Thinkific vs LearnWorlds – Complete Comparison (2025)
In the rapidly evolving world of online learning, selecting the right platform can be the difference between success and stagnation. Two prominent players in this space are Thinkific and LearnWorlds, each offering unique strengths tailored to different needs.
Thinkific is renowned for its user-friendly interface and robust marketing tools, making it a favorite among beginners and those seeking simplicity.
On the other hand, LearnWorlds stands out with its advanced interactive features and customization options, which are ideal for creators looking to craft immersive learning experiences.
If you’re not sure which is right for you then start by checking out our complete comparison chart below.
Side Note: I am an affiliate of both Thinkific and LearnWorlds and if you click on one of my affiliate links I may earn a commission. My goal is to assess both of these platforms and let you make a more informed decision.
Thinkific vs LearnWorlds Comparison Chart
| Features | Thinkific | LearnWorlds |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $49/month (Basic plan) | $29/month (Starter plan) |
| Free Plan | Yes (limited to 1 course) | No |
| Course Creation | Drag-and-drop builder | Interactive course builder |
| Video Capabilities | Simple videos | Interactive video editor |
| Quizzes | AI Quiz Generator | Auto-graded quizzes |
| Assignments | Yes | Yes |
| SCORM & HTML5 Support | No | Yes |
| Community Features | Community Spaces | Built-in social network |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes (additional fee on higher tiers) |
| E-commerce | Integrated system | Yes |
| Marketing Tools | Marketing and sales funnels | Basic tools, no external emailing |
| Integrations | 90+ app integrations | Limited integrations |
| AI Features | AI Course Outline Generator, AI Quiz Generator | AI-assisted eBook creation |
| Customization | Limited compared to LearnWorlds | Highly customizable |
| Language Support | Multiple languages | Multiple languages |
| Analytics | Intuitive analytics with filters | Advanced learner analytics |
| Customer Support | Expert support | Tiered support based on plan |
| Pricing Tiers | Basic: $49/mo Start: $99/mo Grow: $199/mo Expand: $499/mo | Starter: $29/mo Pro Trainer: $99/mo Learning Center: $299/mo |
| Promotion | Click Here to Get a 30 Day Free Trial | Click Here to Get a 30 Free Trial (No Credit Card Required) |
Pros and Cons of Thinkific vs LearnWorlds
Thinkific Pros
- User-friendly interface with drag-and-drop course builder
- AI-powered features like Course Outline Generator and Quiz Generator
- Over 90 app integrations available
- Intuitive analytics with filters to monitor student progress
- Native email marketing and automation features
- Integrated e-commerce system accepting multiple payment options
Thinkific Cons
- No longer offers a free plan (only a free trial)
- Lack of built-in gamification elements
- No built-in funnel feature
- Absence of a blogging tool
- Some users report slow video upload times
- Limited customization options compared to LearnWorlds
LearnWorlds Pros
- Highly customizable platform with advanced features
- Built-in community-building tools
- Interactive video creator and e-book builder
- Supports multiple languages for a global audience
- Advanced learner analytics and progress tracking
- SCORM compliant
LearnWorlds Cons
- The interface can be confusing and difficult to use for beginners
- Basic marketing tools with no external emailing capability
- Transaction fees on the entry-level plan
- Higher-tier plans are required for access to all features (can be expensive)
- The steeper learning curve for some features
- No support for bulk course content uploading
1. Course Creation Features
Both Thinkific and LearnWorlds offer robust course creation features, but they differ in several key aspects. Let’s explore how these platforms compare in terms of course-building capabilities.
Course Builder
Thinkific provides an intuitive and easy-to-use drag-and-drop course builder. It allows creators to upload and organize content easily, making it ideal for beginners.
LearnWorlds also offers a comprehensive course builder, but some users report that its interface can be more complex and challenging to navigate.
Content Types
Both platforms support a wide range of content types, including:
- Videos
- Audio files
- PDFs
- Text lessons
- Quizzes
- Assignments
- Live lessons
LearnWorlds stands out with its interactive video editor, allowing creators to add buttons, questions, and labels directly to videos.
Thinkific, while not offering interactive videos, provides multiple content types per lesson for added flexibility.
AI-Assisted Tools
Thinkific has integrated advanced AI technology into its course creation process:
- AI Course Outline Generator: Creates detailed course outlines tailored to the audience’s needs
- AI Quiz Generator: Develops engaging quizzes to test comprehension and identify knowledge gaps
LearnWorlds offers AI-assisted tools as well, including an AI-assisted course outline generator and AI-assisted eBook creation.
Bulk Import and Content Management
Thinkific offers a Content Uploader feature, allowing creators to bulk import existing course materials easily.
