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Top Thinkific Alternatives and Competitors for Creators

7 January, 2024
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When it comes to crafting and marketing online courses, Thinkific stands out as a popular choice. Nevertheless, it's essential to recognize that Thinkific isn't the sole option available. While it enjoys widespread use in the realm of e-learning platforms, its compatibility with individual needs or budgets may not be universal.

In this post, we've scoured the internet to present you with the finest substitutes and rivals to Thinkific, each offering distinctive features and functionalities that can elevate the quality of your online courses.

Whether you're in search of a platform that allows for greater customization, improved marketing tools, or a more user-friendly interface, we have you covered.

Prepare to delve into some compelling Thinkific alternatives that can propel your online courses to new heights!

What is Thinkific: Getting to Know

To begin, let's delve into an evaluation of Thinkific. Thinkific stands out as an exceptional platform for crafting courses, providing you with the means to transform your expertise into a viable business.

Thinkific empowers you to swiftly and effectively create a professional website for your e-learning enterprise, facilitating the seamless publication of courses and enabling prompt initiation of sales.

Main features

  • Course authoring tool
  • Interactive multimedia modules
  • Completion certificates
  • Flexible learning paths: self-paced and scheduled Classes
  • Integrated course and community of students features
  • User profiles and mentions
  • Interactive reactions and discussion threads
  • White-label customization options
  • Unified single sign-on
  • Limitless administrator access
  • Bulk course sales capability

Rating

Furthermore, various third-party review platforms host evaluations of Thinkific submitted and rated by diverse users. The ensuing ratings are detailed below.

G2, a reliable platform featuring reviews from genuine users across different products, awards Thinkific an impressive rating of 4.5 stars, indicating a favorable outcome.

Trustpilot, another review site capturing authentic user opinions, assigns Thinkific a rating of approximately 4.7 stars. A significant majority, 78%, categorize it as Excellent, while 16% deem it Great. A mere 3% rate it as poor, and 2% as bad.

Capterra, a reputable review platform, also attributes a rating of 4.5 stars to Thinkific.

In summary, the ratings from these user-driven platforms like Thinkific as a promising and commendable course creation platform. Nevertheless, it is important to note that certain limitations exist, and the platform is considered relatively expensive.

Pros & Cons

Thinkific Benefits:

  • Robust features facilitating the swift and efficient delivery of new content, encompassing entire courses.
  • Exceptional support characterized by its speed and consistently accurate assistance.
  • A user-friendly interface, making navigation and utilization of most sections straightforward.

Thinkific Drawbacks:

  • The website builder's user interface could be more accommodating to beginners.
  • Pricing plans are relatively expensive, especially considering that many alternatives to Thinkific provide comparable or even more features at a more cost-effective rate.
  • Uploading speed tends to be sluggish when handling substantial documents, indicating room for improvement in this aspect compared to platforms with superior speed performance.

Pricing

Thinkific provides a range of primary plans, namely Basic, Start, Grow, and Expand. Unlike some competitors that offer free trials, Thinkific introduces a Free Plan with specific limitations on functionality.

Entrepreneurs typically commence their journey with the Basic plan and progress to more advanced options as their business expands.

Here's a breakdown of Thinkific's pricing tiers:

  • Free Plan – $0
  • Basic – $49
  • Start – $99
  • Grow – $195
  • Expand – $499
  • Thinkific Plus – Tailored pricing based on individual needs.

Why Consider Other Platforms Instead of Thinkific?

Although Thinkific is a comprehensive platform with abundant features for online course creation and sales, certain limitations might prompt users to consider other Thinkific  alternatives. These drawbacks encompass:

Restricted customization capabilities.

  • Essential features are lacking in the free and basic plans.
  • Requirement for additional third-party integrations.
  • Not the ideal choice for those aiming to sell digital goods, memberships, or live streams.

Furthermore, users seeking platforms like Thinkific with more advanced analytics, reporting features, and enhanced flexibility in course delivery options may find Thinkific alternatives more appealing. Exploring other platforms allows individuals to discover solutions better suited to their specific needs and objectives for creating and selling online courses.

