Thinkific is a popular online course creation platform designed to help creators, educators, and businesses share their knowledge and monetize their content easily. One of the key decisions when selecting Thinkific as your LMS is choosing the right pricing plan that fits both your needs and budget.

With multiple options available, from the entry-level Basic plan to the fully customizable Thinkific+ solution, understanding the differences can be crucial.

In this Thinkific Pricing Review, we'll provide an in-depth analysis of the available pricing tiers—Basic, Start, Grow, and Thinkific+—highlighting the key features, costs, and the type of users each plan suits best.

By the end of this review, you'll have a clear understanding of which Thinkific plan offers the most value for your particular goals, whether you're launching your very first course or managing an extensive online education business.

Thinkific Pricing at a Glance

Thinkific offers four distinct pricing plans: Basic, Start, Grow, and Thinkific+. Each tier is designed to cater to different stages of course creation and business growth, from individual creators just starting out, to established enterprises needing customized solutions.

Here's a quick breakdown of Thinkific's pricing options:

• Basic Plan: $49 per month (or $36/month billed annually)
  • Ideal for individual creators or beginners.
  • Includes foundational features like unlimited courses, one community, and up to five digital downloads.
• Start Plan (Most Popular): $99 per month (or $74/month billed annually)
  • Perfect for creators ready to expand their online education business.
  • Adds advanced features including unlimited digital downloads, live sessions, paid memberships, and more customization options.
• Grow Plan: $199 per month (or $149/month billed annually)
  • Suited for growing businesses and larger teams.
  • Offers expanded capabilities such as multiple communities, advanced integrations, priority support, and detailed analytics.
• Thinkific+ (Enterprise Plan): Custom Pricing
  • Designed specifically for large-scale educational institutions and businesses with advanced needs.
  • Provides a fully customized experience with enterprise-grade integrations, SCORM support, single sign-on (SSO), and dedicated account management.

Choosing annual billing saves you 25% on any of Thinkific's plans, significantly reducing costs for long-term users. Additionally, Thinkific offers a risk-free trial period on all plans, enabling you to explore features before committing financially.

In the next sections, we'll dive deeper into each pricing tier to help you find the most suitable plan for your online learning goals.

Thinkific Basic Plan ($49/mo or $36/mo annually)

The Basic Plan is ideal for course creators who are taking their first steps into monetizing their expertise. It includes essential tools and resources to build, launch, and manage online courses effectively without overwhelming beginners.

Who should choose this plan?If you're a solo educator, a hobbyist, or someone testing the waters of online teaching, the Basic plan offers enough functionality at an accessible price point.

Key features:

• Unlimited courses with foundational tools
• One dedicated community space to engage with your learners
• Support for up to 5 digital downloads (perfect for offering supplemental resources like PDFs and e-books)
• Up to 5 coaching or webinar sessions to offer personalized attention

Notable limits:

• Does not support memberships or subscription-based courses
• Lacks live-streaming features and live lesson support
• No advanced integrations or customization options (CSS/HTML)

This plan provides solid starting resources, but ambitious creators might quickly outgrow its limitations.

Thinkific Start Plan ($99/mo or $74/mo annually) — Most Popular

The Start Plan is the preferred choice for creators who have proven their course ideas and are ready to scale their online education business. This plan unlocks critical features that significantly boost learner engagement, flexibility, and revenue opportunities.

Who should choose this plan?Growing creators, educators, and small businesses looking to expand their reach, offer memberships, or create a more interactive learning experience.

Key upgrades from Basic:

• Unlimited digital downloads: Offer extensive supplemental content without restrictions
• Live sessions: Engage students in real-time, creating a dynamic classroom atmosphere
• Paid memberships: Monetize your courses on a recurring basis, fostering community and loyalty
• Advanced customization (CSS/HTML): Personalize your course site to match your brand identity fully

Why is it the most chosen option?The Start Plan strikes a balance between affordability and powerful capabilities, providing creators everything they need to transition smoothly from beginner to professional educator. It's the sweet spot for most Thinkific users, offering robust features without the high cost associated with larger-scale operations.

Thinkific Grow Plan ($199/mo or $149/mo annually)

The Grow Plan is designed for established businesses, educational teams, or creators who manage multiple courses and diverse learner communities. It provides extensive features to support sophisticated educational programs, greater operational complexity, and deeper analytics.

Who should choose this plan?Mid-sized businesses, established educators with multiple audiences, agencies, and growing teams who require advanced management tools, extensive integrations, and dedicated support.

Key upgrades from Start:

• 3 distinct communities: Run multiple communities tailored to different audience segments
• Advanced integrations: Connect Thinkific seamlessly with CRM platforms and marketing tools, streamlining workflows
• Group orders and enhanced analytics: Simplify bulk sales and gain deeper insights into learner performance and engagement
• Priority email and phone support: Get quicker responses to queries, ensuring smoother operations and quicker troubleshooting

If your online course business has grown to include diverse customer groups and complex product offerings, the Grow Plan provides comprehensive resources tailored to these advanced needs.

