Kajabi vs Thinkific: Learning Management Systems Compared (2026)
Kajabi and Thinkific are two widely compared LMSs. Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for knowledge businesses combining courses, coaching, communities, websites, email marketing and payments. Thinkific is an online course platform for creators and businesses to build, sell and deliver courses, communities and memberships.
- Verified 10 Nov 2026Sources are dated on this page
- 3 sourcesLinked, typed and dated
- No winner declaredFit depends on your criteria
- Not tested by Stack18Editorial summary of documented facts
Kajabi vs Thinkific: the short answer
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for knowledge businesses combining courses, coaching, communities, websites, email marketing and payments. Thinkific is an online course platform for creators and businesses to build, sell and deliver courses, communities and memberships. Both are LMSs, but they differ in pricing model, target team size and focus.
On pricing, Kajabi is described as: flat monthly or annual plans; Thinkific as: flat monthly or annual plans. Neither documents a permanent free plan in the sources reviewed. Kajabi is positioned for established creators wanting courses, email and websites in one place, and Thinkific for creators and businesses wanting the simplest way to start selling courses.
Everything below is drawn from the two sourced profiles and the 3 dated sources listed at the end. Where a source does not document something it is marked Unknown, and third-party estimates are labelled. No winner is declared: the better fit depends on your size, budget and requirements.
Kajabi and Thinkific at a glance.
One card per product, drawn from each full profile. Open a profile for features, pricing plans, limits and sources.
Kajabi
Kajabi · Learning Management Systems
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for knowledge businesses combining courses, coaching, communities, websites, email marketing and payments.
- Pricing
- Basic $143 a month (annual) or $179 monthly; Growth $199; Pro $399 (annual basis); 0% transaction fees.
- Best for
- Established creators wanting courses, email and websites in one place
Thinkific
Thinkific · Learning Management Systems
Thinkific is an online course platform for creators and businesses to build, sell and deliver courses, communities and memberships.
- Pricing
- Basic $54, Start $109, Grow $219 a month (monthly); annual $40, $82, $164 a month; Plus custom.
- Best for
- Creators and businesses wanting the simplest way to start selling courses
Kajabi vs Thinkific: feature-by-feature comparison.
Every row is drawn from the sources listed below. Rows that differ are marked, and you can filter the table to show only those.
- YesDocumented
- PartialAvailable with limits or on some plans
- NoDocumented as unavailable
- UnknownNot documented in the sources reviewed
| Dimension |  Kajabi |  Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Product | ||
| Product typeDiffers | YesAll-in-one creator platform | YesOnline course platform |
| VendorDiffers | YesKajabi | YesThinkific |
| Best forDiffers | YesEstablished creators wanting courses, email and websites in one place | YesCreators and businesses wanting the simplest way to start selling courses |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing model | YesFlat monthly or annual plans. | YesFlat monthly or annual plans. |
| Pricing summaryDiffers | YesBasic $143 a month (annual) or $179 monthly; Growth $199; Pro $399 (annual basis); 0% transaction fees. | YesBasic $54, Start $109, Grow $219 a month (monthly); annual $40, $82, $164 a month; Plus custom. |
| Free plan | NoNo | NoNo |
| Free trialDiffers | YesYes (14 days) | YesYes (30 days) |
| Learning Management Systems criteria | ||
| Pricing model | YesFlat monthly | YesFlat monthly |
| Starting priceDiffers | Yes$143/mo (annual) | Yes$40/mo (annual) |
| Free plan / trialDiffers | Yes14-day trial | Yes30-day trial |
| Main use | YesSell courses | YesSell courses |
| Best forDiffers | YesEstablished creators | YesCourse creators |
| Fit and platform | ||
| Team size | YesSmall teams, Mid-size teams | YesSmall teams, Mid-size teams |
| Platforms | YesWeb, iOS, Android | YesWeb, iOS, Android |
| IntegrationsDiffers | YesStripe, PayPal, Zapier, Zoom | YesStripe, PayPal, Zapier, Mailchimp |
| API | UnknownNot reviewed for this profile. | UnknownNot reviewed for this profile. |
Kajabi vs Thinkific pricing.
Plan names, prices and billing terms as reported in each profile's sources. Taxes, add-ons and discounts are excluded unless stated.
Kajabi pricing
Flat monthly or annual plans.
- Basic$143 per month · Annual ($179 monthly)
- Growth$199 per month · Annual
- Pro$399 per month · Annual
Prices from independent sources; treat as reported. CartMango (August 2026); an April 2026 comparison listed lower prices. Currency: USD. Checked 10 Nov 2026.
All Kajabi plans and sources
Thinkific pricing
Flat monthly or annual plans.
- Basic$54 per month · Monthly ($475 per year annual)
- Start$109 per month · Monthly ($82 per month annual)
- Grow$219 per month · Monthly ($164 per month annual)
- PlusCustom · Annual
Prices from independent sources; treat as reported. CartMango (10 August 2026) after Thinkific's 10% increase. Currency: USD. Checked 10 Nov 2026.
All Thinkific plans and sourcesKajabi vs Thinkific: pricing model, ecosystem and fit.
