How to Sell Online Courses Without a Website (2026)

last updated: 09.10.2026

Yes, you can sell an online course without a website. Host the lessons on a course platform, take payment with a checkout link, and share that link in DMs, email, or your bio. That is not the same as dumping the course on Udemy. A marketplace has traffic. You do not own the price or the student list.

Thinkific is the best overall host in 2026. Teachable is easiest for checkout. Podia pairs courses with email. Stan Store fits Instagram and TikTok. Systeme.io is the best free stack. LearnWorlds is best for quizzes and interactive video. A Stripe Payment Link works for a live workshop or a PDF. It does not give students a login or drip lessons.

Link-in-bio pages often convert at 5-10%. A requested DM with the checkout link often converts at 15-30%. Pricing changes. Confirm fees on each vendor page before you pay. A "0% transaction fee" does not include Stripe or PayPal processing, which is usually about 2.9% plus $0.30.

Key takeaways

- Yes, you can sell an online course without a website. You need a host, a checkout URL, and a place you already talk to people.

- A hosted school (Thinkific, Teachable, Podia, Stan Store, Systeme.io) is the default if students need login, drip, or modules.

- A file shop (Gumroad, Payhip, FreshLearn, Tentary, Sellfy) is enough for a zip of videos or a mini course.

- A Stripe Payment Link or PayPal.me link is enough for a live workshop. It is not a school.

- Udemy and Outschool are marketplaces. They are "without your website," not "you own the checkout."

Who this guide is for

This guide is for creators who want the first sale in about one to two weeks without WordPress, themes, SSL, or LMS plugins. You still need video hosting, a checkout, and automatic login after payment. Course platforms provide those three. Social posts and DMs bring the buyer to the link. If the offer is coaching or consulting as well as a course, I walk through getting paid in How to Get Paid for Coaching, Courses, and Consulting as a Creator (2026).

How to sell a course with no website in five steps

You design the course, pick a host, create a payment link, post useful content, and send the checkout link when people ask. Most people reach a first sale in one to two weeks. Startup cost is usually $0 to $100.

What are the four ways to sell a course with no website?

There are four honest setups. Only one of them is a real school.

Hosted school

You upload modules to Thinkific, Teachable, Podia, Stan Store, Systeme.io, or LearnWorlds. The platform gives you a hosted URL, checkout, and student login. You never touch WordPress. This is the path I want for a multi-module course.

File shop

You sell a video zip or a simple mini course on Gumroad, Payhip, FreshLearn, Tentary, or Sellfy. The buyer pays and gets a file or a basic player. Fine for a first test. Weak if you need drip, certificates, or a student app.

Payment link only

You create a Stripe Payment Link or a PayPal.me URL and send it in a DM, email, or bio. Stripe has a 2026 guide on selling without a website. It works. You still deliver the lesson yourself: Zoom, Drive, or a private group. No login. No drip. No "where is lesson 4?"

Marketplace

Udemy, Skillshare, and Outschool already have buyers. They take a large cut and they can discount you. Use them to test demand. Then move the real offer to a host you control.

If you want the first sale this month, pick hosted school or file shop. Use a payment link only for a live session. Do not start on a marketplace if you care about price and the email list.

Can I just use a Stripe payment link?

Yes, if the "course" is a live workshop, a PDF, or a replay you send by hand. No, if students need a login, drip lessons, quizzes, or certificates.

Create a Stripe Payment Link in the Stripe dashboard. Set the price. Copy the URL. Paste it in a DM, an email, or your bio. Stripe still takes its card fee. You still handle refunds and tax if you are not using a merchant-of-record host.

I would not run a six-module school this way. People will ask where lesson three lives. Move the replay onto Thinkific, Teachable, Podia, or Stan Store after the first live session.

For the broader "accept money with no site" list, I keep that on 7 Ways Creators Can Accept Payments Without Building a Website (2026). This page stays on courses.

Is selling on Udemy the same as selling without a website?

No. Udemy is selling without your website. Students are on Udemy's site. Udemy can change the price. Udemy keeps a big share. You do not get a clean student list.

Outschool is the same idea for live classes. Fine for discovery. A bad long-term school.

