Selling courses online in India is not the same decision as picking the winner of a US review roundup. Razorpay/UPI checkout, GST invoicing, and INR payouts decide conversion more than a glossy course builder. This finder shortlists Graphy, Teachable, Thinkific, and Custom WordPress (Tutor LMS / LearnDash + WooCommerce + Razorpay) from your offer type, active students, India vs global payments, marketing depth, control preference, and lean vs growth budget — then maps the student journey from checkout to refunds.
Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission when you buy through some ScaleSaathi links — read the disclosure. This page uses official LMS pricing URLs only. Always verify live checkout.
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Print tip: shortlist, comparison, and journey table below; sticky bar hidden.
Shortlist (top 2–3)
Scored for India course-seller fit from your inputs — not a lab ranking. Verify official pricing and payment docs before you pay.
India payments / GST callout (read before you trust a long US review)
- UPI + Razorpay: Graphy documents Razorpay and Graphy PG for Indian paid plans. Custom WordPress + WooCommerce/Tutor + Razorpay is the DIY native path. Teachable and Thinkific are card-first / Stripe–PayPal native; Razorpay on Thinkific is external.
- GST invoices: India B2C/B2B course sales often need GST-compliant invoices and credit notes on refunds. Hosted global tools may collect a GSTIN without being your full invoicing system — confirm with a CA.
- INR payouts: Prefer gateways that settle to an Indian bank in INR when your buyers pay in INR. Forex + delayed Stripe/PayPal settlement is a silent margin killer.
- What fees really cost: Platform % and gateway MDR are different lines. “0% transaction fee” still leaves processing fees. Listed prices dated 23 Oct 2026 (IST) — verify at checkout.
This page does not invent lab tests, locked fee percentages as forever facts, or “#1 course platform India” claims.
Comparison: fees, India payments, GST/INR, community
| Platform | Fees model (verify) | India payments | GST / INR | Community | Transaction fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graphy | India INR plans + possible %/sale; global Launch ~US$49 / Rise ~US$149 / Scale ~US$399 (0% platform fee on USD plans shown) — 23 Oct 2026 | Graphy PG + Razorpay (India paid) + Stripe intl | INR listed prices + GST path for India creators — verify | Memberships + live classes | India %/sale tiers ≠ gateway MDR; USD 0% still pays gateway |
| Teachable | Starter ~US$39 (7.5% fee); Builder ~US$89 (0%); Growth ~US$189 — annual discounts | Teachable Pay / Stripe — card-first; native Razorpay/UPI not listed | GSTIN field; not India-native GST stack | Courses + coaching + memberships | Starter 7.5% + processing; Builder/Growth 0% platform + processing |
| Thinkific | Start ~US$109 (~US$82 annual); Grow ~US$219; Expand ~US$499 | Thinkific Payments / Stripe / PayPal; Razorpay external | Global tax tools; India GST invoices usually external | Communities 1 / 3 / 10 by plan | ~2.9% class on Thinkific Payments; third-party fees may apply |
| Custom WordPress | Hosting + Tutor/LearnDash pro + plugins; no hosted platform % | Razorpay via WooCommerce / Tutor — UPI when enabled | Woo tax + GST plugins / CA workflow; INR native | BuddyPress / Discord / Circle / custom | You pay Razorpay MDR (~2% + GST on fee class) + ops — verify |
Optional footnote: LearnWorlds is another global hosted LMS often compared in US roundups — useful for global feature depth, weaker as an India UPI-first default. Primary shortlist remains the four above. Listed prices dated 23 Oct 2026 (IST).
Student journey: checkout → access → community → refunds
Weak India checkout kills conversion even when the course player looks perfect. Use this table for your current shortlist (updates with the finder).
Graphy vs Teachable vs Thinkific vs WordPress (India lens)
Graphy is the India-native hosted default when buyers pay with UPI and you want GST/INR without running servers. Official help confirms Razorpay for Indian paid plans alongside Graphy PG and Stripe for international. Model India plan fees carefully — some India tiers use a percentage per sale (or a small ₹ floor) on top of gateway MDR.
Teachable wins US-style product marketing (AI create, student apps, affiliates from Builder+). Starter’s ~7.5% platform fee makes Builder’s 0% platform fee the usual serious plan. For India, treat it as card-first unless you manually enroll after an external Razorpay payment.
