Thinkific vs Udemy:

ByObeydul Haque Reading Time: 7 minutes

Thinkific is a Canadian-based platform launched in 2012, designed for creators who want to build, market, and sell their own branded online courses. It’s a standalone solution, meaning you control your website, branding, and student data. Thinkific is ideal for entrepreneurs, coaches, and businesses seeking a customizable platform to deliver professional learning experiences.

Udemy, founded in 2010, is a global online learning marketplace headquartered in the U.S. It hosts millions of students and thousands of instructors, offering courses on everything from coding to yoga. Udemy handles marketing and hosting, making it easy for instructors to reach a large audience, but it comes with less control over branding and pricing.

Both platforms have strengths, but their approaches differ significantly. Thinkific emphasizes autonomy and customization, while Udemy prioritizes reach and simplicity. Let’s break down the key factors to consider.

Features and Functionality

Course Creation

Thinkific offers a robust course builder that’s intuitive and flexible. You can create multimedia courses with videos, quizzes, surveys, downloadable files, and drip content (released on a schedule). Its drag-and-drop interface simplifies structuring lessons, and you can integrate tools like Google Docs or Typeform for added interactivity. Thinkific also supports live lessons via Zoom integration and community features for student engagement.

Udemy provides a straightforward course creation process tailored for beginners. Instructors upload videos, presentations, PDFs, and quizzes, but customization is limited compared to Thinkific. Udemy’s platform enforces a standardized format to ensure consistency across its marketplace. It supports subtitles and multi-language courses, which is great for global reach, but lacks advanced features like drip content or native live streaming.

Verdict: Thinkific wins for flexibility and advanced features, while Udemy is better for quick course setup with minimal technical know-how.

Customization and Branding

Thinkific shines in customization. You can create a fully branded website with your domain, logo, and color scheme. Thinkific’s site builder lets you design landing pages, add testimonials, and tweak layouts without coding. For advanced users, CSS and HTML editing unlock deeper personalization. This makes Thinkific ideal for businesses wanting a professional, cohesive brand identity.

Udemy offers minimal branding control. Courses sit within Udemy’s marketplace, and your branding is limited to your instructor profile and course content. You can’t use a custom domain or create a standalone site. While Udemy’s interface is polished, it prioritizes its own brand, which can dilute your personal identity.

Verdict: Thinkific is the clear choice for branding and customization, while Udemy suits those who don’t mind operating under its umbrella.

Marketing and Sales Tools

Thinkific provides built-in marketing tools like email integrations (e.g., Mailchimp, ConvertKit), affiliate programs, and coupon codes. You can create sales funnels, upsell additional courses, and bundle products. Thinkific also supports SEO optimization and integrations with platforms like Facebook Pixel for tracking. However, you’ll need to drive traffic yourself, as Thinkific isn’t a marketplace.

Udemy leverages its massive audience to market courses, which is a major draw for new instructors. Its search algorithm and promotional campaigns (like discounts) expose your course to millions. However, you have little control over pricing, as Udemy frequently discounts courses to as low as $10-$20. Udemy Business, a separate enterprise offering, can also feature your course for corporate clients, boosting exposure.

Verdict: Udemy excels for built-in audience reach, while Thinkific offers better control over marketing strategies.

Pricing and Monetization

Thinkific Pricing

Thinkific operates on a subscription model with four plans (as of 2025):

  • Free Plan: $0/month, limited to one course, basic features, and 10% transaction fees.
  • Basic Plan: $49/month, unlimited courses, custom domain, and coupons.
  • Start Plan: $99/month, adds memberships, live lessons, and advanced integrations.
  • Grow Plan: $199/month, includes communities, priority support, and bulk student imports.

Thinkific doesn’t take a revenue share (except on the Free plan), so you keep most of your earnings after payment processor fees (e.g., Stripe’s 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). This makes it cost-effective for high-ticket courses.

Udemy Pricing

Udemy is free to join, with no upfront costs for instructors. Instead, it takes a revenue share:

  • Instructor-driven sales (e.g., via your own links): You earn 97% of the revenue, minus payment processor fees.
  • Udemy-driven sales (via its marketplace): You earn 37% of the revenue.
  • Udemy Business: Instructors earn a share of a revenue pool based on minutes watched, which varies monthly.

Udemy’s frequent discounts can reduce earnings, as courses often sell for $10-$50, regardless of your list price. You also can’t set a fixed price or offer subscriptions.

Verdict: Thinkific is better for predictable earnings and high-ticket courses, while Udemy suits those prioritizing low upfront costs and marketplace exposure.

Payment Processing

Thinkific integrates with Stripe and PayPal, supporting one-time payments, subscriptions, and payment plans. You can sell in multiple currencies and set your own prices, giving you full control. Payments are deposited directly to your account, minus processor fees.

Udemy handles payments via PayPal or Payoneer, supporting global currencies. However, you’re subject to Udemy’s pricing policies, and payouts occur monthly, which can feel restrictive for cash flow.

