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Thinkific costs $49 to $499 per month as of March 2026, with 5 plans available. Plans: Basic at $49/month, Start at $99/month, Grow at $199/month, and Expand at $499/month. Enterprise pricing is available on request. The median contract is $35,958/year based on 20 verified purchases.

Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.

  • Free tier: No free tier available

Thinkific offers 5 pricing tiers: Basic, Start, Grow, Expand, Plus. Paid plans include Basic at $49/month, Start at $99/month, Grow at $199/month. The Start plan is creators offering live lessons, memberships, and multiple course formats.

Compared to other lms & e-learning software, Thinkific is positioned at the mid-market price point.

  • Median contract: $35,958/yr from 20 purchases
  • 0
  • 5 documented hidden costs beyond list price

How much does Thinkific cost?

Thinkific pricing starts at $49/month across 5 plans, with enterprise pricing available on request. Plans include Basic at $49/month, Start at $99/month, Grow at $199/month, Expand at $499/month, Plus (custom pricing).

Thinkific Pricing Overview

Thinkific has 5 pricing plans ranging from $49 to $499/month. The Basic plan costs $49/month, best for solo creators launching their first courses with no transaction fees. The Start plan costs $99/month, best for creators offering live lessons, memberships, and multiple course formats. The Grow plan costs $199/month, best for established educators scaling to multiple communities and needing white-label. The Expand plan costs $499/month, best for teams and organizations running large-scale training operations. The Plus plan requires contacting sales for a custom quote and is designed for enterprise organizations with complex training and compliance needs.

The median Thinkific customer pays $35,958/year based on 20 verified purchases.

There are at least 5 documented hidden costs beyond Thinkific's list price, including implementation, training, and add-on fees.

This pricing was last verified in January 29, 2026 from 3 independent sources.

Thinkific is a leading online course platform headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, enabling creators, educators, and businesses to create, market, and sell online courses and learning communities. Founded in 2012 by Greg Smith, Thinkific went public on the TSX in 2021 and serves over 50,000 course creators worldwide. The platform emphasizes ownership and control, giving creators full branding customization and zero platform transaction fees through its TCommerce payment system.

In 2026, Thinkific offers four paid plans ranging from $36 to $499 per month (billed annually), plus a custom Plus plan for enterprises. A notable change is the discontinuation of the free plan and the introduction of a 5% commission on the Basic plan for users not using TCommerce. All plans include unlimited courses and students, making Thinkific competitive for creators who want no artificial caps on their content library.

How Thinkific Pricing Compares

Compare Thinkific pricing against top alternatives in LMS & E-Learning.

All Thinkific Plans & Pricing

Plan Monthly Annual Best For
Basic communities: 1spaces: 5 $49 /month $36 /yearSave 27% Solo creators launching their first courses with no transaction fees
Start communities: 2spaces: 10 $99 /month $74 /yearSave 25% Creators offering live lessons, memberships, and multiple course formats
Grow communities: 3spaces: 20 $199 /month $149 /yearSave 25% Established educators scaling to multiple communities and needing white-label
Expand communities: 5spaces: 50 $499 /month Custom Teams and organizations running large-scale training operations
Plus Contact Sales Contact Sales Enterprise organizations with complex training and compliance needs
View all features by plan

Basic

  • Unlimited courses and students
  • 1 community with 5 spaces
  • Live chat support
  • Custom domain
  • Coupons and promotions
  • Drip content scheduling
  • Course completion certificates
  • Instant payouts via Stripe

Start

  • All Basic features
  • Live lessons and webinars
  • Memberships and bundles
  • Payment plans for students
  • Assignments and quizzes
  • 2 communities with 10 spaces each
  • Course compliance tools
  • Priority email support

Grow

  • All Start features
  • 3 communities with 20 spaces each
  • Remove Thinkific branding
  • Bulk student emailer
  • Bulk enrollments
  • API access
  • 2 admin accounts
  • Phone and priority email support
  • Downloadable student data

Expand

  • All Grow features
  • 5 communities with 50 spaces each
  • 5 admin accounts
  • Advanced team collaboration
  • Dedicated onboarding support
  • Custom user roles
  • Enhanced analytics and reporting

Plus

  • All Expand features
  • Unlimited admin accounts
  • Dedicated Customer Success Manager
  • Enterprise-grade SSO
  • Custom onboarding and migration
  • Advanced API integrations
  • White-glove support

Compare Thinkific vs Alternatives

Before committing to Thinkific, compare pricing with these 3 alternatives in the same category.

