LearnDash vs Thinkific (2026): Which Pays Better?
Both are popular course & cohort platforms. Here is how LearnDash and Thinkific stack up on requirements, what you keep, payout terms, strengths and weaknesses, and which one we would pick.
LearnDash
The leading WordPress LMS plugin: courses, quizzes, drip, certificates and memberships on your own site.
7.8 /10
Pricing: Paid from $199/mo
Pros
- Full LMS on WordPress with no revenue share
- Integrates with MemberPress, WooCommerce and every payment plugin
Cons
- You host video and maintain the site
- Configuration-heavy
Thinkific
Course, membership and community platform: no free plan, 30-day trial, plans from $40/mo (annual) plus a 2.9% payment-processing fee.
7.8 /10
Pricing: Paid from $40/mo
Pros
- Communities, memberships, live Zoom sessions, quizzes and certificates as you move up tiers
- 30-day free trial with full feature access before paying
Cons
- No permanent free plan, and a 2.9% Thinkific Payments processing fee applies at every tier
- Memberships, live sessions and payment plans only unlock from the $82+/mo Start plan
LearnDash vs Thinkific at a glance
| LearnDash | Thinkific | |
|---|---|---|
| Editor score | 7.8 / 10 | 7.8 / 10 |
| Pricing model | Paid | Paid |
| Starting price | $199/mo | $40/mo |
| Web rank | #107k | #5.8k |
| Minimum traffic | None | None |
| Revenue share / fee | From $199/year; no per-sale cut | No free plan; 30-day trial. Basic $40/mo (annual) / $54 (monthly); Start $82/$109; Grow $164/$219; Plus custom — plus a 2.9% Thinkific Payments processing fee on every plan |
| Commission | – | – |
| Payout | Via your gateway | Via Stripe / Thinkific Payments |
| Methods served | online courses, memberships subscriptions | online courses, memberships subscriptions, digital products, coaching services |
| Niches accepted | General, Tech & SaaS, Finance & Insurance, Health & Supplements, Gaming & Esports, E-commerce & Retail | General, Tech & SaaS, Finance & Insurance, Health & Supplements, Gaming & Esports, E-commerce & Retail |
| Reader upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Best for | wordpress, lms, courses | courses, communities, no transaction fee |
Our pick
LearnDash edges it with a score of 7.8 versus 7.8. LearnDash is the better fit if you value: full lms on wordpress with no revenue share, integrates with memberpress, woocommerce and every payment plugin. Choose Thinkific instead if you need: communities, memberships, live zoom sessions, quizzes and certificates as you move up tiers, 30-day free trial with full feature access before paying.
Other course & cohort platforms to consider
Full ranking →Kajabi 🧰 PlatformPaid
All-in-one courses, memberships, coaching, podcasts, email and websites for established creators, from $71 a month.
🔥 Free 30-day trial, no credit card required (longer than the industry-standard 14-day trial)Teachable 🧰 PlatformPaid
Course, coaching and digital product platform with checkout, drip and affiliates; plans from $39/mo, no free tier since 2025.
🔥 3 months for the price of 1 on paid plans, plus a 7-day free trial and 22% off with annual billingPodia 🧰 PlatformFreemium
Courses, downloads, webinars, coaching and a website with simple pricing; free plan at 10%, paid from $33.
🔥 14-day free trial, full feature access, no credit card requiredLearnWorlds 🧰 PlatformPaid
Interactive course platform with video quizzes, assessments, white-label apps and SCORM, from $29 a month.
🔥 30-day free trial (no credit card), plus 15% off for 6 months through Sep 30, 2026 — stacks with the standard 20% annual-billing discount