You’ve built the curriculum. You’ve recorded the videos. You’re ready to launch your first online course and start making money from your knowledge. But before you hit publish, there’s a silent budget killer waiting in the fine print: Teachable pricing. It’s not just about the monthly subscription fee; it’s about transaction cuts, payment processing rates, and feature locks that can eat up to 30% of your revenue if you aren’t careful.
Most creators underestimate how quickly these costs stack up. A $50 course doesn’t net you $50. Depending on your plan, you might see less than $40 after fees. If you’re scaling to thousands of students, those pennies turn into thousands of dollars. This guide breaks down exactly what you pay, what you get, and where the hidden traps are for 2026.
The Core Subscription Tiers
Teachable is a SaaS platform for hosting and selling online courses, known for its ease of use and robust marketing tools. Unlike marketplaces like Udemy, Teachable lets you keep your brand and student data. But this freedom comes with a tiered pricing structure designed to extract more value as you grow.
As of late 2026, Teachable offers three main paid plans, plus a free option that is largely useless for serious sellers due to high transaction fees.
| Plan Name | Monthly Cost | Transaction Fee | Key Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 5% | Teachable branding, no custom domain, limited support |
| Basic | $39 | 5% | No bulk emails, basic analytics |
| Pro | $119 | 0% | Advanced quizzes, certificates, priority support |
| Premium | $299 | 0% | API access, multiple instructors, advanced integrations |
Notice the jump at the Pro level. That 0% transaction fee is the biggest financial lever you have. If you sell 100 courses at $50 each ($5,000 revenue), the Basic plan costs you $250 in transaction fees alone, plus the $39 subscription. The Pro plan costs $119 flat. Suddenly, Pro is cheaper once you hit roughly $2,000 in monthly sales.
The Payment Processing Reality
Here is where most articles gloss over the details. Teachable uses Stripe as its primary payment processor. Regardless of your Teachable plan, Stripe charges a standard processing fee for every credit card transaction. In New Zealand and Australia, this is typically around 1.75% + $0.30 AUD/NZD per transaction. For US customers, it’s often 2.9% + $0.30 USD.
This means even on the Premium plan, you never keep 100% of your gross sales. You must factor this fixed cost into your pricing strategy. If you price a course at $20, you lose nearly $1 immediately to Stripe. On lower-priced items like ebooks or mini-courses, this percentage hurts disproportionately.
Creators often ask: "Can I use PayPal instead?" Yes, but PayPal fees are often higher and less integrated. Stick to Stripe for better dashboard visibility and automated tax handling, which Teachable simplifies via its integration with TaxJar.
Hidden Costs Beyond the Subscription
The sticker price is only half the story. To run a professional academy, you’ll likely need add-ons that Teachable doesn’t include by default.
- Email Marketing: The Basic plan gives you limited email capabilities. Most pros upgrade to Pro or integrate with Mailchimp or ConvertKit. Expect to spend $20-$100/month here depending on your list size.
- Video Hosting: Teachable includes video hosting, but there are storage limits. If you upload massive HD files, you might hit caps on lower tiers. External hosting via Vimeo OTT or Wistia adds another $20-$50/month.
- Custom Domain & SSL: Included in Basic and above, but setting up DNS records requires technical patience. If you hire a developer to fix broken links during migration, budget $100-$300 one-time.
- Theme Customization: Default themes are clean but generic. Buying a premium theme from the Teachable marketplace costs $50-$150. Hiring a designer to tweak CSS? Another $200+.
A common mistake is ignoring the "drip content" feature. It’s available on all plans, but setting up complex sequences takes time. Your time is money. If you spend 10 hours configuring drip schedules, calculate your hourly rate. That’s a hidden operational cost.
When Does Teachable Make Financial Sense?
Not everyone should choose Teachable. It shines when you want full control over your brand and student data. However, if you are just testing an idea, the 5% fee on the Free plan is steep compared to marketplaces like Udemy, which take 30-50% but bring their own traffic.
Use this decision tree:
- Are you validating an idea? Use the Free plan or Udemy. Don’t invest in subscriptions yet.
- Do you have an existing audience? Start with Basic ($39/mo). The 5% fee is acceptable while you build volume.
- Are you generating >$2,000/month? Switch to Pro ($119/mo). The 0% transaction fee saves you money immediately.
- Do you have a team or need API access? Go Premium ($299/mo). This is for agencies or universities, not solo creators.
In Auckland, we see many local coaches starting on Basic. They complain about the fees until they realize that moving to Pro pays for itself within two months of consistent sales. The math is simple: break-even happens when your monthly sales exceed $2,000.
Comparing Teachable to Competitors
It’s unfair to judge Teachable in a vacuum. Let’s look at how it stacks up against Thinkific and Kajabi.
| Feature | Teachable (Pro) | Thinkific (Start) | Kajabi (Basic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $119 | $49 | $149 |
| Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Email Marketing | Limited | Limited | Built-in |
| Website Builder | Good | Basic | Excellent |
| Best For | Course-focused brands | Budget-conscious starters | All-in-one marketers |
Thinkific is cheaper upfront but lacks some of Teachable’s community features. Kajabi is expensive but replaces your email software and landing page builder. If you already use Mailchimp and WordPress, Teachable is often the smarter, leaner choice.
Tax Implications for International Sellers
If you’re selling globally, VAT and GST apply. Teachable integrates with TaxJar to automate this. Without it, you risk non-compliance fines. For New Zealand creators, GST registration is mandatory if you exceed $60,000 NZD in annual turnover. Teachable handles the collection, but you still need to file returns.
US-based creators face state-level sales tax complexities. Teachable’s automation saves hours of accounting work, effectively worth $50-$100/month in saved labor. Factor this "time savings" into your perceived value of the platform.
Final Verdict: Is the Price Worth It?
Teachable isn’t the cheapest option, but it balances power and price well for established creators. The key is timing your upgrade. Stay on Basic until your transaction fees exceed the price difference between Basic and Pro. Once you cross that threshold, upgrading instantly improves your profit margins.
Don’t let hidden costs surprise you. Budget for email tools, potential design tweaks, and payment processing fees. If you treat Teachable as a business expense rather than a hobby cost, the ROI becomes clear. You’re paying for infrastructure that scales with you, freeing you to focus on creating content instead of fixing code.
Does Teachable charge a commission on top of transaction fees?
Yes, on the Free and Basic plans, Teachable charges a 5% platform commission on each sale. On Pro and Premium plans, this commission drops to 0%. Note that payment processor fees (like Stripe) still apply on all plans.
Can I change my Teachable plan mid-month?
You can upgrade anytime, and the new features become active immediately. Downgrades usually take effect at the end of the current billing cycle. Prorated credits may apply for upgrades, so check your invoice carefully.
Is there a contract lock-in for Teachable?
No, Teachable operates on a month-to-month basis for monthly plans. Annual plans offer a discount (usually 20%) but require a 12-month commitment. You can cancel monthly plans anytime without penalty.
What happens if I exceed my video storage limit?
If you exceed the storage cap on your plan, you cannot upload new videos until you delete old ones or upgrade. There are no automatic overage fees, but it halts your ability to add new content, which can disrupt launches.
Does Teachable handle refunds automatically?
Refunds are processed through the payment gateway (Stripe/PayPal). Teachable provides the interface to initiate them, but the actual return of funds depends on the processor's timeline, typically 5-10 business days. Platform fees are generally not refunded by Teachable.