All Thinkific alternatives & migration guides

What Companies Actually Pay for Thinkific

The median Thinkific buyer pays $35,958/year based on 20 verified purchase transactions.

What companies actually pay $35,958/yr Median across 20 purchases
0
Review scores
TrustRadius 7.9/10 (83)
Top pricing complaints
Expensive pricing for higher-tier plansLimited features on lower-tier plansLack of some formatting flexibilityPayment processing fees can add up
Source: Vendr buyer database — median calculated from 20 real purchase transactions. Savings figure reflects negotiated discounts reported by buyers.

Thinkific Year 1 Total Cost by Company Size

Real deployment costs including licenses, implementation, training, and admin — not just the sticker price.

First-Time Course Creator Basic plan at $36/month (annual) with TCommerce for 0% fees + Stripe processing (~$74/mo) + external email tool ($13/mo) = ~$123/month total. Revenue: ~$2,450/mo. Year 1 total
annual
Total Basic plan at $36/month (annual) with TCommerce for 0% fees + Stripe processing (~$74/mo) + external email tool ($13/mo) = ~$123/month total. Revenue: ~$2,450/mo.

A creator launching 2-3 courses expecting 50 students per month at $49 average price.

Creator with Live Workshops Start plan at $74/month (annual) with 0% transaction fees + Stripe processing (~$150/mo) + email marketing ($29/mo) = ~$253/month total. Includes live lessons and memberships. Year 1 total
annual
Total Start plan at $74/month (annual) with 0% transaction fees + Stripe processing (~$150/mo) + email marketing ($29/mo) = ~$253/month total. Includes live lessons and memberships.

An instructor offering 5 courses plus live weekly workshops and a membership community.

Education Business with White-Label Grow plan at $149/month (annual) with branding removal, API access, bulk tools + Stripe processing (~$300/mo) + email ($50/mo) = ~$499/month total. Year 1 total
annual
Total Grow plan at $149/month (annual) with branding removal, API access, bulk tools + Stripe processing (~$300/mo) + email ($50/mo) = ~$499/month total.

A branded academy with 20 courses, 2,000 students, and a team of 2, needing no Thinkific branding.

Corporate Training Organization Expand plan at $499/month with 5 admin accounts, custom roles, advanced reporting + Stripe processing + email tools = ~$750-1,000/month total. Year 1 total

A company running 50+ training courses with 5 team admins and compliance requirements.

Solo Course Creator - Getting Started $588 Year 1 total
annual billing
Total $588

Individual instructor launching their first online course with basic features

Growing Education Business $1,788 Year 1 total
annual billing
Total $1,788

Small to medium education business needing memberships, bundles, and certificates

Enterprise Learning Platform $35,958 Year 1 total

Large organization with custom requirements, dedicated support, and advanced integrations

How Thinkific Pricing Compares

Software Starting Price Top Price
Thinkific $49/month $499/month
Kajabi $143/month $499/month
Mighty Networks $49/month $360/month
Podia $39/month $89/month
Teachable $39/month $399/month

5 Thinkific Hidden Costs Beyond the List Price

Beyond the listed price, Thinkific has at least 5 documented hidden costs that can significantly increase total cost of ownership.

