LearnDash and Thinkific are widely used by creators, educators, and organizations worldwide and making a decision on which one is best for your online course business might be quite tough.
The first step to choosing between them is to know that they serve slightly different needs. LearnDash is a WordPress plugin that gives you full control over your course site but requires a lot of technical setup whereas Thinkific is a fully hosted course platform that is easy to set up and manage because you do not have to worry about hosting, security, or plugins.
In this detailed comparison, we will cover everything you need to know about LearnDash and Thinkific, from pricing and key features to customization, ease of use, and more, to help you make the right choice for your course business.
Comparison Table
Quick Overview
LearnDash
LearnDash is a WordPress LMS (Learning Management System) plugin that gives you full control over your course website. It is packed with features designed to deliver structured learning, such as drip content, quizzes, certificates, and SCORM support. You’ll need a WordPress site to use it, but the flexibility it offers is hard to match.
Thinkific
Thinkific is a fully hosted online course platform that takes care of everything from hosting to security. It is designed for simplicity and ease of use, making it a great choice for creators who want to build and sell their course without getting too technical. It supports memberships, coaching, digital downloads, and more.
Course Creation
LearnDash
LearnDash offers advanced learning tools like drip content, lesson timers, quizzes, assignments, certificates, and content locking. It also supports SCORM/xAPI, making it ideal for corporate training or academic settings. Plus, you can structure courses into lessons, topics, and quizzes, with detailed learner tracking.
Thinkific
Thinkific also allows you to build structured courses with video, audio, text, PDFs, and quizzes. It includes progress tracking, certificates, drip scheduling, and SCORM support. Its course builder is more visual and beginner-friendly than LearnDash’s, especially for non-tech users.
Winner: Tie
Both platforms offer excellent course creation tools. Go with LearnDash for more control; choose Thinkific for simplicity.
Sales and Marketing
LearnDash
LearnDash relies on Wordpress plugin integrations for marketing and sales. You can use WooCommerce for payments and add-ons for email marketing, sales funnels, affiliate marketing, and more. This makes it powerful but requires manual setup.
Thinkific
Thinkific includes built-in tools for coupons, upsells, bundles, and payment plans. It also integrates with third-party email marketing tools like Mailchimp and ConvertKit. Its basic email automation is handy for creators who want a quick way to follow up with students.
Winner: Thinkific
Thinkific offers more ready-to-use tools for marketing and sales without extra setup.
Pricing and Plans
LearnDash
- 1 Site License: $199/year
- 10 Sites: $399/year
- Unlimited Sites: $799/year
All pricing plans have zero transaction fees, but you’ll need to pay separately for WordPress hosting and optional plugins.
Thinkific
- Basic Plan: $49/month ($36/month annually)
- Start Plan: $99/month ($74/month annually)
- Grow Plan: $199/month ($149/month annually)
- Thinkific Plus: Custom pricing
Thinkific does not charge transaction fees and includes hosting in the price.
Winner: LearnDash
LearnDash has lower long-term costs if you already have a WordPress setup. But for those who want an all-in-one solution, Thinkific may be worth the extra monthly fee.
Hidden Costs to Consider
LearnDash
- Hosting is required and paid separately
- May need paid plugins for advanced marketing features
- Developer support may be needed for customization
Thinkific
- Some features like advanced branding are locked behind higher plans
- Branded mobile app requires an upgrade
- You may still need third-party tools for advanced marketing
Winner: Tie
Both platforms have hidden costs, LearnDash through plugins and hosting, Thinkific through feature restrictions on lower plans.
Design and Customization
LearnDash
Since it is built on WordPress, you can customize almost everything. You can use themes like Astra or BuddyBoss for LMS-ready layouts, or edit custom code for full design control. Branding is also fully under your control.
Thinkific
Thinkific provides a drag-and-drop site builder that works well for basic customization. You can customize themes, add your logo, and change fonts/colors, but deep customization and white-labeling are only available on higher pricing plans.
Winner: LearnDash
LearnDash is perfect if you want complete creative freedom and control over the look and feel of your site.
Community Features
LearnDash
Community features depend on WordPress plugins like BuddyBoss, bbPress, or PeepSo. These tools can turn your course into a full-blown social network, but require extra setup and possibly costs.
Thinkific
Thinkific includes built-in communities you can create within courses or memberships. It supports posts, comments, and group discussions in a clean, user-friendly interface.
Winner: Thinkific
For ease and accessibility, Thinkific’s built-in community tools win. For power and customization, LearnDash has the edge (with extra work).
Mobile Experience
LearnDash
LearnDash does not have its own mobile app, but users can install mobile-responsive Wordpress themes like BuddyBoss to offer an excellent mobile experience to learners. You can also use third party tools to build your own branded app but this comes at an extra cost and needs to be setup separately.
Thinkific
Thinkific provides mobile access through a student mobile app. Branded apps are also available on higher pricing plans, giving students on-the-go access to content.
Winner: Thinkific
Thinkific provides a ready-made mobile experience with less stress.
Ease of Use
LearnDash
LearnDash is a powerful tool but it comes at the cost of a high learning curve. You will need to manage hosting, themes, plugins, and integrations by yourself or hire a Wordpress expert to do it for you. This makes it an excellent choice for people with Wordpress knowledge or who have the budget to pay for an expert to manage it but not a good choice for beginners and less tech savvy users.
Thinkific
Thinkific is simple and beginner-friendly. Everything is built-in, and you don’t need to worry about maintenance, updates, or third-party hosting.
Winner: Thinkific
If you want a stress-free experience, Thinkific is the better option.
Customer Support
LearnDash
Support is provided through a ticket system and documentation. Active community forums and Facebook groups are also helpful, but there is no live chat or phone support.
Thinkific
Thinkific offers email and phone support, as well as detailed documentation, video tutorials, and live training sessions.
Winner: Thinkific
Thinkific provides more support options and live help when you need it.
Pros & Cons
LearnDash Pros
- No transaction fees
- Full control over customization
- Advanced learning features (quizzes, SCORM, etc.)
- Great for WordPress users
LearnDash Cons
- Requires hosting and setup
- Harder to learn for beginners and less tech savvy users
- Marketing requires third-party plugins
- Has many extra costs
Thinkific Pros
- Beginner-friendly
- No transaction fees
- Built-in sales, marketing, and community tools
- Clean mobile experience
Thinkific Cons
- Limited customization on lower plans
- More expensive over time
- Less flexible than WordPress
User Ratings
- LearnDash: 4.6/5 on Capterra
- Loved for its flexibility and educational features
- Criticized for its complexity and setup time
- Thinkific: 4.4/5 on Capterra
- Praised for ease of use and support
- Criticized for limited customization and higher plan costs
Which Platform Offers Better Value?
Go with LearnDash if you want:
- Full control and flexibility
- Powerful learning tools
- A WordPress-based course website
- A cost-effective long-term setup
Choose Thinkific if you need:
- A hosted, beginner-friendly platform
- Built-in marketing, sales, and community tools
- Fast and simple course setup
- Great customer support
Final Verdict: LearnDash or Thinkific?
Choosing between LearnDash and Thinkific is a choice between control and convenience. If you want full control over your course site, advanced learning features, and already have (or plan to build) a WordPress website, LearnDash is a fantastic choice.
If you prefer an easy, hosted platform with everything built-in, from community to sales tools, Thinkific is your go-to. Thinkific offers a free trial and LearnDash offers a free demo, so test them out before making a final decision. The best platform for you is the one that helps you achieve the goals you have for your course business at your budget and technical complexity tolerance level.
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