Teachable vs Kajabi vs Thinkific.

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When it comes to creating and selling online courses, choosing the right platform can make or break your business. With many options on the market, three of the most popular platforms that often come up in discussions are Teachable, Kajabi, and Thinkific. These platforms all offer various features aimed at empowering creators to build, market, and sell their online courses. However, the question remains: Teachable vs Kajabi vs Thinkific—which one should you choose?


In this article, we will explore these three platforms in-depth, comparing their features, pricing models, ease of use, and the benefits they provide to online course creators. Whether you are just starting your course creation journey or looking to switch to a new platform, understanding the strengths and limitations of each of these tools will help you make an informed decision.

1. Overview of the Platforms​

Teachable
Teachable is a robust platform that is ideal for course creators who want an easy-to-use interface and strong support features for selling courses. Founded in 2013, Teachable has grown to become one of the leading platforms for online course creators, offering features such as course creation tools, customizable landing pages, email marketing capabilities, and affiliate marketing support. One of its key advantages is the ability to integrate with a wide variety of third-party tools, making it a flexible solution for many types of creators.


Kajabi
Kajabi is a comprehensive platform designed to help entrepreneurs not only create and sell online courses but also run entire businesses. Founded in 2010, it stands out for its all-in-one nature, offering tools for course creation, marketing automation, website design, email campaigns, and even membership management. Kajabi is particularly attractive to creators looking for a platform that handles all aspects of their business, not just the courses.


Thinkific
Thinkific, established in 2012, is another top player in the online course space. It allows creators to build and sell courses easily while offering powerful customization options. Thinkific is known for its focus on simplicity and flexibility, providing tools for creating interactive courses, community engagement, and even integration with external applications. It also provides a free plan, making it an accessible option for beginners.

2. Key Features Comparison​

When comparing Teachable vs Kajabi vs Thinkific, it's important to examine the core features each platform offers.


Course Creation and Customization

• Teachable offers an intuitive drag-and-drop course builder, enabling you to add multimedia content like videos, quizzes, and assignments. You can also create custom certificates for course completion. However, Teachable’s customization options are more limited compared to Kajabi and Thinkific, especially when it comes to designing a fully branded course.
• Kajabi allows for extensive customization, including the ability to build a complete website for your business. Its course builder lets you add multimedia elements, quizzes, and assignments, but Kajabi excels in its ability to create sophisticated membership sites and automate marketing funnels.
• Thinkific is highly customizable, offering an easy-to-use course creation process and the option to create dynamic courses with quizzes, surveys, and assignments. It provides a variety of themes, and its flexible design tools let you create a fully branded online school.

Marketing and Sales Tools

• Teachable includes email marketing features, but it doesn't offer advanced automation like Kajabi. However, it allows for the integration of third-party email marketing tools, giving you more control over your campaigns.
• Kajabi shines in this area. It comes with a built-in email marketing system, sales funnels, landing pages, and automated workflows. Kajabi’s marketing automation tools make it easy to nurture leads and convert them into customers.
• Thinkific provides basic marketing tools, including coupons and promo codes. However, for more advanced marketing features like email automation, you’ll need to integrate with third-party tools such as Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or ActiveCampaign.

Pricing

• Teachable offers a tiered pricing structure, including a free plan, but its premium plans come with transaction fees, which can add up depending on your sales volume. Higher-tier plans remove these fees and add more advanced features.
• Kajabi is known for being one of the more expensive options. While it provides a comprehensive suite of tools, the cost may be prohibitive for some creators, especially those just starting out. However, Kajabi’s all-in-one platform may make up for its higher price by reducing the need for additional subscriptions to external tools.
• Thinkific has a free plan and affordable paid plans. Unlike Teachable, it doesn’t charge transaction fees on any of its plans. The free plan is fairly robust, and higher-tier plans unlock more advanced features without breaking the bank.

3. Ease of Use​

For most course creators, ease of use is a top priority. After all, you don’t want to waste time struggling with a complicated platform when you should be focusing on course content.

• Teachable is known for its user-friendly interface, making it a great choice for beginners. The platform is intuitive and easy to navigate, and the course creation process is straightforward. However, advanced customization options may require a bit of a learning curve.
• Kajabi is more complex due to its all-in-one nature. While it’s not difficult to use, the learning curve is steeper compared to Teachable and Thinkific. Kajabi’s interface is sleek and modern, and it offers detailed tutorials to help you get started.
• Thinkific provides a clean, easy-to-navigate interface, with drag-and-drop features that make course creation simple. Its customization options may take a bit longer to master, but the platform is still very beginner-friendly overall.

4. Support and Community​

• Teachable provides 24/7 email support and a vast knowledge base with tutorials and articles. They also offer a community forum where creators can discuss tips and share insights.
• Kajabi offers excellent customer support, including live chat, email support, and an extensive library of video tutorials. Its active community forum allows for collaboration and problem-solving with fellow course creators.
• Thinkific also provides strong support, including email and live chat. Their knowledge base is rich with articles, guides, and videos, and they host a private community where creators can connect.

5. Payment Options​

All three platforms provide robust payment gateways, but the specifics differ slightly:

• Teachable allows you to accept payments via PayPal and Stripe. They also have integrated payment processing, so you don’t have to set up external accounts to start accepting payments.
• Kajabi supports payments via Stripe and PayPal, but it’s worth noting that their payment system is more integrated into the overall platform, which can be an advantage for those who prefer a seamless experience.
• Thinkific offers payment processing through PayPal and Stripe as well. The platform provides flexibility in terms of pricing options, including subscriptions, one-time payments, and payment plans.

6. Pros and Cons​

Teachable Pros

• Easy to use, even for beginners
• Affordable pricing structure
• Wide range of integrations
• Strong course creation features
• Reliable support

Teachable Cons

• Limited design customization
• Transaction fees on lower-tier plans

Kajabi Pros

• All-in-one platform for course creation, marketing, and sales
• Advanced marketing automation tools
• High level of customization
• Great for scaling a business

Kajabi Cons

• Expensive pricing plans
• Steep learning curve for beginners

Thinkific Pros

• Free plan available
• No transaction fees
• Highly customizable
• Great for both beginners and advanced users

Thinkific Cons

• Requires third-party integrations for advanced marketing features
• Limited built-in email marketing features

7. Which Platform is Right for You?​

The decision between Teachable vs Kajabi vs Thinkific ultimately depends on your specific needs, budget, and business goals. If you are a solo creator looking for a simple, affordable solution to build and sell your courses, Teachable might be your best bet. However, if you want a comprehensive platform that handles both course creation and business management, Kajabi might be worth the higher price tag. Finally, if you’re looking for a customizable and flexible solution with no transaction fees, Thinkific could be the perfect fit for you.


For a more detailed breakdown and expert analysis of these platforms, check out the full comparison on DigitalExpert, where we dive deeper into the pros and cons of each and help you make the right choice for your course creation business.