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Online course platforms · 11 alternatives

Thinkific alternatives: 11 compared

Sebastiaan Smits Editor Sebastiaan Smits · Published October 16, 2026 · Updated October 16, 2026

Course creators look past Thinkific when the plan ladder hides features they need, when a branded app costs extra, or when they want a platform that also handles email and marketing. They go to Teachable or Kajabi for hosted equivalents, to Podia or systeme.io for all-in-one tools, and to WordPress plugins for ownership.

Short answer: The closest replacements for Thinkific in our online course platforms ranking are Teachable, Kajabi and LearnWorlds. Choose Teachable if you want a hosted course platform with tax handling built into the payment layer. All 11 alternatives below are ranked products from Best Online Course Platforms in 2026, and each says where it differs from Thinkific and when Thinkific is still the better choice.

Visibility in our rankings can be paid for. Payment moves a vendor's position within the shortlist; it never adds a vendor, and it never changes a word of the review or of this page. The first three alternatives go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands in a category, wherever the category has them; the established names follow in their ranked order. How it works: placement disclosure · editorial process.

Thinkific at a glance

  • Headquarters: Canada
  • Pricing model: Flat monthly
  • Pricing: The pricing page we fetched showed euro prices: Basic €39 per month on annual billing or €53 monthly, Start €79 or €107, Grow €159 or €213, and Plus on a custom quote.
  • Free option: Free trial
  • Built for: Course businesses wanting a mainstream host
  • Wrong for: A seller who needs their own branding on the site from the first month will pay for Grow to get it. Teachery includes custom domains and every feature in its single plan.
  • Place in our ranking: #6 of 14
  • Website: thinkific.com

Facts from our online course platforms ranking, last checked October 16, 2026.

Why buyers look past Thinkific

  1. Features are gated by plan

    The pricing page lists branding removal, API and webhooks from Grow, memberships, bundles and payment plans from Start, and one community on Basic and Start. A creator who needs any of these pays for the higher tier, and Basic allows one admin user.

  2. The branded app is an add-on

    The page shows the branded mobile app as a $199 per month add-on on any plan, while the plan prices themselves are in euros. For a small school the app can cost more than the plan underneath it.

  3. Cancellation puts content at risk

    The terms say that once an account is cancelled, all content may be permanently deleted, that you are responsible for your own backups, and that not all content may be exportable. A creator who wants an exit route checks this before building more.

11 alternatives at a glance

Closest replacement first. The last column is our place in the full 14-product ranking.

#AlternativeHeadquartersPricingKey differenceSwitch ifOur rank
1TeachableUnited StatesFlat monthly; free trialHosted courses, coaching and downloads with tax handlingyou want a hosted course platform with tax handling built into the payment layer#7
2KajabiUnited StatesFlat monthly; free trialAll-in-one platform for courses, coaching and marketingyou want email, funnels and courses in one subscription and accept a higher price#10
3LearnWorldsCyprusFlat monthly; free trialHosted course school with interactive video and SCORMyou sell structured or compliance training that needs SCORM or LTI#4
4PodiaUnited StatesFlat monthly; free trialWebsite, email and course sales in one subscriptionyou want one tool for courses, email and a small storefront with migration help#5
5systeme.ioIrelandFree + paid tiers; free planFunnel, email and course builder with a free planyou want funnels and email with courses at a low entry price and no transaction fee#8
6Heights PlatformUnited StatesFlat monthly; free trialCourses and community with gamificationyou want gamified courses and live lessons with no platform transaction fee#13
7Mighty NetworksUnited StatesFlat monthly; free trialCommunity platform with courses and native appsyou sell a membership where the community matters more than the course library#14
8Tutor LMSBangladeshFree + paid tiers; free planWordPress course plugin with a free coreyou run WordPress and want to own the site and pay a licence instead of a platform subscription#1
9LearnDashUnited StatesFlat yearly; free trialWordPress LMS plugin from Liquid Webyou want a WordPress LMS with group management and no per-student fees#9
10LifterLMSUnited StatesFree + paid tiers; free planWordPress course and membership pluginyou want a free WordPress core and will pay only for the add-ons you need#2
11PayhipUnited KingdomFree + paid tiers; free planDigital product store with courses and tax handlingyou sell courses next to downloads and want VAT handled for you#3

What each alternative does differently

1. Teachable

Hosted courses, coaching and downloads with tax handling · United States

The closest hosted rival. The entry plan carries a transaction fee unless Teachable Payments is used, and the page lists global VAT and sales tax handling on every plan. Plans are capped by published products, while students are unlimited. Certificates and branding removal start at Growth.

Switch from Thinkific if you want a hosted course platform with tax handling built into the payment layer.

