7 Best Free Thinkific Alternatives in 2025

Thinkific is a popular choice for course creators and had a decent free plan that has now been removed. If you are looking for a free alternative to Thinkific in 2025, you’re in the right place.

1. Teachable

Best for: Creators who want a polished platform with built-in course tools
Pricing: Free plan available
Platform Fees: $1 + 10% per transaction on the free plan (plus payment processor fees)

Teachable is one of the most recognizable names in online course platforms, and for good reason. It combines ease of use with a professional course experience, making it a solid free alternative to Thinkific, especially if you’re just getting started. The free plan allows you to publish one course and enroll unlimited students, which gives you room to test your idea before committing to a paid plan.

The main drawback is the transaction fee structure: on the free plan, Teachable takes $1 + 10% from each sale. While that’s higher than many competitors, it’s the trade-off for access to Teachable’s polished course builder, reliable video hosting, and straightforward checkout system. Unlike Thinkific, which doesn’t offer a free plan anymore, Teachable still gives beginners a way to launch without upfront costs.

Pros:

• Professional and user-friendly course builder
• Unlimited students even on the free plan
• Reliable video hosting and checkout system
• Option to sell coaching and digital downloads
• Built-in tax handling for global sales
  
  

Cons:

• High transaction fees on the free plan
• Limited to one course until you upgrade
• Fewer customization options compared to WordPress-based solutions
  
  

If you’re looking for a free Thinkific alternative that balances professionalism and ease of use, Teachable is worth considering. It is especially good for new creators who want to launch quickly without worrying about tech setup, even if the transaction fees take a bigger bite out of your earnings at first.

2. Systeme.io

Best for: Creators who want an all-in-one platform without upfront costs
Pricing: Free plan available
Platform Fees: None (only standard payment processor fees apply)

Systeme.io has quickly become one of the most attractive free alternatives to Thinkific because it goes far beyond course hosting. Instead of paying for multiple tools, you get an all-in-one platform that includes funnels, email marketing, automation workflows, and even blogging features, all included in the free plan.

With the free version, you can create one course, host unlimited students, build up to three sales funnels, and manage up to 2,000 contacts. That’s more than enough to validate your idea, launch your first course, or build an audience before investing in upgrades. Unlike Thinkific, which no longer offers a free plan, Systeme.io gives you a true no-cost entry point without platform transaction fees, so you keep more of your revenue.

Pros:

• All-in-one solution with courses, funnels, email, and automations
• Forever-free plan with generous limits
• No platform transaction fees
• Easy-to-use interface for beginners
• Scales smoothly with your business as you grow
  
  

Cons:

• Limited design flexibility compared to WordPress-based setups
• Free plan restricts the number of courses and funnels
• Course player design isn’t as polished as Thinkific’s
  
  

If you want a cost-effective way to start and grow your course business without juggling multiple tools, Systeme.io is one of the strongest free Thinkific alternatives available. It is especially appealing if you’re thinking beyond basic course hosting and want built-in marketing features right from the start.

3. TalentLMS

Best for: Businesses and trainers who need a structured, professional LMS
Pricing: Free plan available (up to 5 users and 10 courses)
Platform Fees: None (only standard payment processor fees for paid courses)

TalentLMS is another solid option if you’re looking for a free alternative to Thinkific, especially if you want something that feels more like a traditional learning management system. The free plan gives you access to 10 courses and up to 5 users, which is ideal for testing the platform or running small training programs without paying a dime.

Unlike Thinkific, which is geared heavily toward solo creators and entrepreneurs, TalentLMS is designed with businesses, teams, and professional training in mind. You get features like quizzes, assessments, certificates, and even gamification tools right out of the box. The trade-off is that the free plan has strict limits on users, so it’s not built for large-scale public course sales unless you upgrade.

Pros:

• Free plan includes 10 courses and core LMS features
• Supports quizzes, assessments, and certificates
• Built-in gamification to boost engagement
• Clean, professional interface for both trainers and learners
• Scales well for corporate or team training

Cons:

• Free plan is capped at 5 users (too small for most public courses)
• Not as flexible for marketing or selling compared to Thinkific

If you’re more focused on structured training than building a full-scale online course business, TalentLMS is a great free Thinkific alternative. It is particularly useful for coaches, small teams, or businesses that want to deliver polished training programs without upfront costs.

4. Gumroad

Best for: Creators who want a simple storefront for digital products and courses
Pricing: Free plan available
Platform Fees: 10% fee per sale on the free plan (plus standard payment processor fees)

Gumroad is one of the simplest ways to start selling online, and it works as a free alternative to Thinkific if you don’t need a full-featured LMS. With the free plan, you can sell courses, memberships, coaching, and digital downloads without paying any monthly fees. The platform handles checkout, hosting, and product delivery, so you can focus on creating content.

Unlike Thinkific, which offers a full learning environment with quizzes and structured course players, Gumroad takes a more minimal approach. Your courses are delivered as digital files or simple content access rather than inside a dedicated course portal. The trade-off is flexibility and simplicity: you can sell multiple types of products right away, but you won’t get advanced LMS features.

