Thinkific vs Teachable vs Kajabi: Best Online Platform for Fitness & Personal Trainers
The online platform you pick for your fitness business impacts your profits, client experience, and ongoing costs. Thinkific, Teachable, and Kajabi offer different features and pricing models. The right choice helps you sell workout plans, host live classes, and manage clients without hidden fees or technical headaches. This guide helps independent personal trainers, yoga instructors, and Pilates teachers find the best fit.
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The Quick Answer for Fitness Pros
Choose Thinkific if you want to sell recorded workout programs or yoga flows online with no transaction fees on your earnings. It's great for trainers focused on building a video library. Choose Teachable if you need to get your first 30-day challenge or meal plan online fast and are okay with a small fee for simplicity on lower plans. Choose Kajabi if you want to manage live class bookings, client emails, a private community, and sell programs all from one spot – it's a high cost for high convenience and an all-in-one solution.
Side-by-Side Breakdown for Your Online Fitness Business
Thinkific: Plans range from free to $199/month. They have 0% transaction fees on all plans, meaning you keep all earnings from your '30-Day Core Strength Challenge' or 'Beginner Yoga Series.' It offers a strong platform for hosting high-quality workout videos but doesn't have built-in email for client newsletters. Teachable: Plans range from $0 to $299/month. There's a 5% transaction fee on the free plan (0% on paid plans). It offers a fast setup for launching your first 'Post-Natal Pilates' program and has excellent sales pages for converting leads into clients. Kajabi: Plans range from $69 to $399/month. It has 0% transaction fees and includes everything: email for sending daily workout reminders, landing pages for lead magnets like '5-Day Detox Meal Plan,' a private community for clients, and a full website for your coaching brand. It’s an all-in-one solution for a premium price.
When to Choose Thinkific for Your Training Programs
Choose Thinkific if you're launching your first 'Bodyweight Basics' program or 'Yoga for Stress Relief' video series and want to keep profits high by avoiding transaction fees on client payments. It’s ideal if you already use tools like Mailchimp or ConvertKit for sending healthy living tips or class schedule updates to your client list. You’ll appreciate Thinkific if you want your workout videos or posture breakdown tutorials to look professional and trustworthy. It's also a strong choice if you plan to create multiple programs over time, like an 'Advanced Kettlebell Training' module after your beginner course.
When to Choose Teachable for Quick Fitness Launches
Choose Teachable if you need to get your '14-Day Healthy Eating Jumpstart' or 'Pilates for Back Pain' program online quickly. Teachable offers the easiest way to upload videos and text lessons for a fast launch. It's also suitable if you want professional-looking sales pages for your 'Summer Shred Challenge' without hiring a web designer, helping convert potential clients into paid members. You might also choose Teachable if you're testing the waters with your first paid 'Virtual Personal Training' package and are okay with paying a small fee on sales initially to validate if it sells before upgrading.
When to Choose Kajabi for an All-in-One Fitness Hub
Choose Kajabi if you're building a full online coaching business, not just selling a single workout video. This includes offering live workshops, one-on-one coaching, and a comprehensive resource library. You should consider Kajabi if you need to send automated welcome emails after someone buys your 'Marathon Training Plan,' host a private group for your clients, create custom landing pages for your 'Free Fitness Assessment,' and deliver all your content in one integrated platform. It’s best for established fitness professionals with consistent clients paying for an 'Unlimited Virtual Class Membership' or high-ticket coaching, where the $149-$399/month cost is justified by replacing separate tools for email, website, and client community, saving technical headaches and multiple subscriptions.
The Verdict for Fitness & Training Platforms
For independent personal trainers or yoga instructors launching their first 'Beginner Strength Series' or 'Mindful Movement' program, Thinkific's free plan with 0% fees is the safest and lowest-risk starting point. For trainers wanting to quickly launch a '7-Day Detox Challenge' with a polished sales page and beginner-friendly setup, Teachable is the fastest route. For established fitness professionals with steady income building a comprehensive online studio (classes, community, programs, email), Kajabi's all-in-one platform can pay for itself by consolidating tools. Do not subscribe to Kajabi until you have a clear plan and a consistent flow of paying clients for your fitness offerings.
How to Get Started with Your Online Fitness Platform
Thinkific: Sign up for the free plan. Upload your first 'Full Body HIIT' workout video or 'Yoga Flow for Beginners' course. Connect your payment system like Stripe to accept client payments. You can start selling without paying a monthly fee. Teachable: Use the free plan to build out your 'Nutrition Basics' course or 'Functional Movement' program. Once you start getting clients, upgrade to the Basic plan (around $59/month) to remove transaction fees and keep more of your hard-earned earnings. Kajabi: Start a 14-day free trial. Use a 'product launch pipeline' template to set up your 'Weight Loss Masterclass' registration funnel. Connect your client email list to start promoting your new fitness offering.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS
Thinkific
Launch your first course free — 0% transaction fees
Kajabi
All-in-one creator platform
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I migrate courses between platforms?
Video content can be re-uploaded, but student enrollment records, progress data, and completion certificates do not transfer cleanly. Migrating 100+ students is a manual process. Choose carefully before you have a large student base.
Does Kajabi replace ConvertKit?
Kajabi's email is capable for most creators, but ConvertKit has stronger automation tagging, deliverability, and creator-specific features. Some creators use both — Kajabi for courses, ConvertKit for email — though that adds cost.
What transaction fees does Teachable charge?
On the free plan, Teachable takes 10% plus payment processor fees. On the Basic plan ($59/month) the fee drops to 5%. On Professional ($159/month) and above, there are no transaction fees.