If you're wondering where to host your online courses, we’re pitting some of the most popular platforms against each other to see which one is right for you.

If you’ve considered creating an online course, then you’ve probably heard of Kajabi and Teachable.

These two platforms are some of the most popular out there for creators looking to offer an online course. Right now, more people than ever are embracing online learning. So, it makes sense that so many creators are searching for places that offer them a gateway to teach a community of people a new skill, idea, or practice.

But when you start comparing Kajabi vs Teachable it can be hard to discern which one is right for you. The good news is that we’re here to make the decision easier for you.

Ahead, we’re comparing Kajabi vs Teachable to see which one is the better online course platform. But first, let’s explore what online course platforms are all about, and what you should expect.

What is an online course platform?

An online course platform is a software service that has prebuilt a variety of powerful tools and features for creators to design and deploy online courses.

These platforms are so popular because creating your own infrastructure to offer an online course is incredibly expensive, time consuming, and frankly, not all that sustainable without a large team behind it. When you pick a course creation platform you’re affording yourself more time to focus on what matters most to you: your members and your content.

But before we commence Kajabi vs Teachable, let’s explore what to look for in an online course platform.

What to look for in online course platforms

If you’ve done any research into the world of online course platforms then you know that there are quite a few out there. A lot of these platforms offer variations on similar features too. We’ve narrowed down some of the key things you should consider in online course platforms in general.

The best online course platforms will offer you the following:

Simple and seamless tools to create content in digestible ways.

The ability to build an online community and online course where you members have a variety of ways to interact with each other.

A high level of customizability built into its systems. Why? Because having a plethora of options will make it easier for you to experiment with new content.

Most importantly, everything listed above should be easy to implement.

Remember, the big reason to use an online course platform is that the software should make your list easier. All of the things we listed above are features that will create more space and time for you to invest in your members and your content.

Now that we’ve gone through these general concepts for things to look out for in an online course platform, let’s compare Kajabi vs Teachable.

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Kajabi vs Teachable: Who are they?

Before we can pit these two online course platforms against one another, we should probably understand a bit about them, right? As we said earlier, there are many platforms out there, but they all focus on different things.

Kajabi

Kajabi is an online course platform that heavily emphasizes the marketing and selling of online courses. They believe that creators should not only be able to deliver high-quality online courses, but they should be given the tools to market them as well. This translates into Kajabi focusing a lot of resources into their email, landing page, and sales features that creators can use to get more eyes on their work.

Teachable

Teachable differentiates itself from Kajabi by focusing on customization and a streamlined approach to online course design. They’ve grown in popularity because of the tools they’ve developed like their “power editor” which allows creators to build multimedia content. The typical content that Teachable creators focus on are things like lectures, presentations, live coaching sessions, and surveys that members can interact with.

Kajabi vs Teachable: Judgment criteria

Having some clear-cut criteria for assessing an online course platform will help you figure out which one is right for you. Below, we’ve put together three key factors that should be on every creator’s list for choosing a platform:

Customization and features. On the surface, there are a lot of similarities between Kajabi vs Teachable. Looking at the different ways the platforms address customization is a big tell for the kind of experience you’ll have using the platform. Why? Because having the freedom to experiment with your content will make your online course standout from the rest. Customization and features give you new tools to create opportunities for interaction between members too. Features like live and recorded video, polls, Q&As, discussion boards, direct messaging, and subgroups are all great to have.

Monetization. Having effective tools to monetize the online course you create is also important. A big factor with monetization is providing your members different ways to pay for the content they’re interested in. An example of this would be offering multiple ways to pay for your online course (one-time fee, monthly, annually) or even providing additional resources for a fee like one-on-one time. The most important factor, however, is that there shouldn’t be any barrier for your members to pay for your course. It should be a simple and easy process from start to finish.

Native mobile app experience. We are in a moment where having your content accessible across web and mobile is incredibly important. Your members should be able to access your online course no matter where they are, and picking a platform with a mobile app should be a top priority. Why? Because when your online course is easy to access, your members will not only be more active, but they will stick around.

There are many different ways that you could evaluate Kajabi vs Teachable but the criteria we’ve picked are the most important. Now that we’ve gotten through all of the setup for this showdown, how about we get the ball rolling? Ahead, we’re breaking down which online course platform you should pick Teachable or Kajabi.

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Kajabi vs Teachable: Customization and features

In our first category, we’re exploring which of the two platforms offers you more in the way of experimentation and customization for the content you create. Having a flexible set of features to create the content for your online course is important because it will allow you to better answer the needs of your members as you get to know what they like and dislike.

Kajabi

When it comes to customization, Kajabi is a bit of a mixed bag. One of their big selling points is that they can reduce the number of integrations you need. So instead of relying on 4 or 5 different platforms to handle all of your business needs from analytics, emails, sales, and online course design, Kajabi has designed native features for you to utilize. In terms of online course design, creators can upload videos, assessments, discussion posts, and more.

Kajabi’s customization falls a bit short when you want to get more experimental with their content. Many of their features are focused on creating online courses that are automated with pre-recorded videos and assessments. This might be good for some people, but it can take away a lot of the community building aspects you get with an online course that is run “live.”

Teachable

Teachable offers a fairly diverse range of features and customization options to its creators. When you build your online course, you will have access to powerful editing software for video lectures and live coaching. On top of that, you also get solid quizzing options and a plethora of other third-party integrations. Additionally, you get other important options like unlimited access to video bandwidth, unlimited students (some platforms restrict how many you can have), and an unlimited number of online courses you can offer.

