Teachable vs Payhip (2026): Which Costs Less for Selling a Course?
Teachable is built for courses; Payhip sells courses, downloads and memberships from a free plan. Here is what each costs per sale and per month, and the point where Teachable becomes cheaper.
Short answer: Under about $2,000 a month in course sales, Payhip costs less: its free plan takes 5% with no monthly fee, while Teachable starts at $39 a month plus 7.5%. Above $2,000, Teachable Builder billed yearly ($69/month, 0% fee) becomes the cheaper option, provided 10 products are enough for you.
Teachable vs Payhip plans
| Plan | Monthly | Billed yearly | Transaction fee | Products |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payhip Free | $0 | — | 5% | Unlimited |
| Payhip Plus | $29 | — | 2% | Unlimited |
| Payhip Pro | $99 | — | 0% | Unlimited |
| Teachable Starter | $39 | $29/mo | 7.5% | 5 |
| Teachable Builder | $89 | $69/mo | 0% (with Teachable Payments) | 10 |
| Teachable Growth | $189 | $139/mo | 0% (with Teachable Payments) | 50 |
Teachable counts each published course, coaching offer or digital download as a product; memberships, bundles and drafts don’t count. Students are unlimited on every Teachable plan. Payhip has no product limit and every plan has the same features.
Processing fees on Teachable
| Payment | Teachable Payments rate |
|---|---|
| US card | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| International card | 3.9% + 30¢ |
| US PayPal | 3.49% + 49¢ |
| International PayPal | 4.99% + 49¢ |
| Chargeback | $15 |
| BackOffice fee (optional) | 2–2.8% |
What you keep from one course sale
US card at 2.9% + $0.30 on both platforms, before any monthly fee.
| Course price | Teachable Starter | Teachable Builder / Growth | Payhip Free | Payhip Plus | Payhip Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50 | $44.50 | $48.25 | $45.75 | $47.25 | $48.25 |
| $100 | $89.30 | $96.80 | $91.80 | $94.80 | $96.80 |
| $200 | $178.90 | $193.90 | $183.90 | $189.90 | $193.90 |
Total platform cost by monthly sales
Monthly plan plus the platform’s percentage. Card processing is about the same on both and is left out.
| Monthly sales | Payhip Free | Payhip Plus | Payhip Pro | Teachable Starter | Teachable Builder (monthly / yearly) | Cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $25 | $39 | $99 | $76.50 | $89 / $69 | Payhip Free |
| $1,000 | $50 | $49 | $99 | $114 | $89 / $69 | Payhip Plus |
| $3,000 | $150 | $89 | $99 | $264 | $89 / $69 | Teachable Builder (yearly) |
| $5,000 | $250 | $129 | $99 | $414 | $89 / $69 | Teachable Builder (yearly) |
Break-even points
- Teachable Starter vs Payhip Free: Starter never wins. It charges a higher percentage (7.5% vs 5%) and $39 a month.
- Teachable Starter → Builder (monthly): about $667 a month in sales.
- Payhip Plus vs Teachable Builder (yearly): about $2,000 a month. Above that, Builder yearly is cheaper.
- Payhip Pro vs Teachable Builder: both 0% per sale; Builder is $10–$30 a month cheaper, Payhip Pro has no product cap.
Costs and limits people miss
- The 10-product cap on Builder. Each course, coaching offer and download counts. A creator with a course, three templates and a coaching call already uses 5.
- The 0% needs Teachable Payments. Teachable’s FAQ says the 0% transaction fee applies when you use Teachable Payments.
- International buyers cost more on Teachable: 3.9% + 30¢ per international card and up to 4.99% + 49¢ on PayPal.
- Yearly billing is a 12-month commitment. The $69 Builder price assumes you pay for a full year up front.
- Branding removal is Growth-only on Teachable, and its affiliate program starts at Builder. Payhip includes its affiliate feature on every plan.
- Tax: Teachable lists US sales tax, global VAT and GST handling on its plans. Payhip collects and pays EU/UK VAT for you. Check how each handles your buyers’ countries; see who pays sales tax.
Who should pick which
Payhip fits you if you are launching your first course, sell under about $2,000 a month, or sell many small products (templates, ebooks, presets) next to a course. You pay nothing until you sell.
Teachable fits you if courses are your main business, you already sell more than about $2,000 a month, 10 products are enough, and you are happy to pay a year up front for Builder.
Start your course on Payhip for free →
More course platforms: Kajabi vs Payhip · every platform’s fees · Payhip plan calculator.
FAQ
How much does Teachable cost?
Starter is $39/month ($29 billed yearly) with a 7.5% transaction fee. Builder is $89/month ($69 yearly) and Growth $189/month ($139 yearly), both with 0% transaction fee when you use Teachable Payments.
Does Teachable have a free plan?
No. Teachable is a paid service with a free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Payhip has a free plan with no time limit.
Is Payhip cheaper than Teachable for a course?
Below about $2,000 a month in sales, yes. Above that, Teachable Builder billed yearly ($69/month, 0%) costs less than Payhip Plus, as long as 10 products are enough for you.
Is Teachable Starter worth it?
Rarely. With $39 a month plus 7.5% per sale, it costs more than Payhip’s free plan at every sales level, and Builder becomes cheaper than Starter at about $667 a month.
How many courses can I sell on Teachable?
Starter allows 5 published products, Builder 10 and Growth 50. Courses, coaching and digital downloads all count; memberships, bundles and drafts do not. Payhip has no product limit.
What are Teachable’s payment processing fees?
Teachable lists 2.9% + 30¢ for US cards, 3.9% + 30¢ for international cards, 3.49% + 49¢ for US PayPal and 4.99% + 49¢ for international PayPal, plus $15 per chargeback.
Not sure which platform fits your numbers? Put in your price and monthly sales and see what you keep on every platform at once. If you are just starting, a Payhip store costs $0 until you sell, so you can set it up first and decide later.
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