Watch for 5 hidden costs
  • Limited Features on Lower-Tier Plans 20-40% of license costs
    medium 2 sources
    Reddit "Limited Features on Cheaper Plans: The cheaper plans of Thinkific may restrict access to more advanced features, offering only the essential functionalities."
    Reddit "It would be nice if some features like certificates were available for the lower tiers."
  • Transaction Fees on Free Plan 10% of revenue + $1 per transaction
    high 1 source
    Reddit "Free Plan: Starts at $0 but includes a $1 + 10% transaction fee on paid products. Limited to 1 course and 1 admin."
  • Steep Price Jump to Higher Tiers $3,000-$6,000/year
    medium 2 sources
    Reddit "High Price Jump: While starting plans are affordable, the higher-tier plans of Thinkific come with a substantial cost."
    Reddit "The original price was good, but with new features (that I don't need) it is starting to get expensive."
  • Additional Community Costs $500-$1,500/year
    medium 1 source
    TrustRadius "Having a second community adds a lot to the yearly cost of Thinkific."
  • Payment Processing Fees 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
    low 1 source
    Reddit "The payment fees can be a bit steep"
Tip

Ask your Thinkific sales rep about these costs upfront. Getting them in writing before signing can save you from surprise charges later.

Full hidden costs breakdown →

Intelligence sourced from 3 independent sources
Reddit User discussions TrustRadius Enterprise reviews Vendr Verified buyer transactions
Key claims include inline source attribution. Data verified against multiple independent sources. 8 source citations total.

Thinkific Contract Terms

Thinkific contracts do not auto-renew. Changes require advance notice. These terms are sourced from verified buyer experiences.

Contract Terms
Auto-Renewal No
Mid-Term Downgrade Not allowed
Payment Terms Monthly or annual billing available

Thinkific Pricing FAQ

01 How much does Thinkific cost in 2026?

Thinkific offers four paid plans: Basic at $49/month ($36 annual), Start at $99/month ($74 annual), Grow at $199/month ($149 annual), and Expand at $499/month. There is also a Plus plan with custom enterprise pricing. Annual billing saves approximately 25% across all tiers.

02 Does Thinkific have a free plan?

No, Thinkific discontinued its free plan in 2024. The platform now offers a 14-day free trial with full access to features. The most affordable paid option is the Basic plan at $36/month when billed annually.

03 Does Thinkific charge transaction fees?

Thinkific charges 0% platform transaction fees on all plans when using their TCommerce payment system. However, Basic plan users who opt for Stripe or PayPal directly instead of TCommerce now face a 5% commission. Standard payment processing fees (Stripe 2.9% + $0.30) apply on all plans regardless.

04 Is Thinkific better than Teachable?

Thinkific is better for creators who want zero transaction fees and more customization. Teachable is better for those who want a polished mobile app experience and built-in email marketing. Thinkific starts at $36/month (annual) with 0% fees via TCommerce, while Teachable starts at $29/month but charges 7.5% transaction fees on the cheapest plan.

05 What is Thinkific TCommerce?

TCommerce is Thinkific's in-house payment processing system that eliminates the 5% platform commission on the Basic plan. It handles payments, taxes, and payouts directly. Using TCommerce is recommended on the Basic plan to avoid the 5% commission that applies when using third-party Stripe or PayPal.

06 Does Thinkific include email marketing?

No, Thinkific does not include built-in email marketing tools. You need to integrate a third-party email service like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or ActiveCampaign, which adds $13-$259/month to your costs depending on list size and provider. Thinkific does offer basic student notifications but not full email campaigns.

07 What's the difference between monthly and annual pricing?

Thinkific offers approximately 25% savings when you pay annually versus monthly. For example, the Basic plan costs $49/month on monthly billing, but only $36/month when paid annually. The Start plan is $99/month or $74/month annually, and the Grow plan is $199/month or $149/month annually.

08 Is there a free plan available?

Yes, Thinkific offers a free plan that allows you to create one course with one admin user. However, it includes a $1 + 10% transaction fee on paid products. The free plan is useful for testing the platform or running a single free course, but paid plans are recommended for serious course creators to avoid transaction fees.

09 How much does the Expand or Plus tier cost?

The Expand plan costs $499/month (no annual pricing listed). The Plus tier uses custom pricing and is designed for enterprises with specific needs. Based on marketplace data, enterprise customers typically pay around $35,958/year, though pricing can range from $138,600 to significantly higher depending on requirements.

10 Are certificates and advanced features included in all plans?

No, features like certificates, advanced customization, and certain integrations are only available on higher-tier plans. The Basic plan ($49/month) provides core course creation tools, but you'll need to upgrade to Start ($99/month) or Grow ($199/month) plans to access features like certificates, memberships, and advanced integrations.

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