Selling a course is one of the most realistic ways for a YouTuber to earn money that doesn't depend on AdSense. Faceless creators in particular have valuable skills to teach: scripting, AI voiceovers, editing workflows, niche research. Teachable is one of the best-known platforms for turning that knowledge into a product.
This review looks at Teachable specifically from a creator's point of view: what it costs in 2026, how the transaction fees work, what you get on each plan, and when a cheaper tool is the smarter choice.
All pricing and plan details below were checked on Teachable's official pricing page on October 21, 2026. Teachable updates its plans from time to time, so confirm before you buy.
Teachable at a glance
Teachable is a dedicated platform for selling online education: courses, coaching and digital downloads. Its focus is the product and the student experience rather than being an all-in-one marketing suite.
Key features listed on the pricing page include:
- Courses, coaching and digital downloads in one school
- "Create with AI" tools on every plan
- iOS and Android student apps, so students can learn on their phones
- Global payments and taxes: students can pay in their local currency, and Teachable handles U.S. sales tax, global VAT and GST
- Upsells and cart recovery on every plan
- Affiliate program (Builder and up) so others can promote your course
- Course certificates, branding removal and free subtitles and translations on Growth
Teachable pricing (October 2026)
| Plan | Monthly billing | Billed annually | Products | Transaction fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $39/mo | $29/mo | 5 | 7.5% |
| Builder | $89/mo | $69/mo | 10 | 0% |
| Growth | $189/mo | $139/mo | 50 | 0% |
| Custom | Contact sales | Contact sales | Flexible | 0% |
All prices are in USD. Every plan includes a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Teachable says annual billing saves 22% compared to monthly. The 0% transaction fee applies when you use Teachable Payments; standard payment processing fees may still apply. There is no free plan.
What each plan adds
- Starter covers the basics: up to 5 products, AI creation tools, student apps, global payments, upsells and cart recovery. The catch is the 7.5% transaction fee on sales.
- Builder raises the limit to 10 products, drops the transaction fee to 0%, and adds your own affiliate program and real-time support.
- Growth allows 50 products and adds course certificates, removal of Teachable branding, imported students, custom admin permissions and free subtitles and translations.
- Custom adds a dedicated success manager, bulk sales features, priority support, migration help and more, for high-volume schools.
What counts as a "product"
Teachable counts each published course, coaching offer or digital download as one product, no matter how many videos, modules or files it contains. A course with 30 videos and 5 quizzes is one product. Memberships and bundles don't count toward the limit, and neither do unpublished drafts. For most YouTubers, 5 products on Starter is plenty at the beginning.
When the Starter fee matters
The 7.5% fee on Starter is the key number for creators. A quick way to decide between Starter and Builder (monthly billing):
- Builder costs $50/month more than Starter.
- 7.5% of your monthly sales equals $50 at about $667 in monthly sales.
So if you consistently sell more than roughly $667 a month, Builder becomes cheaper than Starter on monthly billing, and you also get the affiliate program and real-time support. On annual billing the difference is $40/month ($69 vs $29), so the break-even is around $533 in monthly sales. Below that, Starter is the cheaper option.
Teachable for YouTubers and faceless creators
What matters for a creator selling a course is different from what matters for a corporate training team. Here's how Teachable fits.
Strong points for creators:
- A polished student experience. Courses look professional, and the native mobile apps are a real plus for viewers who already watch your content on their phones.
- Global payments and tax handling. YouTube audiences are international. Letting students pay in their local currency, with VAT and GST handled, removes a lot of admin.
- Upsells and cart recovery on every plan. Useful for turning a small course into a bigger offer.
- Affiliate program (Builder+). Other creators in your niche can promote your course for a commission.
- Free subtitles and translations (Growth). If you plan to sell to non-English audiences, this pairs well with dubbing your YouTube content. See our ElevenLabs dubbing guide.
Things to keep in mind:
- No free plan. You'll pay from the start after the trial.
- The Starter transaction fee eats into early sales.
- Teachable is course-focused. Depending on your setup, you may still use a separate tool for lead magnets, landing pages and email sequences. Check the plan comparison on Teachable's site for the email and marketing features each plan includes.
A realistic course idea for faceless creators
If you've built a faceless channel with AI voiceovers, you already have a sellable skill. Examples:
- "Faceless YouTube in 30 days": niche research, scripting and publishing
- "AI voiceovers that don't sound robotic": tools, settings and editing
- "Scriptwriting for retention": templates and examples
- "Shorts system": batch production workflow
Our step-by-step faceless YouTube guide and ElevenLabs voice settings guide show the kind of workflow students would pay to learn.
Teachable pros and cons
Pros
- Dedicated, polished course platform with iOS and Android student apps
- 0% transaction fees from Builder up (with Teachable Payments)
- Global payments, local currency and tax handling
- Upsells and cart recovery on all plans
- Affiliate program from Builder
- Free subtitles and translations on Growth
- 7-day free trial and 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- No free plan
- 7.5% transaction fee on Starter
- Branding removal and certificates only on Growth
- Can cost more than all-in-one tools when you're starting out
Teachable vs cheaper alternatives
The most common alternative for creators on a budget is Systeme.io, which has a free plan with 1 course, 2,000 contacts and unlimited email sends, and 0% transaction fees, per its pricing page (checked October 21, 2026). It's less specialized as a course platform but combines email, funnels and courses in one account. We compare the two in detail in Teachable vs Systeme.io, and review Systeme.io on its own in our Systeme.io review.
Who should choose Teachable
Choose Teachable if:
- You plan to sell several courses, coaching or downloads
- A premium student experience and mobile apps matter to you
- You sell internationally and want tax handling built in
- You expect enough sales that Builder's 0% fee makes sense
Consider something cheaper if:
- You're validating your very first course
- You want email marketing, funnels and courses in one free account
- Your budget is tight until the course proves itself
Verdict
Teachable is a solid, creator-friendly course platform with a professional student experience, mobile apps and strong international payment support. For YouTubers who already have an audience and plan to build a real education business, Builder is the sweet spot because of the 0% transaction fee and affiliate program. If you're testing your first course with a small audience, start cheaper and move to Teachable once sales justify it.
Use the 7-day free trial to build your course outline and sales page before you commit.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
How much does Teachable cost in 2026?
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Per Teachable's pricing page (checked October 21, 2026): Starter $39/month ($29/month billed annually), Builder $89/month ($69/month annually), Growth $189/month ($139/month annually), plus a Custom plan. Every plan has a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Prices are in USD.
Does Teachable have a free plan?
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No. Teachable says it is a paid service with a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you need a free option to start, Systeme.io has a free plan that includes 1 course.
Does Teachable take a cut of my sales?
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On the Starter plan Teachable charges a 7.5% transaction fee. Builder, Growth and Custom have 0% transaction fees when you use Teachable Payments. Standard payment processing fees may still apply on every plan.
What counts as a product on Teachable?
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Any published course, coaching offer or digital download counts as one product, regardless of how many videos or modules it has. Memberships, bundles and unpublished drafts don't count toward the limit, according to Teachable.
Is Teachable good for faceless YouTube creators?
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Yes, if you plan to sell several products and want a dedicated, polished course platform with student mobile apps. If you're selling your first small course, a cheaper all-in-one tool may make more sense until you have proven demand.