Choosing the right platform to host and sell your online courses can significantly impact your business’s success. Among the myriad of options available, Teachable and Memberium stand out as popular choices, each with distinct approaches to course delivery and membership management. Teachable operates as a standalone, hosted platform designed specifically for course creators who want a straightforward solution without technical complexities, while Memberium functions as a WordPress plugin that integrates with marketing automation platforms like Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) and ActiveCampaign to create powerful, customizable membership sites.
What Makes These Platforms Different
Teachable and Memberium represent fundamentally different approaches to online course delivery. Teachable operates as a Software as a Service (SaaS) platform, providing an all-in-one solution where hosting, course creation tools, and payment processing are bundled together. Setting up a Teachable site requires minimal technical knowledge—you simply sign up for an account, customize your school’s appearance using built-in themes, and begin uploading your content. This streamlined process allows course creators to launch quickly, often within hours or days.
Memberium, conversely, follows a self-hosted WordPress model. It’s not a standalone platform but a WordPress plugin that connects your website to marketing automation systems like Keap or ActiveCampaign. This architecture requires several components: a WordPress website with hosting, the Memberium plugin, a compatible learning management system (LMS) like LearnDash, and an active Keap or ActiveCampaign account. The setup process is considerably more complex, involving WordPress installation, theme selection, plugin configuration, and establishing proper connections between these various elements.
The architectural differences create a clear distinction in time-to-launch capabilities. While Teachable offers a faster path to market for those with ready content, Memberium requires more upfront investment in technical setup. However, this additional complexity brings greater control over your site’s functionality and appearance. For businesses already using WordPress and Keap/ActiveCampaign, Memberium may integrate more seamlessly with existing workflows, whereas Teachable represents a separate system that might require additional integration efforts to connect with your current business tools.
Understanding these core differences helps course creators evaluate which approach better aligns with their technical expertise and long-term business vision. Teachable prioritizes ease of use and quick implementation, while Memberium focuses on flexibility and deep marketing integration capabilities.
Course Creation and Content Management
When it comes to building and organizing your educational content, both platforms offer robust solutions but take different approaches. Teachable provides an intuitive, user-friendly course builder that uses a hierarchical structure of courses, modules, and lessons. The platform includes built-in tools for creating multimedia lectures, quizzes, assignments, and completion certificates. Its drag-and-drop interface makes reorganizing content simple, even for those without technical expertise. Course creators can easily embed videos hosted on Teachable’s servers, upload PDFs, create text lectures, and design basic quizzes without requiring additional plugins or tools.
Memberium, working within the WordPress ecosystem, doesn’t include built-in course creation tools. Instead, it relies on integration with learning management systems like LearnDash or LifterLMS to handle course organization and delivery. This separation of concerns means you’ll need to purchase and configure an LMS plugin separately, adding to initial costs and setup complexity. However, this approach offers significant advantages in flexibility. With LearnDash, for example, you can create sophisticated learning paths, advanced quizzing with multiple question types, prerequisites, and detailed progress tracking systems that surpass Teachable’s basic functionality.
Content management workflows differ substantially between the platforms. Teachable centralizes everything in one dashboard, simplifying the creation process but limiting customization options. Memberium’s WordPress-based approach utilizes the familiar WordPress editor for content creation while adding membership access controls through its integration with your CRM. This separation provides greater flexibility for content types and layouts but requires learning multiple systems. For content-heavy courses with complex structures, Memberium’s approach may offer more sophisticated options, while Teachable excels at getting straightforward course content online quickly.
The choice between these approaches ultimately depends on your content complexity needs and technical comfort level. Teachable works best for creators who want to focus primarily on content creation rather than technical implementation, while Memberium serves those who need advanced learning features and don’t mind managing multiple interconnected systems.
Why Learniverse Changes the Game
Learniverse Revolutionizes Course Creation with AI Power. While both Teachable and Memberium require manual course creation and significant time investment, Learniverse introduces a revolutionary approach that transforms how educators and trainers develop learning content. This AI course generator leverages artificial intelligence to create comprehensive courses in under five minutes, addressing the most time-consuming aspect of online education that both Teachable and Memberium users face.
