Teachable Pricing: What It Actually Costs

Teachable Transaction Fees: What You Actually Pay Per Sale

Teachable's pricing structure creates a critical breakeven calculation that most people miss. The Starter plan at $39/month looks attractive — until you realize the 7.5% transaction fee adds up fast. At just $520/month in revenue, the fees alone equal the plan cost, effectively doubling what you pay.

The key number: $667/month in revenue. That's where the Starter plan's total cost ($39 plan + $50 in fees = $89) matches the Builder plan at $89/month with 0% fees. Above $667/month, every additional dollar of revenue makes Starter more expensive than Builder. So the real question isn't "which plan is cheapest?" but "how much revenue am I generating?"

The Breakeven Calculation

The exact breakeven point where upgrading from Starter to Builder saves money: $667/month in revenue. Below that, Starter is cheaper. Above that, every dollar in revenue makes Starter more expensive relative to Builder.

At $1,000/month revenue: Starter costs $114/mo ($39 plan + $75 fees). Builder costs $89/mo. Savings: $25/month, $300/year.

At $3,000/month revenue: Starter costs $264/mo ($39 plan + $225 fees). Builder costs $89/mo. Savings: $175/month, $2,100/year.

Student Caps Force Upgrades Independently of Revenue

Even if your revenue stays low, hitting 100 students on the Starter plan forces an upgrade to Builder. This matters for creators offering free courses as lead magnets — those free students count toward your cap.

Does Teachable Have a Free Plan in 2026?

No. Teachable eliminated its free plan. As of 2026, the cheapest option is the Starter plan at $29/month (annual billing) or $39/month (monthly). New users get a 7-day free trial, after which they must choose a paid plan.

The old free plan had severe limitations — a $1 + 10% transaction fee on every sale, no custom domain, and limited features. But it was genuinely free to start. Its removal means there's no way to test Teachable with real revenue without committing to a paid plan after the trial ends.

If you're looking for a free starting point, Ruzuku offers a free plan with zero transaction fees, unlimited courses, and up to 5 students — enough to validate your course idea before committing.

What Real Teachable Users Say

What Users Appreciate

Teachable's native mobile app — included on all paid plans — is genuinely valued by students. Users on r/OnlineBusiness note that having a dedicated iOS and Android app makes courses feel more professional and accessible compared to a mobile-responsive website. This is a real advantage over platforms like Podia (no app) and Thinkific (app costs $199/month extra).

G2 reviewers consistently praise the affiliate program (available on Builder at $69/month annual and up). Creators who use affiliates to drive sales cite it as a genuine revenue multiplier.

Common Complaints

"Price jump from $69 to $189 monthly is crazy."

The June 2025 pricing restructuring hit existing users hard. One long-term customer reported their yearly plan jumped from $1,428 to $3,708 — a 160% increase. Another 7-year Teachable customer saw their cost go from $119/month to $309/month just to maintain their existing courses and bundles.

"The student limits and product limits are simply awful. This approach feels like a step backward for those of us trying to scale without being penalized."

Support quality has declined noticeably. A Trustpilot reviewer in January 2026 described getting an "AI runaround" before waiting three days for a human response. Another long-term user spent two months unable to reach support and eventually closed their course entirely. Multiple reviewers note that genuine concerns are being met with boilerplate AI responses.

A Trustpilot reviewer in December 2025 reported payment failures during a $10,000 campaign, with checkout breaking for 600+ attendees — the kind of reliability issue that's hard to recover from.

Who Should Use Teachable (And Who Shouldn't)

Teachable Is a Strong Choice If You:

• Want a native iOS and Android app for your students — included on all plans, no add-on cost
• Need built-in affiliate marketing to drive course sales (Builder plan and up)
• Want automatic U.S. sales tax and global VAT handling — Teachable handles this on all plans
• Sell fewer than 5 products to under 1,000 students — the Builder plan at $69/month (annual) is solid value at this scale
• Need course certificates on every plan — Teachable includes these even on Starter

Teachable Is Not Ideal If You:

• Want zero transaction fees from day one — the cheapest 0% fee plan is Builder at $69/month (annual). Starter charges 7.5%.
• Need more than 25 published products — only Enterprise (contact sales) goes beyond 25
• Want unlimited students — Growth caps at 5,000 students
• Need native Zoom integration for live cohort-based teaching — Teachable doesn't offer this
• Want student tech support handled for you — Teachable supports you, not your students
• Need Zapier, webhooks, or API access on a budget — these require Growth at $139/month (annual)

The Migration Question

Teachable allows you to export your student email list. Course content (videos, text) needs to be re-uploaded to a new platform. On Starter and Builder, you cannot bulk import students (that requires Growth). Teachable-specific features like the mobile app, quiz configurations, and automations don't transfer. Most creators report 2-4 weeks for a full migration.

For more detail, see our complete Teachable vs Ruzuku comparison, Teachable transaction fee breakdown, Teachable free plan analysis, and honest Teachable review. You can also view Teachable's official pricing page to verify current numbers.