Teachable vs LearnWorlds for Spiritual Course Creators: Fees, Student Caps, and Interactive Video
Teachable Starter $39/mo + 7.5% fee vs LearnWorlds Starter $29/mo + $5/enrollment. Break-even formulas, student caps, ritual course fit.
Teachable removed its free plan. LearnWorlds charges $5 per enrollment on its cheapest tier. Neither is obviously the right choice - the decision depends on how many students you enroll, how you deliver ritual or meditation instruction, and whether you can live with transaction fees on your revenue.
This is a comparison for spiritual course creators specifically: practitioners building astrology schools, tarot certification programs, meditation series, ritual instruction content. The platforms handle structured learning differently, and those differences matter for how practitioners teach.
Pricing in 2026
Teachable
Plan | Monthly (annual billing) | Monthly (month-to-month) | Transaction fee | Product cap | Student cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Starter | $29/month | $39/month | 7.5% | 5 products | 100 students |
Builder | $69/month | $89/month | 0% | 10 products | 1,000 students |
Growth | $139/month | $189/month | 0% | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Teachable removed its free plan - all tiers require payment. A 7-day trial is available on paid plans.
Source: teachable.com/pricing (as of 2026); ruzuku.com "Teachable Pricing and Transaction Fees" (2026). Pricing can change; verify the current schedule at teachable.com/pricing.
LearnWorlds
Plan | Monthly (annual billing) | Monthly (month-to-month) | Per-enrollment fee | Transaction fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Starter | $24/month | $29/month | $5 per enrollment | 0% |
Pro Trainer | $79/month | $99/month | $0 | 0% |
Learning Center | $249/month | $299/month | $0 | 0% |
Payment processing fees (approximately 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction through Stripe or PayPal) apply on top of both platforms' plan fees.
Source: learnworlds.com/thinkific-vs-teachable-pricing/ (2026); ruzuku.com "LearnWorlds Pricing" (2026); tekpon.com LearnWorlds pricing (2026). Verify current rates at learnworlds.com/pricing.
Break-Even Calculations
Teachable: Starter vs Builder
Teachable Starter charges 7.5% on course revenue. Builder charges 0% but costs $40/month more (annual billing: $29 vs $69).
Break-even formula: 7.5% x R = $40/month (the extra cost of Builder over Starter) R = 40 / 0.075 = $533/month in course revenue
Above $533/month, Builder is cheaper than Starter because the 7.5% fee exceeds the $40 monthly upgrade cost.
Example: a practitioner selling a $200 astrology course makes $533 at 2.67 sales per month. At that point, the 7.5% fee ($40) equals the Builder upgrade cost. Sell 3 courses per month and Builder saves money.
LearnWorlds: Starter vs Pro Trainer
LearnWorlds Starter charges $5 per enrollment. Pro Trainer charges $0 but costs $55/month more (annual billing: $24 vs $79).
Break-even formula: $5 x N = $55/month N = 55 / 5 = 11 enrollments per month
Above 11 new enrollments per month, Pro Trainer is cheaper than Starter.
Example: a group astrology program with 15 new students per month pays $75 in enrollment fees on Starter ($5 x 15 = $75) vs $55 extra for Pro Trainer. Pro Trainer saves $20/month at that volume. A program with 8 new enrollments per month pays $40 on Starter vs $55 for Pro Trainer - Starter is cheaper.
Student and Product Caps: The Teachable Ceiling Problem
Teachable Starter caps at 100 students total and 5 published products. These are not monthly limits - they are cumulative caps.
For a practitioner running a growing program:
- 100 students is one moderately successful course launch. A single webinar-to-course funnel can enroll 100 students in days.
- 5 products limits what you can offer simultaneously: 5 course listings, or a mix of courses and coaching programs
Once you hit these caps on Starter, you must upgrade to Builder ($69/month annual). The 100-student cap functions as a hard ceiling that forces upgrade regardless of your revenue level.
LearnWorlds Starter has no student cap and no product cap - the per-enrollment fee applies per sale, but there is no ceiling on how many students can enroll or how many courses you can offer.
Source: teachable.com/pricing (2026); ruzuku.com Teachable pricing guide (2026).
