction fee at that revenue level easily offsets a higher monthly plan cost.
At $10,000 per month, that same 5% fee becomes $6,000 per year. Transaction fees do not stay flat the way a monthly subscription does. They grow directly with your success.
Payment processor fees, by contrast, are unavoidable. Stripe, PayPal, and similar processors charge their own per-transaction rates regardless of which platform you use. When comparing platforms, always separate what the platform charges from what the processor charges. Only the platform fee is something your platform choice can eliminate.
When Each Platform Makes Sense
Choose Teachery if:
You want 0% transaction fees without needing to qualify for a specific plan
Design customization and brand control matter to your course experience
You want to eliminate recurring platform costs with the $550 lifetime option
You prefer a focused, straightforward tool over an all-in-one suite
See Teachery pricing and the lifetime deal.
Choose Teachable Builder or above if:
You need Teachable's specific student engagement or compliance features
You are already on Teachable and the Builder plan cost is justified by your current revenue
You are not on Starter, since the 7.5% fee makes that plan expensive at any meaningful revenue level
Choose Podia Shaker or above if:
You sell a mix of courses, downloads, and memberships and want them in one place
You can justify the higher plan cost relative to your revenue and the 5% fee you would otherwise pay on Mover
Choose Thinkific if:
You want built-in community tools and live lesson capabilities
You are comfortable using Thinkific Payments to avoid gateway fees
You need advanced student engagement features like assignments and quizzes
Choose Kajabi if:
You want email marketing, funnels, a website builder, and course hosting all in one platform
You will actively use those additional tools, making the higher monthly cost reasonable
You do not need a lifetime payment option and prefer an integrated all-in-one workflow
Decision Checklist Before You Choose a Platform
Work through this before signing up anywhere.
What is your expected monthly revenue? If it is over $1,000/month, transaction fees on lower-tier plans will likely cost more than upgrading.
Does the 0% fee require a specific plan? Confirm which plan unlocks the zero rate. On Teachable it is Builder. On Podia it is Shaker. On Thinkific it requires using Thinkific Payments.
Are you using a third-party payment processor? On Thinkific, that choice alone can add 1-5% in gateway fees depending on your plan.
Do you need email marketing and funnels built in? If yes, Kajabi bundles those. If you already have those tools, you may be paying for redundancy.
How long do you plan to run courses? A lifetime platform deal becomes more valuable the longer your business runs.
Do you want design control over your course pages? Platforms differ significantly in how much you can customize the look of your courses.
Have you checked the official pricing page for the plan you intend to use? Always verify fees directly with the platform before committing.
The Processor Fee Everyone Pays
No matter which platform you pick, payment processor fees apply to every transaction. These are charged by Stripe, PayPal, or whichever processor your platform uses, and they are separate from anything the platform charges.
When you see a platform advertise 0% transaction fees, that refers only to the platform's own cut. Processor fees are a cost of accepting card payments online, not a platform policy decision. Budget for them regardless of which platform you use.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a transaction fee and a payment processor fee?
A transaction fee is an additional percentage your course platform charges on top of standard payment processing. A payment processor fee is charged by companies like Stripe or PayPal for handling card transactions. Every platform passes processor fees to you. Transaction fees are the platform's own cut, and those are what you can eliminate by choosing the right platform or plan.
Which course platforms charge 0% transaction fees in 2026?
Teachery charges 0% on all plans with no qualifying condition. Teachable charges 0% on Builder, Growth, and Advanced plans, subject to payment and usage terms, but 7.5% on Starter. Podia charges 0% on Shaker and Earthquaker but 5% on Mover. Thinkific charges no gateway fee when you use Thinkific Payments; third-party gateways add 5%, 2%, or 1% depending on your plan and country. Kajabi states no revenue sharing on any plan, though provider-dependent processing fees can apply. See Teachery pricing, Teachable pricing, Podia pricing, Thinkific fee details, and Kajabi pricing to verify.
Does Thinkific really charge 0% transaction fees?
Thinkific does not charge an added gateway fee when you use Thinkific Payments. If you connect a third-party payment gateway, a gateway fee applies: 5% on Basic, 2% on Start, or 1% on Grow, in supported countries. The zero-fee outcome depends entirely on which payment method you use, not just which plan you are on.
Is Teachery's lifetime deal worth it compared to monthly platforms?
