How this site is funded. We may earn a commission through the Systeme.io links on this page, at no additional cost to you. Other recommendations can be non-affiliate links. Read the disclosure.
For a first course, evaluate Systeme.io for an integrated sales-and-email journey and Payhip for a course storefront with learning features. Test access and delivery before sending buyers, and separate subscription-free from fee-free.
Two different ways to launch
| Requirement | Systeme.io free tier | Payhip Free Forever |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | $0 | $0 |
| Platform transaction fee | 0%; processing is separate | 5%; processing is separate |
| Course structure | One course on the free tier | Courses among supported products |
| Certificates | No native certificate generation stated in the course FAQ | Certificates documented |
| Main decision | Do the course and email limits cover your launch? | Does the sales fee and surrounding workflow fit? |
Feature and fee references: Systeme.io plans ↗, Systeme.io courses ↗, Payhip plans ↗ and Payhip courses ↗.
Define the student experience first
Write a simple promise: what the student receives, how they access it, when lessons open and how they get help. A short course may only need lessons and downloads. An assessed program may require assignments, grading and certificates.
Test on a phone as well as a desktop. Make sure a new student can find the next lesson and recover access without relying on an instructor’s admin session. The cheapest software is not helpful when buyers cannot use the product.
Systeme.io: test the complete sales journey
This option is most interesting when email, funnels and course delivery belong in the same workflow. Build a small course, connect it to the correct paid resource, and check that only the intended buyer receives access. Contact allowance and student enrollment are not interchangeable terms; check the limits that apply to your account. [source]
Free-plan selling stops after a $10,000 lifetime-sales threshold unless you upgrade. [source]
A free account is a practical pilot, but plan for growth rather than discovering a constraint during a launch. See the digital-product setup walkthrough for a basic operational sequence.
Payhip: test the learning and storefront combination
Payhip documents course lessons, drip release, assignments and certificates. Those are reasons to test it for a teaching-led product, not proof that every course should use it. Check video hosting or embedding requirements and any extra services your setup uses. [source]
A 5% platform fee means $25 on an illustrative $500 of sales, before processing. Compare that variable bill with the fixed cost of a paid alternative at the same revenue assumption. [source]
Do not mistake a trial for a free plan
Podia’s pricing advertises a 14-day trial followed by paid plans. It can still be worth evaluating, but it belongs in a paid-options shortlist rather than a list promising permanent free hosting. [source]
Check plan limits at the source immediately before launching. A comparison article is a dated decision aid, not an assurance that a vendor will keep a particular offer forever.
Your launch acceptance checklist
- Open one lesson with a brand-new student account.
- Run the supported checkout test and confirm price, currency and the resource granted.
- Open the welcome message and every download on mobile.
- Check immediate access versus drip release with the exact timing you promised.
- Confirm how cancellations, refunds and lost-access requests will be handled.
- Publish a support contact and honest course description before promoting the offer.
None of these platforms removes the need to find customers. Choose a distribution plan separately from the technology that hosts the lessons.
Common questions
Does free mean no fees on sales?
Not necessarily. Payhip’s free plan has a platform fee; payment processing can apply on either platform.
Can I use this for a certificate-based program?
Test the certificate workflow as a primary requirement. Payhip documents certificates; Systeme.io’s course FAQ states that native certificate generation is not included.
Which is best for a first course?
The one that passes your lesson, payment, delivery and support tests at a cost you can sustain. Start with one representative product.
Show your work
Sources & methodology
Official documentation and plan pages checked on 4 October 2026. Prices and features can change. The practical recommendations are IONOSX’s analysis; this article does not claim hands-on performance testing.