Thinkific is one of the most talked-about platforms for course creators in 2025, and for good reason. When it comes to launching an online course or growing your education-based business, there are not many platforms that are better than it.
But does Thinkific really live up to the hype? Can it deliver everything you need without breaking the bank? And how does it compare to competitors like Kajabi or Teachable?
In this in-depth Thinkific review for 2025, we cover all you need to know to make the right decision.
What is Thinkific?
Thinkific is an online course platform designed to help creators, educators, coaches, and businesses deliver high-quality learning experiences to their audiences. You can use it to build courses, sell memberships, create communities, and track student progress.
It is popular among educators, corporate trainers, authors, and niche experts who want to monetize their knowledge without hiring a tech team. What makes Thinkific appealing is that it is flexible, affordable, and user-friendly enough for beginners but still powerful enough for larger teams and institutions.
What Makes Thinkific Stand Out?
Let’s look at the features that have helped Thinkific remain one of the top course platforms in 2025.
1. Simple and Clean User Interface
One of Thinkific’s biggest strengths is its ease of use. Even if you’ve never built a website or sold a course before, Thinkific’s dashboard is easy to use and well-organized.
Creating courses is drag-and-drop. You don’t need to deal with any complex tech setup. You can upload videos, PDFs, quizzes, surveys, and even assignments in just a few clicks. Every section, Courses, Site Design, Communities, Support, and Analytics, is easily accessible from the main menu.
The platform also walks you through the course setup process with onboarding checklists and tutorials, so you’re never really stuck wondering what to do next.
2. Course Creation Tools
Thinkific really shines when it comes to course delivery. You can:
- Create multi-lesson courses organized into modules
- Add downloadable materials, quizzes, and multimedia
- Set prerequisites to ensure students progress in order
- Drip content over time
- Offer certificates of completion
- Track student engagement and progress
The learning experience for students is smooth and distraction-free, and you can customize how your course player looks. There’s even support for SCORM files and multimedia content, which is useful for more advanced users or corporate training teams.
3. Memberships, Bundles, and Subscriptions
Thinkific offers more than just one-off courses. Other things you can do include:
- Bundle multiple products together
- Create memberships with recurring subscriptions
- Offer tiered pricing or payment plans
- Use coupons and promotional pricing
- Offer free trials or time-limited access
These features make Thinkific ideal for creators who want to build long-term customer relationships and stable monthly revenue.
4. Community and Engagement Tools
Community-driven learning is bigger than ever, and Thinkific now offers built-in community features that let you bring students together inside your own branded space.
You can create topic-based discussions, encourage interaction, and even launch group coaching experiences. These communities can be standalone products or bundled with courses and memberships.
It is a great way to build engagement without relying on Facebook Groups or Slack.
5. Site Builder and Customization
Thinkific gives you control over your brand. You can build a full website using their drag-and-drop builder or just embed courses into your existing site.
There are several themes to choose from, and you can customize your landing pages to an extent and even though the customization options are not as good as some other platforms, they’re more than enough for most creators. You can add custom fonts, colors, videos, images, and testimonials, and everything is mobile-responsive.
6. Analytics & Student Tracking
Thinkific provides helpful insights into how your business and students are performing. You’ll get access to data like:
- Course completion rates
- Quiz scores
- Revenue trends
- Sales by product
- Student engagement over time
You can also integrate with tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Facebook Pixel to get more insights.
7. Live Lessons
Thinkific supports live video lessons via Zoom integration. This is especially useful for creators who want to combine pre-recorded content with live coaching, workshops, or Q&A sessions.
You can also automate follow-ups and reminders for your live events, making it easier to manage everything from one place.
Pricing
This is one of its major selling points. Here’s a breakdown of Thinkific’s pricing in 2025:
There are no transaction fees on any paid plan (except for standard Stripe/PayPal fees). That means you keep more of your revenue.
What are Thinkific’s Cons?
As good as Thinkific is, it’s not perfect. Here are a few things to consider:
Limited Email Marketing Tools
Thinkific allows you to send some basic email notifications, but it is not a replacement for full email platforms like ConvertKit or MailerLite. For advanced marketing automations, you will need to integrate with third-party tools.
Design Limitations
While the site builder is simple and easy to use, it is not as customizable as proper website builders. If you want pixel-perfect design control, you might feel restricted.
No Built-In Sales Funnels
Unlike tools like Kajabi, Thinkific does not come with built-in pipeline builders or visual sales funnel tools. You will have to use external platforms or get creative with page sequences and integrations.
Who Should Use Thinkific?
Thinkific is great for:
- Educators who want to focus on teaching
- Coaches and consultants building digital products
- Entrepreneurs on a budget looking for value
- Companies offering employee or customer training
- Creators who prefer a clean, structured course experience
Who Thinkific Might Not Be Ideal For
Thinkific might not be your best choice if:
- You need advanced email marketing or automations
- You want built-in sales funnels and CRM
- You require deep customization options
- You plan to sell different types of products under one account
In these cases, a more advanced all-in-one platform like Kajabi, Systeme or Kartra may be better for you.
Final Verdict: Is Thinkific Worth It in 2025?
Thinkific is an excellent choice if your main focus is creating and delivering courses in a structured, professional way. It offers powerful yet simple course creation tools, is user-friendly and scales with your business as you grow.
If you want to launch fast, teach effectively, and build a sustainable online education business, you should definitely consider it.
Thinkific Alternatives Worth Considering
- SchoolMaker: Best for selling more courses
- Kajabi: Best for all-in-one business platforms
- Teachable: Easy to use, good for course creators on a budget
- Podia: Great for selling multiple digital product types
- Kartra: More advanced marketing and sales automation
- LearnWorlds: Ideal for interactive learning experiences and certifications
FAQ
Can I use Thinkific for free?
Not exactly, Thinkific used to have a free plan in the past but now only offers a 14 day free trial.
Does Thinkific support coaching or live sessions?
Yes! You can connect Zoom for live coaching or Q&A sessions.
Is Thinkific mobile-friendly?
Yes, all course pages and lessons are mobile-optimized and it also has a mobile app.
Can I sell memberships on Thinkific?
Absolutely. You can create subscription-based offers, bundles, and more.
Do I need coding skills to use Thinkific?
No. Everything can be done using drag-and-drop builders and simple settings.
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