You’ve got a hobby you love – and the wisdom to teach it. But turning that passion into income? That’s where many get stuck. I’ve researched the best platforms to help you share your talents, reach eager learners, and earn while doing what you enjoy. Let’s find your perfect teaching match…
- Platform Showdown: Which One Fits Your Teaching Style?
- 1. Skillshare: Best for Creative Hobbyists Who Want Community + Simplicity
- 2. Kajabi: Best for Building a Full-Fledged Online Business
- 3. LearnWorlds: Best for Interactive Learning and Customization
- 4. Systeme.io: Best for Budget-Friendly Business Builders
- 5. Udemy: Best for Beginners Who Want Built-In Visibility + Flexibility
- Table: What’s the Best Platform for You?
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Platform Showdown: Which One Fits Your Teaching Style?
I’ve reviewed five top options – Skillshare, Kajabi, LearnWorlds, Systeme.io, and Udemy – to help you find the best fit. Whether you’re a lifelong learner, a retired professional, or a creative explorer rediscovering your passion, each platform offers tools to help you teach, grow, and earn online
1. Skillshare: Best for Creative Hobbyists Who Want Community + Simplicity
Skillshare is a welcoming space – if your hobby leans toward the arts- think painting, photography, writing, or design.
They provide a simple video-based course creation system where you teach through pre-recorded lessons. You create a class, upload your video, and Skillshare promotes it to their massive audience. You earn royalties based on watch time and referrals.
You can also upload projects and engage with students via comments. For support, Skillshare offers a friendly creator community, teaching resources, and promotional tools to help you grow your audience and improve your classes.
Pros
✔ Easy to get started – no tech headaches
✔ Built-in audience of curious learners
✔ Great for visual and creative topics
✔ You earn passive income from views
Cons
✘ Limited control over branding
✘ You’re part of their marketplace, not building your own business
My Recommendation: Skillshare is ideal if you want to dip your toes into teaching without building a whole business infrastructure. It’s community-driven and perfect for over-50 creatives who want to share their skills with minimal setup.
2. Kajabi: Best for Building a Full-Fledged Online Business
Kajabi is your all-in-one powerhouse. You can create courses, coaching programs, build a website, email campaigns, and manage sales funnels – all in one place.
Kajabi also supports podcast hosting, digital downloads, and community building. To make things easy for you, they offer customizable templates and built-in automation tools. It’s designed for entrepreneurs who want full control and scalability.
Pros
✔ Everything under one roof: courses, marketing, payments
✔ Professional templates and automation tools
✔ Great support and training resources
Cons
✘ Higher price point
✘ Steeper learning curve for beginners
My Recommendation: If you’re ready to build a brand around your hobby and want long-term growth, Kajabi is a brilliant choice. It’s especially empowering for over-50 entrepreneurs who wish to own their platform and scale their impact.
3. LearnWorlds: Best for Interactive Learning and Customization
LearnWorlds shines when you want to create engaging, interactive courses. They equip you with a drag-and-drop course builder, interactive video features, and live session tools to develop engaging hobby courses.
They provide analytics dashboards, discussion forums, and student progress tracking to help you improve your content for your students.
You can add quizzes, certificates, and even white-label your site. It’s great for educators who want to go beyond video and offer a rich learning experience.
Pros
✔ Interactive features like quizzes and assessments
✔ Customizable course player and mobile app
✔ Affordable plans with unlimited students
Cons
✘ Some advanced features are locked behind higher-tier plans
✘ Less intuitive than Kajabi for marketing
My Recommendation: LearnWorlds is fantastic if you want to teach in a more structured, school-like way. It’s flexible and powerful, especially for hobbies that benefit from step-by-step instruction and learner feedback.
4. Systeme.io: Best for Budget-Friendly Business Builders
Systeme.io is the scrappy underdog with surprising muscle. It’s free to start and includes a drag-and-drop course builder, quizzes, email marketing, funnels, and unlimited student enrollment – even on the free plan.
They also offer membership options. Ideal for hobbyists looking to monetize their passion without incurring upfront costs.
Pros
✔ Free plan with generous features
✔ Simple interface and fast setup
✔ Built-in affiliate program
Cons
✘ Less polish than Kajabi or LearnWorlds
✘ Limited design customization
My Recommendation: Systeme.io is a great launchpad for beginners over 50 who want to test the waters. It’s budget-friendly and gives you the tools to start earning without overwhelm.
5. Udemy: Best for Beginners Who Want Built-In Visibility + Flexibility
Udemy is fantastic if you want to teach your hobby online without building a website. Udemy makes it easy to package your knowledge into a course and share it with a global audience.
You create an instructor profile, upload your course videos, and Udemy handles the hosting, payments, and student access. Their built-in marketplace means your course can be discovered by thousands of learners – even if you’re just starting out. You earn money each time someone buys your course, and you can update or expand it at any time.
Udemy also offers a free course creation guide and a “Marketplace Insights” tool to help you choose a topic with strong demand. It’s a great way to test your ideas and start earning without needing a full business setup.
Pros
✔ Free to join and easy to use
✔ Massive built-in audience
✔ You set your own course price
✔ Great for testing your first course idea
Cons
✘ Limited control over student data and branding
✘ Udemy takes a revenue share, especially from marketplace sales
My Recommendation: Udemy is ideal for over-50 beginners who want to teach a hobby with minimal fuss and maximum reach. It’s a low-risk way to start earning from your skills while learning the ropes of online course creation.
Table: What’s the Best Platform for You?
| Platform | Best For | My Take |
| Skillshare | Creative hobbyists who want simplicity. Free to teach. | Great for dipping your toes into teaching – especially visual or artistic hobbies. |
| Kajabi | Entrepreneurs building a full business. Free trial. | Ideal if you’re ready to build a brand and grow long-term income from your hobby. |
| LearnWorlds | Educators who want interactivity. Free trial. | Perfect for structured teaching with feedback – great for step-by-step hobbies. |
| Systeme.io | Budget-conscious beginners. Free starter plan. | A smart launchpad for testing your course idea without upfront investment. |
| Udemy | Beginners who want ready audience. Free to teach. | Easy to start, great for reaching students fast – ideal for your first signature class. |
Wrapping Up – Top Platforms to Teach Your Hobby Online (and earn)
Your hobby has value, and the world is waiting to learn from you. Whether you want simplicity, scalability, or interactivity, there’s a platform that fits your style. I’ve researched so you can focus on creating. Pick your path, share your passion, and start earning from what you love!
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