Thinkific Review: Should You Use It for Your Online Courses?

The e-learning industry has exploded in recent years, and more people than ever are monetizing their knowledge by creating online courses. If you’ve been researching course creation platforms, there’s a good chance you’ve come across Thinkific.

But is Thinkific the right platform for you? In this post, we’ll dive deep into what Thinkific offers, its pros and cons, and why it might (or might not) be the best choice for your online course business.

What is Thinkific?

Thinkific is an all-in-one platform designed for educators, entrepreneurs, coaches, and businesses who want to create and sell online courses. Unlike some platforms that require technical skills or multiple third-party integrations, Thinkific simplifies the process by offering a user-friendly course builder, customizable templates, and built-in tools for marketing and student engagement.

From a single dashboard, you can:

• Build a course website

• Upload video, audio, and written lessons

• Create quizzes, assignments, and certificates

• Manage payments and student enrollments

• Engage with students through communities and discussions

In other words, Thinkific is designed to let you focus on teaching and selling, not stressing about the tech.

Pros of Thinkific

1. Easy-to-Use Course Builder

Thinkific has a drag-and-drop builder that makes it incredibly easy to structure your course, add lessons, and organize modules. Even if you’ve never built a website before, you’ll be able to design a professional-looking course site quickly.

2. No Transaction Fees (on Paid Plans)

Unlike some competitors that take a cut of your earnings, Thinkific doesn’t charge transaction fees on its paid plans. That means more of your course revenue goes directly into your pocket.

3. Branding and Customization Options

You don’t need to settle for a cookie-cutter design. Thinkific lets you customize your course site with themes, multimedia, and advanced design tools. This way, your course looks and feels like your own brand rather than a generic platform.

4. Built-In Marketing Tools

Thinkific includes helpful marketing features such as coupons, promotions, memberships, and course bundles. It also integrates with popular email marketing platforms like Mailchimp and ConvertKit, so you can run campaigns and nurture leads easily.

5. Student Engagement Features

Courses aren’t just about content—they’re about community. Thinkific lets you build discussion forums and private communities to keep learners engaged, ask questions, and connect with you and other students.

6. Scalable for Growth

Whether you’re a solo coach or a growing business with multiple instructors, Thinkific has plans and features to support you as you scale. Large enterprises can even benefit from advanced analytics, multiple admin accounts, and bulk student management.

Cons of Thinkific

1. Limited Free Plan

Thinkific offers a free plan, but it’s quite restricted—you can only create one course. If you’re serious about scaling, you’ll likely need to upgrade to a paid plan fairly quickly.

2. Basic Email Marketing Tools

While Thinkific does provide some email communication tools, they’re fairly limited. If you want advanced campaigns, automations, or drip sequences, you’ll need to connect a third-party email service.

3. Premium Features Come at a Higher Price

Some of the most powerful features (like white labeling, bulk email for students, and priority support) are locked behind higher-tier plans, which may be too expensive for beginners.

4. No Native Mobile App for Creators

Students can access courses on mobile devices, but creators don’t have a dedicated mobile app to manage their courses on the go. If you prefer to manage your business from your phone, this might feel like a limitation.

Final Verdict: Is Thinkific Worth It?

Thinkific is a strong contender in the world of online course platforms. Its ease of use, powerful customization options, and strong focus on student experience make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to create and sell online courses.

If you’re new to course creation, Thinkific provides all the tools you need to get started without overwhelming you. And if you’re already established, it offers the scalability to help you grow.

Of course, no platform is perfect. If you need advanced marketing tools or want premium features at a low cost, you may need to weigh your options. But overall, Thinkific delivers great value and is trusted by thousands of course creators worldwide.

Click Here to Try Thinkific