Teachable vs Thinkific
The two biggest names in online course creation. Teachable takes transaction fees. Thinkific doesn't. But there's more to the story than pricing.
Last updated: 2026-02-26
⚡ Quick Verdict
Thinkific is the better platform for most course creators because it charges zero transaction fees, has a more generous free plan, and gives you more control over the learning experience. Teachable has stronger built-in marketing tools and a polished checkout experience. The right choice depends on whether you prioritize keeping more revenue (Thinkific) or having better sales tools (Teachable).
Course creators who want polished sales pages, built-in affiliate programs, and an all-in-one marketing + course platform.
Course creators who want zero transaction fees, full site customization, and the best free plan in the industry.
Transaction fees on Basic plan (5%) eat into margins. You're paying Teachable a cut of every sale until you upgrade to Pro.
Marketing and sales tools are less polished than Teachable. You may need third-party tools for advanced funnels.
Choose Teachable if…
- →You want built-in affiliate marketing to let others promote your courses
- →Sales page design and conversion optimization are priorities
- →You need coaching and 1-on-1 session management alongside courses
- →You want integrated email marketing with basic automation
- →You prefer a more guided, opinionated platform that makes decisions for you
Choose Thinkific if…
- →You want zero transaction fees — keep 100% of your course revenue (minus payment processing)
- →You need a generous free plan to launch your first course without upfront investment
- →You want full control over your site design with custom themes and CSS
- →You need community features built into the course experience
- →You want to sell memberships and bundles alongside individual courses
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Don't pick Teachable if…
- ✕You're price-sensitive — Teachable's Basic plan takes 5% of every sale
- ✕You want deep site customization — Teachable's design options are more limited
- ✕You need a strong free plan to test the waters before committing
- ✕You want community features without paying for a higher tier
Don't pick Thinkific if…
- ✕Affiliate marketing is a key part of your growth strategy (not available on lower plans)
- ✕You need advanced sales funnel tools built into the platform
- ✕You want integrated coaching/1-on-1 session tools
- ✕You prefer Teachable's more polished checkout experience
Feature Comparison
Pricing
| Feature | Teachable | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $59/mo (Basic) | $49/mo (Basic) |
| Transaction fees | 5% on Basic, 0% on Pro+ | 0% on all plans |
| Free plan | 1 course, $1 + 10% fee | 1 course, unlimited students, 0% fee |
Course Experience
| Feature | Teachable | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Course player | Clean, professional | Customizable, feature-rich |
| Quizzes & assignments | Quizzes, certificates | Quizzes, assignments, surveys, exams |
| Coaching/1-on-1 | Built-in coaching features | Via integrations |
| Live lessons | Via integrations | Native Zoom integration |
| Student certificates | Built-in | Built-in |
Community
| Feature | Teachable | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Community features | Basic (higher plans) | Built-in communities |
Marketing
| Feature | Teachable | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliate marketing | Built-in on all paid plans | Available on higher plans |
| Sales pages | Polished, conversion-focused | Good, more customizable |
| Order bumps & upsells | Built-in | Limited |
| Email marketing | Built-in (basic) | Basic (most need third-party) |
Design
| Feature | Teachable | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Site customization | Template-based, limited | Theme editor + CSS access |
Products
| Feature | Teachable | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Memberships & bundles | Bundles and memberships | Bundles, memberships, and flexible pricing |
Mobile
| Feature | Teachable | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app | iOS and Android | Branded mobile app (higher plans) |
Branding
| Feature | Teachable | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| White-label | Pro+ (remove Teachable branding) | Basic+ (remove Thinkific branding) |
Honest Tradeoffs
Every tool has tradeoffs. Here's what you're actually choosing between.
Transaction Fees
5% on Basic ($59/mo), 0% on Pro ($159/mo) and up.
0% transaction fees on all plans, including free.
This is the biggest differentiator. A creator earning $5,000/mo on Teachable Basic loses $250/mo to transaction fees. On Thinkific, that's $0. You need to earn $2,000+/mo for Teachable Pro to make financial sense.
Marketing Tools
Built-in affiliate program, sales pages, order bumps, upsells, coupons, email marketing.
Coupons, bundles, memberships. Affiliate marketing on higher plans only. Fewer native sales tools.
Teachable is stronger at converting visitors into buyers. If you don't already have an email list or marketing stack, Teachable's built-in tools help more.
Course Experience
Clean, simple course player. Quizzes, certificates, coaching. Functional but less customizable.
More customizable course player. Communities, assignments, live lessons. Better learning experience design.
Thinkific gives creators more control over how students experience the course. The community feature is a real advantage for cohort-based or community-driven courses.
Site Customization
Template-based. Limited CSS access. Clean but constrained.
Full theme editor with CSS access. More design freedom.