If the job is "I don't want to build WordPress," use Thinkific, Teachable, Podia, Stan Store, or Systeme.io. If the job is "I want Udemy's traffic," use Udemy as a test, then send your own audience to a checkout you control. If you want off Udemy and still want to keep the list, use Best Udemy Alternatives for Course Creators (2026): Keep the Revenue and the Email List.

How do I sell a live workshop, then the replay, with no website?

Run a 60 to 90 minute live session. Charge a small fee with a Stripe Payment Link or PayPal.me. Deliver on Zoom. Record it. That recording is the course.

After the call:

1. Upload the replay to Thinkific, Teachable, Podia, Stan Store, or Systeme.io.

2. Add a worksheet.

3. Replace the payment link with the platform checkout.

4. Email everyone who attended. They already paid once. Offer the replay plus the next module.

5. Use the same checkout URL in Instagram and TikTok DMs.

You do not need an audience of 10,000. You need 20 people who will show up. The live date is the deadline. The hosted school is what you sell after.

What is the best platform to sell courses without a website?

The best platform depends on the job. Thinkific is best for a structured school. Teachable is best for a simple checkout. Podia is best if you also need email. Stan Store is best for Instagram and TikTok. Systeme.io is best if you cannot spend money yet. LearnWorlds is best for tests and interactive video.

The host must store videos, take payment, and email login details automatically.

1. Thinkific charges 0% platform fee on paid plans. Connecting your own Stripe instead of Thinkific Payments can add a surcharge on lower tiers. Check the live pricing page.

Quick pick

1. Strongest course player and 0% platform fee after you subscribe: Thinkific
2. Least setup and a polished checkout: Teachable
3. Courses plus email without extra tools: Podia
4. Selling from Instagram or TikTok on mobile: Stan Store
5. $0 this month and you need a funnel: Systeme.io
6. Tests, interactive video, certificates: LearnWorlds
7. A payment link this week: Payhip, Gumroad, FreshLearn, Tentary, or Sellfy. Stripe Payment Link if it is a live workshop, not a school.
8. Already making enough to replace several tools: Kajabi

Verdict table

Thinkific

Thinkific is the best overall course host in 2026 if you want a real multi-module school without building a website. There is no permanent free plan. New accounts get a trial, then Basic at about $54/month or about $40/month billed annually. Paid plans charge 0% Thinkific platform fee.

You get a hosted school URL, lesson player, quizzes, drip, and a student area. Higher plans add certificates and live class tools. Start is about $82–$109/month. Grow is about $164–$219/month, depending on billing.

Thinkific does not include a full email broadcast tool. After the trial you need a paid plan to keep selling. Using your own Stripe can add a surcharge on lower tiers.

Choose Thinkific if you care about the learning experience and expect more than one course.

Thinkific versus a custom website

Teachable

Teachable is the easiest platform if you want videos live with a checkout as fast as possible. New accounts usually start on Starter at about $39/month ($29 annual) with a 7.5% platform fee. Builder at about $89/month ($69 annual) drops that platform fee to 0%. Growth is about $189/month ($139 annual).

Teachable includes landing pages and mobile student apps. Teachable Payments can calculate tax and handle VAT-style rules for many sellers. Affiliate tools and coaching packages sit next to the course.

The 7.5% Starter fee adds up. At $2,000/month in sales, that fee is $150. Builder often costs less once sales are steady. Design is limited without custom CSS.

Choose Teachable if you want the shortest path to a first checkout and may use the student apps. I keep the head-to-head on Thinkific vs Teachable vs Kajabi 2026 | Pricing, Fees & Best Pick.

Podia

Podia is the simplest all-in-one if you want courses and email in one login. Plans start with a 30-day trial. Mover is about $49/month or about $42 annual plus a 5% Podia fee. Shaker is about $99/month or about $84 annual with 0% Podia fee. Earthquaker is about $150–$179/month with 0% fee.

Podia covers courses, downloads, community, and email. Email subscriber caps are tight on lower plans. Extra list size is an add-on. Page design is basic.

Choose Podia if you want one dashboard for the course and the newsletter, and you will leave Mover once the 5% fee hurts.

Stan Store

Stan Store is the best storefront if most buyers come from Instagram or TikTok. Creator is $29/month. Creator Pro is $99/month. There is no free plan. Stan takes 0% platform fee. Stripe and PayPal still apply.

