Platform & Tools

    Is Thinkific Any Good? An Honest Review for 2026

    A fair look at Thinkific's strengths, limitations, and who it's best for — from a competing platform.

    Abe Crystal4 min readUpdated February 2026

    Short answer: yes, Thinkific is a solid course platform — especially for tech-savvy creators who want deep customization and 0% transaction fees. But its steeper learning curve and lack of student support are worth weighing against your needs.

    What Is Thinkific?

    Thinkific is a feature-rich course platform built for creators who want extensive customization. It's popular with tech-savvy creators, organizations needing SCORM compliance, and anyone who wants granular control over how their course site looks and works.

    Why Use Thinkific?

    Thinkific has real strengths:

    • Extensive customization options — More control over your course site's design and structure than most competitors.
    • Strong community features — Built-in community tools that have improved significantly in recent years.
    • Good enterprise/SCORM support — One of the few platforms that supports SCORM-compliant content for corporate training.
    • 0% transaction fees on all plans — Like Ruzuku, Thinkific doesn't take a percentage of your sales.

    Possible Concerns About Thinkific

    Some trade-offs to consider:

    • Steeper learning curve — More features means more to learn. Getting everything set up the way you want takes time.
    • No student tech support included — You're responsible for helping students with login issues, access problems, and technical difficulties.
    • Payment plans only on higher tiers — If offering payment plans matters for your pricing strategy, you'll need to upgrade.
    • Can be overwhelming for beginners — If you just want to get a course up quickly, the extensive options can feel like more than you need.

    How Does Ruzuku Compare?

    Where Thinkific emphasizes customization, Ruzuku emphasizes simplicity and the learning experience:

    • Incredibly simple to use — Most creators launch their first course within days, not weeks of configuration.
    • Student tech support included — Ruzuku's team handles your students' technical issues directly.
    • Native Zoom integration — Run live cohort-based sessions directly within courses, with attendance tracking.
    • Payment plans on all paid plans — No need to upgrade for flexible pricing options.

    For the complete feature-by-feature comparison, see Ruzuku vs Thinkific →

    Alternatives to Thinkific

    Other platforms worth exploring:

    Bottom Line

    Thinkific is a good choice for tech-savvy creators who want deep customization and don't mind a steeper learning curve. If you'd rather focus on teaching than configuring — or if you run live cohort-based programs — a simpler, more learning-focused platform may be a better fit.

    Topics:
    thinkific review
    platform comparison
    course platforms

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