Teachery's lifetime deal costs $550 as a one-time payment and includes 0% transaction fees on all plans. Whether it is worth it depends on how long you plan to sell courses and what monthly platform costs you would otherwise pay. Teachery also offers $49/month and $470/year options if you prefer not to pay upfront. Compare all Teachery plans here.
What Transaction Fees, Processor Fees, and Gateway Fees Actually Mean
These three terms get mixed up constantly, so let's define them clearly before comparing platforms.
Transaction fee: An extra percentage your course platform charges on top of payment processing. This is the fee you can avoid by choosing the right platform or plan.
Payment processor fee: A fee charged by companies like Stripe or PayPal for handling the actual card transaction. Every platform passes this cost to you, and it is unavoidable regardless of which platform you use.
Gateway fee: A fee some platforms add when you connect a third-party payment processor instead of using their native payment system. Thinkific is the clearest example of this structure.
When a platform advertises "0% transaction fees," it means the platform itself takes no additional cut. You still pay processor fees on every sale. That distinction matters a lot when you are reading pricing pages.
Platform-by-Platform Fee Breakdown
Here is what each major platform actually charges, with links to their official pricing pages so you can verify every number yourself.
Teachery
Teachery charges 0% transaction fees on every plan, with no asterisks and no plan tiers that unlock the zero-fee rate. See Teachery pricing.
Monthly: $49/month
Annual: $470/year
Lifetime: $550 one-time payment
All three options include 0% Teachery transaction fees. You pay standard payment processor fees on top, but the platform never takes a percentage of your revenue.
Teachable
Teachable's fee structure depends heavily on which plan you choose. See Teachable pricing.
Starter: $39/month with a 7.5% transaction fee
Builder: $89/month, 0% base transaction fee
Growth: $189/month, 0% base transaction fee
Advanced: $399/month, 0% base transaction fee
The 0% rate on Builder and above is listed as a base rate subject to payment and usage terms, so review those terms before assuming the rate applies in every scenario.
Podia
Podia's transaction fees also depend on your plan. See Podia pricing.
Mover: $49/month or approximately $42/month on an annual plan, with a 5% transaction fee
Shaker: $99/month or approximately $84/month annually, 0% Podia transaction fee
Earthquaker: $179/month or approximately $150/month annually, 0% Podia transaction fee
If you are on Mover and selling $3,000 per month, you are handing over $150 every month in platform fees alone, before processor costs. Moving to Shaker eliminates that entirely.
Thinkific
Thinkific uses a gateway fee model rather than a straightforward transaction fee. See Thinkific fee details.
Using Thinkific Payments: no added gateway fee
Using a third-party gateway on Basic: 5% gateway fee (in supported countries)
Using a third-party gateway on Start: 2% gateway fee (in supported countries)
Using a third-party gateway on Grow: 1% gateway fee (in supported countries)
The practical takeaway: use Thinkific Payments and you avoid the gateway fee entirely. Use a third-party processor and the fee depends on your plan and country.
Kajabi
Kajabi states no revenue sharing on any plan. However, payment processing and provider-dependent fees can still apply depending on how you collect payments. See Kajabi pricing. Kajabi's plans start at a significantly higher price point than the other platforms on this list, so factor that monthly cost into any comparison.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
Platform | Plan | Monthly Cost | Platform Fee | Condition for 0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Teachery | All plans | $49/mo or $470/yr or $550 lifetime | 0% | No condition required |
Teachable | Starter | $39/mo | 7.5% | N/A |
Teachable | Builder+ | $89/mo+ | 0% base | Builder plan or above; subject to payment and usage terms |
Podia | Mover | $49/mo or ~$42/mo annual | 5% | N/A |
Podia | Shaker+ | $99/mo or ~$84/mo annual | 0% | Shaker plan or above |
Thinkific | Any paid plan | Varies by plan | 0% gateway fee | Must use Thinkific Payments; third-party gateways incur 1-5% depending on plan and country |
Kajabi | All plans | Higher price point | No revenue share | Provider-dependent processing fees may apply |
Why the Transaction Fee Math Matters
Monthly plan costs get most of the attention when creators compare platforms, but transaction fees scale with your revenue. The more you earn, the more they cost.
At $5,000 in monthly course sales, a 5% transaction fee costs $250 per month, or $3,000 per year. That is separate from your monthly platform subscription. Choosing a plan without a transaction fee at that revenue level easily offsets a higher monthly plan cost.
At $10,000 per month, that same 5% fee becomes $6,000 per year. Transaction fees do not stay flat the way a monthly subscription does. They grow directly with your success.
