Fee-first verdict
Thinkific Basic wins on cost; Teachable Starter wins on included commerce tools.
Thinkific Basic is $36 per month on current annual pricing and does not add a Thinkific gateway fee when Thinkific Payments is used. Teachable Starter is $29 per month annually plus 7.5% of sales, but it includes certificates, student apps, upsells, cart recovery, and global payment and tax tools.
Published pricing
The four plans compared
| Platform and plan | Annual-plan equivalent | Platform fee | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teachable Starter | $29/month | 7.5% transaction fee | 5 products, 100 active students, certificates, and student apps |
| Teachable Builder | $69/month | 0% transaction fee | 10 products, 1,000 active students, affiliates, and real-time support |
| Thinkific Basic | $36 now; $40 from August 13 | No gateway fee with Thinkific Payments | Unlimited courses, quizzes, discussions, and one community |
| Thinkific Start | $74 now; $82 from August 13 | No gateway fee with Thinkific Payments | Certificates, assignments, cohorts, memberships, and payment plans |
USD annual-plan equivalents checked July 17, 2026. Thinkific says its new prices apply to billing or renewals on or after August 13, 2026. Payment processing, taxes, currency conversion, and optional payment services are separate.
The first break-even
Thinkific Basic becomes cheaper after roughly $93 in monthly sales
Teachable Starter begins $7 below Thinkific Basic, but its 7.5% transaction fee erases that difference quickly. Divide the $7 subscription gap by 7.5% and the break-even is about $93. Above that revenue, Thinkific Basic has the lower modeled platform cost.
After Thinkific Basic rises to a $40 annual-plan equivalent, the break-even moves to roughly $147 in monthly gross revenue.
Example economics
Platform cost at three monthly revenue levels
This model counts annual-plan subscriptions and published platform transaction fees. It assumes Thinkific Payments and excludes normal payment processing because those rates vary by payment method and location.
| Monthly gross | Thinkific Basic | Teachable Starter | Teachable Builder |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $36 now; $40 after increase | $66.50 | $69 |
| $1,000 | $36 now; $40 after increase | $104 | $69 |
| $3,000 | $36 now; $40 after increase | $254 | $69 |
Thinkific Basic is the lowest modeled platform cost at all three revenue levels. Teachable Builder becomes cheaper than Starter above roughly $533 in monthly gross revenue and remains the more sensible Teachable plan as sales grow.
Entry-plan tradeoff
Teachable includes more selling convenience; Thinkific leaves more margin
Teachable Starter may fit when
- You want certificates and iOS and Android student apps immediately.
- Upsells, order recovery, and built-in payment and tax handling matter.
- Five products and 100 active students are enough for validation.
- You accept the 7.5% fee while proving the first offer.
Thinkific Basic may fit when
- You want unlimited courses and up to 10,000 current students.
- Quizzes, discussions, community, and course structure matter most.
- You already have marketing tools and do not need certificates yet.
- Protecting margin from the first meaningful sales is the priority.
Next-tier decision
Builder costs less; Start offers deeper learning features
Teachable Builder is $69 per month annually, lists no platform transaction fee, and adds an affiliate program and real-time support. Thinkific Start is $74 now and $82 after its announced increase. It adds certificates, assignments, live cohorts and coaching, bundles, memberships, subscriptions, and payment plans.
Choose Builder when Teachable's sales workflow is the better fit. Choose Start when teaching structure and recurring learning products justify the higher subscription.
The global-payment check
Verify the payout route available in your country
Both platforms vary payment services by creator location. Teachable routes creators through its available native or custom gateway options, while Thinkific Payments is limited to supported countries and third-party gateway fees can apply to affected transactions.
Before paying annually, confirm the exact gateway, payout method, settlement currency, tax handling, and withdrawal support available to your business. A low subscription is irrelevant if you cannot receive payouts reliably.
Decision table
Which platform should you test first?
| Your priority | Test first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest platform cost | Thinkific Basic | Lower modeled cost after modest monthly sales |
| Commerce tools on the entry plan | Teachable Starter | Certificates, apps, upsells, and cart recovery are included |
| Unlimited course catalog | Thinkific | Basic includes unlimited published courses |
| Affiliate selling at the next tier | Teachable Builder | Affiliate program at a lower annual-plan equivalent |
| Assignments, cohorts, and memberships | Thinkific Start | Deeper structured-learning feature set |
Frequently asked
Teachable vs Thinkific questions
Is Teachable or Thinkific cheaper?
Teachable Starter has the lower base subscription, but Thinkific Basic becomes cheaper after roughly $93 in monthly sales using current annual pricing and assuming Thinkific Payments.
Which platform is easier for a beginner?
Teachable is a practical commerce-first option when certificates, student apps, and sales tools matter immediately. Thinkific is a strong beginner option when course structure, catalog size, and lower platform-fee economics matter more.
Do both platforms charge transaction fees?
Teachable Starter lists 7.5%, while Builder lists 0%. Thinkific Payments users avoid Thinkific's third-party gateway fee, but gateway fees can apply in affected locations. Standard payment processing is separate.
Official sources
Verify current prices and payment terms
Vendor links are currently direct and non-affiliate.