Thinkific+ — Enterprise Solution (Custom Pricing)

Thinkific+ is a fully customizable enterprise solution tailored specifically for large-scale education providers, major institutions, and businesses managing high volumes of students and multiple instructors. This plan offers enterprise-grade tools, superior customization, and dedicated professional services.

Who should choose this plan?Universities, large educational institutions, major nonprofits, corporate training providers, and high-volume businesses that require deep customization, integration, and professional management.

Key enterprise features:

• Custom pricing tailored specifically to your requirements: Flexible billing adapted to large-scale usage
• SCORM compliance: Easily integrate standardized e-learning content for enterprise training
• Single Sign-On (SSO) support: Simplify user management and improve security
• Advanced CRM integrations: Connect seamlessly with Salesforce, HubSpot, and other enterprise systems
• Dedicated Customer Success team: Receive personalized onboarding, training, and ongoing strategic advice to optimize platform usage and achieve business goals

The Thinkific+ plan ensures that your online education programs operate at the highest standards, offering professional-grade infrastructure and dedicated support essential for enterprise success.

Thinkific Pricing Table Comparison

Which Thinkific Plan Is Right for You?

Choosing the right Thinkific plan is more than just comparing features—it's about matching your platform choice to your current needs and growth strategy. Here's how to identify which pricing plan aligns best with your objectives, audience size, and teaching approach:

Basic Plan: Ideal for Testing Your Idea

If you're new to online teaching and still validating your idea, the Basic plan provides a cost-effective starting point. It allows you to test your courses with real users without overcommitting resources. Consider this plan if your priority is affordability and simplicity while you build your initial audience.

Start Plan: Perfect for Scaling Up

Thinkific's Start plan is the optimal choice once you've confirmed market interest and are ready to professionalize your offering. This plan is best if your goal is to create more interactive experiences through memberships and live sessions, transforming casual learners into committed subscribers. It's popular precisely because it offers robust, revenue-generating tools at a moderate price.

Grow Plan: Essential for Serious Educators and Teams

The Grow plan becomes relevant when your operation grows beyond a solo endeavor. If you manage multiple courses, teams of instructors, or serve distinct learner groups, you'll greatly benefit from advanced integrations and analytics. Opt for this plan to streamline workflows, enhance learner engagement, and simplify bulk enrollments or corporate training scenarios.

Thinkific+: Customized for Enterprises and Institutions

For organizations that require complete flexibility, customized onboarding, and advanced compliance features, Thinkific+ provides the tailored solution you need. It's particularly suitable for large-scale educational institutions, enterprises needing SCORM file compliant content, or businesses prioritizing dedicated support and high-volume learner management.

When selecting your Thinkific plan, carefully consider not just current needs, but where your educational business aims to be in the next 6-12 months. Balancing present demands with future scalability will ensure you invest in a solution that genuinely supports your long-term vision.

Pros and Cons of Thinkific Pricing

Before committing to any subscription, it's essential to weigh the advantages and drawbacks carefully. Here are the main pros and cons of Thinkific's pricing structure and plans:

Pros:

• Transparent Pricing Structure:Thinkific provides clear and upfront pricing without hidden fees or confusing transaction charges, making budgeting straightforward and predictable.
• Scalable Plans to Match Growth:Plans are thoughtfully designed to accommodate creators at every stage, from beginners to large enterprises, ensuring you only pay for the features you truly need.
• No Transaction Fees:Unlike some competitors, Thinkific doesn't charge additional fees per sale, allowing you to maximize your revenue without sharing your profits.
• Generous Annual Discounts:Choosing annual billing offers significant savings (25% off), making long-term usage considerably more affordable.
• Robust Free Trial:Every Thinkific plan offers a free trial period, letting you explore all available features without initial risk or financial commitment.
• Comprehensive Feature Set in Mid-tier Plans:Even lower-priced plans include essential course-building tools, unlimited students, and course content, providing substantial value at entry-level pricing.

Cons:

• Higher Entry-Level Cost for Beginners:The Basic plan might feel expensive for creators who are just starting out and haven't yet generated consistent income.
• No Free Forever Option:While a trial is available, Thinkific no longer offers a permanent free plan, making it challenging for casual or experimental users who want extended, risk-free usage.
• Advanced Features Reserved for Higher Plans:Important functionalities, such as advanced integrations, live classes, and memberships, require upgrading to at least the Start plan, pushing some creators to higher expenditure sooner than they might prefer.
• Limited Customization in Basic Tier:If branding and visual customization are essential to your business strategy, the Basic plan's limited design flexibility could be restrictive.

Considering these pros and cons carefully will help you make an informed decision about whether Thinkific's pricing aligns with your goals, budget, and growth trajectory.

Best Alternatives to Thinkific

When evaluating alternatives to Thinkific, one option that stands out for those seeking greater flexibility and advanced professional tools is Teachfloor.

Teachfloor: An Advanced, Scalable Alternative

Unlike Thinkific's fixed-feature tiers, Teachfloor's pricing structure is primarily student-based, providing an ideal solution for educators and organizations who need unlimited scalability, professional-grade tools, and flexibility as they grow.