Payment processor fees, by contrast, are unavoidable. Stripe, PayPal, and similar processors charge their own per-transaction rates regardless of which platform you use. When comparing platforms, always separate what the platform charges from what the processor charges. Only the platform fee is something your platform choice can eliminate.
When Each Platform Makes Sense
Choose Teachery if:
You want 0% transaction fees without needing to qualify for a specific plan
Design customization and brand control matter to your course experience
You want to eliminate recurring platform costs with the $550 lifetime option
You prefer a focused, straightforward tool over an all-in-one suite
See Teachery pricing and the lifetime deal.
Choose Teachable Builder or above if:
You need Teachable's specific student engagement or compliance features
You are already on Teachable and the Builder plan cost is justified by your current revenue
You are not on Starter, since the 7.5% fee makes that plan expensive at any meaningful revenue level
Choose Podia Shaker or above if:
You sell a mix of courses, downloads, and memberships and want them in one place
You can justify the higher plan cost relative to your revenue and the 5% fee you would otherwise pay on Mover
Choose Thinkific if:
You want built-in community tools and live lesson capabilities
You are comfortable using Thinkific Payments to avoid gateway fees
You need advanced student engagement features like assignments and quizzes
Choose Kajabi if:
You want email marketing, funnels, a website builder, and course hosting all in one platform
You will actively use those additional tools, making the higher monthly cost reasonable
You do not need a lifetime payment option and prefer an integrated all-in-one workflow
Decision Checklist Before You Choose a Platform
Work through this before signing up anywhere.
What is your expected monthly revenue? If it is over $1,000/month, transaction fees on lower-tier plans will likely cost more than upgrading.
Does the 0% fee require a specific plan? Confirm which plan unlocks the zero rate. On Teachable it is Builder. On Podia it is Shaker. On Thinkific it requires using Thinkific Payments.
Are you using a third-party payment processor? On Thinkific, that choice alone can add 1-5% in gateway fees depending on your plan.
Do you need email marketing and funnels built in? If yes, Kajabi bundles those. If you already have those tools, you may be paying for redundancy.
How long do you plan to run courses? A lifetime platform deal becomes more valuable the longer your business runs.
Do you want design control over your course pages? Platforms differ significantly in how much you can customize the look of your courses.
Have you checked the official pricing page for the plan you intend to use? Always verify fees directly with the platform before committing.
The Processor Fee Everyone Pays
No matter which platform you pick, payment processor fees apply to every transaction. These are charged by Stripe, PayPal, or whichever processor your platform uses, and they are separate from anything the platform charges.
When you see a platform advertise 0% transaction fees, that refers only to the platform's own cut. Processor fees are a cost of accepting card payments online, not a platform policy decision. Budget for them regardless of which platform you use.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a transaction fee and a payment processor fee?
A transaction fee is an additional percentage your course platform charges on top of standard payment processing. A payment processor fee is charged by companies like Stripe or PayPal for handling card transactions. Every platform passes processor fees to you. Transaction fees are the platform's own cut, and those are what you can eliminate by choosing the right platform or plan.
Which course platforms charge 0% transaction fees in 2026?
Teachery charges 0% on all plans with no qualifying condition. Teachable charges 0% on Builder, Growth, and Advanced plans, subject to payment and usage terms, but 7.5% on Starter. Podia charges 0% on Shaker and Earthquaker but 5% on Mover. Thinkific charges no gateway fee when you use Thinkific Payments; third-party gateways add 5%, 2%, or 1% depending on your plan and country. Kajabi states no revenue sharing on any plan, though provider-dependent processing fees can apply. See Teachery pricing, Teachable pricing, Podia pricing, Thinkific fee details, and Kajabi pricing to verify.
Does Thinkific really charge 0% transaction fees?
Thinkific does not charge an added gateway fee when you use Thinkific Payments. If you connect a third-party payment gateway, a gateway fee applies: 5% on Basic, 2% on Start, or 1% on Grow, in supported countries. The zero-fee outcome depends entirely on which payment method you use, not just which plan you are on.
Is Teachery's lifetime deal worth it compared to monthly platforms?
Teachery's lifetime deal costs $550 as a one-time payment and includes 0% transaction fees on all plans. Whether it is worth it depends on how long you plan to sell courses and what monthly platform costs you would otherwise pay. Teachery also offers $49/month and $470/year options if you prefer not to pay upfront. Compare all Teachery plans here.
