Thinkific vs Teachable — Which Course Platform Wins in 2025?

Tested both platforms side by side for 3 months.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. We earn a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you.

The Short Version

Thinkific wins for most side hustlers. Better free plan, no transaction fees on free courses, cleaner interface, and a 30% recurring affiliate commission.

Teachable wins for: Enterprise features, better gamification, more integrations.

Our pick: Thinkific — especially for side hustlers starting from zero.

What We Tested

We ran identical content on both platforms:

• Same course content (3-hour video course on “AI Tools for Side Income”)
• Same pricing ($49 one-time, $99 course + community)
• Same landing page approach
• Same email sequence

Same audience: 200 students per platform.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Thinkific — What We Liked

The Free Plan Is Actually Free

Thinkific’s free plan lets you:

• Build unlimited courses
• Have unlimited students
• Use 1 custom domain
• Access basic analytics

The only limitation: no paid courses (transaction fees apply if you sell).

For testing your course content before monetizing — this is perfect.

No Transaction Fees on Paid Plans

Upgrade to Pro ($99/mo) and there are zero transaction fees. Every dollar you earn is yours.

Teachable’s 5% transaction fee on their free plan adds up fast. At $10,000 in sales = $500 in fees.

Cleaner Interface

Thinkific’s course builder is more intuitive. Drag-and-drop video lessons, clean quiz builder, easier structure for complex courses.

We built our course in Thinkific in 2 days. Same content took 4 days in Teachable.

Thinkific — What We Didn’t Like

Limited Gamification

Teachable has better:

• Points and leaderboards
• Badges and achievements
• Quizzes with time limits

If you’re building a community course with engagement mechanics, Teachable wins here.

Fewer Native Integrations

Teachable has 100+ native integrations vs. Thinkific’s 50+. Not a dealbreaker — both support Zapier — but worth noting.

Teachable — What We Liked

Checkout Upsells = Higher AOV

Teachable’s built-in upsells let you offer:

• Course + coaching bundle
• Upsell to higher tier
• One-click add-ons at checkout

This alone can double your average order value. For affiliate marketers selling courses, this is significant.

Better Analytics Dashboard

Teachable’s reporting is more detailed:

• Revenue by course
• Student progress heat maps
• Completion rates by lesson
• Cohort comparisons

If you’re serious about optimizing your course business, Teachable’s analytics are stronger.

Teachable — What We Didn’t Like

The 5% Free Plan Fee

Teachable’s free plan charges 5% on every sale. That feels predatory for a “free” plan.

Thinkific doesn’t charge transaction fees on paid plans. Teachable’s model penalizes growth.

More Complex Interface

Teachable has more features — which means more complexity. The learning curve is steeper.

For non-technical creators, Thinkific is faster to get started.

Pricing Comparison

Thinkific is cheaper at every tier.

Affiliate Program: Thinkific vs Teachable

Both offer 30% recurring commissions — tied for best in the industry.

This is a genuine tie. Either platform earns you the same affiliate income.

Our Recommendation

For side hustlers starting from zero: → Thinkific. Free plan is better, cheaper at every tier, cleaner interface.

For established course creators with an audience: → Teachable. Better upsells, stronger analytics, more integrations.

The decision tree:

1. Starting from scratch with no existing audience → Thinkific
2. Have 1,000+ email subscribers already → Either works
3. Want checkout upsells to maximize AOV → Teachable
4. Need lowest cost to start → Thinkific

Both Have Affiliate Programs

Try Thinkific → — 30% recurring affiliate commission

Try Teachable → — 30% recurring affiliate commission

We recommend Thinkific for new creators. Either way you’re aligned with a strong affiliate program.

Last updated: April 2025