Pros:

• Forever-free plan with unlimited products and customers
• Supports courses, memberships, digital downloads, and coaching
• No upfront costs, only pay when you sell
• Simple storefront that’s quick to set up
• Automatic VAT/sales tax handling for international sales

Cons:

• 10% fee on every transaction under the free plan
• No built-in course player or structured learning tools
• Limited customization compared to dedicated LMS platforms

If your main goal is to start selling digital content quickly without dealing with complex setup, Gumroad is a strong free Thinkific alternative. It is especially appealing if you want to test the waters with online courses while also selling other digital products on the side.

5. Udemy

Best for: Instructors who want instant access to a large marketplace of learners
Pricing: Free to publish courses
Platform Fees: Revenue-share model (earnings depend on how students find your course)

Udemy is one of the biggest names in online learning, making it a popular free alternative to Thinkific. You don’t pay anything upfront to create and publish your course, Udemy handles the hosting, payments, and student management for you. This makes it attractive for new instructors who don’t yet have an audience and want exposure to millions of learners worldwide.

The trade-off is control. Unlike Thinkific, where you set your own prices and fully own your student relationships, Udemy operates on a revenue-share system. You earn a higher share of revenue (up to 97%) when students purchase through your own coupon links, but only about 37% if they enroll via Udemy’s marketplace or ads. Udemy also runs heavy discounts, so your $100 course might often sell for $15, but this is what drives the huge student traffic.

Pros:

• Free to create and host courses
• Access to a massive global audience
• No technical setup or hosting headaches
• Reliable video hosting and course player
• Great way to validate course ideas with real students

Cons:

• Revenue share reduces overall earnings
• Frequent discounting limits pricing control
• Students are Udemy’s customers, not fully yours
• Not ideal for building a branded online school

If your priority is reach and exposure rather than control, Udemy is a great free Thinkific alternative. It is effective for beginners who want to test their course ideas, build credibility, and get students quickly without upfront costs.

6. Tutor LMS

Best for: Creators who want full ownership of their courses on WordPress
Pricing: Free plugin (paid add-ons optional)
Platform Fees: None (only standard payment processor fees like Stripe or PayPal)

Tutor LMS is one of the strongest free alternatives to Thinkific if you want total control over your online school. Instead of hosting your courses on a third-party platform, Tutor LMS is a WordPress plugin that lets you turn your own website into a fully functional learning management system. The free version includes unlimited courses, lessons, quizzes, and reports, which is more than enough to get started without paying anything upfront.

Unlike Thinkific, where your courses are hosted on their servers, Tutor LMS gives you full ownership of your content, branding, and student data. You can also integrate it with WooCommerce or payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal, allowing you to sell courses without platform transaction fees. While the free version is already powerful, you can upgrade with paid add-ons for advanced features like certificates, assignments, and detailed analytics.

Pros:

• Free plugin with unlimited courses and students
• Full ownership of your content, website, and student data
• Includes quizzes, reports, and course-building tools out of the box
• Works seamlessly with WooCommerce and payment gateways
• Highly customizable with WordPress themes and plugins

Cons:

• Requires WordPress hosting and setup (not beginner-friendly)
• No built-in email marketing or funnel tools (requires extra plugins)
• Advanced features like certificates may need paid add-ons

If you want freedom and long-term scalability, Tutor LMS is one of the best free Thinkific alternatives. It is particularly appealing for creators who already use WordPress and want to build a customizable online school without paying platform fees.

7. Moodle (Self-hosted)

Best for: Educators and organizations that want a powerful, open-source LMS
Pricing: Free and open-source (hosting may have costs)
Platform Fees: None (only hosting and payment processing fees if applicable)

Moodle has been a big name in the online learning world for years, and it remains one of the best free alternatives to Thinkific if you need a highly customizable, feature-rich LMS. As open-source software, Moodle gives you complete freedom to build and manage your online school exactly the way you want. The platform supports unlimited courses, users, quizzes, assignments, grading, and certifications without any license fees.

The trade-off is complexity. Unlike Thinkific, which is beginner-friendly and fully hosted, Moodle requires you to handle your own hosting, installation, and setup, or pay for a Moodle Partner service to manage it for you. The flexibility is unmatched, but it comes with a steeper learning curve compared to plug-and-play platforms.

Pros:

• Completely free and open-source
• Unlimited courses, students, and advanced LMS features
• Supports quizzes, assignments, grading, and certifications
• Highly customizable with plugins and themes
• Strong global community and support resources

Cons:

• Requires hosting, setup, and ongoing maintenance
• Not as beginner-friendly as Thinkific or other SaaS platforms
• Interface feels less polished compared to modern course platforms
• Marketing and sales tools must be added separately

If you’re looking for a free Thinkific alternative that can grow with you and don’t mind the technical side, Moodle is a powerful option. It is especially suited for schools, universities, and organizations that want full control and scalability without licensing fees.

All of these options are genuinely free to start, no time limits, just different trade-offs in control, exposure, and complexity.