An area that Teachable falls short on, however, is that it doesn’t provide much in the way of community building tools. We are strong believers in the power of community to bring your online course to the next level. At the end of the day, you can make the best content possible, but if you haven’t cultivated a thriving community of people who will talk about it then it will fall flat.

Kajabi vs Teachable: Monetization

The next category to consider with online course platforms is how their monetization options work. In other words, what kinds of tools does the platform provide for charging members for your content. Monetization is not just about offering different ways for members to pay for things. It’s also about making sure the experience of paying for your content is simple and seamless.

Kajabi

In terms of monetization, Kajabi offers a robust assortment of options to creators who are looking to charge for their content. Your online courses can be sold at a one-time, monthly, or annual fee or completely free. They also provide creators options for recurring payments in the form of subscription models. Where Kajabi really shines, however, is their sales and marketing tools. They provide detailed sales analytics, easy to use templates to create landing pages, affiliate programs, email marketing, and more.

Teachable

Teachable has created their platform with a pretty good amount of options for creators to use in their monetization strategy. You can create good-looking sales pages and landing pages to entice new members. There are also options to offer subscription models, memberships, one-time payments, and even course bundles.

Additionally, Teachable offers creators analytics to better understand what their members like and what kinds of content is working best. Another unique feature that Teachable offers is the ability to appoint members into leadership roles and even pay them for their work.

Kajabi vs Teachable: Native mobile app experience

Today, many of your potential members are living busy lives and aren’t always at their computers. Picking an online course platform that is available across web, tablet, and phone is an incredibly valuable feature.

Kajabi

Kajabi has a mobile app that is available on both iOS and Android, which is great because almost all of your members will have access to it. Their app has an emphasis on allowing you to quickly alert your members of new things happening in your online course thanks to an assortment of push notifications.

The app also allows you to hop right into the action and interact with your online course members’ posts. On the member side of things, anyone currently enrolled in your course can access it through the app, watch your videos, complete assessments, and download materials for offline use.

Teachable

Teachable recently released their mobile app exclusively for iOS. While it’s great they finally got the ball rolling, their app isn’t designed to be used as a primary option for members to interact with online course material.

That is a major downside to their platform, you want your members to have the ability to engage with your content no matter where they are. Picking an online course platform with native app support will make your business future proof too, and provide your members more ways to interact with your content.

Kajabi vs Teachable: Who is the winner?

So is Kajabi better than Teachable? Based on the showdown above, it’s pretty clear that both platforms offer similar experiences for building an online course.

If you’re set on choosing between Teachable or Kajabi it will largely come down to what you want out of your marketing and community building tools. When it comes to customization and monetization your experience will be pretty similar, but Kajabi has more in-depth tools if you really want to get into the weeds of your analytics.

However, one factor that is a sticking point on both platforms is their mobile app experience. Teachable offers a companion app that members can use to keep updated on their online course, but it’s only on iOS. Kajabi offers a mobile app on both iOS and Android that has fairly robust notification functions and community management tools. So between Kajabi vs Teachable, we believe Kajabiis better although their platform can be a bit overly-complex.

But before we leave you, we’ve got one last question: what makes an online course successful? If your answer is the content, then you’re not thinking big enough. Your online course is made up of like-minded people who are all trying to accomplish the same goal. We like to call that a community!

The best courses are the ones where your members learn a new skill and also meet others who are trying to do the same thing. Creating real connections around your brand is what will keep people coming back for more. The problem is that, neither Kajabi nor Teachable offer good community building support. So, how about we offer you one more option?

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Alternative Option #1: Pair Mighty Networks with Teachable or Kajabi

If you’re still unsure of which platform to choose, another alternative is utilizing Mighty Networks for an online community component and Teachable or Kajabi for online courses.

As we stated above, venturing into the world of online courses is a wonderful endeavor, but it can be hard to keep your course members engaged after they’ve completed your lessons. Creating an online community to supplement your course content allows you the chance to build lasting connections with and between your members.

Why is that so important? Because when you’re able to connect your members together, they will continue the conversation long after you’ve left the room. This allows you to focus on making amazing content, and not simply producing more and more content to keep your members’ attention.

You can build your online courses on Teachable or Kajabi and once you’ve launched your course, tell your students about the online community you’ve built. On your Mighty Network, you can host virtual events, create a paid membership site, connect your online course students together, and much more.

Alternative Option #2: Mighty Networks is the best all-in-one platform to build your online course

We’ve covered the ins and outs of Kajabi vs Teachable offer online course creators: good content creation features and bad community building options. Why settle for less when you can have it all?

At Mighty Networks, we’ve built the best online course experience out there and offer you a robust set of tools for community building. When you choose to build your course on Teachable or Kajabi, you’re just restricting yourself. Here are just a few of the many things you can do with Mighty Networks:

Offer paid memberships.

Have your own branded app that is accessible in the App Store and Google Play store.

You can post videos, images, and audio clips.

Native livestreaming and video storage in your Mighty Network.

Create polls, discussion boards, quizzes, and Q&As.

Build fully customizable online courses with dedicated community spaces.

That’s a lot of features, and on top of all of the things you build on your Mighty Network are available across the web, iOS, and Android. More customization, flexibility, and mobility sounds pretty great, right?

Time to start building!