Verdict: Thinkific offers more payment flexibility, while Udemy simplifies the process but limits control.

Audience and Reach

Thinkific requires you to build your own audience through marketing efforts like social media, email campaigns, or paid ads. This can be challenging for beginners but rewarding for established creators with a following. Thinkific’s integrations (e.g., Zapier, ActiveCampaign) help automate outreach, and its SEO tools boost discoverability.

Udemy gives instant access to its 60+ million users, making it easier to attract students without upfront marketing. Its algorithm favors courses with high ratings and engagement, so quality matters. However, you’re competing with thousands of similar courses, which can bury yours without optimization.

Verdict: Udemy is unbeatable for immediate reach, while Thinkific suits those with existing audiences or long-term marketing plans.

Student Experience

Thinkific lets you craft a tailored learning experience. Students access courses via a branded site or mobile app, with progress tracking and completion certificates. You can add gamification (e.g., badges), forums, or private communities to boost engagement. Thinkific’s interface is clean, but the experience depends on your design skills.

Udemy offers a consistent, user-friendly experience across all courses. Students use Udemy’s app or website, which supports offline viewing and lifetime access. Features like Q&A forums and direct messaging foster interaction, but the standardized layout can feel impersonal. Udemy’s mobile app is highly rated, ensuring accessibility.

Verdict: Thinkific wins for personalized experiences, while Udemy delivers a reliable, familiar interface.

Analytics and Reporting

Thinkific provides detailed analytics on student progress, revenue, and engagement. You can track course completion rates, quiz results, and sales funnels. Integrations with Google Analytics or Mixpanel offer deeper insights. This data helps refine your courses and marketing.

Udemy offers basic analytics, including revenue reports, student enrollment, and course ratings. You can see which lectures perform well, but insights are surface-level compared to Thinkific. Udemy restricts access to student data (e.g., emails), limiting follow-up marketing.

Verdict: Thinkific offers richer analytics for data-driven creators, while Udemy’s reporting is sufficient for basic needs.

Support and Community

Thinkific provides 24/7 email and chat support, with phone support on higher plans. Its knowledge base, webinars, and Thinkific Academy offer extensive resources. The Thinkific Community (on higher plans) connects you with other creators for networking.

Udemy offers email support and a comprehensive help center. Its Instructor Community lets you connect with peers, and Udemy’s Teaching Center provides guides on course creation. However, support can feel slower due to Udemy’s scale.

Verdict: Thinkific edges out for responsive support, while Udemy’s community is robust but less personalized.

Scalability and Use Cases

Thinkific scales well for businesses and creators with multiple courses or memberships. You can sell digital products, coaching, or workshops alongside courses. Its API and integrations support complex setups, like corporate training or white-labeled academies.

Udemy is less scalable for advanced business models. It’s best for individual instructors creating one-off courses. While Udemy Business opens corporate opportunities, you’re still tied to its marketplace structure.

Verdict: Thinkific is more versatile for scaling, while Udemy suits simpler, course-focused goals.

Pros and Cons

Thinkific

Pros:

  • Full branding and customization control.
  • Flexible pricing and monetization options.
  • No revenue share (except Free plan).
  • Advanced marketing and analytics tools.
  • Scalable for businesses and memberships.

Cons:

  • Requires marketing effort to attract students.
  • Monthly subscription costs can add up.
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners.

Udemy

Pros:

  • Massive built-in audience.
  • No upfront costs for instructors.
  • Easy course creation process.
  • Global reach with multi-language support.
  • Handles hosting and payments.

Cons:

  • Limited branding and customization.
  • High revenue share and unpredictable earnings.
  • Less control over pricing and student data.
  • Competitive marketplace.

Which Platform Should You Choose?

The choice between Thinkific and Udemy depends on your goals, resources, and expertise.

Choose Thinkific if:

  • You want a branded, professional platform.
  • You have an existing audience or marketing plan.
  • You’re selling high-ticket courses or memberships.
  • You need advanced customization and analytics.
  • You’re building a long-term education business.

Choose Udemy if:

  • You’re new to course creation and want quick setup.
  • You lack a marketing budget or audience.
  • You prioritize reach over branding.
  • You’re comfortable with Udemy’s revenue share.
  • You want to test course ideas with minimal investment.

Conclusion

Thinkific and Udemy serve distinct niches in the online course landscape. Thinkific empowers creators with control, customization, and scalability, making it ideal for entrepreneurs and businesses building a unique brand. Udemy, with its vast marketplace and low barrier to entry, suits instructors seeking immediate exposure without upfront costs. Both platforms are powerful, but your choice hinges on whether you value autonomy (Thinkific) or reach (Udemy). By aligning your goals with their strengths, you can confidently choose the platform that sets your courses up for success.

I (plan to) write about business, finance, SEO, WordPress, and whatever else interests me. You might find those interesting too. For now, find me on Twitter/ X.