Pricing: Starter is $29 per month billed annually or $39 monthly with a 7.5% transaction fee and 5 products; Builder is $69 or $89 with 10 products; Growth is $139 or $189 with 50 products; Custom is by quote. (free trial)

Full review: #7 of 14 in our ranking · Visit Teachable →

2. Kajabi

All-in-one platform for courses, coaching and marketing · United States

A marketing suite with courses attached. Plans are capped by products and contacts, and emails, funnels and landing pages are unlimited on every plan. The cost is a higher price tier, and third-party payment providers add a platform fee of up to 2%.

Switch from Thinkific if you want email, funnels and courses in one subscription and accept a higher price.

Pricing: Basic is $143 per month billed yearly or $179 monthly; Growth is $199 or $249; Pro is $399 or $499; third-party payment processors add a platform fee of 2%, 1% and 0.5% respectively. (free trial)

Full review: #10 of 14 in our ranking · Visit Kajabi →

3. LearnWorlds

Hosted course school with interactive video and SCORM · Cyprus

Aimed at structured training. SCORM packages start at Pro Trainer and LTI 1.3 at Learning Center, and white-label options sit at Learning Center. The lowest plan adds a per-enrollment fee. The branded app is an add-on without a public price.

Switch from Thinkific if you sell structured or compliance training that needs SCORM or LTI.

Pricing: Starter is $24 per month billed annually or $29 monthly plus a $5 fee per paid enrollment; Pro Trainer is $79 billed annually or $99 monthly with no transaction fee; Learning Center is $249 or $299; Corporate is custom. (free trial)

Full review: #4 of 14 in our ranking · Visit LearnWorlds →

4. Podia

Website, email and course sales in one subscription · United States

One subscription covers courses, community, downloads, coaching and events plus a website and email. Email is included up to a subscriber limit per plan. The lowest plan takes a Podia fee, and the pricing page lists migration help on every plan.

Switch from Thinkific if you want one tool for courses, email and a small storefront with migration help.

Pricing: Mover is shown at $42 per month as $504 billed annually with a 5% fee on sales; Shaker is $84 per month as $1,008 billed annually with no fee; Earthquaker is $150 per month as $1,800 billed annually. (free trial)

Full review: #5 of 14 in our ranking · Visit Podia →

5. systeme.io

Funnel, email and course builder with a free plan · Ireland

A funnel and email builder with courses inside it. A free plan exists with one course, and the paid plans state no transaction fees. The limits are on contacts, funnels and courses rather than on students. It is a marketing tool first and a school second.

Switch from Thinkific if you want funnels and email with courses at a low entry price and no transaction fee.

Pricing: Free plan with 1 course and 2,000 contacts; Startup is $17 per month with 5 courses; Webinar is $47 per month with unlimited courses; Unlimited is $97 per month; annual billing gives two months free. (free plan)

Full review: #8 of 14 in our ranking · Visit systeme.io →

6. Heights Platform

Courses and community with gamification · United States

Courses with gamification, live lessons and community channels. The pricing page states no Heights transaction fees and offers a 30-day trial without a card. Custom domain and branding removal start at the Pro tier, and plans are capped by active students.

Switch from Thinkific if you want gamified courses and live lessons with no platform transaction fee.

Pricing: Challenge is $29 per month for 1 course and up to 100 active students; Basic is $49 per month; Pro is $119 per month; annual billing saves 20%; a higher Academy tier also exists. (free trial)

Full review: #13 of 14 in our ranking · Visit Heights Platform →

7. Mighty Networks

Community platform with courses and native apps · United States

Community first, with courses as one part. Every plan includes courses and community, with a transaction fee that falls from 2% to 0.5%. A branded app is only on the custom-priced Mighty Pro plan. It suits a membership business more than a plain course shop.

Switch from Thinkific if you sell a membership where the community matters more than the course library.

Pricing: Launch is $79 per month or $950 per year with a 2% transaction fee; Scale is $179 per month with 1%; Growth is $354 per month with 0.5%; Mighty Pro is custom priced. (free trial)

Full review: #14 of 14 in our ranking · Visit Mighty Networks →

8. Tutor LMS

WordPress course plugin with a free core · Bangladesh

A WordPress plugin, so you host the site yourself. The core is free, and Pro is sold per year by number of sites or as a one-time lifetime licence. You manage hosting, updates and payments yourself. It is a build tool, not a hosted service.

Switch from Thinkific if you run WordPress and want to own the site and pay a licence instead of a platform subscription.