8 Thinkific Alternatives for Creators

1. DrivEd LMS

Overview

DrivEd stands as a successful learning management system (LMS) crafted to assist both educational institutions and corporate entities in crafting courses, overseeing curricula, and monitoring the progress of students or staff members. This platform empowers professionals to seamlessly integrate numerous courses, facilitating efficient searches for specific client training programs based on criteria such as course name, category, creation date, and status.

Adaptable to organizations of varying sizes, purposes, and financial capacities, DrivEd educational platform caters to startups, online schools, educational institutions, large enterprises, small businesses, and beyond. With its versatile features, this platform emerges as a valuable asset for any entity seeking to enhance learning experiences and drive continuous improvement.

Main features

DrivEd comprises a comprehensive learning management system along with individual student accounts. Within this  simple learning management system, you have the capability to:

  • Grant each student personalized access to their individual account.
  • Develop courses and coaching programs, enriching them with video content, tests, and assignments.
  • Review and assess homework submissions.
  • Monitor and evaluate each student's ongoing progress.
  • Establish a group chat for collaborative communication.
  • Keep students informed about crucial events through notifications.

Within the student account, individuals can:

  • Fulfill tasks and successfully complete assessments.
  • Engage in group discussions through the chat feature.
  • Track personal progress over time.
  • Review homework submitted by fellow group members.
  • Access a calendar highlighting upcoming events.
  • Retrieve study materials conveniently at any time.

This multifaceted approach ensures a dynamic and interactive learning experience for both educators and students alike.

Rating

DrivEd full-on learning management system has garnered exceptional acclaim with a stellar 5-star rating on prominent platforms such as Capterra, G2 Crowd, and eLearning Industry. This impressive recognition highlights the platform's positive reception and user satisfaction across various user reviews and industry evaluations.

Pros:

  • Enhancing the caliber of educational services
  • Cutting-edge content authoring tool
  • Collaborative learning processes
  • Effortless certificate generation
  • Optimized time and resource utilization
  • Streamlining business processes through digitization
  • Automated student-teacher interactions
  • Revenue boost and seamless scalability
  • User-friendly accounts with an intuitive interface
  • Efficient tracking of grades
  • Seamless integration with WordPress via our API
  • Incorporation of gamification elements
  • Structured organization of content and curriculum libraries
  • Flexible creation of grades and question blocks
  • Designing personalized learning paths
  • Efficient certificate generation process

Cons:

  • No email marketing tool
  • Limited live chat support
  • Limited CRM functionalities
  • No free version

Pricing

DrivEd offers four distinctive pricing plans, complemented by a 14-days free trial option. Explore the various editions outlined below to identify the one that aligns with both your budget and requirements.

  • Starter - $59.00 per month, for people who want to establish their business
  • Pro - $179.00 per month, for people who want to grow their business
  • Business - $419.00 per month, for businesses who want to scale and optimize
  • Enterprise - pay as you go (custom pricing), for large companies with specific requirements. Unlimited possibilities.

2. TalentLMS

Overview

Yet another platform, renowned and cherished by numerous course creators, is TalentLMS. This robust software provides a comprehensive array of essential features and tools, enabling the effective creation, sale, and management of courses. Many organizations opt for this platform, successfully deploying it for remote workforce training initiatives.

Main features

  • Incorporating native video conferencing for seamless hosting of instructor-led training sessions.
  • Utilizing gamification tools and features enriching learning experience, fostering interactivity and engagement.
  • Accessing a library of pre-designed courses for added convenience for students.
  • Utilizing content creation tools and a user-friendly drag-and-drop content management system.
  • Leveraging Course Management tools encompassing builders, libraries, categorization, prerequisites, time limits, and more.
  • Managing users efficiently with unlimited administrative capabilities.
  • Experiencing exceptional customization with TalentLMS, allowing for personalized branding, theme selection, and certificate creation. Additionally, the platform enables the creation of a fully white-labeled mobile app.
  • Creating assessments and effortlessly tracking results to enhance the evaluation process.

Rating

TalentLMS boasts a commendable rating of 4.6 stars on G2. On Trustpilot, TalentLMS maintains a solid rating, achieving 4.1 stars. Capterra also reflects positively on the platform, with an impressive 4.7-star rating. While the platform receives favorable ratings and users express satisfaction, it's worth noting that despite the flexibility in pricing plans, they are perceived as relatively high.

