Thinkific is a powerful and versatile platform that stands out in the online course creation space, offering a wide range of features designed for both beginners and seasoned course creators. It provides everything you need to build, market, and sell online courses with a high degree of customization and ease.
- Customization Options
- Comprehensive Features
- Free Plan
- Transaction Fees on Free Plan
- Limited Email Marketing
Price: $49 /month
As the demand for online education continues to grow, so does the number of platforms that aim to help instructors and businesses create, market, and sell their courses.
One of the standout names in this space is Thinkific, a platform that provides a comprehensive suite of tools to create and sell online courses.
In this review, I’ll take you through everything you need to know about Thinkific, highlighting its features, pricing, pros, cons, and whether it might be the right fit for you.
My Journey with Thinkific
As someone who’s been pouring my heart into creating and selling online courses, I can honestly say that choosing Thinkific was a game-changer for my business. Right from the start, I was blown away by how easy it was to use. The drag-and-drop builder felt like a breath of fresh air, letting me create courses without needing to wrestle with tech, even as someone who’s far from a coding whiz.
What really won me over was the customization Thinkific offers. I could brand my site exactly how I wanted, design stunning course landing pages, and add personal touches, all without touching a single line of code. It gave my courses a polished, professional vibe that made me proud to share them.
Beyond the aesthetics, Thinkific’s features are a creator’s dream. I’ve loved using tools like quizzes, certificates, and drip content to make my courses more engaging and interactive. My students are more invested, and their feedback shows they’re loving the experience.
The support is another huge plus. Whenever I’ve hit a snag, Thinkific’s customer service has been quick to help, and their knowledge base is a goldmine of practical tips and tutorials. Oh, and the fact that they don’t charge transaction fees? That’s been a lifesaver for keeping more of my earnings.
All in all, Thinkific has taken the stress out of running my online course business. It’s let me focus on what I love—creating great content and connecting with my students- while handling the heavy lifting behind the scenes.
What is Thinkific?
The demand for a platform that would assist business owners and entrepreneurs in developing and marketing online courses led to the founding of Thinkific in 2012.
Greg Smith, a lawyer, came up with the concept after he realized that he could expand his student base by transferring his LSAT training online.
He built the first platform with the assistance of his brother, software developer Matt Smith, and it quickly outperformed his legal business in terms of revenue. The current headquarters of Thinkific are located in Vancouver, Canada.
An all-in-one platform called Thinkific enables users to design, promote, and sell online courses. With an emphasis on offering a smooth and adaptable experience, it is designed for both corporations and individual artists.
Launching your course with Thinkific doesn’t require you to be an expert in technology.
The platform provides a multitude of features to support marketing, engagement, and sales, as well as drag-and-drop course design tools and extensive customization choices.
Creating and marketing online courses as well as other digital goods, including communities, subscriptions, and digital downloads, is the main function of the Thinkific platform.
With its extensive suite of e-commerce, marketing, and course development tools, customers may quickly establish and start their own online learning companies.
Thinkific Pricing: Is Thinkific Affordable?
| Plan | Monthly Price (USD) | Annual Price (USD) | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $49 | $36/month | Beginners launching their first course |
| Start | $99 | $74/month | Mid-level creators seeking engagement |
| Grow | $199 | $149/month | Experienced creators scaling their biz |
| Plus | Custom Pricing | Custom Pricing | Enterprises needing advanced features |
Thinkific offers several pricing tiers:
- Free Plan: $0/month – Ideal for beginners or those who want to test out the platform. This plan allows you to create three courses and includes limited features.
- Basic Plan: $39/month – Includes more advanced features like quizzes, assignments, and email integrations, as well as the ability to create unlimited courses.
- Pro Plan: $79/month – Best for growing creators, with added features such as advanced course pricing, memberships, and priority support.
- Premier Plan: $399/month – For larger enterprises, offering premium features like dedicated account managers, bulk student imports, and more.
Each plan comes with its own set of features, and Thinkific offers a 30-day free trial to give you a chance to test out the Pro or Premier plans before committing.