Pricing model and cost drivers
Kajabi: flat monthly or annual plans. CartMango (August 2026); an April 2026 comparison listed lower prices. Thinkific: flat monthly or annual plans. CartMango (10 August 2026) after Thinkific's 10% increase. Model costs at your real seat count, usage and contract term before comparing headline prices.
What sets each apart
The Kajabi profile highlights: all-in-one marketing; 0% transaction fees; premium price. The Thinkific profile highlights: 0% transaction fees; 10% price rise in 2026; SCORM and SSO on Plus.
Integrations and ecosystem
Kajabi integrations named in its sources: Stripe, PayPal, Zapier and Zoom. Thinkific: Stripe, PayPal, Zapier and Mailchimp. Check that the connectors you rely on exist on the plan you would buy.
Deployment and team fit
Kajabi runs on Web, iOS and Android and is documented for small teams and mid-size teams. Thinkific runs on Web, iOS and Android and is documented for small teams and mid-size teams. We did not test setup or migration.
Kajabi and Thinkific: each option, in balance.
Each point is linked to a dated source on the product's profile.
Kajabi
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- Courses, email and websites in one.
- 0% transaction fees.
- Communities and coaching.
- Expensive for course-only needs.
- Steeper learning curve.
- Advanced features on higher tiers.
Thinkific
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- 0% transaction fees.
- Simple way to start selling.
- 30-day trial.
- Prices rose 10% in 2026.
- SCORM and SSO only on Plus.
- Limited design customisation.
Kajabi or Thinkific: which fits which situation?
No overall winner is declared. The better choice depends on the criteria that matter most to you, so test both against your own requirements.
Choose Kajabi if you are…
- Established creators wanting courses, email and websites in one place
- Coaches with funnels
- Membership businesses
Less suited to: beginners on a budget; corporate training.
See the Kajabi profile
Choose Thinkific if you are…
- Creators and businesses wanting the simplest way to start selling courses
- Coaches
- Training companies
Less suited to: internal corporate training; all-in-one marketing needs.
See the Thinkific profileSwitching between Kajabi and Thinkific.
Moving off Kajabi or Thinkific means exporting courses (ideally as SCORM), learner records, completions and certificates, re-creating learning paths and groups, reconnecting SSO and HR integrations, and redirecting learners. Keep completion records available for compliance audits. Load one real course into each shortlisted LMS, assign it to a pilot group and compare completion reports and admin effort.
- Export a sample of your data and test an import into the other product.
- List the automations, integrations and permissions you would need to rebuild.
- Compare total cost at your real volume, including add-ons and services.
- Pilot with one team before a full cut-over.
- Check contract terms and notice periods with both vendors.
General guidance, not specific to either vendor. Confirm migration options with the vendors.
Kajabi vs Thinkific: questions and answers
What is the difference between Kajabi and Thinkific?
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for knowledge businesses combining courses, coaching, communities, websites, email marketing and payments. Thinkific is an online course platform for creators and businesses to build, sell and deliver courses, communities and memberships. Both are LMSs, but they differ in pricing model, target team size and focus. Kajabi is positioned for established creators wanting courses, email and websites in one place; Thinkific for creators and businesses wanting the simplest way to start selling courses.
Is Kajabi cheaper than Thinkific?
It depends on your volume and plan. Kajabi: Basic $143 a month (annual) or $179 monthly; Growth $199; Pro $399 (annual basis); 0% transaction fees. Thinkific: Basic $54, Start $109, Grow $219 a month (monthly); annual $40, $82, $164 a month; Plus custom. Compare both at your real seat count, usage and contract term.
Do Kajabi or Thinkific have a free plan?
Neither documents a permanent free plan in the sources reviewed. Kajabi free trial: Yes (14 days). Thinkific free trial: Yes (30 days).
Kajabi or Thinkific: which is better for small teams?
Kajabi and Thinkific are both documented for small teams. Kajabi suits established creators wanting courses, email and websites in one place; Thinkific suits creators and businesses wanting the simplest way to start selling courses. Neither is best for everyone.
What are the main limitations of Kajabi and Thinkific?
Kajabi: Expensive for course-only needs. Thinkific: Prices rose 10% in 2026.
How much does Kajabi cost?
Basic is $143 a month annually or $179 monthly; Growth is $199 and Pro $399 a month, per an August 2026 article.
How much does Thinkific cost?
After an August 2026 rise, Basic is $54, Start $109 and Grow $219 a month on monthly billing, or $40, $82 and $164 a month annually.
What are the alternatives to Kajabi and Thinkific?
Stack18 has alternatives guides for both: Kajabi alternatives and Thinkific alternatives, each comparing at least four other LMSs on pricing, free plan, features and fit. The Learning Management Systems category lists every profile.
Where this comparison comes from.
- Thinkific Alternatives, Priced Live After Thinkific's Price Rise (10 August 2026) CartMango Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
- Course platform pricing comparison 2026 (22 April 2026) Teachery (competing vendor) Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
- The 9 Best LMS Platforms in 2026 (updated October 2026) Dupple Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
This comparison summarises the Kajabi and Thinkific profiles and their sources. Third-party figures are labelled; confirm current pricing and terms with each vendor. Stack18 has not tested these products.
Ready to test Kajabi and Thinkific?
Check each vendor's current pricing and terms, run both against a real scenario from your business, or talk to Stack18 if off-the-shelf software is not the answer.
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