Pricing: The core plugin is free; Pro is $199 per year for 1 site, $399 per year for up to 10 sites or $799 per year for unlimited sites, with one-time lifetime licenses at $499, $999 and $1,999. (free plan)

Full review: #1 of 14 in our ranking · Visit Tutor LMS →

9. LearnDash

WordPress LMS plugin from Liquid Web · United States

A WordPress LMS plugin from Liquid Web, launched in 2013. It is sold as yearly licences with unlimited courses and learners, and the pricing page promises no per-student fees. Group management and instructor roles need the top tier. You provide hosting and the rest of the stack.

Switch from Thinkific if you want a WordPress LMS with group management and no per-student fees.

Pricing: Essentials is $259 per year, Pro $399 per year and Elite $599 per year. (free trial)

Full review: #9 of 14 in our ranking · Visit LearnDash →

10. LifterLMS

WordPress course and membership plugin · United States

An open source WordPress plugin whose core is free and covers quizzes, certificates and badges. Paid bundles add payment and marketing add-ons per number of sites. The vendor states that renewals are at full price, and a lapsed licence keeps working without updates.

Switch from Thinkific if you want a free WordPress core and will pay only for the add-ons you need.

Pricing: The core plugin is free; the Earth Bundle is $199 for the first year (normally $398) for 1 site, Universe $299 (normally $598) for 5 sites and Infinity $799 (normally $1598) for unlimited sites, and the vendor states renewals are at full price. (free plan)

Full review: #2 of 14 in our ranking · Visit LifterLMS →

11. Payhip

Digital product store with courses and tax handling · United Kingdom

A digital product store that includes courses. The free plan has all features and a 5% fee, Plus has a 2% fee, and Pro has none. EU and UK VAT is collected and remitted by Payhip. It has no community or app, and course features are lighter.

Switch from Thinkific if you sell courses next to downloads and want VAT handled for you.

Pricing: Free Forever is $0 per month plus a 5% transaction fee; Plus is $29 per month plus 2%; Pro is $99 per month with no transaction fee. (free plan)

Full review: #3 of 14 in our ranking · Visit Payhip →

When Thinkific is still the right choice

Thinkific remains a sound choice for a creator who wants a hosted school with unlimited published courses, a 30-day trial on every plan and the option to cancel at any time. Its communities, memberships and payment plans cover most course businesses, and the branded app is available when needed. If you do not need a plugin-based or all-in-one tool, moving gains little.

What to expect when you switch from Thinkific

  1. Export what you can before you cancel

    The terms say you are responsible for backups and that not all content, such as videos uploaded by users, may be exportable. Download video files and lesson text yourself, and request a transfer of student data from Thinkific privacy contact if you are in a region that allows it.

  2. Check what the new platform imports

    Podia's pricing page lists migration help on all plans, Heights Platform offers free course migration to annual Pro subscribers, and Teachable's Custom plan lists migration assistance. Ask each vendor what it brings across, because learner progress and certificates are often the part left behind.

  3. Run both platforms during the switch

    Cancelling a Thinkific plan removes paid features and the terms allow content to be deleted. Keep the old school live until buyers have access to the new one and payment plans have been re-created, since subscriptions on the old platform will not follow you.

Questions and answers

Can I export my courses from Thinkific?

Only in part. The terms say you are responsible for your own backups, that not all content may be exportable, and that export features may be discontinued without notice. Keep your own copies of videos and lesson text.

What happens to my content if I cancel Thinkific?

It may be deleted. The terms say that once an account is cancelled, all content may be permanently deleted, and that deletion is irreversible. Paid features are removed on cancellation, and monthly plans end with the billing cycle.

Can I cancel Thinkific at any time?

Yes. The terms say you may cancel or change a subscription at any time without charge or penalty through your account settings. Annual subscribers may get a pro-rata refund where the law requires it.

How much notice does Thinkific give of price changes?

Between 30 and 60 days in writing. The terms say that if an increase raises your fees you may cancel before the new pricing takes effect without penalty. Otherwise the new price applies from your next billing cycle.

Is there a free Thinkific plan?

No. The pricing page lists Basic, Start, Grow and a custom Plus plan, and a 30-day free trial on each paid plan. Free plans exist elsewhere, for example systeme.io and the free core of Tutor LMS and LifterLMS.

Do I have to pay extra for the Thinkific branded app?

Yes, on most plans. The pricing page lists the branded mobile app as a $199 per month add-on on any plan, or included on select Plus contracts.

Sources

Prices, plan limits and product facts about Thinkific on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on October 16, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.

Who wrote this

Sebastiaan Smits Sebastiaan Smits, Founder, wrote, edited and fact-checked this page. Founder of The Interregnum and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Editorially responsible for every page here; research and drafting are AI-assisted. Last reviewed October 16, 2026. How we review.