The storefront opens in the in-app browser. Buyers can pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay in seconds. It is weaker than Thinkific or LearnWorlds for a long multi-hour academy.

Choose Stan Store if checkout speed on a phone matters more than a deep course player. If Stan is not the fit, I ranked the storefronts in 8 Best Stan Store Alternatives for Creators in 2026.

Systeme.io

Systeme.io is the best $0 stack for selling a course without a website. The free plan includes 1 course, 2,000 contacts, 3 funnels, unlimited emails, and 0% platform fee. Startup is about $17/month billed annually (around $27 monthly in some regions). Webinar is about $47. Unlimited is about $97.

You can run an opt-in page, email sequence, checkout, and course access without extra tools. The course player is basic. The free plan is one course only.

Choose Systeme.io if budget is $0 and you need a funnel more than a polished school.

LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds is the best host if you need interactive video, quizzes, or certificates. Starter is commonly about $24/month plus $5 per enrollment. Pro Trainer is about $79/month with 0% platform fee. Learning Center is a higher white-label tier at about $249/month.

You can add questions inside the video timeline and track where students drop off. Starter’s $5-per-sale fee makes Pro Trainer the plan most serious teachers use.

Choose LearnWorlds if completion and assessments matter.

Kajabi, Payhip, Gumroad, and marketplaces

Kajabi starts around $179/month after the 2026 increase, with 0% platform fee. Use it only when that bill replaces your email tool, funnel builder, and course host.

Payhip is $0 plus 5%, Plus $29 plus 2%, or Pro $99 plus 0%. It is a fast storefront with a simpler course player than Thinkific.

Udemy, Skillshare, and Outschool are marketplaces. They can bring traffic. They take a large cut and control price. Use them to test demand, then move buyers to a platform you control. FreshLearn, Tentary, and Sellfy sit next to Gumroad and Payhip: hosted shop, checkout link, weak school player. I would not pick Kajabi for course one. For a Gumroad-style file shop that is not a school, see 8 Best Gumroad Alternatives for Digital Product Creators in 2026.

How to sell courses on Instagram without a website

To sell a course on Instagram without a website, host the lessons on a course platform, create a direct checkout link, and send that link in DMs when people comment a keyword. A bio link alone often converts at 5-10%. A requested DM with checkout often converts at 15-30%.

1. Upload modules to Thinkific, Teachable, Podia, Stan Store, or Systeme.io.
2. Create one payment URL from the platform or Stripe.
3. Post a clear ask: “Comment COURSE and I’ll send the breakdown.”
4. Deliver the link in a DM when the keyword appears.
5. Post 3–5 useful clips a week with the same keyword. Share student proof in Stories.

A comment-to-DM tool can send that checkout URL when someone comments your keyword. The course platform still hosts the lessons and takes the payment.

How to sell courses on TikTok without a website

To sell a course on TikTok without a website, put a checkout link in your bio and also DM it when viewers comment a keyword. You do not need a large following. You need a clear problem in the first three seconds.

1. Host on Thinkific, Teachable, Podia, or Stan Store.
2. Use a business account and add the checkout link to your bio.
3. Post 15–60 second clips that answer one painful question.
4. Ask viewers to comment GUIDE, or a similar word, for the full system.
5. Send the payment link in DM. The platform emails login details after payment.

Keep the hook on screen. Post one to three times a day while you test openings.

How to sell a course by email without a website

You can sell a course by email without a website by collecting addresses with a free checklist or short lesson, then sending a four-email launch that includes the payment link. You own the list. Algorithms do not.

1. Give away a one-page checklist or a five-minute lesson.
2. Collect email in DMs, a TikTok bio form, or Systeme.io or Podia.
3. Email 1 states the result and an early-bird price.
4. Email 2 shows the curriculum and proof.
5. Email 3 answers objections.
6. Email 4 is the last-chance note. Every email includes the checkout link.

How to sell on each social network

Which platform should you choose?

If you want the full fee and builder split, read Thinkific vs Teachable vs Kajabi 2026 | Pricing, Fees & Best Pick.

Pros and cons

Thinkific has a strong builder and 0% platform fee on paid plans. It has no forever-free plan and no native email.

Teachable has easy checkout and apps. Starter charges 7.5%. A free plan is no longer the default on-ramp.

