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Use case · June 2026

Course platforms with 0% transaction fees: keep what you earn

A 10% cut on a $200 course is $20 — every sale, forever. If you sell at volume or at a high price, the platform's transaction fee can quietly outweigh its subscription. Here are the platforms that take 0%, and the honest catch on each.


What "0% transaction fee" really means

First, the honest caveat that saves you a surprise: a 0% transaction fee means the platform takes no cut of your sale. It does not mean selling is free. You still pay your payment processor — Stripe or PayPal — their standard fee, usually around 2.9% plus a fixed amount per transaction. That processing cost is unavoidable everywhere. The 0% figure is purely about the platform's own surcharge stacked on top of processing.

Second, watch the tier. Many platforms advertise "0% transaction fees" but only deliver it on a higher-priced plan, charging a percentage on their cheaper tiers. So the right question is never "does this platform have 0% fees?" — it is "does the specific plan I can afford charge 0%?" Below, we lead with the platform that answers yes on every plan, then cover the big names that reach 0% only once you pay up.


The top picks for 0% fees

Ranked by how easily you reach 0% — not by brand size. The featured pick gets you there on a free plan.

0% on Shaker tier

Podia

Mover ~$39/mo · Shaker 0% fee

  • Mover charges ~5%; Shaker drops it to 0%
  • Clean storefront for digital downloads
  • Upgrade pays off once volume grows
See Podia plans →
0% on paid tiers

Thinkific & Kajabi

Thinkific ~$49/mo · Kajabi ~$89/mo

  • Both 0% on their own checkout (paid plans)
  • No free plan; higher entry cost
  • Best when you want a polished, premium build
Thinkific official →

Prices as of June 2026 — check the official site for current plans.


0% fee tiers at a glance

PlatformEntry priceFree planReaches 0% onOtherwise
Systeme.ioStartup $17/mo (~$14 annual)Yes — free foreverEvery plan (incl. free)
PodiaMover ~$39/moNo (trial)Shaker planMover ~5%
ThinkificBasic ~$49/moNo (trial)Paid tiers
TeachableStarter ~$39/moNoBuilder & upStarter 7.5%
LearnWorldsStarter ~$29/moNo (30-day trial)Pro & upStarter $5/sale
KajabiKickstarter ~$89/moNo (trial)Own checkout

Kajabi's "0%" applies to its own checkout and its plans are the priciest here; Thinkific's entry tier and Podia's exact Mover price are worth confirming in your own browser.


Why each pick — and the honest catch

Systeme.io — 0% with no strings

Systeme.io is the only platform here that gives you 0% transaction fees on every plan, including the free-forever one. There is no tier you have to climb to before the surcharge disappears — you keep 100% of each sale (minus the processor's cut) from your very first day, for nothing. For low-budget creators selling lower-priced products at volume, that combination is hard to argue with. The trade-off is depth: the course player is functional rather than premium. Our full Systeme.io review covers where that matters.

Podia — 0% once you reach Shaker

Podia charges around 5% on its entry Mover plan and drops to 0% on the higher Shaker plan. So Podia belongs on a 0% list with an asterisk: you get there by upgrading. The maths is simple — if your monthly sales volume on Mover would generate more than the price gap to Shaker in 5% fees, the upgrade pays for itself and then some. Podia's strength is a clean storefront for digital downloads; see how it stacks up in our Systeme.io vs Podia comparison.

Thinkific and Kajabi — 0%, but no free door

Here is where honesty matters. Thinkific charges 0% on its paid tiers, and Kajabi charges 0% on its own checkout — both genuinely fee-free on sales. But neither has a free plan, both cost more to enter (Thinkific from around $49/mo, Kajabi from around $89/mo), and we are not in their affiliate programmes, so we link you straight to their official sites rather than dress it up. Choose Thinkific for a polished course build or Kajabi for a premium all-in-one marketing suite — just know the 0% comes bundled with a higher monthly floor. Official sites: Thinkific and Kajabi.

Teachable and LearnWorlds — 0% higher up

Both reach 0% only above their entry tier. Teachable charges 7.5% on its Starter plan and 0% from Builder upward; LearnWorlds charges a per-sale fee (around $5) on Starter and 0% on Pro and above. They are worth it for their specialisms — Teachable handles tax/VAT as merchant of record, LearnWorlds leads on interactive video and certificates — but the 0% headline applies only to the pricier plans. We link to their official sites: Teachable and LearnWorlds.


So which should you pick?

If you want 0% with the least friction and lowest cost, start with Systeme.io — free, and 0% from the first sale. If you mainly sell digital downloads and expect real volume, Podia's Shaker plan gives you 0% inside a tidy storefront. If you want a premium, polished course build and the higher monthly cost is fine, Thinkific or Kajabi deliver 0% on their checkouts. Run your own numbers — monthly plan plus per-sale fee times expected sales — and compare the full field on our course platforms hub.


FAQ

Which course platform has a 0% transaction fee on every plan?

Systeme.io advertises 0% transaction fees on all plans, including its free-forever plan. That is unusual: most platforms only reach 0% on a higher tier. Kajabi and Thinkific paid plans also charge 0% on their own checkout, but they have no free plan and cost more to enter.

Does a 0% transaction fee mean selling is completely free?

No. A 0% transaction fee means the platform itself takes no cut of each sale, but you still pay the payment processor — Stripe or PayPal — their standard fee (often around 2.9% plus a fixed amount). That processing fee is unavoidable on every platform. The 0% figure only refers to the platform's own surcharge on top.

Are 0% platforms always cheaper overall?

Not necessarily. A platform with 0% fees but a high monthly subscription can cost more than one with a small fee and a cheap plan, depending on your sales volume. The fee matters most at high volume or high price points. Model your own numbers: monthly plan cost plus fee per sale times expected sales.

Which tiers reach 0%, and which still charge?

Systeme.io is 0% on all plans. Thinkific is 0% on its paid tiers, and Kajabi is 0% on its own checkout. Podia drops to 0% on its Shaker plan but charges around 5% on Mover. Teachable is 0% from the Builder tier up but 7.5% on Starter, and LearnWorlds reaches 0% on Pro and above while charging a per-sale fee on Starter. Always confirm the exact tier.