Pros:

The platform excels in its ease of use, presenting a straightforward interface. Additionally, it offers impressive gamification features, customizable branding, automation options, and seamless integration with a multitude of popular tools.

  • User-friendly interface
  • Multiple types of content
  • Off-the-shelf content
  • Mobile app
  • Rich gamification
  • Free plan

Cons:

Surprisingly, the platform's capabilities in terms of customization and reporting are not as robust, especially considering its primary focus on businesses and enterprises with diverse needs.

  • Limited design customization
  • Basic reporting
  • Complicated course layout
  • TalentLibrary can be expensive

Pricing

  • Starter - $ 69 /month, billed yearly, up to 40 users
  • Basic - $ 149 /month, billed yearly, up to 100 users
  • Plus - $ 279 /month, billed yearly, up to 500 users
  • Premium - $ 459 /month, billed yearly, up to 1000 users
  • Enterprise - need to contact team, flexible user limit

3. LearnDash

Overview

LearnDash is most suitable for beginners or individuals who do not intend to establish a continuously expanding educational enterprise. It serves as a proficient platform for developing a limited number of courses and is exclusively compatible with WordPress.

Ideal for powering online educational content within academic institutions like coaching schools or colleges, LearnDash proves advantageous when there's an existing audience, eliminating the need for extensive marketing efforts. Leveraging LearnDash's uncomplicated course builder, you can promptly create courses.

Main features

  • Blended learning
  • Integrated course authoring
  • Certification and licensing support
  • Library of content
  • Management of content
  • Corporate and business creative solutions
  • Authoring of courses
  • Management of courses
  • Publishing of courses
  • Tracking of course progress
  • Branding customization options
  • Customizable question formats
  • Enrollment and onboarding facilities
  • Designed for educational institutions
  • Incorporation of gamification

Rating

LearnDash boasts an impressive rating of 4.6 on Capterra and a commendable 4.3 on G2 Crowd, attesting to its positive reception and user satisfaction on these prominent review platforms.

Pros:

Individuals who opt for LearnDash appreciate its affordability and adaptability, as it enables them to integrate seamlessly with various WordPress plugins, unlocking additional functionalities.

  • Affordable for a course platform
  • Straightforward and user-friendly course authoring
  • Compatible with numerous plugins such as BuddyPress, MemberPress, and WooCommerce
  • White-label solution
  • Adaptable and customizable

Cons:

The drawbacks associated with LearnDash stem from its non-standalone nature. Users are required to handle server payments and setup, integrate additional plugins for payment options or community features, and many extra functionalities are available as separate add-ons.

LearnDash may pose challenges for users lacking technical expertise, particularly those who require additional assistance in website maintenance.

  • Lacks a free trial, offering only a 15-day refund window
  • Incurs hidden costs for server hosting and maintenance
  • Dependent on additional plugins for payment processing, lacking a comprehensive standalone solution
  • Incorporating supplementary plugins and add-ons can lead to considerable expenses, as seen in the case of features like Gamification
  • Necessitates an independent hosting provider
  • Demands self-management of WordPress maintenance

Pricing

LearnDash operates on an annual pricing model, offering the flexibility to make payments through either credit card or PayPal, accompanied by a 15-day money-back guarantee.

Every subscription tier includes multiple site licenses, determining the number of websites you can leverage the service for. Notably, the Plus and Pro plans grant complimentary access to the ProPanel add-on.

Here are the pricing details:

  • Single Site: $199 per year
  • 10 Sites: $399 per year
  • Unlimited Sites: $799 per year

4. LearnWorlds

Overview

LearnWorlds stands out as an excellent Thinkific alternative. It serves as a reliable online course platform, providing a suitable and dependable option for a diverse range of course creators. Now, let's delve deeper into the features and offerings of this platform.

