If you’re considering launching an online course, you’ve probably heard of the three big players in the online course platform world: Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi. But which one is right for you? In this comparison, we’ll dive deep into the features, pricing, and unique advantages of each platform, helping you decide which one aligns best with your needs and goals.
At DigitalExpert, we aim to provide the best insights on tools for growing your business, so we’ve carefully analyzed Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi based on various criteria. By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each, and you’ll be equipped to make an informed decision.
What Are Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi?
Before we jump into the comparison, let’s quickly define what these platforms are all about:
- Teachable: Teachable is a user-friendly platform that enables creators to build, market, and sell online courses. It’s particularly known for its intuitive course creation tools and flexible pricing plans.
- Thinkific: Thinkific is another popular online course platform that focuses on helping instructors create and sell their courses with ease. It offers a wide range of customization options and is known for its robust course-building features.
- Kajabi: Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for creating and selling online courses, memberships, and digital products. It includes powerful marketing tools, a website builder, and an integrated payment gateway.
While these platforms share similar goals, they each have their unique characteristics. Let’s take a closer look at each one, examining the key features that matter most to course creators.
Ease of Use
When it comes to choosing a platform for your online courses, ease of use is a critical factor. You want a platform that allows you to focus on your content, not the technicalities.
- Teachable: Teachable offers a straightforward and simple interface. Setting up courses and adding content is relatively easy, even for those with no technical background. The platform provides a drag-and-drop course builder, making it ideal for beginners.
- Thinkific: Thinkific also offers an intuitive interface with drag-and-drop functionality. However, Thinkific takes it a step further with more customization options, allowing you to modify your course layout more precisely.
- Kajabi: Kajabi, while easy to use, comes with a more extensive set of features. This can make it slightly overwhelming for beginners. However, Kajabi provides a smooth onboarding process and guides you through each step of setting up your courses.
Course Creation Tools
All three platforms offer robust course creation tools, but the level of customization varies.
- Teachable: Teachable is known for its simplicity, which can be a double-edged sword. The platform offers all the essential tools you need to create and sell courses, including quizzes, certificates, and multimedia support. However, some advanced features, like membership areas or course bundles, require a higher-tier plan.
- Thinkific: Thinkific provides more flexibility and customization options in course creation. It offers a variety of content types such as videos, assignments, surveys, and more. Thinkific also allows you to create membership sites, which is a feature that Teachable lacks in its basic plans.
- Kajabi: Kajabi takes course creation to the next level with its advanced features. You can build highly interactive courses, and the platform integrates various types of content, including videos, audio, PDFs, and downloadable worksheets. Kajabi also has automation options to create personalized learner journeys.
Marketing Tools
When it comes to marketing your course, having the right tools in place is essential for growth. Let’s compare the marketing capabilities of these platforms.
- Teachable: Teachable offers some basic marketing tools, such as email marketing, affiliate marketing, and integrations with third-party marketing apps. However, it lacks advanced sales funnel features, which are important for automating and scaling your marketing efforts.
- Thinkific: Thinkific is strong in terms of marketing as well. It provides built-in email marketing tools and the ability to create custom landing pages. While it doesn’t offer a built-in affiliate program or advanced automation, it integrates well with third-party marketing tools like Mailchimp and Zapier.
- Kajabi: Kajabi is the clear winner in terms of marketing tools. It offers everything you need for promoting your courses, including email marketing, landing pages, automated sales funnels, and even a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. If you’re looking for a comprehensive marketing solution, Kajabi is your best bet.
Pricing
Pricing is always a deciding factor when choosing a platform. Let’s break down the pricing of each platform.
- Teachable: Teachable offers a free plan with limited features, as well as paid plans starting at $39/month. The higher-tier plans include more features like advanced reporting, private coaching options, and affiliate marketing tools.
- Thinkific: Thinkific offers a free plan with basic features, and paid plans start at $49/month. The premium plans give you access to advanced features like membership sites, affiliate marketing, and custom branding.
- Kajabi: Kajabi is the most expensive of the three, with plans starting at $149/month. However, this price includes more comprehensive features, such as email marketing, sales funnels, and a website builder. While Kajabi is a bigger investment, it’s an all-in-one solution that can save you money in the long run.
Support and Community
When you’re building an online course business, having access to reliable support is crucial. Let’s compare the customer support and community engagement for each platform.
- Teachable: Teachable offers 24/7 email support, a helpful knowledge base, and community forums where you can ask questions and share ideas with other creators.
- Thinkific: Thinkific provides extensive support through live chat, email, and a community-driven support forum. It also offers live webinars and an extensive library of resources to help you get the most out of the platform.
- Kajabi: Kajabi offers 24/7 live chat support and a robust community forum. Additionally, it provides a dedicated customer success manager with higher-tier plans, which can be a significant advantage for businesses looking for more personalized support.
Which Platform is Right for You?
So, which platform is the best choice for your course business? It ultimately depends on your needs:
- Teachable is a great option if you’re just starting out and need an easy-to-use platform with basic course creation tools. It’s affordable and perfect for creators looking for a straightforward platform.
- Thinkific is ideal if you want more customization options and the ability to create membership sites or advanced course structures. It’s a solid middle-ground option with plenty of flexibility.
- Kajabi is best suited for those who want an all-in-one solution with powerful marketing tools. If you’re serious about scaling your online course business and are ready to invest in a premium platform, Kajabi offers the most comprehensive suite of features.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right platform for your online course business is an important decision. If you’re torn between Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi, consider your specific needs, goals, and budget. Each platform has its strengths, and the best one for you will depend on whether you prioritize ease of use, customization, or marketing features.
For further insights and comparisons of marketing tools, check out DigitalExpert and explore the latest articles on growing your online business.
Teachable vs Thinkific vs Kajabi: Make the Right Choice for Your Online Course Business
Ultimately, your choice will depend on your specific requirements, whether it’s ease of use, course creation features, marketing capabilities, or customer support. No matter which platform you choose, each of these tools can help you succeed in your online course journey.
