Creating and selling online courses has become an increasingly popular way for educators and entrepreneurs to share their expertise and generate income. When it comes to choosing a platform, MemberPress and Teachable stand out as two leading options, each offering distinct advantages for different types of course creators. Understanding the key differences between these platforms will help you make the right choice for your specific needs and business goals.
What Makes MemberPress Different from Teachable
The fundamental architecture of these platforms represents their most significant difference, shaping everything from setup complexity to long-term scalability. MemberPress operates as a WordPress plugin that transforms your existing website into a comprehensive learning management system with membership capabilities. This approach gives you complete control over your site’s design, functionality, and data while adding powerful course creation tools through the Courses add-on. The platform integrates seamlessly with WordPress, allowing you to leverage thousands of plugins and themes to customize your learning environment.
Teachable takes a completely different approach as a standalone, all-in-one platform specifically designed for course creation and sales. You don’t need an existing website or technical knowledge to get started, as Teachable provides everything from hosting to payment processing in one package. The platform handles all the technical complexities, allowing you to focus entirely on creating content and engaging with students.
The fundamental difference lies in ownership and control versus convenience and simplicity. MemberPress requires more setup and technical knowledge but offers unlimited customization potential and complete data ownership. Teachable prioritizes ease of use and quick deployment but limits your control over the platform’s functionality and appearance.
Revolutionize Learning with AI Power
For educators and course creators seeking the perfect balance between ease of use and powerful features, Learniverse emerges as a compelling alternative to traditional platforms. This innovative AI course generator transforms the course creation process by automatically generating comprehensive educational content from simple text inputs, PDFs, or web links. Unlike the setup complexity of MemberPress or the rigid structure of Teachable, Learniverse adapts to your unique teaching style while providing adaptive and personalized learning paths that adjust to each student's progress and learning preferences.
What sets Learniverse apart from both MemberPress and Teachable is its focus on engagement-driven design through interactive tools including dynamic quizzes, embedded videos, and gamification elements that keep students motivated throughout their learning journey. The platform combines the customization flexibility that MemberPress users appreciate with the user-friendly approach that makes Teachable popular, while adding built-in analytics and learner tracking that provide deeper insights than either platform offers natively. With easy customization through drag-and-drop design tools, Learniverse serves educators, corporate trainers, HR teams, and course creators who want sophisticated functionality without technical complexity—positioning itself as the next evolution in online learning platforms.
How Much Does Each Platform Cost
Understanding the pricing structure of each platform is crucial for making an informed decision that aligns with your budget and business model. Both platforms offer different approaches to pricing, with MemberPress focusing on annual licensing and Teachable using a monthly subscription model with significant changes in 2025.
MemberPress Pricing Structure
MemberPress follows an annual licensing model with three distinct tiers designed to accommodate different business sizes and needs. The Basic plan starts at $179.50 per year and includes the Courses add-on, essential membership features, and support for one website. The Plus plan costs $299.50 annually and supports up to two websites, while the Pro plan at $399.50 per year allows installation on up to five websites.
What makes MemberPress particularly cost-effective is the absence of transaction fees beyond what your chosen payment gateway charges. This means as your course sales grow, you won’t face increasing platform fees that eat into your profits. However, you’ll need to factor in additional costs like WordPress hosting ($60-250 annually), domain registration, and potentially other plugins for expanded functionality.
MemberPress also offers a 14-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to test the platform risk-free. This trial period gives you full access to all features and customer support, helping you determine if the platform meets your specific requirements before committing to a full year.
Teachable’s Updated 2025 Pricing
Teachable has restructured its pricing significantly in 2025, moving away from its previous model to introduce more restrictive limits and higher costs. The platform now operates on a tiered system that can become expensive as your business grows, with the Basic plan starting at $59 monthly.
The new pricing structure includes transaction fees on lower-tier plans and strict limits on products and students. The Basic plan charges a 5% transaction fee on sales, while higher-tier plans eliminate these fees but come with substantially higher monthly costs. The Pro plan costs $159 monthly, and the Pro+ plan reaches $249 monthly.
Unlike previous years, all plans now include strict product and student limits with overage charges if you exceed them, making it crucial to monitor your growth carefully. Teachable’s all-inclusive pricing eliminates the need for separate hosting, domain, or plugin costs, but the monthly fees can add up quickly for growing businesses.