Main features

Thus, the primary functionalities of this platform, facilitating the monetization of your expertise, include:

  • A course builder featuring synchronized transcripts, interactions, and interaction statistics.
  • Marketing and sales tools encompassing coupons, promotions, sellable memberships and subscriptions, as well as affiliate marketing tools.
  • White labeling and custom domain options for brand personalization.
  • A website builder offering templates and customization features.
  • A fully white-labeled mobile app builder tailored to your brand.
  • Marketing tools and affiliate programs to enhance promotional activities.
  • The opportunity to incorporate gamification elements and create interactive videos.
  • Assessment and survey builder tools for comprehensive learning evaluation.

Rating

Let's now turn our attention to the platform's ratings. On G2, LearnWorlds boasts a commendable 4.5-star rating. Over on Trustpilot, LearnWorlds maintains a solid rating, hovering around 4.1 stars. Capterra also reflects positively on the platform, with an impressive 4.7-star rating.

While the overall ratings signify the platform's reliability, a closer look at Trustpilot's reviews reveals some dissatisfaction, particularly regarding the support team's responses.

Pros:

  • Outstanding course authoring tools that set the standard
  • A powerful assessment builder for advanced assessments
  • AI-driven course creation
  • Interactive video editor for content creation
  • Support for SCORM files
  • Comprehensive reporting and analytics for enhanced learning insights
  • Issuance of certificates
  • Integration with Zoom and Webex for seamless collaboration
  • Fully white-label native mobile apps available on iOS and Android platforms

Cons:

  • Navigating the platform may pose a challenge due to its intricate features
  • The absence of an integrated email marketing tool is a notable drawback
  • Additionally, the platform lacks a dedicated marketplace for courses

Pricing

You can explore LearnWorlds with a free 30-day trial and choose from three primary plans:

  • Starter – $29 per month
  • Pro – $99 per month
  • Learning Center – $299 per month
  • For Enterprise plans, personalized discussions with the sales team are recommended.

5. Teachable

Overview

Boasting an intuitive and well-crafted interface, Teachable provides tools for course design, management, and student engagement. It serves as a straightforward Thinkific alternative, particularly user-friendly for novice creators, although it may not offer an extensive range of course authoring capabilities.

Teachable is particularly well-suited for those in the early stages of their journey, catering to less experienced users. However, more seasoned creators might find it somewhat lacking in educational solution functionalities. Notably, Teachable places a strong emphasis on marketing aspects and seamlessly integrates with numerous popular tools. In a recent shift, Teachable has realigned its focus to provide enhanced support and features for online coaching product, marking a strategic shift from its initial emphasis on course creation.

Main features

Teachable stands out as an exceptional and, above all, valuable platform due to its key features:

  • A course and website builder for delivering top-notch products with an appealing interface. It provides all essential tools to construct an aesthetically pleasing website and craft well-structured courses for your students.
  • Tools for creating certificates.
  • Robust insights to inform future development plans.
  • Custom user roles and automated payouts, enhancing workforce management efficiency.
  • Remarkable tools for tax management.

Rating

To establish the credibility and reliability of the platform, we conducted research on various rating platforms. The ratings for Teachable on different platforms are outlined below. 

G2: On the G2 review website, Teachable received a score of 4 out of 5 stars. While this is a commendable result, it falls short of being the highest. Trustpilot awarded Teachable a rating of 2.9 out of 5 stars, indicating a somewhat less satisfying outcome. On Capterra, Teachable is well-regarded with a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.

In essence, Teachable is a commendable platform offering numerous useful features. However, examining diverse ratings reveals that for some users, these features might not be sufficient.

Pros:

Teachable stands out as an instinctive platform featuring drag-and-drop functionality, enabling you to effortlessly rearrange and reorganize elements with ease.

  • Complimentary plan
  • User-friendly interface
  • Sophisticated pricing choices
  • Marketing features such as order bumps and affiliate programs
  • Incorporated email broadcasts
  • Mobile App (non-white-labeled)

Cons:

Teachable presents several drawbacks attributable to its user-friendly orientation, lacking support for expanding businesses or incorporating advanced features such as interactivity, assessments, and community functionalities.

