Last updated: September 5, 2026. Some links on this page are affiliate links — if you sign up through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
How we know: we tested Systeme.io hands-on in our own free-plan account. Everything here about Teachable comes from its published pricing page and documentation, checked on the date shown — we have not run a Teachable account ourselves, and we would rather say so than imply otherwise.
Our verdict
Teachable is a course-hosting specialist; Systeme.io is a funnel-first all-in-one that happens to include courses. If you only sell courses and want the deepest course-specific tooling, Teachable’s Builder tier is solid — once you clear its 7.5% entry-tier fee. If you also need funnels and email marketing without paying for a second tool, Systeme.io covers more for less.
Try Systeme.io freeFree plan, no credit card required. Affiliate link — see our disclosure.
Teachable is built specifically for course creators — it doesn’t try to be a funnel builder or an email platform. Systeme.io covers courses as one module among several. Which one wins depends on whether courses are the whole business or one part of it.
Pricing, side by side
List prices as of September 5, 2026, monthly billing, checked directly on each company’s pricing page.
| Tier | Systeme.io | Teachable |
|---|---|---|
| Free / trial | $0, permanent — 3 funnels, 2,000 contacts, 0% fees | 7-day free trial + 30-day money-back guarantee, no permanent free tier |
| Entry | $17/mo — 10 funnels, 5,000 contacts, 0% fees | $39/mo (Starter) — 5 products, 1 admin, 7.5% transaction fee |
| Mid | $47/mo — 50 funnels, 10,000 contacts | $89/mo (Builder) — 10 products, 0% fees, affiliate program included |
| Top | $97/mo — unlimited everything | $189/mo (Growth) — 50 products, 5 admins, 0% fees, certificates, branding removal |
The detail worth knowing before you sign up: Teachable’s cheapest paid tier, Starter at $39/mo, charges a 7.5% transaction fee on every sale — the highest entry-tier fee of any tool we’ve compared so far. That fee disappears entirely once you’re on Builder at $89/mo. Systeme.io charges 0% transaction fees on every tier, including free.
Create a free Systeme.io account — no card requiredAffiliate link — see our disclosure.
Where the money actually goes
What Teachable has that Systeme.io does not
- Native iOS and Android student apps on every paid tier — a dedicated mobile learning experience, not just a responsive web page.
- Course certificates and Teachable-branding removal, on the Growth tier ($189/mo).
- Global tax handling automated at the platform level, called out specifically as a selling point across every tier.
- Free subtitles and translations for course video, on Growth.
What Systeme.io has that Teachable does not
- A permanent free plan. Teachable’s cheapest option is a 7-day trial; Systeme.io’s free plan never expires.
- 0% transaction fees at every tier, including free. Teachable’s Starter tier charges 7.5% until you upgrade to Builder.
- Sales funnels and email marketing as core, built-in features — not something you add through a separate tool or integration.
- Unlimited sub-accounts on every plan, including free.
Two questions that decide it
1. Is your business a pure course business, or courses plus something else?
Teachable’s mobile apps, tax automation, and course-specific polish are built for creators who live and die by course sales alone. If you also need landing pages, funnels, or email sequences to drive people to those courses, you’d be paying for Teachable and a separate marketing tool — where Systeme.io covers both in one plan.
2. How many sales will you process before 7.5% adds up?
On a $10,000 launch month on Teachable’s Starter plan, the 7.5% transaction fee is $750 — more than the $50 difference between Starter ($39/mo) and Builder ($89/mo) many times over. If you expect meaningful sales volume, budget for Builder from day one rather than starting on Starter.
Frequently asked questions
Does Teachable have a free plan?
No — Teachable offers a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, not a permanent free tier. Systeme.io’s free plan never expires and needs no credit card.
Does Teachable charge transaction fees?
Yes, on the Starter tier ($39/mo) — 7.5% per sale, per Teachable’s own pricing page. The fee drops to 0% starting on the Builder tier ($89/mo). Systeme.io charges 0% on every tier, including free.
Is Systeme.io cheaper than Teachable?
Yes, at every comparable tier, and Systeme.io includes funnels and email marketing that Teachable doesn’t offer at all.
Which is better for selling courses, Systeme.io or Teachable?
Teachable’s course-specific tools (mobile apps, certificates, tax automation) are more purpose-built if courses are your entire business. Systeme.io is the better value if you also need funnels and email marketing without paying for a second platform.
I’ve been building and maintaining websites for about ten years. The first one is still online a decade later, and I still fix it when something breaks — which is how I learned that the interesting part of any platform is not the launch, it’s year three. I co-owned that site’s business, though I am not a co-owner today; the business itself has since closed. Separately, I have also run an online store on Shopify, until the fees pushed me onto a different payment system. Today I choose the host, the theme and write the plugins that run this site, and I pay for the tools I test out of my own pocket. More on the About page, and exactly what we did and did not test in how we test.
Prices verified against each company’s public pricing page on September 5, 2026. Vendors change pricing without notice — check before you buy, and tell us if you find something out of date.
Try it yourself: Systeme.io’s free plan is permanent, not a trial — 3 funnels, 2,000 contacts, unlimited emails, 0% transaction fees. Start on the free plan and find out in a weekend whether it covers what you need. (Affiliate link — see our disclosure.)