Skool vs Thinkific
Skool and Thinkific are both online courses & LMS tools. Skool is aimed at creators, while Thinkific is aimed at creators and small businesses. Skool costs less, from $9/mo versus $54/mo for Thinkific.
Community + courses + gamification in one
Course platform with communities and memberships
| Pricing | Paid · $9 | Paid · $54 |
| Starting price | $9/mo | $54/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | 14 days | 30 days |
| Built for | Creators | Creators, Small businesses |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web |
| Country | US · 2019 | CA · 2012 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Skool if
Coaches and creators who want a simple, engaging paid community.
- Simple and fast to launch
- Gamification drives engagement
- Flat pricing on Pro
Look elsewhere if: Brands wanting custom design or complex learning features (Circle, Thinkific).
Choose Thinkific if
Course creators and businesses wanting a dedicated learning platform without fees.
- Free trial to start
- No transaction fees
- Solid learning features
Look elsewhere if: Creators wanting all-in-one marketing (Kajabi).
Skool vs Thinkific pricing
Skool
- Hobby$9/mo10% transaction fee; unlimited members and courses
- Pro$99/mo2.9% transaction fee, custom URL
Thinkific
- Basic$54/mo$40/mo billed annually; unlimited courses, custom domain
- Start$109/mo$82/mo billed annually; memberships, full commerce tools
- Grow$219/mo$164/mo billed annually; phone and priority support
- PlusCustom10,000+ seats, custom roles, enterprise integrations
Skool · Key features
- Community feed with categories
- Classroom for courses and lessons
- Calendar for events and calls
- Gamification with points and leaderboards
- Paid memberships via built-in payments
- Skool discovery network
Cons
- Limited branding and customization
- Basic course features
- No native email marketing
Thinkific · Key features
- Course builder with video, quizzes and assignments
- Communities and memberships
- Certificates and drip content
- Website and landing page builder
- 0% transaction fees
- App store and API
Cons
- Email marketing is basic
- Advanced features need Grow
- Design flexibility limited
Skool vs Thinkific: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Skool or Thinkific?
Skool starts at $9/mo and Thinkific at $54/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Skool and Thinkific have a free plan?
Skool has no free plan, a 14-day free trial. Thinkific has no free plan, a 30-day free trial.
Which is better for small businesses, Skool or Thinkific?
Thinkific lists small businesses as a core audience, while Skool is aimed more at creators.