Podia includes email. Mover charges 5%. List caps are tight.

Stan Store is the fastest social checkout. It costs $29 minimum and is not a deep LMS.

Systeme.io is the best true free stack. The free plan allows one course. The school experience is basic.

LearnWorlds has the best teaching tools. Starter charges $5 per sale.

Payhip and Gumroad give the fastest link. School features are weaker. Cheap tiers take a percentage.

Kajabi puts everything in one place. The price only makes sense at scale.

How we evaluated these tools

We scored each platform on whether you can sell a course without building a website, not on which tool has the longest feature list. A tool wins here if a creator can host videos, take payment, and deliver login details without WordPress, custom code, or a week of plugins.

The eight checks

1. No website required. Does the platform give you a hosted checkout and student area on day one?
2. True cost at $0, $1,000, and $5,000 in monthly sales. Subscription plus platform fee plus normal Stripe or PayPal processing.
3. Course builder. Modules, drip, quizzes, files, and a player students will actually finish.
4. Checkout speed. Especially on a phone inside Instagram or TikTok.
5. Email and follow-up. Built in, or do you need another tool?
6. Time to live. Minutes versus weeks after the videos exist.
7. Ownership. You keep student emails and can move later.
8. Fit for a first sale. Free plan or trial that can take real payments, not a sandbox only.

For a separate, regularly updated platform roundup, see Zapier’s independent course-platform comparison.

We did not score marketplaces such as Udemy as “no website” winners. They can find students. They also take a large cut and control price.

How to read the scores

Strong means the platform is a default pick for that job. Mixed means it works with a catch, usually a fee or a missing tool. Weak means you will feel the gap in the first 30 days.

Fees below are platform fees only. Card processing still applies on every tool.

What Reddit creators say

On Reddit, the usual advice in r/onlinecourses, r/elearning, r/entrepreneur, and r/digitalproducts is: do not build a custom website to sell your first course. Host the lessons on a platform, share a checkout link, and spend your time on the offer and distribution.

The points that come up again and again

Thinkific is the common “serious course” recommendation when people want 0% platform fees and a real school. The complaints are the missing native email tool and the fact that the old forever-free plan is gone.

Teachable is praised for checkout and the student-facing experience. The same threads warn that fees on the cheap plan hurt once sales are real. Several creators say Teachable only makes sense after you are on a 0% platform-fee plan.

Podia shows up as the simple pick for a small catalog when you also want email. People call it “fine under a few hundred students,” then look at Thinkific or a dedicated email tool as they grow.

Stan Store comes up when the audience lives on Instagram or TikTok. Creators like the mobile checkout and the $29 flat fee with no platform cut. The knock is that it is a storefront, not a deep learning platform.

Systeme.io is the budget answer. Threads about selling with no monthly software bill point at the free plan: one course, contacts, funnels, and email. The course player is not the part people praise.

LearnWorlds appears when someone cares about quizzes, interactive video, or a tighter teaching experience. It loses first-sale threads because Starter adds a per-sale fee.

Gumroad and Payhip are the “ship this week” answers. Gumroad is called easy and expensive at scale. Payhip is the usual next name when people want a lower percentage than Gumroad.

Kajabi is rarely the first-course pick. The Reddit line is that it is powerful and too expensive until it replaces several other tools.

What Reddit does not treat as a shortcut

Building WordPress plus an LMS plugin for course one. A minority prefers self-hosting for control. Most first-sale threads call that extra work you do after the offer is proven.

Selling only through Udemy or Skillshare if you want to own price and the student list. Those sites are treated as discovery tests, not a long-term school.

The short Reddit verdict

Use a hosted platform. Avoid a custom site until you have sales. Watch percentage fees more than the pretty homepage. Close in email or in DMs, not only through a bio link.

How the pieces fit

Last updated: 9 October 2026. Plans and fees change. Verify Thinkific, Teachable, Podia, Stan Store, Systeme.io, LearnWorlds, Payhip, Gumroad, Kajabi, FreshLearn, Tentary, Sellfy, and Stripe Payment Links on their official pricing pages before you subscribe. If comments arrive while you are filming, a DM automation tool like InstantDM can send the same checkout URL. It does not host the course or take the payment. If you are still outlining the course itself, start with How to Create and Sell an Online Course from Scratch.