Course Creation and Content Management
The course creation process represents one of the most important aspects of any learning management system. Both platforms offer different approaches to building and organizing educational content, each with unique advantages depending on your technical comfort level and creative requirements.
Building Courses with MemberPress
MemberPress leverages WordPress’s familiar block editor for course creation, making it intuitive for anyone already comfortable with WordPress. The Courses add-on provides a visual curriculum builder where you can organize content into logical sections and lessons. You can embed any type of content supported by WordPress, including videos, audio files, PDFs, images, and interactive elements.
The platform’s “Classroom Mode” creates a distraction-free learning environment while maintaining your brand identity. Students can track their progress through courses, and you can implement content dripping to release lessons on a scheduled basis. The recent additions of MemberPress Assignments and MemberPress Gradebook provide tools for creating interactive learning experiences with project assignments and grade tracking.
Content protection in MemberPress offers granular control through comprehensive access rules. You can restrict content based on membership levels, user roles, or specific conditions, creating sophisticated membership structures that go beyond simple course enrollment. This flexibility makes MemberPress ideal for complex business models with multiple product tiers.
Teachable’s Streamlined Approach
Teachable excels in simplicity with its purpose-built course creation interface that requires no technical knowledge. After naming your school and answering basic questions about your business, you can immediately start building courses through an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. The platform supports multimedia content including videos, PDFs, and audio files with built-in hosting and streaming capabilities.
The platform’s AI tools can help generate course materials based on your topic and description, significantly speeding up the content creation process. Teachable automatically creates professional-looking course pages and provides templates for different course structures. Students enjoy a clean, mobile-optimized learning experience with progress tracking and completion certificates.
Teachable’s content protection operates on a simpler enrollment-based system where students gain access to courses upon purchase. While less flexible than MemberPress’s rule-based system, this approach works well for straightforward course sales without complex membership structures.
Marketing and Sales Features Comparison
Effective marketing and sales tools can make the difference between a successful course launch and a disappointing one. The two platforms take distinctly different approaches to helping you promote and sell your courses, each with specific strengths that cater to different business models and marketing strategies.
MemberPress Marketing Capabilities
MemberPress provides foundational marketing tools but relies heavily on integrations with third-party services for comprehensive marketing automation. The platform includes basic coupon functionality and subscription management, but you’ll need to connect with email marketing services like AWeber, Constant Contact, or ConvertKit for advanced campaigns. This approach allows you to choose best-in-class tools for each marketing function rather than being limited to built-in options.
For affiliate marketing, MemberPress works seamlessly with AffiliateWP but doesn’t include native affiliate management. The platform supports various payment models including one-time payments, subscriptions, and payment plans through integrations with Stripe and PayPal. You have complete control over the customer purchasing experience through deep integration with your WordPress site.
Key marketing integrations include:
Email Marketing: AWeber, ConvertKit, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign
Analytics: Google Analytics, MonsterInsights, Facebook Pixel
Page Builders: Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder
E-commerce: WooCommerce for physical product sales alongside courses
Teachable’s Built-in Marketing Suite
Teachable shines with its comprehensive built-in marketing tools that require no additional integrations. The platform includes a powerful sales page builder that automatically generates professional-looking pages for your courses. Email marketing functionality, abandoned cart recovery, and upsell features work seamlessly together to maximize revenue from each customer.
The platform’s affiliate marketing system on higher-tier plans allows you to recruit and manage affiliates automatically. Commission tracking and payments are handled within the platform, eliminating the need for external affiliate management tools. Teachable also supports multiple currencies and payment methods natively, making it ideal for international course sales.
Teachable’s marketing tools are designed to work together cohesively, providing detailed analytics on campaign performance and student behavior. The platform handles complex tasks like EU VAT compliance automatically, reducing administrative burden for course creators focused on content and marketing rather than technical management.
Student Experience and Engagement Tools
The quality of the student experience directly impacts course completion rates, satisfaction levels, and ultimately your reputation as an educator. Both platforms prioritize creating engaging learning environments but take different approaches to student interaction and progress tracking.
MemberPress Student Features
MemberPress creates a focused learning environment through its Classroom Mode while maintaining your brand identity throughout the student journey. Students can track their progress through courses, access downloadable materials, and participate in discussions through WordPress’s comment system or integrated forum plugins like bbPress. The platform’s flexibility allows for extensive customization of the student experience.
