Paddle
Teachable
| Feature | Paddle | Teachable |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $5/mo | Free / from $59/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | saas-companies, b2b-software, subscription-businesses, international-saas | course-creators, coaches, educators, experts, solopreneurs |
| Founded | 2012 | 2013 |
| Payments | ✓ | ✗ |
| Subscriptions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tax Compliance | ✓ | ✗ |
| Retain Churn Reduction | ✓ | ✗ |
| Profitwell Metrics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Checkout | ✓ | ✗ |
| Invoicing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Course Builder | ✗ | ✓ |
| Coaching | ✗ | ✓ |
| Digital Downloads | ✗ | ✓ |
| Quizzes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Certificates | ✗ | ✓ |
| Affiliates | ✗ | ✓ |
| Email Marketing | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Paddle Pros
- Merchant of record handles all tax compliance globally
- ProfitWell Metrics included for free
- Retain reduces involuntary churn
- Supports complex B2B SaaS pricing models
✗ Paddle Cons
- 5% + 50c per transaction is expensive
- Approval process can be slow
- Less control than direct Stripe integration
✓ Teachable Pros
- Easy course builder with drag-and-drop
- Built-in payment processing and affiliates
- Custom domain and branding on all plans
- Coaching and community features included
✗ Teachable Cons
- Transaction fees on free and basic plans
- Limited site customization options
- No built-in community forum (added 2024)
The Verdict
Paddle is built for saas companies and b2b software, with a focus on payments and subscriptions. Teachable targets course creators and coaches and leads with course-builder and coaching.
On pricing, Paddle is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $5/mo compared to $59/mo for Teachable. That $54/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Teachable has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Paddle requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.