Lms Cost Calculator
Compare Learning Management System costs across Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, and Podia. Enter values for instant results with step-by-step formulas.
Formula
Total Annual Cost = Monthly Plan Price x Billing Discount x 12 + Transaction Fees
Each platform has tiered pricing based on features and student limits. Annual billing saves approximately 20%. Transaction fees (Teachable Basic only at 5%) are added on top. Cost per student is calculated as total annual cost divided by enrolled students.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Solo Creator with 200 Students
Problem: A solo course creator with 200 students and 3 courses needs basic features with a custom domain. Monthly billing.
Solution: Teachable Basic: $59/mo = $708/year + 5% transaction fees\nThinkific Basic: $49/mo = $588/year, 0% fees\nKajabi Basic: $149/mo = $1,788/year, 0% fees\nPodia Mover: $39/mo = $468/year, 0% fees\n\nCheapest: Podia at $468/year\nMost Expensive: Kajabi at $1,788/year
Result: Podia saves $1,320/year vs Kajabi for basic course hosting needs
Example 2: Growing Education Business
Problem: An education business with 2,000 students, 10 courses, needs advanced analytics and affiliate marketing. Annual billing.
Solution: Teachable Pro: $159 x 0.8 = $127.20/mo = $1,526/year\nThinkific Grow: $199 x 0.8 = $159.20/mo = $1,910/year\nKajabi Growth: $199 x 0.8 = $159.20/mo = $1,910/year\nPodia Shaker: $89 x 0.8 = $71.20/mo = $854/year\n\nCheapest: Podia at $854/year\nMost Expensive: Thinkific/Kajabi at $1,910/year
Result: Podia saves $1,056/year, but Kajabi includes email marketing and funnels
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an LMS and why do course creators need one?
A Learning Management System (LMS) is a software platform that allows you to create, host, sell, and manage online courses. Course creators need an LMS to deliver content professionally, track student progress, process payments, and scale their educational business. Without an LMS, creators would need to cobble together multiple tools for hosting videos, collecting payments, managing enrollments, and communicating with students. Modern LMS platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi, and Podia provide all-in-one solutions that handle everything from course creation to marketing automation and student analytics.
What features should I prioritize when choosing an LMS?
The most important features to prioritize depend on your business stage. For beginners, focus on ease of use, payment processing, and basic course delivery since you need to launch quickly without a steep learning curve. For growing creators, prioritize email marketing integration, analytics, and student engagement tools like quizzes and certificates. For established businesses, look for affiliate marketing programs, advanced reporting, API access, and white-labeling capabilities. Across all stages, ensure the platform handles your expected student volume, supports your preferred content formats like video and downloads, and provides reliable uptime and customer support.
How do transaction fees impact LMS total cost?
Transaction fees can significantly increase your effective LMS cost, especially at higher revenue levels. Teachable Basic charges a 5% transaction fee on top of its monthly subscription. For a creator earning $5,000/month in course sales, that adds $250/month or $3,000/year to the cost, making the Basic plan effectively more expensive than upgrading to Pro which has zero fees. Thinkific, Kajabi, and Podia charge no transaction fees on any paid plan. When comparing platforms, always calculate your expected revenue and add transaction fees to the subscription cost. The break-even point for upgrading from a plan with fees to one without typically occurs around $3,000-4,000 in monthly revenue.
Should I choose monthly or annual billing for my LMS?
Annual billing typically saves 20% compared to monthly billing across all major LMS platforms. For Teachable Pro, that means saving approximately $380/year. For Kajabi Growth, annual billing saves roughly $480/year. The trade-off is commitment risk since you are locked in for a full year. A smart approach is to start with monthly billing while you validate your course idea and confirm the platform meets your needs. Once you have consistent revenue and are confident in the platform, switch to annual billing to capture the discount. Most platforms allow you to switch from monthly to annual at any time and will pro-rate your existing subscription balance.
What is Podia and how does it compare to larger LMS platforms?
Podia is a streamlined course platform focused on simplicity and affordability. Starting at $39/month, it offers unlimited courses, students, and digital downloads with zero transaction fees. Podia stands out with its clean interface and built-in email marketing on all plans. However, it lacks some advanced features found in competitors like detailed student analytics, advanced quiz types, and sophisticated course completion certificates. Podia is ideal for solo creators who want an affordable all-in-one platform without complexity. It includes digital downloads, webinars, and community features alongside courses, making it a versatile choice for creators selling multiple types of digital products.
How do I calculate the true cost per student for my LMS?
True cost per student goes beyond dividing your monthly subscription by student count. You need to factor in subscription fees, transaction fees on sales, payment processing fees (typically 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction via Stripe), any add-on costs for email marketing or integrations, and the cost of your time for platform administration. For example, a Teachable Pro plan at $159/month with 500 students has a base cost of $3.82/student/year. But if you add $50/month for external email marketing and average $500 in payment processing fees monthly, the true cost rises to $18.84/student/year. Consolidating tools on an all-in-one platform can significantly reduce this effective cost per student.