Thinkific's paid plans range from $49/month (Basic) to $199/month (Grow), with 0% transaction fees on every tier. The free plan was removed in 2025 and replaced with a 14-day trial. Here's what each plan includes and how Thinkific's pricing compares to other platforms.
Thinkific Pricing Plans Overview (2026)
Thinkific offers three standard plans plus a custom enterprise tier. All paid plans include unlimited courses and 0% platform transaction fees.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $49/mo | $36/mo | $156/year (25% off) |
| Start | $99/mo | $74/mo | $300/year (25% off) |
| Grow | $199/mo | $149/mo | $600/year (25% off) |
| Plus | Custom pricing — contact Thinkific sales | ||
What Each Plan Includes
Basic ($49/mo) — The entry-level plan for new course creators:
- Unlimited courses and students
- 1 community space
- 5 coaching or webinar sessions
- 5 digital downloads
- Abandoned cart recovery emails
- Custom domain
Start ($99/mo) — For creators who need more flexibility:
- Everything in Basic
- Unlimited live lessons, memberships, and digital downloads
- Unlimited coaching/webinar sessions
- HTML/CSS editing for site customization
- Course bundles
- Certificates
Grow ($199/mo) — For established creators who need advanced tools:
- Everything in Start
- 3 community spaces
- Remove Thinkific branding
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- Group orders, invoicing, and gifting
- Payment plans for students
- API access
- Priority support
What Happened to Thinkific's Free Plan?
Thinkific's free plan — which allowed 1 course with 0% transaction fees — is no longer available. As of 2026, Thinkific offers a 14-day free trial instead.
This is a meaningful change for creators who are just getting started. The free plan let you build and sell a course indefinitely without paying a subscription. Now, you need to commit to at least $49/month (or $36/month annually) before you can sell anything.
If starting free matters to you, other options include Teachable (which still has a free tier, though with steep 10% + $1 transaction fees) or Ruzuku's free trial.
Thinkific Annual vs Monthly Pricing
Annual billing saves 25% across all Thinkific plans. Here's what that means in real numbers:
| Plan | Monthly Total/Year | Annual Total/Year | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $588 | $432 | $156 |
| Start | $1,188 | $888 | $300 |
| Grow | $2,388 | $1,788 | $600 |
Annual billing makes sense once you've committed to the platform. If you're still evaluating, start monthly — the 14-day trial lets you test before committing, and you can switch to annual billing later.
Payment Processing Fees (All Plans)
Thinkific charges 0% platform transaction fees, but you still pay standard payment processing fees:
- Stripe — 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (US cards)
- PayPal — 3.49% + regional fixed fee per transaction
- International cards — Additional 1% on Stripe for non-US cards
These are the same rates most platforms pass through. The key difference with Thinkific is that there's no additional platform fee on top — unlike Teachable's Starter plan, which adds a 7.5% platform fee.
How Does Thinkific's Pricing Compare to Other Platforms?
| Platform | Starting Price | Platform Tx Fees | Payment Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thinkific | $49/mo | 0% | Grow ($199/mo) |
| Ruzuku | $99/mo | 0% | Core ($99/mo) |
| Teachable | $39/mo | 7.5% on Starter | Builder ($89/mo) |
| Kajabi | $89/mo (Kickstarter) | 0% | All plans |
| Podia | $39/mo | 5% on Mover | Shaker ($89/mo) |
Thinkific is competitively priced — its Basic plan ($49/mo) offers unlimited courses with 0% transaction fees, which is a strong starting point. The main trade-off is that payment plans require the Grow tier ($199/mo), while platforms like Ruzuku and Teachable offer payment plans at lower price points.
For a full feature comparison beyond pricing, see our Ruzuku vs Thinkific comparison or our 7 Best Thinkific Alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Thinkific cost per month?
Thinkific's plans cost $49/month (Basic), $99/month (Start), or $199/month (Grow) on monthly billing. Annual billing saves 25%, bringing prices to $36, $74, and $149/month respectively. There's also a Plus plan with custom enterprise pricing.
Does Thinkific have a free plan in 2026?
No. Thinkific removed its free plan and now offers a 14-day free trial instead. The free plan previously included 1 course with 0% transaction fees.
Does Thinkific charge transaction fees?
No. Thinkific charges 0% platform transaction fees on all paid plans. You only pay standard payment processing fees through Stripe (2.9% + $0.30) or PayPal (3.49% + regional fixed fee).