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Thinkific Reviews & Insights

Score7.9 out of 10

84 Reviews and Ratings

Top industries

Based on 3,798 HG Insights installations.

Community Insights for Thinkific

Synthesised from 39 verified reviews.


Synthesised from 39 reviews


Thinkific is widely adopted as a versatile online course platform, primarily serving organizations for both internal staff development and external customer education, with 31% of reviewers highlighting its utility in delivering courses to diverse audiences. A significant strength frequently cited is the platform's ease of use, with 26% of reviewers noting its intuitive interface and 21% praising its simple setup for content and landing pages. This user-friendliness extends to non-technical teams, enabling efficient course creation and management without specialized technical skills. The product addresses business challenges by streamlining training processes and centralizing course registrations and sales, a benefit mentioned by 10% of users, while also supporting scalability for a large number of students globally. From a business impact perspective, Thinkific has notably contributed to increased sales and revenue for many users, with 31% reporting its ability to facilitate rapid course launches and generate new income streams. The platform's organizational capabilities and ease of use are crucial for 23% of reviewers, simplifying course publication and customer experience. It also supports broader business growth and market expansion for 15% of users, helping them transition into the digital economy. However, reviewers frequently identified several areas for improvement, primarily concerning advanced functionality and customization. A significant 23% of feedback highlighted limitations in reporting and analytics, expressing a need for more granular data and customizable reports. The course builder and editor were described as primitive or rigid by 15% of users, particularly regarding formatting consistency and design elements. Furthermore, 13% of reviewers pointed to insufficient customization options for elements like completion certificates and landing page templates. While 10% of users expressed concerns about pricing and feature availability in lower tiers, 5% also noted difficulty in achieving a clear return on investment, suggesting that the platform's costs were sometimes barely covered by generated revenue.


  • User-friendly interface and intuitive course creation process
  • Efficient setup for courses and landing pages without technical expertise
  • Ability to generate new revenue streams and drive sales
  • Scalability for delivering education to large and diverse audiences
  • Responsive customer support and comprehensive guidance
  • Limitations in reporting and analytics granularity
  • Primitive and rigid course builder with limited design flexibility
  • Insufficient customization options for certificates and templates
  • Concerns regarding pricing and advanced features locked behind higher tiers
  • Some users report difficulty in achieving a clear return on investment
What other products like Thinkific have you used or evaluated?

From 39 reviews

Reviewers frequently identify a range of alternative learning management systems and course creation platforms they have used or evaluated in comparison to Thinkific. The most commonly cited alternative is Teachable, mentioned by 10% of reviewers, indicating its prominence in the e-learning market as a direct competitor. Following closely, Kajabi and Absorb LMS were each noted by 8% of reviewers, suggesting their significant presence in similar market segments. Other platforms, such as LearnWorlds and LearnDash, were also mentioned by 5% of reviewers, highlighting the diverse ecosystem of tools available for online education and content delivery. While reviewers did not provide detailed comparative sentiment within the provided quotes, the consistent mention of these platforms underscores that users often consider multiple options when selecting a system for online course creation and management.

Teachable

Teachable and Kajabi

Kajabi

Udemy Business, Teachable and Kajabi

Absorb LMS

LearnUpon, Absorb LMS, Zoho Backstage, WordPress, Salesforce CMS, Zoom Events & Webinars, HighLevel and Constant Contact

What are the 3-5 most important use cases for this product in your organization?

From 39 reviews

Analysis of 39 product reviews reveals several distinct, though not widely prevalent, use cases for the product within organizations. A primary application, highlighted by 8% of reviewers, centers on content and course creation, particularly the integration of various media types into a single learning experience. Beyond content development, the product serves as a tool for employee training and onboarding, a function noted by 5% of reviewers, facilitating structured learning and skill enhancement. Similarly, 5% of reviewers utilize the product for robust access control, allowing secure and restricted distribution of content. The product also supports general Learning Management System (LMS) functionalities and cohort tracking, an application mentioned by 5% of reviewers. These identified applications represent specific ways organizations are leveraging the product, though their relatively low mention rates suggest they are emerging patterns rather than universally adopted core functions across the surveyed user base.

Content and Course Creation

Content

Employee Training and Onboarding

Employee onboarding and training: delivering structured learning paths to quickly integrate new team members and ensure consistency in processes and knowledge.

Access Control

Client area where they can access LMS videos

What functions are particularly easy or elegant to perform using Thinkific?

From 39 reviews

Based on a corpus of 39 reviews, specific functions described as particularly easy or elegant to perform using Thinkific primarily relate to initial content management and course presentation. A small number of reviewers, representing 10% of the sample, indicated that tasks associated with course setup and content uploads are straightforward, suggesting a streamlined process for getting educational material online. Furthermore, an emerging pattern, noted by 5% of reviewers, highlights the ease of creating landing pages. These observations collectively suggest that Thinkific provides an accessible entry point for creators focused on quickly publishing and presenting their course content. While these are positive signals, their relatively low frequency in the review corpus indicates they are not widely cited strengths across the entire user base. The platform appears to simplify the initial stages of course creation and promotion, enabling users to efficiently prepare and showcase their offerings.

Course Setup and Uploads

Course uploads

Landing Pages

Building a Landing Page

What positive or negative impact (i.e. Return on Investment or ROI) has Thinkific had on your overall business objectives?