Interactive Video: LearnWorlds' Core Differentiator
LearnWorlds' standout feature is interactive video - functionality that Teachable, Gumroad, and Payhip do not offer.
Interactive video in LearnWorlds means:
- In-video quizzes - questions appear at specific timestamps in the video; the student must answer before continuing
- Clickable hotspots - clickable elements overlaid on the video at set points, linking to resources or triggering actions
- Branching paths - students choose different paths through a video lesson based on their answers
- Auto-generated transcripts - searchable text transcripts generated from video audio
For spiritual course content specifically:
- A ritual instruction course benefits from branching paths: "Do you work with a wand or athame?" directs students to the relevant instructional path.
- A guided meditation module can include mid-meditation check-ins ("Notice what sensations arise - tap here when you feel settled") without breaking the experience.
- A tarot certification program with in-video card interpretation quizzes reinforces learning at the moment of instruction.
Teachable supports video uploads and standard linear course progression. It does not offer interactive video features.
Platform Fit by Practitioner Type
Practitioner type | Recommended platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
Building an astrology school with branded mobile app | Teachable Builder ($69/mo annual) | Mobile app on all paid plans; Builder removes 7.5% fee and 100-student cap |
Ritual instruction or step-by-step certification course | LearnWorlds Pro Trainer ($79/mo annual) | Interactive video, branching paths, in-video quizzes; no student cap |
Low-volume (under 11 enrollments/month) meditation series | LearnWorlds Starter ($24/mo annual) | $5 per enrollment cheaper than Pro Trainer at this volume |
Under $533/month revenue, price-sensitive | Teachable Starter ($29/mo annual) | Lowest entry cost; accept 7.5% fee until revenue justifies Builder |
Mobile App: Teachable Advantage
Teachable includes a mobile app (iOS and Android) on all paid plans. Students can access courses, watch videos, and complete lessons from the app without a browser. For practitioners whose students prefer learning on mobile - commute listening, mobile-first audiences - the app reduces friction.
LearnWorlds' mobile app is available on Pro Trainer and above as a white-labeled option (LearnWorlds-branded student app). A fully branded custom app (your own app store listing) is an enterprise feature.
Source: teachable.com/pricing (2026); learnworlds.com/thinkific-vs-teachable-pricing/ (2026).
Comparison with Simpler Platforms
Teachable and LearnWorlds are structured course platforms - they support modules, lessons, student progress tracking, certificates, and quizzes. This is more infrastructure than some practitioners need.
For practitioners selling a simple PDF workbook or a single recorded workshop, Payhip (free plan, 5% fee) or Gumroad (10% flat fee) is lower friction. No course builder needed - upload the file, share the link, done. See Gumroad vs Payhip vs LearnWorlds for digital spiritual products for a direct comparison including simple download platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Teachable handle VAT for EU customers?
Teachable does not currently act as a Merchant of Record for EU VAT. You remain responsible for collecting and remitting EU VAT on Teachable sales to EU customers. If EU compliance without MoR handling is a concern, LearnWorlds also does not act as MoR - both platforms leave EU tax compliance to the practitioner. A separate MoR checkout or EU OSS registration is required for EU sales on either platform.
Can I migrate from Teachable to LearnWorlds if I switch?
Student data and enrollment records can be exported from Teachable. LearnWorlds has an import process for course content. Video content must be re-uploaded. The migration is not seamless but is manageable for a course library under 10 products. Plan migration timing to minimize disruption to active enrollments.
Is the $5/enrollment fee on LearnWorlds Starter really per enrollment or per product?
Per enrollment - meaning per student who pays for a course. If 10 students buy your $300 astrology course in a month, the fee is $5 x 10 = $50. If one student buys the same course, the fee is $5. It is a variable cost tied to enrollment volume, not a flat product fee.
What happens to my students if I cancel my Teachable or LearnWorlds account?
On Teachable, students retain access to courses they have purchased unless you revoke it. Canceling your Teachable subscription disables new enrollments and eventually your school. On LearnWorlds, canceling your subscription similarly affects student access to your school. Before canceling either platform, notify enrolled students and download all your content. Both platforms allow content export before account closure.