This can be a significant time-saver for those with pre-existing content. LearnWorlds also supports bulk importing, though the process may differ slightly.
Assessment Tools
Both platforms provide quiz and assignment capabilities. LearnWorlds is noted for its comprehensive assessment tools, offering a variety of question types and customization options.
Thinkific’s assessment features, while robust, may not be as extensive as LearnWorlds’.
SCORM and HTML5 Support
LearnWorlds supports SCORM and HTML5 files, making it compatible with a wider range of pre-existing course materials.
Thinkific, however, has dropped SCORM support on most of its plans except the Plus Plan, which could be a limitation for some course creators.
Side Note: If you’re not sure what SCORM is its a set of technical standards on how an online course is packaged and delivered.
Community Features
Both platforms offer community elements to enhance student engagement. Thinkific provides Community Spaces, while LearnWorlds includes a community portal for learner interactions.
While both platforms offer strong course creation features, Thinkific generally edges out in user-friendliness and AI-assisted tools, while LearnWorlds provides more advanced interactivity options and assessment tools.
The choice between the two will depend on the specific needs and technical comfort level of the course creator.
2. Pricing Comparison
When choosing between Thinkific and LearnWorlds, pricing is a crucial factor to consider. Let’s break down the current pricing structures for both platforms as of 2025.
Thinkific Pricing
Thinkific offers four main pricing tiers:
- Basic Plan: $49/month or $36/month billed annually
- Start Plan: $99/month or $74/month billed annually
- Grow Plan: $199/month or $149/month billed annually
- Expand Plan: $499/month or $399/month billed annually
Thinkific also offers a custom-priced Thinkific Plus plan for high-volume users and enterprises.
Click Here to Sign Up for a Free Trial at Thinkific.
LearnWorlds Pricing
LearnWorlds provides three primary pricing plans:
- Starter Plan: $29/month (includes a $5 fee per course sale)
- Pro Trainer Plan: $99/month
- Learning Center Plan: $299/month
LearnWorlds also offers a custom-priced high-volume & Corporate plan for large-scale operations.
Click Here to Sign up for a Free 30-day trial of LearnWorlds.
Key Pricing Differences
- Entry-level pricing: LearnWorlds’ Starter plan at $29/month is more affordable than Thinkific’s Basic plan at $49/month. However, LearnWorlds charges a $5 fee per course sale on this plan, while Thinkific doesn’t have transaction fees.
- Mid-tier pricing: Both platforms offer a $99/month plan, with Thinkific’s Start plan and LearnWorlds’ Pro Trainer plan.
- High-end pricing: Thinkific’s Expand plan at $499/month is higher than LearnWorlds’ Learning Center plan at $299/month.
- Annual discounts: Thinkific offers a 25% discount for annual billing across all plans, which can lead to significant savings over time.
When choosing between these platforms, consider the price and the features offered at each tier. The best value will depend on your specific needs, the number of courses you plan to sell, and the scale of your online education business.
3. Marketing and Sales Tools
Both Thinkific and LearnWorlds offer robust marketing and sales features, but they differ in some key areas. Let’s compare their offerings:
Email Marketing and Automation
Thinkific provides a more comprehensive email marketing system:
- AI-supported email marketing
- List building and management
- Personalized campaigns
- Automated sequences
LearnWorlds offers email integrations but lacks native email drip campaigns.
Sales Features
Both platforms offer:
- Free, paid, and time-limited courses
- Customizable payment plans
- Coupons and promotions
- Subscriptions and bundling
- Streamlined checkout
Thinkific edges out with:
- Order bumps
- Built-in payment processor
- Integration with Spotify course marketplace
Marketing Tools
Shared features include:
- SEO optimization
- Third-party app integrations
- Affiliate marketing
- Sales page customization
Thinkific’s unique offerings:
- AI marketing content creation for social posts and sales pages
- AI landing page content generation
- Link-in-bio mobile storefront via theleap.co
LearnWorlds provides:
- Pre-built forms and widgets for lead magnets
- Pop-ups with offers
- Countdown timers
Analytics and Tracking
Both platforms offer robust analytics, but with different strengths:
Thinkific:
- Segmentation and data export
- Integration with marketing tools like Google Ads and Facebook
- Growth and cohort reporting5
LearnWorlds:
- Conversion tracking
- Automated reports
- Integration with Facebook Pixel & Google Tag Manager
Pricing and Promotions
Both platforms support various pricing models and promotional tools:
- Coupons and discounts
- Memberships and subscriptions
- Multiple seat sales (B2B options)
While both platforms offer strong marketing and sales tools, Thinkific appears to have an edge with its AI-powered features and more comprehensive email marketing capabilities.
