Overview

Courses are built as Paths, sequences of Steps arranged in a drag-and-drop designer. Steps can include interactive content, so creators can shape a guided progression rather than simply assemble a library of materials. Cohorts add a layer for running groups with different teachers, schedules, discussions, prices, and custom Steps.

Pathwright also supports mentoring, live sessions, community spaces, assignment workflows, and progress tracking. That breadth makes it a stronger fit for facilitated programs than for creators who only need to publish standalone lessons. Course building is free indefinitely, and a paid plan can be tried for 30 days.

Key features

Structured lessons and activities

Pathwright says it offers more than 30 interactive Blocks, including video, quizzes, reflections, checklists, flashcards, project uploads, and surveys. The range supports mixing instruction, practice, and learner responses inside a Step. This is useful for courses that need varied activities along a clear sequence; the platform is less compelling if the priority is only distributing static course materials.

Cohorts and learner support

Cohorts can be configured with their own teaching staff, timetables, discussions, pricing, and Steps. That flexibility helps organizations adapt one course to different groups, but the number of cohorts per course depends on the plan. Pathwright's Mentor feature is intended to provide learners with personal guidance, complementing its assignment and progress-tracking capabilities.

Payments and safeguards

Direct Stripe integration supports learner payments, and Pathwright says it takes no fee from course sales. It says accounts use SSL, daily backups are run, and learner contact information is not sold or shared with other organizations. It also says it complies with PCI/DSS and maintains GDPR compliance, with data processing agreements available on request. One practical weakness is the lack of version control for overwritten content, which makes careful editing and backup practices important. Its accessibility goal is full ADA/WCAG compliance, and work toward that goal is ongoing.

Pricing

Pathwright offers free course building indefinitely, but paid plans are needed for the published staff and cohort allowances. The stated starting price is $89/mo when billed annually; a paid plan has a 30-day risk-free trial. Every listed paid plan allows up to 1,000 members, so larger learner populations will need another option or a conversation about requirements.

Plan	Price	Limits and fit
Starter	$99/mo, or $89/mo when billed annually	Up to 1,000 members, 1 administrator, and 1 cohort per course. The lowest-cost paid tier suits a solo teacher or small operation running one group per course, but its single cohort allowance limits repeat or parallel delivery.
Essentials	$199/mo, or $179/mo when billed annually	Up to 1,000 members, 5 staff, and up to 3 cohorts per course. Pathwright describes this as suited to small to mid-sized organizations or individual teachers looking to grow; the extra staff and cohort capacity make it a more workable choice for expanding programs.
Complete	$499/mo, or $449/mo when billed annually	Up to 1,000 members, 20 staff, and unlimited cohorts per course. It fits established teams running many groups, though the member cap remains unchanged.
Enterprise	$1,499/mo, or $1,349/mo when billed annually	Up to 1,000 members, 50 staff, unlimited cohorts per course, priority email support, and live demos. This is the tier for larger delivery teams that need broad cohort capacity and higher-touch support, not a higher learner cap.

The annual rates reduce the monthly price but require annual billing. The lower tiers trade away staff capacity and cohort volume, rather than member capacity. Enterprise adds support and demos, but its member allowance matches the other plans.

Platforms

Pathwright supports web, Android, and iOS, and offers an API. That combination suits programs whose learners use phones as well as browsers, and teams that need an API connection. Its integrations and connection guides cover Stripe, Zapier, Intercom, SSO, and its GraphQL API.

Who it's for

Pathwright is a good fit for teachers and organizations delivering guided, interactive courses to scheduled groups, especially when different cohorts need distinct teachers or course arrangements. Its free building option lowers the barrier to creating a course, while the paid tiers support increasing staff and cohort needs. It is a weaker fit for programs that exceed 1,000 members, need content version control, or want many cohorts without moving beyond Starter or Essentials.

Pros and cons

Structured, varied learning: Ordered Steps and a library of more than 30 Blocks support courses that combine sequencing with multiple activity types.
Flexible cohort delivery: Cohorts can have separate teaching, schedules, discussions, pricing, and Steps, making one course adaptable to different groups.
Free creation and a trial: Courses can be built indefinitely for free, and paid plans can be tried for 30 days.
Sales without a platform fee: Stripe payments are integrated directly, and Pathwright says it takes no fee from course sales.
Fixed member ceiling: Every listed paid plan caps members at 1,000, even as staff allowances rise from 1 to 50.
No version control: Overwritten content cannot be restored through version control, so editing mistakes carry more risk.

Alternatives

Cohort-Based Course Platforms is a useful comparison if cohort delivery is the main deciding factor.
Course Authoring Software is the broader category to compare when authoring tools matter more than cohort management.
Online course platforms offers a wider comparison for creators choosing where to publish courses.
Learning Management Systems is worth consulting when the priority is evaluating learning platforms more broadly.
Sublime LMS offers a free sandbox capped at 50 active learners and 2 published courses, which may suit a small-scale start.
UjuziPlus is a freemium option with Android, iOS, web, API, and self-hosted platform support.
Build_it has a free three-week applied program with 48 lessons and 12 modules.
Cohorta has a free plan for one product and 50 learners, with a 10% sales commission.
Nialtus has a free tier for up to 10 active learners, 5 courses, and 1 GB of storage.
Academy Launcher is another paid option with a free trial.
Maven is free until a student pays, then keeps 10% of each paid enrollment plus Stripe fees.
NovoEd offers a custom solution with custom pricing.

Verdict

Choose Pathwright if your courses need ordered, interactive lessons and cohorts with their own teaching arrangements. Free course building and a 30-day paid-plan trial make it practical to start, while paid tiers add staff and cohort capacity. Look elsewhere if you need more than 1,000 members on a listed plan or rely on version control to recover overwritten content.

	Academic Earth	Pathwright
Free trial		Yes
Paid from		$99/mo
Platforms		Android, api, iOS, Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Course formats	video
Paid from		$89/mo
Student limit		1,000 students
Cohort scheduling		Yes
Live sessions		Yes
Community spaces		Yes
Assignment workflows		Yes
Progress tracking		Yes

Academic Earth vs Pathwright

Academic Earth

Pathwright