The recent additions of MemberPress Assignments and MemberPress Gradebook enable instructors to create interactive learning experiences. Students can submit projects, receive feedback, and track grades all within the same platform. These tools transform passive course consumption into active learning experiences that improve engagement and completion rates.
Community building represents a significant strength of MemberPress through its integration with WordPress plugins. You can create robust discussion forums, member directories, and social features that foster peer interaction and support. This community aspect can be crucial for courses that benefit from student collaboration and ongoing engagement.
Teachable’s Polished Learning Environment
Teachable provides a clean, intuitive interface that works seamlessly across devices without requiring any technical setup. Students can easily navigate between course modules, track their progress, and download materials through a consistent, professional interface. The platform’s mobile optimization ensures a smooth learning experience regardless of device.
Built-in quiz functionality and completion certificates provide immediate feedback and motivation for students. Teachable’s commenting system allows for basic interaction between students and instructors, though it lacks the robust community features possible with MemberPress. The platform focuses on delivering a streamlined learning experience rather than extensive social features.
Teachable’s standardized approach ensures consistency across all courses on the platform, which can be beneficial for students familiar with the interface. However, this standardization limits your ability to create unique branded experiences that differentiate your courses from others on the platform.
Customization and Branding Options
The level of customization available represents one of the most significant differences between these platforms, directly impacting your ability to create a unique brand experience. Your choice here will determine how much control you have over the visual presentation and functionality of your online courses.
MemberPress Customization Freedom
MemberPress provides unlimited customization potential through WordPress’s extensive theming and plugin ecosystem. You can apply any WordPress theme, use custom CSS, and leverage the full power of WordPress’s design capabilities to create a truly unique learning environment. This level of control allows you to maintain brand consistency across all touchpoints of your business.
The platform’s integration with popular page builders like Elementor and Divi enables sophisticated course page designs without coding knowledge. You can create custom registration forms, unique course layouts, and branded member areas that reflect your business identity. This flexibility extends to functionality as well, allowing you to add features through plugins or custom development.
However, achieving a polished, professional design may require design skills or developer assistance for complex customizations. The freedom to customize everything also means responsibility for maintaining and updating your site’s appearance and functionality over time.
Teachable’s Template-Based Approach
Teachable offers basic customization options including logo upload, color changes, and custom domain usage on paid plans. While you can make your school match your brand colors and include your logo, you’re limited by the platform’s predetermined layouts and structure. The templates are professionally designed but offer limited flexibility for unique branding requirements.
Higher-tier plans allow removal of Teachable branding for a more professional appearance, but the overall design flexibility remains constrained within the platform’s framework. This approach ensures a consistent, professional look across all Teachable schools but limits your ability to create distinctive visual experiences.
The template-based system works well for course creators who prefer professional results without investing time in design details. Teachable’s templates are mobile-optimized and regularly updated, ensuring your courses always look current and function properly across devices.
Integration Capabilities and Third-Party Tools
The ability to connect your course platform with other business tools is crucial for creating efficient workflows and maximizing your marketing efforts. Both platforms offer different approaches to integrations, with varying levels of flexibility and ease of implementation.
MemberPress Integration Ecosystem
MemberPress benefits from WordPress’s extensive plugin ecosystem, offering virtually unlimited integration possibilities. The platform connects directly with popular email marketing services, CRM systems, and payment gateways. You can integrate with tools like ConvertKit for email marketing, Google Analytics for tracking, and various social media platforms for content promotion.
The WordPress API allows for custom integrations and unique solutions tailored to specific business needs. Developers can create custom functionality or integrate with proprietary systems that aren’t available through standard plugins. This flexibility makes MemberPress suitable for businesses with complex technical requirements or unique workflows.
Essential integrations available include:
Email Marketing Platforms: AWeber, ConvertKit, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign
Analytics and Tracking: Google Analytics, MonsterInsights, Facebook Pixel
Page Building Tools: Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder
E-commerce Solutions: WooCommerce for physical product sales alongside courses
Teachable’s Curated Integrations
Teachable provides essential integrations with popular business tools while maintaining simplicity through its curated approach. The platform connects with major email marketing services, analytics tools, and payment processors through pre-configured integrations that require minimal setup. Zapier integration opens up possibilities for connecting with thousands of additional applications.
