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12 Best Free Course Merchant Alternatives in 2026

Explore 12 alternatives to Course Merchant — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

The 12 best free Course Merchant alternatives at a glance

Quick answer

Our pick of free online learning platform alternatives to Course Merchant: LearningCart, Heights Platform and Teachmore. LearningCart leads the pack with a SpotScore of 8.8 and a 3.5★ rating. Compare all 12 on score, rating, and pricing below.

Maybe Course Merchant costs too much, misses a feature you need, or just feels clunky. Whatever the reason, these 12 online learning platform free alternatives are the picks worth a closer look. We order them by SpotScore, a mix of verified user satisfaction and market presence, plus ratings and pricing. Use the table to compare at a glance, then dig into each below.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
LearningCartStreamlining your training needs effortlessly.8.8★★★★ 3.5Freefrom $199/moteams of all sizes
Heights PlatformElevate your healthcare workforce's skills.Not yet ratedFreefrom $19/moteams of all sizes
TeachmoreEmpowering you to teach and succeed.Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
QualifiedAccelerate sales, maximize your website's potential.★★★★★ 4.6(25)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
OpenLearningAI-Powered Learning Platform for Scalable Online EducationNot yet ratedFreeFree Trialteams of all sizes
LabExUnleash your potential with AI-powered labs.Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
UnschoolerUnlock your potential with Unschooler's AI-powered learning.Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Quotation Based · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
LUCA.aiEnhance your reading skills with AI-powered learning.Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
KOTHINKERElevate your skills with collaborative learning.Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
CodeKidzUnlock the world of coding with CodeKidz.Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
EdmingleInnovation meets excellence in education.Not yet ratedFreeFree Trial · Quotation Based · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
jobinterview.coachMaster the art of interviewing and land your dream job.Not yet ratedFreeFreemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes

8.8

SpotScore

LearningCart - Learning Management System (LMS) Software

LearningCart

Streamlining your training needs effortlessly.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

3.5

Add to compare

What is LearningCart?

LearningCart is a comprehensive training management system with modules for marketing, organizing, employee development, and more. LearningCart's integrated modules work together to provide the best possible support for training initiatives. Thousands of organizations have recognized this ...

Read more about LearningCart
Free TrialTry Free →·

LearningCart offers custom pricing plan

Heights Platform - Course Authoring Software

Heights Platform

Elevate your healthcare workforce's skills.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Heights Platform?

Heights Platform is an LMS from Epic Systems for healthcare organizations managing clinical documentation training across multiple facilities. It integrates with MD EMR and works as an EHR/EPM-agnostic training system, giving staff flexibility in how training is delivered. Users can complete ...

Read more about Heights Platform
Free TrialTry Free →

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Reach in-market buyersRank above rivals2M+ buyers a year
Teachmore - CMS Tools

Teachmore

Empowering you to teach and succeed.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Teachmore?

Teachmore allows you to create, promote and sell courses quickly on your own platform. With comprehensive tools, it is easy to create courses that are impactful and rewarding. Streamline your course creation process with integrated video, text, PDF and quiz capabilities, making it easy to stand ...

Read more about Teachmore
Free TrialTry Free →
Qualified - New SaaS Software

Qualified

Accelerate sales, maximize your website's potential.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Qualified?

Qualified leverages the current website of companies to identify leads and get the best return on investment. This comprehensive developer assessment helps start meaningful sales conversation, convert outbound and digital adverts, and further analyse clues of buying intent. This software helps ...

Read more about Qualified
Free TrialTry Free →·

Qualified offers custom pricing plan

OpenLearning - Logo

OpenLearning

AI-Powered Learning Platform for Scalable Online Education

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is OpenLearning?

OpenLearning is an advanced AI-powered learning platform designed for educators and learners to create, deliver, and market diverse educational experiences. Supporting short courses, micro-credentials, and accredited qualifications, the platform enables education providers to build ...

Read more about OpenLearning
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $94/month when monthly

LabEx logo

LabEx

Unleash your potential with AI-powered labs.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is LabEx?

LabEx introduces an AI-powered platform that's highly interactive and engaging. It offers a virtual environment where users can dive into hands-on practices, navigating through a myriad of labs spanning from Linux DevOps to web development. The learning process is boosted by the intelligent AI ...

Read more about LabEx

LabEx offers custom pricing plan

Unschooler

Unschooler

Unlock your potential with Unschooler's AI-powered learning.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Unschooler?