LearnWorlds, however, provides a robust set of pre-built marketing widgets and forms that can be valuable for lead generation and conversion optimization.
4. User Experience and Interface
When it comes to user experience and interface, Thinkific and LearnWorlds offer distinct approaches that cater to different user preferences and skill levels.
Thinkific’s User Experience
Thinkific is widely recognized for its user-friendly interface:
- Intuitive drag-and-drop course builder
- Easy-to-navigate dashboard
- Simplified content organization
Many users find Thinkific’s platform straightforward to use, making it an excellent choice for beginners or those who prefer a no-fuss approach to course creation.
LearnWorlds’ User Experience
LearnWorlds offers a more feature-rich interface:
- Advanced customization options
- More element choices (e.g., pop-ups, XML sitemaps)
- Real front-end page-building tool
While LearnWorlds provides more flexibility, I found that the interface can be confusing and challenging to navigate, especially for newcomers.
Course Creation Experience
- Thinkific: Offers a simple, drag-and-drop course builder with pre-designed blocks, which can be limiting for complex designs.
- LearnWorlds: Provides a more comprehensive course builder with advanced interactive features, but may have a steeper learning curve.
Website Building
- Thinkific: Limited to pre-designed blocks and sections, which can be restrictive for custom designs5.
- LearnWorlds: Offers a more robust website builder with full website templates and greater control over page elements.
Mobile Experience
Both platforms offer mobile-responsive designs, ensuring courses are accessible on various devices. However, LearnWorlds provides a mobile app builder, offering more flexibility for mobile learning experiences.
Thinkific generally edges out in terms of user-friendliness and ease of use, making it a better choice for beginners or those prioritizing simplicity.
LearnWorlds, while potentially more complex, offers greater customization and advanced features, which may appeal to experienced course creators or those seeking more control over their learning environment.
5. Mobile App Availability
Both Thinkific and LearnWorlds offer mobile app solutions, but their approaches and features differ significantly.
Thinkific Mobile Apps
Thinkific provides two mobile app options:
- Generic Thinkific App:
- Available on iOS and Android devices
- Included in the Start plan and above
- Allows students to access pre-purchased courses and communities
- Features mobile-optimized course content, community collaboration, and push notifications
- Branded White-Label App:
- Available on all paid plans for an additional $199 per month
- Allows personalization of app store listing and in-app purchases
- Provides a more customized experience for learners
Both Thinkific apps focus primarily on the learner experience and do not include authoring or admin tools.
LearnWorlds Mobile App Builder
LearnWorlds offers a more comprehensive mobile app solution:
- Available for both iOS and Android platforms
- Allows course creators to build fully branded, customized apps
- Includes features such as:
- Offline access to courses
- Push notifications
- In-app purchases
- Biometric authentication and SSO/SAML for secure access
- Customizable onboarding experiences
- Real-time content synchronization with the web platform
LearnWorlds’ solution provides more design freedom and customization options, allowing course creators to tailor the app experience to their brand and learners’ needs.
Key Differences
- Customization: LearnWorlds offers more extensive customization options for app design and functionality.
- Publishing Process: LearnWorlds handles app submission and publishing, while Thinkific’s branded app requires more involvement from the course creator.
- Offline Access: LearnWorlds explicitly mentions offline course access, which is not highlighted in Thinkific’s features.
- Cost Structure: Thinkific’s branded app is an add-on to existing plans, while LearnWorlds’ app builder is integrated into their pricing structure.
While both platforms offer mobile learning solutions, LearnWorlds provides a more feature-rich and customizable mobile app experience.
Thinkific’s offering is more straightforward and may be suitable for those who prioritize ease of use over extensive customization.
6. Community and Engagement Features
Both Thinkific and LearnWorlds offer community and engagement features to enhance the learning experience, but they approach these aspects differently.
Thinkific Community Spaces
Thinkific provides Community Spaces, which allow course creators to:
- Create discussion areas for students to interact
- Foster engagement and collaboration among learners
- Organize community content by topics or courses
Thinkific’s community features are integrated into their platform, making it easy for students to access discussions directly within their learning environment.
LearnWorlds Community Features
LearnWorlds offers a more comprehensive community solution:
- Ability to create unlimited Community Spaces
- Options for public and private spaces
- Advanced filtering system for member selection
- Personalized social network-like experience for learners
LearnWorlds’ community features include:
- Post-sharing with various attachment types (images, videos, files)
- Commenting on posts
- Creating and participating in polls
- User profiles for sharing personal information
Key Differences
- Customization: LearnWorlds provides more extensive customization options for community spaces.
- Integration: Thinkific’s community is more tightly integrated with the course experience.
- Social Features: LearnWorlds offers more social network-like features within its community.