  • Lack of white-labeling capability
  • Absence of advanced learning and assessment tools
  • No support for SCORM or XAPI/TinCan standards
  • Instances of downtime and technical issues
  • Limited template selection
  • Subpar customer support

Pricing

Teachable provides a range of five plan tiers, with certain plans incurring additional fees:

  • Free plan: 10% transaction fees + $1
  • Basic plan: 5% transaction fees – $59/month
  • Pro plan: No transaction fees – $159/month
  • Pro+ plan: No transaction fees – $249/month
  • Business: $665/month

6. Kajabi

Overview

Kajabi stands out as a highly popular course platform in the current market. This comprehensive platform allows you to establish and manage your online business seamlessly, providing essential features for your website, course sales pages, course development, membership sites, email marketing, sales funnels, and more.

In comparison to other platforms featured in this list, Kajabi places a greater emphasis on marketing functionalities rather than learning management. This makes it particularly appealing to solopreneurs and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who value it as an all-encompassing solution, primarily for its capabilities in sending email blasts and automations to their user base.

Main features

  • A user-friendly drag-and-drop website builder, streamlining the entire construction process and saving time.
  • Generation of marketing sequence templates.
  • SEO-friendly design, ensuring easy crawlability by search engines upon website creation and publication.
  • Quizzes and course insights to enhance the engagement and meaningfulness of the learning process.
  • Email broadcasts and sequences.
  • Unlimited storage space, a critical feature for professional creators who need to upload numerous courses and supplementary materials.

Rating

As per the G2 review platform, Kajabi boasts a 4.5 out of 5-star rating. Trustpilot assigns a high 4.6-star rating to Kajabi. Additionally, on Capterra, Kajabi holds a strong rating of 4.4 stars. These promising ratings collectively affirm the platform's reliability and user satisfaction. In all honesty, Kajabi stands out as a potentially excellent alternative to Thinkific.

Pros:

Kajabi serves as a comprehensive platform where creators can monetize their content, offering an integrated solution for both content creation and marketing within a single platform.

  • The ultimate solution for marketing digital products
  • Templates for course authoring
  • Marketing and email automation (funnels)
  • Mobile apps compatible with iOS and Android
  • Support for up to 3 custom domains/websites
  • Responsive and helpful customer support

Cons:

Conversely, Kajabi comes with a substantial cost, particularly for beginners, and it lacks sufficient user management, reporting, and learning tools necessary for scaling businesses.

  • Highest cost among platforms
  • No available free plan – only a 14-day trial
  • Lacks robust learning features
  • Limited discussions/social features
  • Basic website builder
  • No option for unlimited courses, unlike other platforms (restricted to 100 products on the highest plan)

Pricing

Kajabi's entry-level plan commences at a rate higher than the mid-tier plans of many other platforms, yet it provides additional marketing features. However, there are constraints on the number of products, pipelines or funnels, administrators, contacts, and active members.

  • Basic plan: $149/month
  • Growth plan: $199/month
  • Pro plan: $399/month

7. Udemy

Overview

Udemy stands out as one of the premier online course marketplaces, providing subject matter experts with a straightforward method to organize course content into a cohesive learning experience. This content can then be published on the marketplace, utilizing various marketing tools to enhance course visibility.

Although it may appear that Udemy handles the marketing aspect, the reality is different. Given the intense competition on the platform, significant effort is still required to promote your courses and achieve visibility in organic search results.

Udemy operates primarily as a marketplace rather than a dedicated course platform. Consequently, it can be effectively utilized in tandem with a hosted platform. In this dual approach, Udemy serves as a means to reach a broader audience, introducing learners to your courses and potentially leading to upselling of more advanced or expensive courses hosted elsewhere.

Main features

  • Course marketing functionalities encompass external partner promotion, targeted and retargeted ads, email campaigns, and discovery.
  • Tools for compliance management.
  • Diverse lecture formats, including automated, video, audio, and text lectures.
  • Inclusion of subtitles.
  • Quizzes and assessments.
  • Review capabilities.
  • Direct messaging options.

Rating

On G2, Udemy boasts an impressive rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. However, on Trustpilot, the rating is rather low, standing at just 2.1 out of 5 stars. Conversely, on Capterra, Udemy receives a commendable rating of 4.6 stars. In essence, if you are comfortable with fees and prioritize a swift starting point, Udemy emerges as the optimal Thinkific alternative for your needs.

