Thinkific
Course hosting with no transaction fees
See it in action
How to Create An Online Course: A Step-by-Step Guide & Thinkific Tutorial
Published by Thinkific on YouTube · loads only when you press play
Thinkific is the platform to grow on. Zero transaction fees on every paid plan makes the arithmetic straightforward once you are selling consistently.
Where it wins. No transaction fees, full stop — you pay the subscription and your payment processor, and nothing else. Course building is more flexible than Teachable: more content types, better drip and prerequisite logic, and a site builder that produces a real website rather than a course landing page. The app store lets you add only the functionality you need instead of paying for a bundle. Communities and cohort features are handled properly rather than bolted on.
Where it falls short. The free plan is genuinely restrictive — one course, and enough limitations that it functions as a trial. There is more to configure before launch than with simpler competitors, so the first day takes longer. Some capabilities that competitors bundle are paid apps here, which can erode the fee advantage if you add several. Built-in email marketing remains basic.
Our call. The best economics in the category for an established course business. First-time creators may find Podia or Teachable faster to launch on.
Best for
Established course creators selling consistently, where transaction fees would cost more than the subscription.
Key takeaways
- 1No transaction fees on any paid plan
- 2Unlimited courses and students on paid tiers
- 3Genuine site builder, not just course pages
- 4App store adds functionality selectively
- 5Free plan is restrictive enough to be a trial
- 6More setup required before launch than simpler rivals
Thinkific's defining commitment is that it takes no cut of your sales on any paid plan. For anyone doing real revenue, that single decision usually outweighs every feature comparison in the category — a course business turning over six figures keeps thousands of pounds a year that a percentage-based competitor would take.
What we like
- Zero transaction fees
- Flexible course structures and drip logic
- Proper website builder included
- Strong community and cohort features
- Extensible via the app store
Worth noting
- Restrictive free plan
- Longer initial setup
- Some features are paid apps
- Basic built-in email
Plans
Pricing
Free
- 1 course
- 1 community
- Unlimited students
- Core course builder
- Thinkific branding
Basic
per month
- Unlimited courses and students
- No transaction fees
- Custom domain
- Coupons and email integration
- Drip scheduling
Start
per month
- Everything in Basic
- Assignments and live lessons
- Memberships and bundles
- Advanced course pricing
- Priority support
Pricing verified Aug 13, 2026. Prices shown are billed annually where available and may change — always confirm on the vendor site.
Capabilities
Features
Content
- Certificates
- Drip schedulingWith prerequisite logic
- Quizzes & assessmentsAssignments and graded quizzes
Channels
- Built-in email marketingBasic
Monetisation
- Built-in affiliate programme
- Global tax handlingHandled by your payment processor
- Memberships & subscriptionsBundles and subscriptions
- No transaction feesZero fees on every paid plan
Design
- Website builderA genuine site builder
Collaboration
- Student communityNative Communities product
Platform
- Mobile appBranded app on higher tiers
From real users
Reviews
No verified reviews yet
We publish a user score only once real, verified reviews exist — so this tool is rated on our hands-on testing alone for now. Used it? Your review would be the first.
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Thinkific alternatives
Teachable
Sell courses and coaching without the setup
Kajabi
All-in-one platform for knowledge businesses
Podia
A simple storefront for digital products
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Does Thinkific take a cut of my sales?＋
No. There are no transaction fees on any paid plan — you pay the subscription and your payment processor, and nothing else. This is the platform's central commercial promise and the main reason established course businesses choose it.
What does the free plan include?＋
One course, one community, and unlimited students, with Thinkific branding and meaningful limits elsewhere. It functions as an extended trial rather than a plan you would run a business on.
Can Thinkific build a full website?＋
Yes. The site builder produces a real multi-page website with a blog, not just course landing pages — which means many creators do not need separate hosting alongside it.
What is the Thinkific app store?＋
A marketplace of add-ons for functionality outside the core platform, such as advanced quizzing or specialised integrations. It keeps the base product lean, though adding several paid apps can erode the fee advantage over competitors.
Does Thinkific handle EU VAT?＋
Not directly — tax handling depends on your payment processor configuration. If you want the platform to act as merchant of record and remit tax for you, Teachable is the one that does that.
Thinkific
From $36/mo