Starting Price and Flexibility

Teachfloor starts at $89/month and scales based on your specific student count, allowing you to grow without constraints. This approach gives educators and businesses the freedom to scale without frequently changing subscription tiers or losing features.

Unlimited Courses & Communities

While Thinkific restricts features like the number of communities and downloads depending on the pricing tier, Teachfloor removes these barriers entirely:

• Unlimited courses: Create and launch unlimited courses without worrying about exceeding a specific limit.
• Unlimited communities: Foster deep connections and build robust learner communities with no restrictions on quantity or scale.

Engage Learners with Professional Learning Activities

Teachfloor prioritizes active learning and engagement with diverse learning tools designed specifically for professional educators:

• Cohort-Based Learning: Design structured learning experiences where students progress together, significantly increasing engagement and completion rates.
• Live Sessions & Webinars: Directly integrate Zoom and other video conferencing tools for seamless live interaction.
• Assignments & Reviews: Manage student submissions, peer review activities, and instructor feedback in a unified, intuitive interface.
• Interactive Learning Tools: Utilize quizzes, embedded collaboration tools (Miro, Google Docs), SCORM content, and interactive surveys to create dynamic and varied course experiences.

Highly Customizable Platform

Teachfloor emphasizes complete customization to match your brand identity and organizational requirements:

• Multi-branch Management: Ideal for managing different organizational branches, each with unique branding, courses, and user roles.
• Custom Domains and Branding: Leverage your brand identity completely through custom domain hosting and visual customization (logos, themes, and multilingual interfaces).
• Accessibility & Compliance: Built-in WCAG accessibility ensures courses are accessible to all learners, further extending your organization's inclusivity.

Powerful Integrations & Advanced Security

Integrate Teachfloor deeply into your existing workflows and systems:

• Single Sign-On (SSO), API, and LTI integrations: Ensure secure, streamlined access to your courses and simplify management across multiple platforms.
• Zapier and Webhooks: Automate routine tasks and communication seamlessly, saving administrative time.
• SDK: Offers developers additional flexibility to build customized integrations tailored exactly to your organizational needs.

Advanced Analytics & Admin Tools

Teachfloor provides sophisticated analytics and administrative features essential for professional-grade online education:

• Detailed learner analytics: Track learner progress, monitor completion rates, and generate insightful performance reports.
• Smart Gradebook & Reports: Simplified grading, comprehensive reporting, and easy CSV export functionality for analyzing data externally.
• Efficient User Management: Advanced role management, bulk invitation or revocation of access, and even student impersonation for swift troubleshooting.

Why Choose Teachfloor Over Thinkific?

While Thinkific is excellent for individual creators or small businesses looking for standardized offerings, Teachfloor stands out for educators and organizations who require more robust tools, total scalability, and comprehensive professional features from day one.

If your goal is to build a sophisticated, highly interactive online learning academy with greater control over growth and customization, Teachfloor presents a strong alternative to Thinkific.

For professional educators and teams, Teachfloor's flexibility, depth of engagement tools, and powerful integration capabilities often justify the slightly higher initial price point, providing significant long-term value as your organization evolves.

FAQs about Thinkific Pricing

Can I try Thinkific before purchasing?

Yes, Thinkific offers a free trial period on all their pricing plans, allowing you to test the features and platform risk-free before committing financially.

Does Thinkific charge any transaction fees?

No, Thinkific does not charge any transaction fees. You keep 100% of your earnings from course sales, memberships, and other products.

Can I upgrade or downgrade my Thinkific plan anytime?

Absolutely. Thinkific allows you to easily upgrade or downgrade your subscription at any point, ensuring your plan always matches your needs and budget.

What happens if I exceed my plan's limits (such as digital downloads or communities)?

If you reach your plan's limits, you'll need to upgrade your plan to access more advanced or expanded features. Thinkific's clear pricing structure makes upgrading straightforward.

How does Teachfloor compare as an alternative to Thinkific?

Teachfloor offers more professional flexibility, unlimited courses and communities, and a scalable pricing model based on the number of students, ideal for businesses and institutions that require advanced, interactive, and customizable features.

Can I integrate Thinkific or Teachfloor with external tools?

Both platforms support integrations, but Teachfloor particularly excels at advanced integrations, offering API, Zapier, SSO, and developer-friendly SDK features, making it highly suitable for professional educators and organizations.

Do I need technical skills to use Thinkific or Teachfloor?

No technical skills are required for either platform. Both Thinkific and Teachfloor provide intuitive, user-friendly interfaces designed to empower educators of all technical backgrounds.

Are discounts available for nonprofit organizations?

Thinkific occasionally offers discounts through specific promotions. Teachfloor consistently provides tailored pricing and discounts for nonprofits and educational initiatives to support their missions.

What type of support do Thinkific and Teachfloor offer?

Thinkific provides email and chat support on lower plans, upgrading to priority phone support on higher plans. Teachfloor includes comprehensive support across all levels, including personalized assistance tailored to professional organizational needs.

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?

Yes, both Thinkific and Teachfloor allow you to cancel your subscription anytime without penalty, ensuring flexibility and control over your financial commitments.