Skillshare
Thinkific
| Feature | Skillshare | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $13.99/mo | Free / from $49/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | creatives, designers, freelancers, hobbyists | course-creators, coaches, educators, small-businesses |
| Founded | 2010 | 2012 |
| Project Based Learning | ✓ | ✗ |
| Community Feedback | ✓ | ✗ |
| Offline Viewing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Class Discussions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Curated Paths | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile App | ✓ | ✗ |
| Teacher Tools | ✓ | ✗ |
| Course Builder | ✗ | ✓ |
| Memberships | ✗ | ✓ |
| Communities | ✗ | ✓ |
| Certificates | ✗ | ✓ |
| Quizzes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Drip Content | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payment Processing | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Skillshare Pros
- Strong focus on creative skills and hands-on projects
- Unlimited access to all classes with subscription
- Active community with project sharing and feedback
- Short, digestible class format
- Offline viewing on mobile
✗ Skillshare Cons
- No free tier anymore
- No certificates recognized by employers
- Limited technical and business content
✓ Thinkific Pros
- No transaction fees on any plan
- Drag-and-drop course builder is intuitive
- Supports communities and memberships
- White-label branding options
- Built-in student engagement tools
✗ Thinkific Cons
- Limited marketing automation built-in
- Free plan restricted to one course
- Email features require third-party integration
The Verdict
Skillshare is built for creatives and designers, with a focus on project-based-learning and community-feedback. Thinkific targets course creators and coaches and leads with course-builder and memberships.
On pricing, Skillshare is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $13.99/mo compared to $49/mo for Thinkific. That $35.01/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Thinkific has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Skillshare requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.