If brand identity matters and you want your course site to look unique, Thinkific gives you more control. Teachable sites tend to look more similar to each other.
Pricing
Teachable
Thinkific
Pros & Cons
Teachable
Pros
- +Built-in affiliate marketing program to grow through partner promotions
- +Polished checkout experience with order bumps, upsells, and one-click purchases
- +Integrated email marketing with basic segmentation and automation
- +Coaching features: scheduling, milestones, and 1-on-1 session management
- +Clean, professional course player that works well on all devices
Cons
- −5% transaction fee on Basic plan — significant for high-revenue creators
- −Limited site customization — templates are clean but restrictive
- −Free plan is very limited (only 1 course, $1 + 10% transaction fees)
- −Community features require higher-tier plans
- −Payout schedule can be slow (up to 30 days on Basic)
Thinkific
Pros
- +Zero transaction fees on every plan, including the free tier
- +Most generous free plan in the industry — 1 course, unlimited students, no transaction fees
- +Full site customization with theme editor and CSS access
- +Built-in community features for cohort-based and membership courses
- +Flexible content types: video, quizzes, surveys, assignments, live lessons, downloads
Cons
- −Marketing and sales tools are less sophisticated than Teachable
- −Affiliate marketing only available on higher-tier plans
- −Email marketing is basic — most creators need a third-party email tool
- −Checkout experience is functional but less polished than Teachable's
- −Advanced features (Brillium exams, white-label) locked to expensive plans
What the Data Says
Real numbers, real quotes, real outcomes — not marketing copy.
Teachable has paid out over $2 billion to course creators since launch, with 100,000+ active creators on the platform.
Source: Teachable company data, 2025
Thinkific powers 50,000+ course creators and has facilitated over $1.5 billion in course sales.
Source: Thinkific company data, 2025
"I switched from Teachable Basic to Thinkific and saved $3,600/year in transaction fees alone. The course player is better too."
Source: Course Creator community, 2025
A fitness instructor earning $8,000/mo in course sales switched from Teachable Basic ($59/mo + 5% = $459/mo total) to Thinkific Pro ($99/mo + 0% = $99/mo). Annual savings: $4,320.
Source: VersusStack analysis
Detailed Breakdown
Pricing & Revenue
Thinkific winsThinkific's zero transaction fee model is a game-changer. On Teachable Basic ($59/mo), a creator earning $10,000/mo loses $500 to transaction fees — that's $6,000/year. Upgrading to Teachable Pro ($159/mo) eliminates fees but costs $1,908/year. Thinkific Basic ($49/mo) costs $588/year with zero fees. At every revenue level below ~$30K/mo, Thinkific is cheaper. This single factor should drive most decisions.
Marketing & Sales
Teachable winsTeachable has stronger built-in marketing tools. The affiliate program is available on all paid plans, order bumps and upsells are native, and the checkout flow is optimized for conversion. Thinkific creators often supplement with ConvertKit or ActiveCampaign for email and ThriveCart for checkout. If you want everything in one platform, Teachable's marketing features are better. If you already have a marketing stack, this advantage is less relevant.
Course Experience
Thinkific winsThinkific offers more variety in course content: assignments, surveys, Brillium exams, live lessons via Zoom, and built-in communities. The course player is more customizable. Teachable's course player is clean and professional but more limited in content types. For creators building interactive, community-driven courses (not just video + quiz), Thinkific provides better tools.
Ease of Use
Both platforms are well-designed for non-technical creators. Teachable's onboarding is slightly more guided — it walks you through each step. Thinkific gives you more options upfront, which means more power but slightly more decisions. Neither requires coding. A first-time course creator can launch on either platform within a day.
Customization & Branding
Thinkific winsThinkific gives creators more control over their school's appearance. The theme editor with CSS access means you can make your site truly unique. Teachable's customization is template-based — clean and professional but recognizably Teachable. For creators building a brand, Thinkific's design flexibility is a real advantage.
Switching Costs
Already using one? Here's what it takes to switch.
Teachable → Thinkific
Moderate — a few daysThinkific → Teachable
Moderate — a few daysCourse content (videos, PDFs) transfers easily but must be re-uploaded. Student data, enrollment records, and progress don't migrate automatically. Both platforms offer CSV exports for student data. Budget a weekend for a small course library, a week for a large one.
FAQ
Which platform is better for a first-time course creator? ▾
At what revenue level should I choose Teachable over Thinkific? ▾
Can I migrate my courses between platforms? ▾
What about Kajabi? ▾
Neither feels right?
Consider Kajabi — If you want the most complete all-in-one platform: courses, email marketing, sales funnels, website, community, and coaching in one tool. More expensive ($149/mo+) but eliminates the need for any third-party tools.
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Ready to choose?
Both tools offer free plans. Try them and see which fits.