Thinkific wins hosted learning-commerce depth: unlimited courses on Start+, communities by plan, B2B invoicing on Grow+, and strong coaching/cohort tools. Razorpay is documented as an external checkout path — budget Zapier/API enrollment if UPI is required.
Custom WordPress (Tutor LMS or LearnDash + WooCommerce + Razorpay) wins when branding, GST invoice templates, and gateway choice are non-negotiable. WordPress.org software is free; hosting, LMS pro licences, security updates, and your time are not. Prefer this when control beats speed.
How to use this shortlist
- Set offer, students, India payments, marketing, control, and budget — sticky bar, cards, and journey table update in-browser.
- Open each shortlisted brand’s official pricing and payment docs; confirm UPI, GST invoices, and INR payouts for your entity.
- Price a real cohort: platform fee + gateway MDR + GST on fees + refund rate — not the listed price alone.
- Draft refund + GST credit-note process before the first sale.
- Pair with Website Platform Selector, SaaS Cost Calculator, Email Marketing Platform Finder, Online Store Cost Calculator, and Free tools.
Sources (official, dated 23 Oct 2026)
- Graphy pricing
- Graphy payment gateway help (Razorpay / Graphy PG / Stripe)
- Teachable pricing
- Teachable Pay help
- Thinkific pricing
- Thinkific Razorpay (external) help
- Tutor LMS on WordPress.org
- LearnDash (official)
- Razorpay pricing (MDR / GST on fee)
FAQ
Graphy vs Teachable vs Thinkific vs custom WordPress — which fits India sellers?
Use the finder: if you need UPI + Razorpay + GST invoices for India buyers, Graphy or custom WordPress usually rise first. Teachable and Thinkific win on global hosted polish and broad feature depth, but native Razorpay/UPI is weak or external. Always verify official pricing and payment docs — we do not invent lab rankings.
Does Graphy support Razorpay and UPI?
Graphy help docs state Indian paid-plan customers can use Graphy Payment Gateway, Razorpay for Indian payments, and Stripe for international. UPI availability depends on the connected Indian gateway (typically Razorpay/Graphy PG). Free India accounts differ. Verify the live help article and your dashboard before launch.
Can Teachable or Thinkific take UPI payments in India?
Teachable Pay is Stripe-powered and card-first; native Razorpay/UPI is not listed in Teachable payment docs we checked. Thinkific supports Thinkific Payments, Stripe, and PayPal natively and documents Razorpay only via external checkout plus enrollment automation. If UPI is non-negotiable, prefer Graphy or WordPress + Razorpay, or accept an external checkout workflow.
What about GST invoicing and INR payouts?
India course sellers often need GST-compliant invoices and INR settlement to an Indian bank. Graphy is built around INR India plans and GST paths for creators (verify). WordPress + WooCommerce/Tutor with Razorpay lets you control tax plugins and invoice templates. Global hosts may accept a GSTIN field or handle other VAT regimes without being an India GST invoicing system — confirm with your CA.
How should I read platform fees vs payment gateway fees?
Platform transaction fees (for example Teachable Starter 7.5%, or Graphy India percentage-per-sale tiers) are separate from payment gateway MDR (Razorpay domestic class ~2% + GST on the fee; Stripe/PayPal processing similarly). A “0% platform fee” plan still has gateway fees. Model both. Listed prices on this page are dated 23 Oct 2026 — verify at checkout.
When does custom WordPress beat hosted LMS brands?
Choose WordPress + Tutor LMS or LearnDash + WooCommerce + Razorpay when you need full branding, custom GST invoices, native UPI, and you can maintain hosting/security. It loses on speed-to-launch versus Graphy/Teachable/Thinkific. Budget plugin renewals, hosting, and your time — WordPress.org software is free; the stack is not.
What is the student journey from checkout to refunds?
Map four stages before you pick: checkout (UPI vs cards), access (auto-enrollment), community (built-in vs bolted-on), and refunds (gateway + your policy + GST credit notes). The journey table under the finder updates for your shortlist. Weak India checkout kills conversion even if the course builder looks great.
Does this tool store my answers or claim lab tests?
No. Answers stay in your browser. ScaleSaathi Editorial does not claim lab tests of these platforms, invent rankings, or lock prices as facts. Official links only; disclose affiliates site-wide. See the affiliate disclosure. This is a decision aid — verify every fee and tax path before you pay.
Assumptions checked 23 Oct 2026 (IST). Listed prices are not invoices. ScaleSaathi Editorial.