Thinkific’s Key Features- Thinkific Review
1. Course Creation Tools
Thinkific offers a drag-and-drop course builder to simplify the organization of lessons and content. It supports various types of content, such as videos, quizzes, assignments, PDFs, and surveys. The platform also allows you to drip content, scheduling the release of course material over time.
You can host videos directly on Thinkific or integrate with services like YouTube, Vimeo, and Wistia. Additionally, you can incorporate multimedia elements like slideshows and audio files
2. Custom Branding & Themes
Thinkific provides a variety of customizable themes that align with your brand’s look, including options for logos, colors, and fonts. You can also modify the design of your course site using custom CSS.
For professional branding, Thinkific allows you to use a custom domain. The platform also offers customizable landing page templates, giving you flexibility to design pages that drive conversions and course sales.
3. Multi-format Content Support
Thinkific supports different lesson formats such as video, PDFs, quizzes, assignments, and text-based lessons. You can create interactive quizzes and assignments that help students track their progress.
The platform also allows you to provide feedback and grades on assignments. Thinkific’s certificate generation feature allows you to issue customizable certificates to students upon course completion.
4. Flexible Pricing Options
You can choose from several pricing models on Thinkific, including one-time payments, subscription payments, and payment plans. This flexibility allows you to tailor the pricing structure based on your course content and business model. The platform also supports offering free courses or discounted courses to attract new students.
5. Marketing & Sales Tools
Thinkific provides built-in marketing tools such as email integrations, promotional codes, discount offers, and affiliate programs to help you market and sell your courses.
The platform also allows you to set up automated email sequences for student engagement. Thinkific offers a referral program where affiliates can promote your courses for a commission, helping you expand your reach.
6. Student Management
Thinkific allows you to manage your students effectively. You can track student progress, send notifications, and monitor course completion. The platform also provides the option to offer different pricing or packages for students based on their progress or enrollment type.
7. Mobile-Friendly
Thinkific’s platform is mobile-responsive, ensuring that students can access courses from their smartphones or tablets. The mobile version of the platform is designed for an optimal learning experience so that students can learn on the go without issues.
Pros & Cons of Thinkific
Pros
- Thinkific’s interface is clean and intuitive.
- Thinkific offers a free plan, which allows you to start creating and selling courses.
- Thinkific caters to both small creators and large enterprises
- Thinkific offers a free tier with decent functionality
Cons
- The free plan comes with a 10% transaction fee
- Learning Curve for Advanced Features
Who Should Use Thinkific?
Thinkific is perfect for:
- Course Creators: Whether you’re a subject matter expert or an instructor looking to monetize your knowledge, Thinkific provides all the tools you need to create and sell courses easily.
- Small Businesses: Thinkific offers a variety of pricing options, making it affordable for small businesses or side hustles to create educational products.
- Enterprises: With its scalable features and premium plans, Thinkific is well-suited for large organizations or businesses looking to offer training and development courses at scale.
FAQs related to Thinkific
Do I need coding skills to use Thinkific?
No, you do not need any coding skills to use Thinkific. The platform is designed to be user-friendly, with drag-and-drop tools and customizable templates.
Can I create multiple courses on Thinkific?
Yes, Thinkific allows you to create and manage multiple courses under a single account. The number of courses you can create depends on the plan you choose.
Can I use my own domain with Thinkific?
Yes, Thinkific allows you to connect your custom domain to your course website, making it look more professional and aligned with your brand.
Is Thinkific mobile-friendly?
Yes, Thinkific’s platform is mobile-responsive, so students can access your courses on smartphones and tablets, ensuring they have a seamless learning experience on any device.
Can I offer free courses on Thinkific?
Yes, Thinkific allows you to create free courses in addition to paid ones. You can also use free courses as lead magnets to attract new students.
Conclusion- Why Is Thinkific My Top Choice for Creating Free Courses?
Thinkific shines as an exceptional platform for creators eager to launch and grow their online course ventures.
Its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options, and engaging features like quizzes and drip content make course creation seamless and impactful. With zero transaction fees and outstanding support, educators can focus on delivering value rather than wrestling with technicalities.
If you’re ready to take your courses to the next level, Thinkific is a must-try.