Pros:

Getting started with Udemy is a breeze. There's no need for technical expertise, setting up a website, or dealing with technical maintenance and landing pages. This platform is perfect if your primary focus is teaching and you'd rather not delve into the technical intricacies of the process. However, it's important to note that promoting yourself as an instructor is still a crucial aspect of utilizing Udemy effectively.

  • User-friendly
  • Cost-free
  • No technical or design prerequisites
  • Large audience actively seeking courses
  • Assists in marketing the top courses

Cons:

While Udemy is a free platform, it comes with several drawbacks. It poses challenges in sustaining a full-time income because you lack control over your course's pricing. Additionally, it doesn't support white-labeling, and you have no ownership of the data. Consequently, you might be directing numerous students to Udemy, only for the platform to potentially redirect them towards a competitor's offerings.

  • Udemy claims a substantial portion of the profits.
  • Continuous course discounts are imposed, limiting the ability to offer premium courses.
  • You lack ownership of your students' data.
  • Promotional efforts are essential on the all-in-one platform.
  • Your course contends with numerous competitors.
  • Adherence to instructor requirements and standards is mandatory.

Pricing

For course creators, Udemy is entirely free of charge. All you have to do is register and commence posting the courses you provide.

8. Podia

Overview

Podia serves as a comprehensive platform designed for the sale of digital products, including courses, memberships, and downloads. Positioned as a more budget-friendly Thinkific alternative to Kajabi, Podia offers essential functionalities and features, albeit with a more straightforward approach compared to other Thinkific similar.

Podia is well-suited for those seeking to market and sell uncomplicated digital learning content through digital marketing efforts. However, it may not be the ideal choice for users requiring the educational features and sophistication found in more advanced online course platforms.

Main features

  • Robust website builder offering extensive customization options
  • Course builder enabling the publication of courses in bundles, single or drip formats, and supporting pre-sales
  • Digital downloads feature facilitating the sale of various digital products, not just courses
  • Capability to organize webinars and workshops
  • Incorporated affiliate and email marketing tools
  • Community features
  • Simple setup for coaching sessions and consultations
  • Diverse integration options

Rating

On G2, Podia boasts an impressive 4.5-star rating out of 5 stars, indicating a positive response within the highly competitive market. Users express satisfaction with the user interface and content creation processes.

On Trustpilot, Podia holds a 4 out of 5-star rating. Some users share negative experiences, particularly highlighting challenges with SEO-friendliness, which allegedly hampers the ranking of websites created with Podia on Google. Checking Capterra, Podia maintains a strong rating of 4.6 stars out of 5.

Considering assessment management tools from multiple review platforms and diverse reviews, while individual cases may have encountered inconveniences, overall, the majority of users express contentment with the platform.

Pros:

Podia encompasses a comprehensive range of features, incorporating an email marketing tool, and is notably more cost-effective compared to alternative platforms. Nevertheless, the lower price is associated with reduced quality and fewer capabilities.

  • Complimentary plan
  • Affordable pricing
  • Integrated email marketing
  • User-friendly interface
  • Discussion and community features

Cons:

Podia solely provides a free plan, lacking several educational and reporting features and offering no options for white-labeling the platform. Moreover, for those aiming to scale their business, any form of advanced features is noticeably absent.

  • Absence of white-labeling
  • Lack of educational features
  • No reporting or analytics
  • Missing advanced features such as SSO, API, Website builder, Automations, etc.
  • Additional users incur an extra cost of $20

Pricing

Podia provides a free plan along with two subscription-based options. These plans differ in terms of transaction fees, the quantity of products you can generate, and the level of support offered.

  • Free plan: $0 (with 8% transaction fees)
  • Mover: $39/mo (no transaction fees)
  • Shaker: $89/mo (no transaction fees)

Customizing Your LMS Experience: Beyond Thinkific Solutions

If you seek more than just an LMS, consider exploring DrivEd LMS. Our versatile eLearning platform caters to various forms of eLearning, ranging from corporate training to language learning courses.

Furthermore, you gain access to an award-winning content builder, a comprehensive assessment , a gamification, and numerous other features. Create your free account now and experience it for yourself!

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