Teachable pricing 2026: the hidden cost of the 5% transaction fee
Teachable's pricing looks competitive at first glance: a free plan, a $59/month Basic, and Pro tiers at $159 and $249. But the Basic plan charges a 5% transaction fee on every sale — and that fee fundamentally changes the math. At $3,000/month in revenue, Teachable Basic costs $209/month total ($59 subscription + $150 in fees). Thinkific Basic costs $49/month total with zero fees. That's $160/month more for Teachable on identical revenue. Here's the full breakdown so you can see exactly where Teachable's pricing works, where it doesn't, and when alternatives save you real money.
The 4 Teachable plans (March 2026)
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per mo) | Transaction Fee | Courses | Students | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | — | $1 + 10% | 1 | 10 | 1 course, 10 students, basic course builder. Testing only. |
| Basic | $59/mo | $39/mo | 5% | Unlimited | Unlimited | Custom domain, coupons, email tool (basic), 2 admin seats. |
| Pro | $159/mo | $119/mo | 0% | Unlimited | Unlimited | Everything Basic + 0% fees, certificates, affiliate program, live chat support, 5 admin seats. |
| Pro+ | $249/mo | $199/mo | 0% | Unlimited | Unlimited | Everything Pro + custom user roles, priority support, 20 admin seats. |
The transaction fee problem: what Teachable Basic actually costs
The 5% transaction fee on Teachable Basic is on top of Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 — meaning your total processing cost per sale is ~7.9% + $0.30. On a $97 course, that's $7.96 ($4.85 to Teachable + $3.11 to Stripe). Compare with Thinkific Basic where the same sale costs $3.11 total (Stripe only, 0% platform fee).
| Monthly Revenue | Teachable Basic Total Cost | Thinkific Basic Total Cost | You Overpay on Teachable |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500/mo | $59 + $25 fees = $84 | $49 | $35/mo |
| $1,000/mo | $59 + $50 = $109 | $49 | $60/mo |
| $3,000/mo | $59 + $150 = $209 | $49 | $160/mo |
| $5,000/mo | $59 + $250 = $309 | $49 | $260/mo |
| $10,000/mo | $59 + $500 = $559 | $49 | $510/mo |
The crossover point where Teachable Pro makes sense: At approximately $2,000/month in revenue, Teachable Basic's fees ($100) plus the subscription ($59) total $159 — exactly the price of the Pro plan with 0% fees. If you're consistently above $2,000/month, upgrade to Pro immediately. If you're below $2,000/month, you shouldn't be on Teachable Basic at all — Thinkific Basic at $49/month with 0% fees is strictly better.
At the Pro tier ($159/month), Teachable competes differently. Zero transaction fees, certificates, and an affiliate program make Pro a functional platform. But at $159/month, you're $10 more than Kajabi Basic ($149/month) — which includes email marketing, sales funnels, community, and a website builder that Teachable Pro lacks. Full analysis in our head-to-head comparison.
Who should still choose Teachable
Teachable makes sense in exactly two situations
Situation 1: You're already on Teachable with an established student base. Migration costs are real — rebuilding courses, email sequences, and checkout pages takes 2–4 weeks and risks revenue disruption. If you're profitable on Teachable and your time is better spent creating content than migrating, staying put is pragmatic. Just make sure you're on Pro if revenue exceeds $2,000/month.
Situation 2: You need Teachable's specific integrations. Teachable has the largest third-party ecosystem in the course platform market — more templates, more tutorials, more Zapier integrations, more developer resources than Thinkific or Kajabi. If your tech stack depends on a specific Teachable integration that doesn't exist elsewhere, that's a valid lock-in reason.
For new creators in 2026: There is no scenario where Teachable Basic ($59/mo + 5% fees) is the right first choice. Thinkific Basic ($49/mo + 0% fees) offers more features for less money with no transaction fees. Start there, and move to Kajabi when you need the full marketing stack.
Teachable Pro
$159/mo ($119/mo annual) · 0% transaction fees · Unlimited courses · Certificates · Affiliate program
The only Teachable plan worth considering — 0% transaction fees, certificates, and affiliate marketing. But at $159/mo, compare carefully with Kajabi Basic ($149/mo) which includes email, funnels, and community that Teachable Pro lacks. Best for existing Teachable users who've outgrown the Basic plan.
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Frequently asked
Why does Teachable charge transaction fees on Basic?
Teachable uses the freemium-to-premium model: offer lower subscription prices on entry plans, then monetize through transaction fees until creators upgrade to Pro. It's a deliberate pricing strategy that works in Teachable's favor — many creators don't calculate their total cost (subscription + fees) until they've been on the platform for months. By then, migration costs create lock-in. This is why we always recommend comparing TOTAL cost (subscription + fees + external tools needed) rather than subscription price alone.
Is Teachable's free plan worth using?
Only for absolute minimal testing. The free plan limits you to 1 course, 10 students, and charges $1 + 10% per transaction. At 10% + $1, a $97 sale costs you $10.70 in fees. For free validation, Thinkific's free plan is better: 1 course, unlimited students, 0% transaction fees. Both are testing-only plans, but Thinkific's is genuinely free while Teachable's takes a significant cut of every sale.
When should I upgrade from Teachable Basic to Pro?
When your monthly revenue consistently exceeds $2,000. At that point, the 5% transaction fee ($100/month) plus the Basic subscription ($59) equals $159 — the exact price of Pro with 0% fees. Every dollar above $2,000/month in revenue is pure savings on Pro. Don't wait — the fee compounds. At $5,000/month, staying on Basic costs $250/month more than Pro.