- Flexibility: LearnWorlds allows for more granular control over community access and member grouping.
Engagement Tools
Both platforms offer engagement tools, but with some differences:
Thinkific:
- Quizzes and assignments
- Certificates
- Community discussions
LearnWorlds:
- Interactive video creator
- Advanced assessment-building tools
- Gamification elements
While both platforms offer strong community and engagement features, LearnWorlds seems to provide a more comprehensive and customizable community experience.
Thinkific, on the other hand, offers a more straightforward, integrated approach that may be easier for beginners to manage.
7. Support and Resources
Both Thinkific and LearnWorlds offer comprehensive support and resources to help course creators succeed, but they differ in some key aspects.
Customer Support
Thinkific:
- 24/7 email support
- Live chat support (available on higher-tier plans)
- Phone support
LearnWorlds:
- 24/7 email support
- Phone support (US and UK)
- No live chat support
Knowledge Base and Resources
Thinkific:
- Extensive knowledge base
- Video tutorials
- Thinkific Academy for first-time creators
- Community forums
LearnWorlds:
- Comprehensive knowledge base with over 400 articles
- Detailed documentation
- Video tutorials
- LearnWorlds Academy for new creators
- Daily webinars
Onboarding and Training
Thinkific:
- Personalized onboarding for higher-tier plans
- Self-paced training resources
LearnWorlds:
- Dedicated onboarding
- Free resources and guides
Community Support
Both platforms offer community forums where course creators can connect, share experiences, and get advice from peers.
AI-Assisted Support
Thinkific has integrated AI technology into its support offerings, including:
- AI Course Outline Generator
- AI Quiz Generator
LearnWorlds offers AI-assisted tools for course creation, such as:
- AI-assisted course outline generator
- AI-assisted eBook creation
While both platforms provide robust support systems, LearnWorlds seems to offer more frequent training opportunities with daily webinars.
Thinkific, on the other hand, provides live chat support on higher-tier plans, which LearnWorlds does not offer. The choice between the two may come down to personal preference for support style and the specific needs of the course creator.
8. Scalability and Enterprise Solutions
Both Thinkific and LearnWorlds offer robust solutions for businesses looking to scale their online learning operations, but they approach enterprise-level features differently.
Thinkific Plus
Thinkific’s enterprise solution, Thinkific Plus, provides:
- Unlimited capacity for growth
- White-labeled environments for multiple audiences
- Single Sign-On (SSO) with OpenID Connect
- Advanced API access for custom integrations
- Unlimited admin accounts
- SOC2 compliance for enhanced security
- Access to 80+ apps in the Thinkific App Store
Thinkific Plus experienced a 28% growth rate in Q1 2024, serving prominent clients like Columbia University and CopyAI.
LearnWorlds Enterprise LMS
LearnWorlds offers an enterprise-grade LMS with:
- SCORM compliance
- Extended API calls
- Unlimited learners
- eCommerce readiness
- Identity Provider Single Sign-On
- Premium cloud servers with 99.95% uptime
- Dedicated account manager
Key Differences
- Customization: Thinkific offers more extensive customization through its API and app store, allowing for greater flexibility in extending platform functionality.
- Scalability: Both platforms support high volumes of traffic and simultaneous users, but Thinkific emphasizes unlimited capacity for growth.
- Security: While both offer enhanced security, Thinkific specifically mentions SOC2 compliance.
- Support: LearnWorlds provides a dedicated account manager, while Thinkific offers a dedicated customer success team.
- Integration: Thinkific’s app store with 90+ integrations offers more out-of-the-box extensibility compared to LearnWorlds.
Both platforms offer strong enterprise solutions, but Thinkific seems to edge out in terms of customization and integration capabilities, while LearnWorlds emphasizes its intuitive interface and fair pricing structure for large-scale deployments.
The choice between the two will depend on specific organizational needs and the desired level of platform extensibility.
Which is Better Thinkific of LearnWorlds
Both Thinkific and LearnWorlds offer robust solutions for online course creation, but they cater to different needs and preferences.
Personally, I prefer Thinkific over LearnWorlds because of its simplicity. When I was first getting started with creating online courses I found Thinkific to be the easier option. Although LearnWorlds carries a lot more features Thinkific is much more straightforward and user-friendly.
As a course creator, I just want to create a course fast and look good out of the box. I’m not a good designer and Thinkific takes care of that part for me. However, if you prefer a more creative approach then LearnWorlds might be something that interests you.
Ultimately, the choice between Thinkific and LearnWorlds depends on your specific requirements, technical expertise, and long-term goals. If you prioritize ease of use and marketing capabilities, Thinkific might be the better option.
So what platform do you prefer, Thinkific or LearnWorlds?
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