Learniverse’s AI-powered course creation eliminates the hours typically spent organizing materials, structuring content, and building interactive elements. You can upload PDFs, enter URLs, or simply type descriptive words, and the platform automatically generates complete learning paths with quizzes, videos, and gamification elements. Unlike Teachable’s template-based approach or Memberium’s complex plugin dependencies, Learniverse provides adaptive and personalized learning paths that adjust to individual learner needs. The platform includes built-in analytics and learner tracking capabilities that rival both Teachable’s basic reporting and Memberium’s CRM-dependent analytics. With easy customization through drag-and-drop design tools, Learniverse appeals to educators, trainers, HR teams, and course creators who want the simplicity of Teachable but with more advanced engagement features than either platform traditionally offers.
Pricing Structures and Revenue Impact
Understanding the pricing structures of both platforms is crucial for determining their impact on your business’s bottom line. Teachable offers tiered subscription plans starting with a Basic plan at $39/month (billed annually), a Professional plan at $119/month, and a Business plan at $299/month. Each tier unlocks additional features like custom domains, affiliate marketing, advanced reporting, and priority support. Notably, Teachable’s Basic plan includes a 5% transaction fee on all sales, while higher tiers eliminate this fee. All plans include unlimited courses and students, essential marketing tools, and standard payment processing fees from Stripe or PayPal.
Memberium adopts a different pricing approach based on the CRM you’re using. For Keap users, plans range from $77/month to $207/month, while ActiveCampaign users can expect to pay between $37/month and $127/month. However, these costs represent just one component of the total investment. You’ll also need to factor in WordPress hosting ($5-$100/month depending on traffic), an LMS plugin like LearnDash ($159-$329/year), and your CRM subscription (Keap starts around $199/month; ActiveCampaign from $9/month). Despite the higher combined costs, Memberium charges no transaction fees on your sales.
The revenue implications extend beyond direct platform costs. Teachable’s all-in-one solution may result in lower initial investment but can become more expensive as your business scales due to transaction fees on lower-tier plans. Memberium’s model requires higher upfront costs but may prove more economical for high-volume businesses since there are no transaction fees. Additionally, Memberium’s integration with powerful marketing automation tools can potentially generate higher conversion rates and lifetime customer value through sophisticated marketing campaigns, potentially offsetting the higher infrastructure costs over time.
Advanced Features and Capabilities
When evaluating advanced functionality, both platforms offer distinct advantages:
Teachable’s Built-in Tools: Native affiliate program management, student discussion forums, quiz and survey builders, completion certificates, and basic email marketing
Memberium’s Ecosystem Power: Deep CRM integration enabling behavioral triggers, advanced segmentation, sophisticated sales funnels, and unlimited customization through WordPress plugins
Marketing Automation: Teachable provides basic drip content and email announcements, while Memberium offers complex automation sequences based on student behavior and progress
Community Building: Teachable includes basic commenting systems, whereas Memberium can integrate with BuddyPress, bbPress, or BuddyBoss for full social learning environments
The cost analysis becomes particularly important for businesses projecting significant revenue growth. High-volume course creators often find Memberium’s zero transaction fee structure more profitable despite higher operational costs, while smaller operations may prefer Teachable’s predictable monthly fees even with percentage-based transaction costs.
User Experience and Customer Support
The user experience differs significantly between these platforms, both for you as the course creator and for your students. Teachable prioritizes simplicity and accessibility, offering an intuitive interface that requires minimal learning curve. Course creators can navigate through a well-organized dashboard that clearly separates content creation, student management, and business analytics. For students, Teachable provides a clean, consistent learning environment with straightforward navigation, progress tracking, and mobile responsiveness through their native mobile app. This streamlined approach ensures that both creators and students can focus on the learning content rather than figuring out how to use the platform.
Memberium delivers a more customizable but potentially complex experience. As the course creator, you’ll navigate through the familiar WordPress admin area, with Memberium adding specific sections for membership management. This flexibility allows for highly personalized student experiences but requires more setup and configuration time. The student experience is entirely determined by your WordPress theme, LMS plugin, and overall site design choices. This can result in either a more engaging, branded experience or potential confusion if not well-implemented. Unlike Teachable, Memberium doesn’t offer a native mobile app, though responsive WordPress themes can provide decent mobile experiences.