Unschooler is an AI course creation tool that converts existing content — articles, YouTube videos, or website material — into video courses. Each course includes interactive quizzes, hands-on tasks, and assessments. It is built for teachers, content creators, and subject-matter experts.

Read more about Unschooler
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $20.00/month when Billed Yearly

LUCA.ai

LUCA.ai

Enhance your reading skills with AI-powered learning.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is LUCA.ai?

LUCA.ai is a reading skills platform that uses AI and natural language processing to deliver personalized feedback on reading exercises. Lessons and interactive stories adapt to each user's patterns, targeting specific weaknesses with each session. It is designed for working professionals who ...

Read more about LUCA.ai
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $12.50/month when Billed Yearly

KOTHINKER

KOTHINKER

Elevate your skills with collaborative learning.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is KOTHINKER?

KOTHINKER is a co-learning platform for product management professionals, organized around small interactive groups where participants exchange experiences, give feedback, and develop skills alongside peers. The platform also supports networking and relationship-building within its product ...

Read more about KOTHINKER
CodeKidz

CodeKidz

Unlock the world of coding with CodeKidz.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is CodeKidz?

CodeKidz is a coding education platform for children aged 7-15 that uses personalized AI coaching, gamified lessons, and audio-visual projects to teach programming fundamentals. An AI tutor adapts to each student's pace, and courses cover coding, problem-solving, and creative projects developed ...

Read more about CodeKidz

Starts from $10.00/month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

Edmingle

Edmingle

Innovation meets excellence in education.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

Add to compare

What is Edmingle?

Unlock the full potential of your teaching or edupreneurial aspirations with Edmingle – the ultimate platform for creating, educating, and achieving growth. Embrace the opportunity to craft a distinctive brand, customize your teaching methods, and cultivate a thriving community of eager ...

Read more about Edmingle
Free Trial·

Edmingle offers custom pricing plan

jobinterview.coach

jobinterview.coach

Master the art of interviewing and land your dream job.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Try for Free

Add to compare

What is jobinterview.coach?

Elevate your interview game with jobinterview.coach, the ultimate tool to sharpen your skills and boost your confidence for that important meeting. This innovative AI-powered platform is your personal job interview companion, offering tailored coaching to help professionals excel in every ...

Read more about jobinterview.coach

What sets each pick apart

LearningCart8.8Best for teams of all sizes

LearningCart offers a suite of integrated modules that streamline training, marketing, and employee development in one platform.

Watch for: The breadth of features may feel overwhelming for first-time users without prior LMS experience.

Heights PlatformBest for teams of all sizes

Intuitive web-based interface

Watch for: Limited features for non-healthcare sectors

TeachmoreBest for teams of all sizes

Easy course creation

Watch for: Limited marketing tools

QualifiedBest for teams of all sizes

Lead identification

Watch for: Requires website integration

OpenLearningBest for teams of all sizes

Encourages interactive, learner-centered engagement and collaboration.

Watch for: Limited offline accessibility may impact learners in low-connectivity areas.

LabExBest for teams of all sizes
UnschoolerBest for teams of all sizes
LUCA.aiBest for teams of all sizes
KOTHINKERBest for teams of all sizes
CodeKidzBest for teams of all sizes
EdmingleBest for teams of all sizes
jobinterview.coachBest for teams of all sizes

Why teams look for a Course Merchant alternative

A few recurring complaints tend to drive the move off Course Merchant:

  • Limited customization options
  • Requires technical setup
  • May lack advanced analytics

Choosing a Course Merchant alternative

Stacked against each other, the 12 free alternatives compare this way: 12 offer a free tier; paid plans run $19–$199, with Heights Platform the cheapest entry point; and Qualified is the highest rated at 4.6 across 25 reviews.

Our methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Course Merchant are Qualified (4.6★), LearningCart (3.5★), Heights Platform. Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Course Merchant, prioritize: Templates, Reporting, Gamification, Inventory Control, Catalog Management, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Course Merchant is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend shortlisting 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to pick the best Course Merchant alternative

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — LearningCart, Heights Platform and Teachmore let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Qualified has the strongest star rating (4.6★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: LearningCart has the highest Spotsaas Score (8.8) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

How to migrate from Course Merchant

To switch off Course Merchant without disruption, handle your data first: export it and test that the new tool imports it cleanly. Verify your key workflows still function, pilot the move on a free plan or trial, and keep Course Merchant active until the cutover is complete.

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].