While Teachable’s integration options are more limited than MemberPress, they cover the essential needs of most course creators. The pre-configured nature of these integrations means they typically work reliably without requiring technical troubleshooting or maintenance. This approach prioritizes stability and ease of use over extensive customization options.
Support and Learning Resources
Quality support can make a significant difference when you’re setting up and managing your online courses. Both platforms offer different levels of assistance, with varying approaches to helping users succeed with their course creation and marketing efforts.
MemberPress Support Structure
MemberPress provides email and ticket-based support to all customers regardless of plan tier. Their knowledge base covers everything from basic setup to advanced configurations and developer resources. The MemberPress blog regularly publishes tutorials, best practices, and case studies to help course creators maximize their success.
The platform benefits from the broader WordPress community, providing access to extensive documentation, forums, and third-party resources. For complex implementations or custom solutions, MemberPress offers access to a network of certified experts who can provide specialized assistance for an additional fee.
MemberPress support focuses on technical assistance and platform guidance rather than business coaching. The extensive documentation and community resources make it possible to find solutions to most questions independently, though response times for direct support can vary based on complexity.
Teachable’s Tiered Support System
Teachable provides different support levels based on subscription plans, with basic email support for lower tiers and live chat for higher-tier customers. The platform’s knowledge base covers course creation, marketing strategies, and technical troubleshooting. Regular webinars and educational content help users maximize their course success.
The platform’s support team focuses on both technical assistance and business guidance, helping course creators optimize their marketing and sales strategies. Teachable’s blog and educational resources provide insights into industry trends and best practices for online course creation.
Teachable’s standardized platform means support issues are often more straightforward to resolve compared to the complex customizations possible with MemberPress. The company’s focus on course creation means their support team understands the specific challenges faced by online educators.
Which Platform Should You Choose
Selecting between MemberPress and Teachable depends on your technical comfort level, business goals, and long-term vision for your online education business. Each platform serves different types of course creators and business models, making the choice highly dependent on your specific circumstances and priorities.
MemberPress excels for users who value complete control, extensive customization, and integration with existing WordPress websites. The platform’s flexibility makes it ideal for complex membership structures, multiple product types, and businesses requiring unique functionality. Course creators who already have WordPress experience and want to maintain full ownership of their data and customer relationships will find MemberPress particularly appealing.
Teachable represents the better choice for educators who prioritize simplicity, quick deployment, and comprehensive built-in marketing tools. The platform’s all-in-one approach eliminates technical complexity while providing professional results. Course creators who want to focus on content creation and student engagement rather than platform management will find Teachable’s streamlined approach more suitable.
Consider your long-term business strategy when making this decision. MemberPress offers more scalability for complex business models but requires ongoing management and technical knowledge. Teachable provides a simpler path to launching and growing your course business with predictable costs and minimal technical overhead, though with less flexibility for unique requirements.
Start Building Your Online Course Empire Today
Both MemberPress and Teachable offer powerful solutions for creating and selling online courses, each with distinct advantages depending on your specific needs and goals. The decision ultimately comes down to balancing control and flexibility against simplicity and ease of use, while considering your budget constraints and technical capabilities.
MemberPress provides unmatched flexibility and control for WordPress users willing to invest time in setup and customization. The platform’s integration with the WordPress ecosystem opens up endless possibilities for creating unique learning experiences and complex business models. However, this flexibility comes with the responsibility of managing and maintaining your own WordPress installation.
Teachable delivers a streamlined, professional solution that gets you to market quickly with comprehensive built-in tools. The platform handles all technical aspects of course delivery, payment processing, and student management, allowing you to focus entirely on creating valuable content and engaging with your audience. While less flexible than MemberPress, Teachable’s all-in-one approach eliminates many of the technical challenges that can slow down course launches.
Whether you choose the WordPress flexibility of MemberPress, the streamlined approach of Teachable, or explore innovative alternatives like Learniverse, success in online education ultimately depends on creating valuable, engaging content that truly serves your students' needs. Consider Learniverse as an AI-powered learning platform designed for adaptability and engagement, offering a modern solution that bridges the gap between technical control and user-friendly course creation.