From 39 reviews

Thinkific has notably contributed to the business objectives of many users, primarily by driving increased sales and revenue, a benefit cited by 31% of reviewers. Users frequently report the platform's ability to facilitate rapid course launches and generate immediate sales, leading to new income streams and significant revenue growth. A substantial portion of reviewers, 23%, also highlight the platform's ease of use and organizational capabilities as crucial for their success, enabling efficient course publication without extensive technical expertise and simplifying the customer experience for registration and payment. Furthermore, 15% of reviewers indicate that Thinkific supports broader business growth and expansion, allowing them to extend their market reach and transition effectively into the digital economy. However, not all experiences concerning financial returns are uniformly positive. Some reviewers, representing 5% of the sample, expressed difficulty in achieving a clear return on investment, noting that the platform's costs were sometimes barely covered by generated revenue. Additionally, 5% of reviewers raised mixed concerns about the platform's pricing, finding it potentially prohibitive and a factor that necessitates periodic re-evaluation if the ROI from courses is not sufficient.

Increased Sales and Revenue

I literally launched a unlocking new income streams with AI course on a Sunday and started getting sales within 12 hours, then within 3-4 days ended up getting 4 sales.

Ease of Use and Organization

The agents learn to handle it very quickly.

Business Growth and Expansion

The platform expereince has been comfortable enough to make the team feel confident about planning future courses and online growth

Besides Thinkific, what other software do you regularly use? How likely would you be to recommend it to a friend or colleague?

From 39 reviews

Reviewers frequently integrate a diverse array of software into their workflows beyond Thinkific, indicating a reliance on specialized tools for various business functions. Design tools are the most commonly cited category, mentioned by 21% of reviewers, with Canva being a prominent choice for visual content creation. Following this, 15% of reviewers utilize CRM software, encompassing a range of platforms like HubSpot, Zoho, and Salesforce for managing customer interactions and marketing. Project management tools, such as Asana and ClickUp, are also noted by 8% of the sample for organizing tasks and improving team collaboration. Similarly, 8% of reviewers use video conferencing solutions, specifically highlighting Zoom-related products for virtual events and learning. An emerging trend is the adoption of AI/writing assistants, with 5% of reviewers mentioning tools like ChatGPT for content generation. The sentiment across these categories is generally mixed, reflecting the varied experiences and specific use cases reviewers have with these complementary software solutions. This suggests that while these tools are regularly used, their overall recommendation likelihood might depend on individual needs and integration with existing systems.

Design Tool

Canva

CRM Software

HubSpot CRM

Video Conferencing Tool

Class for Zoom

Describe how you use Thinkific in your organization. What are the business problems the product addresses and what is the scope of your use case?

From 39 reviews

Thinkific is widely adopted by organizations primarily as a versatile platform for both internal staff development and external partner or customer education. A significant 31% of reviewers highlight its utility in delivering online courses to various audiences, ranging from new hires and volunteers to partners and customers seeking product knowledge. A core strength frequently cited is the platform's ease of use, with 18% of reviewers noting its intuitive interface and quick setup. This user-friendliness extends to non-technical staff, as 13% of reviewers specifically mention that Thinkific allows their teams to easily manage course creation and student onboarding without specialized technical skills. Furthermore, the product addresses business challenges by streamlining training processes and centralizing course registrations and sales, a benefit mentioned by 10% of the reviewers. Its capability to support a large number of students and scale educational offerings globally is also valued by 10% of the user base, enabling organizations to expand their reach and standardize training efficiently.

Internal and External Training

We use Thinkific as both the internal LMS, and as a training platform for all of our partner offices across Canada and soon the US.

Ease of Use

As a former public school teacher, I found that Thinkific was the most user-friendly and organized to use, both for me and my students.

Ease of Use and Non-Technical Staff

Thinkific allows us to easily manage course construction and onboarding of customers.

Please provide some detailed examples of areas where Thinkific has room for improvement.

From 39 reviews

Reviewers frequently identified several areas where Thinkific could enhance its platform, primarily focusing on advanced functionality and customization. A significant portion of feedback, 23% of reviewers, highlighted limitations in reporting and analytics, expressing a need for more granular data, customizable reports, and faster access to sales and engagement metrics. The course builder and editor also emerged as a notable area for enhancement, with 15% of users describing it as primitive or rigid, particularly regarding formatting consistency and custom design elements. Furthermore, 13% of reviewers pointed to insufficient customization options for elements like completion certificates and landing page templates. The overall user interface and experience, including the intuitiveness of specific features such as affiliate tracking and content management, were a concern for 13% of users. Lastly, 10% of the feedback centered on pricing and plan features, with users desiring more advanced functionalities to be available in lower-tier plans or expressing concerns about increasing costs for features they may not utilize.

Reporting and Analytics

More customizable analytics

Course Builder/Editor

auto formatting of some course building content, does not format well on phone vs desktop

Customization Options

Completion certificates need to be more customizable, seamless, professional

Please provide some detailed examples of things that Thinkific does particularly well.

From 39 reviews

Thinkific is frequently cited by reviewers for its user-friendly design and straightforward course creation capabilities. A significant portion of reviewers, 26%, highlighted the platform's intuitive interface, emphasizing its ease of use for both building and navigating content. This ease extends to the setup process, with 21% of reviewers noting the platform's simplicity for configuring landing pages and uploading course materials without requiring advanced technical skills. The process of building course content itself is also a strong point, with 18% of users appreciating the platform's ability to facilitate easy creation, upload, and management of educational materials, including various multimedia types and structured modules. Beyond the core product, Thinkific's support mechanisms are well-regarded. Customer support received positive remarks from 13% of reviewers for its responsiveness and helpfulness, while an equal percentage praised the broader training and guidance provided, which extends beyond technical setup to business growth strategies. These aspects collectively contribute to a positive user experience, making the platform accessible for content creators.

Ease of Use Interface

User Friendly look n feel interface

Ease of Use and Setup

User-friendly setup for putting together landing pages and course uploads.

Course Content Building

ease of course content building and hosting external elements

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