Course & Membership Platforms for Spiritual Schools
Kajabi vs Teachable vs Thinkific vs Podia vs Mighty Networks vs Circle for esoteric educators. Real prices, transaction fees, who each platform fits.
The course platform decision matters more than most practitioners think - transaction fees at scale are the hidden cost that makes a $49/month platform more expensive than a $179/month one. This guide compares the six main platforms with real numbers, ToS notes for esoteric content, and honest assessments of who each one fits.
> Note: All prices as of mid-2026 - check current pricing before committing.
The Transaction Fee Problem
Platform monthly fees are visible. Transaction fees aren't - until your first month of real revenue.
Teachable Basic at $29/month sounds cheap. But the 7.5% transaction fee on a $500 course means $37.50 per sale goes to Teachable, not you. Sell 10 courses: $375 to the platform. At that volume, Kajabi's $143/month (0% fees) is cheaper.
The math changes depending on your revenue. Check the breakeven point for each platform before deciding.
Comparison Table
Platform | Starting price | Transaction fee | Courses | Community | ToS risk for esoteric? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kajabi | $143/month (annual) | 0% | Yes | Basic | None found |
Teachable | $29/month (annual) | 7.5% on Basic | Yes | No | None found |
Thinkific | Free | 5% (non-native payments) | Yes | No | None found |
Podia | $49/month | 5% on Mover | Yes | No | None found |
Circle | $89/month | 2% | Yes | Yes | None found |
Mighty Networks | $41/month (no courses) | 2% (on Courses plan) | $99+/month | Yes | None found |
No specific prohibition on astrology, tarot, or esoteric courses was found for any of these platforms in available sources.
Kajabi
The all-in-one option. Course builder, email marketing, website builder, community, affiliate program - one platform, one login, one monthly bill.
- Basic: $143/month (annual) - 5 products, 1 website, 2,500 contacts, 0% fees
- Growth: $199/month (annual) - 50 products, affiliate program
- Pro: $399/month (annual) - unlimited products, 3 websites
Kajabi makes financial sense when your alternative is paying separately for ConvertKit ($79/month), a website ($20/month), a course platform ($49/month), and affiliate software ($50/month). Combined, that's $198/month with more maintenance overhead.
The $143/month barrier is real though. A practitioner launching their first course with 20 students is losing money on Kajabi until they reach meaningful revenue. It's an established-business tool.
Best for: Astrologers or tarot teachers with an existing audience (100+ email subscribers), ready to consolidate their stack and willing to pay for the simplicity.
Teachable
The easiest setup of the dedicated course platforms. Good documentation, large community of creators who've built on it.
- Basic: ~$29/month (annual) - 7.5% transaction fee
- Pro: ~$99/month - 5% transaction fee
- Pro+: higher tier with lower fees
The 7.5% fee at Basic is the deal-breaker at any meaningful revenue. The Pro tier at $99/month with 5% fees is a reasonable entry point for a school doing $500-2,000/month in course sales.
Best for: Beginners who want the simplest possible course launch and plan to upgrade once revenue justifies it.
Thinkific
The most accessible entry point if you want to test before paying.
- Free: limited features - good for validating your first course
- Basic: $36/month (annual) - 5% fee unless using Thinkific Payments (then 0%)
- Start: $99/month - 2% fee
- Grow: $199/month - 1% fee
The zero-fee option requires using Thinkific Payments as your processor - Thinkific Payments is Stripe-backed. For most esoteric content (courses, not live readings), Stripe's ToS risk is lower than for live psychic service transactions. Worth reviewing the payment processor guide to understand the distinction.
Best for: Esoteric instructors starting their first course who want to pilot with the free plan before committing.
Podia
Podia's appeal is breadth: courses, memberships, and digital downloads in one place. An astrologer who sells a PDF birth chart guide alongside a video course alongside a membership community can manage all three from one dashboard.
- Mover: $49/month - 5% transaction fee
- Shaker: $99/month - 0% transaction fee
The Shaker plan at $99 is the functional version. At 0% fees, you keep all revenue from courses, digital products, and memberships.
Best for: Spiritual teachers who sell a mix of formats - video courses, PDF workbooks, and membership access - and want one tool for all three.
Circle
Circle started as a community platform and added courses. The community features are stronger than the course builder.
- Professional: $89/month - 2% transaction fee
- Business: higher tier
Courses are included from the $89 tier. Admin limits at this level: 3 admins, 10 moderators. For a solo teacher with a moderator or two, that's sufficient.
Best for: Teachers who prioritize live community engagement over polished course production. Esoteric study circles, monthly astrology memberships, tarot communities with active discussion.
Mighty Networks
Widely used in the spiritual and wellness space for "mystery school" formats - ongoing membership with live sessions, courses, and community.
- Community: $41/month (annual) - unlimited members, no courses
- Courses: $99/month (annual) - 2% transaction fee, courses included
- Business: $179/month (annual)
- Growth: $360/month (annual)
The unlimited member count is a genuine advantage over platforms that charge per-seat or cap enrollment. A tarot school with 300 students at $19/month membership pays the same $99/month platform fee as one with 30 students.
Mighty Networks includes a native iOS and Android app - meaningful for communities that want their members checking in from mobile.
Best for: Spiritual teachers building ongoing membership communities: monthly astrology memberships, year-long mystery school programs, tarot certification cohorts.
Decision Framework
- Just launching, first course: Thinkific Free
- Under 50 students, want simplicity: Teachable Pro ($99/month)
- Community is the core product: Mighty Networks Courses ($99/month) or Circle ($89/month)
- Established school, want one platform: Kajabi Basic ($143/month)
- Mix of digital products + courses: Podia Shaker ($99/month)
For payment setup on any platform, read the payment processors guide before you launch.