Thinkific Review
Overview
Thinkific is an online course creation platform that allows individuals and businesses to create, market, and sell online courses. It is designed for people who want to teach or share knowledge on various topics. Thinkific makes it easy for users to create courses with videos, quizzes, and other content, without needing technical skills.
It is popular among entrepreneurs, educators, and businesses who want to offer self-paced learning experiences. Thinkific is known for its user-friendly interface and powerful features for course creators.
Features
Thinkific offers a variety of features for course creators to build, sell, and manage their online courses.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Course Builder | Drag-and-drop builder for creating courses without coding skills |
| Video Hosting | Upload and host videos directly on the platform |
| Quizzes and Assignments | Create quizzes and assignments to assess learners |
| Drip Content | Release course content on a schedule (drip-feed) |
| Membership Site | Set up subscription-based courses with access control |
| Payment Integration | Accept payments through PayPal, Stripe, or other gateways |
| Custom Branding | Add your logo, colors, and theme to customize the platform |
| Email Marketing | Send automated emails to students based on actions (e.g., course completion) |
| Reports and Analytics | Track learner progress and course performance with detailed reports |
| Integrations | Connect with apps like Zapier, Mailchimp, and Salesforce |
Pricing
Thinkific offers multiple pricing plans, with a free plan for beginners and several paid options based on the features you need.
| Plan Name | Price (per month) | Features Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | $0 | Basic course creation, no transaction fees, limited integrations |
| Basic Plan | $39 | Includes integrations, email marketing, and custom branding |
| Pro Plan | $79 | Advanced reporting, memberships, certificates, and more |
| Premier Plan | $399 | Includes everything in Pro, plus additional features for large teams |
Thinkific also offers a 30-day free trial for paid plans to let you explore the features before committing.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- User-friendly: Easy to use, even for beginners with no tech skills
- Free plan available: Start creating courses at no cost
- Flexible pricing: Multiple plans to suit different needs
- Customization: Full control over branding and course design
- Integrated marketing tools: Built-in email automation and landing pages
- No transaction fees: Unlike some other platforms, Thinkific doesn’t take a cut of your sales
Cons
- Limited on free plan: The free plan has some restrictions (e.g., fewer features and integrations)
- Lack of live sessions: Thinkific doesn’t have built-in tools for live video sessions (unless integrated with Zoom)
- Higher cost for advanced features: The best features are on higher-priced plans
- Limited theme options: Some users wish there were more ready-made templates
Online Reviews
Here’s a summary of what users say about Thinkific on popular review platforms:
| Source | Summary of Reviews |
|---|---|
| G2 | Rated 4.7/5 – Great for course creators, but limited advanced customization options |
| Capterra | Rated 4.6/5 – Simple, user-friendly, and solid support, but lacks advanced live tools |
| TrustRadius | Rated 8.4/10 – A good platform for non-technical users, but some features are limited |
| Praised for ease of use and the no-transaction-fee model, but some wanted more themes |
Conclusion
Thinkific is a solid choice for anyone looking to create and sell online courses, especially for beginners and small businesses. It’s a simple platform with powerful tools, making it easy to get started without needing technical knowledge.
It works best for:
- Entrepreneurs creating courses for extra income
- Educators or coaches who want to teach online
- Small businesses or solopreneurs who want to sell courses and membership content
However, if you need advanced features like live sessions or more customization options, you may need to consider higher-tier plans or integrate with other tools.