Regarding customer support, Teachable provides tiered assistance based on your subscription level. Basic plans include email support, while higher tiers offer priority assistance and coaching calls. Teachable also maintains extensive documentation, webinars, and a community forum. Memberium offers email support for all plans and provides detailed documentation and regular office hours via Zoom calls. However, support is limited to the Memberium plugin functionality itself—you’ll need to seek separate assistance for WordPress, your LMS, or CRM issues. This fragmented support landscape can present challenges for less technically inclined course creators who might prefer Teachable’s more consolidated support approach.
The learning curve represents another significant consideration. Teachable’s interface can be mastered within days, while becoming proficient with Memberium’s full ecosystem often requires weeks or months of learning across multiple platforms and systems.
Marketing and Sales Capabilities
Marketing and sales functionalities represent a critical distinction between these platforms. Teachable includes built-in marketing tools designed specifically for selling online courses. These features include customizable sales pages, checkout pages, one-click upsells, and basic email marketing for course announcements. Teachable’s affiliate marketing system allows you to recruit partners who earn commissions for promoting your courses. The platform handles payment processing through Stripe and PayPal, supports various currencies, and offers flexible pricing options including one-time payments, subscriptions, and payment plans. While functional, these marketing tools are somewhat limited compared to dedicated marketing platforms and lack advanced segmentation or behavioral targeting capabilities.
Memberium takes a fundamentally different approach by integrating with sophisticated marketing automation platforms like Keap and ActiveCampaign. This integration enables advanced marketing strategies including complex sales funnels, detailed customer segmentation, behavioral targeting, and automated follow-up sequences based on student actions and progress. Instead of providing built-in sales pages, Memberium works with whatever WordPress page builder you prefer (such as Elementor or Divi) to create highly customized sales experiences. Payment processing typically happens through your CRM or WordPress plugins like WooCommerce, offering extensive customization options for your checkout process.
The marketing capabilities ultimately reflect each platform’s core philosophy: Teachable aims to provide everything you need in one place with minimal setup, while Memberium focuses on deep integration with specialized marketing tools. For course creators with sophisticated marketing needs or existing CRM infrastructures, Memberium’s approach offers significantly more power and flexibility. However, this comes with a steeper learning curve and requires comfort with multiple platforms working together. Teachable’s streamlined approach may be sufficient for creators who prioritize simplicity and want to focus primarily on course creation rather than complex marketing automation.
Integration Capabilities
The ability to connect your course platform with other business tools significantly impacts operational efficiency and marketing effectiveness:
Teachable Integrations: Native connections with MailChimp, ConvertKit, Google Analytics, and Zapier for basic automation, plus API access for custom integrations
Memberium Connections: Deep bidirectional integration with Keap/Infusionsoft and ActiveCampaign, plus access to the entire WordPress plugin ecosystem with thousands of pre-built integrations
Data Synchronization: Teachable offers limited data sharing between connected services, while Memberium enables sophisticated data flow and behavioral triggers between your membership site and marketing automation platform
Customization and Branding Options
The ability to create a distinctive, branded experience for your students varies considerably between these platforms. Teachable offers limited but user-friendly customization options. You can personalize your school with your logo, custom colors, and basic theme adjustments through a straightforward interface. Custom domains ensure your URL reflects your brand rather than Teachable’s. For more advanced styling, you can inject custom CSS code to modify certain elements, though structural changes remain restricted. Teachable maintains consistency across schools, which streamlines the user experience but constrains unique branding opportunities. The platform’s pages follow standardized layouts with limited flexibility for creative arrangement of content or specialized features.
Memberium, operating within WordPress, offers virtually unlimited customization potential. You can select from thousands of WordPress themes or use page builders like Elementor, Divi, or Thrive Architect to create completely custom layouts and designs. Every aspect of the user interface can be tailored to your brand’s specifications, from navigation menus to course players to checkout experiences. This flexibility extends to functionality as well—you can incorporate any WordPress plugin to add features like gamification, social learning communities, or specialized content delivery methods. The WordPress ecosystem provides access to developers who can create entirely custom solutions when needed.
The branding implications are significant. Teachable schools inevitably retain some “Teachable DNA” in their look and feel, potentially diminishing brand distinctiveness. Memberium-powered sites can be indistinguishable from custom-built web applications, offering complete brand continuity. However, this customization freedom requires design decisions and potential development resources that some course creators may find overwhelming. For businesses where unique brand experience is paramount, Memberium’s flexibility represents a clear advantage. For those prioritizing quick implementation with acceptable branding, Teachable’s templates provide a more accessible solution.
Community and Student Engagement Features
Creating an engaging learning environment that fosters student interaction can significantly improve course completion rates and overall satisfaction. Teachable provides basic commenting functionality on lecture pages, allowing students to ask questions and interact with instructors. However, it lacks built-in community features like forums, group discussions, or direct messaging between students. For creators wanting to build a learning community, this limitation often necessitates using external platforms like Facebook Groups or Circle, creating a fragmented experience that requires students to navigate between multiple platforms to fully participate in the course community.
Memberium, through the WordPress ecosystem, offers significantly more robust community-building options. While Memberium itself doesn’t include community features, it integrates seamlessly with plugins like BuddyPress, bbPress, or BuddyBoss Platform to create sophisticated social learning environments. These tools enable discussion forums, member directories, private messaging, user groups, activity feeds, and even gamification elements like points and badges. All these community features can be protected by the same membership rules that govern your course content, creating a cohesive, integrated experience where learning and community interaction happen in one place.
Scalability and Business Growth Potential
As your course business expands, the platform’s ability to accommodate growth becomes increasingly important:
Technical Scaling: Teachable handles server resources automatically, while Memberium requires active hosting management as traffic increases
Business Model Flexibility: Teachable works best for standard course sales, while Memberium supports corporate licensing, team accounts, certification programs, and hybrid business models
Revenue Optimization: Teachable’s transaction fees can become costly at scale, while Memberium’s no-fee structure benefits high-volume businesses
Feature Evolution: Teachable’s fixed feature set may eventually constrain growing businesses, while Memberium’s plugin ecosystem enables continuous capability expansion
Which Platform Best Fits Your Needs
After thoroughly examining both platforms, it’s clear that Teachable and Memberium serve different needs and business profiles. Teachable excels as an all-in-one solution for course creators who prioritize simplicity, speed to market, and minimal technical overhead. Its intuitive interface, consolidated dashboard, and included hosting make it particularly suitable for solo educators, content creators transitioning to online courses, or small businesses without dedicated technical resources. If you’re just starting your online course journey and want to focus primarily on creating and selling quality content rather than managing technical infrastructure, Teachable provides the most straightforward path to launching your educational business.
Memberium stands out as the superior choice for established businesses with more complex needs, especially those already utilizing Keap/Infusionsoft or ActiveCampaign. Its deep marketing integration, unlimited customization potential, and advanced functionality make it ideal for sophisticated course businesses seeking to implement complex sales funnels, build integrated learning communities, or develop hybrid business models. The platform particularly excels for businesses scaling beyond basic course sales into corporate training, certification programs, or membership-based educational communities. If you value control and flexibility over simplicity, and have the technical resources (or budget to hire them), Memberium’s ecosystem offers substantially more growth potential.
Your specific situation should guide your choice between these platforms. Consider your technical comfort level, existing marketing infrastructure, budget constraints, and long-term business vision. Many successful educators start with simpler platforms like Teachable to validate their course concepts before graduating to more powerful solutions like Memberium as their needs evolve. However, platforms like Learniverse are changing this traditional progression by offering AI-powered course creation that combines ease of use with advanced features, making sophisticated course development accessible to creators at any level. Whichever platform you choose, focus first on creating valuable educational content and building meaningful relationships with your students—technology should support these core objectives rather than detract from them.
With the right platform aligned to your specific needs and the power of AI-driven course creation tools like Learniverse, you’ll be well-positioned to create a thriving online education business that delivers exceptional value to your learners while achieving your professional goals.
