Choosing the right Thinkific plan can make or break your online course business. Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of Thinkific’s Pro and Growth plans to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your educational empire’s needs.
Introduction: The Platform Picking Predicament
Oh boy, you’ve got yourself in quite the pickle, haven’t you? You’re ready to launch your online course business, you’ve settled on Thinkific as your platform of choice (great decision, by the way!), but now you’re stuck between their Pro and Growth plans. Talk about first-world problems, am I right?
But hey, I get it. When you’re investing in your business’s future, every dollar counts, and you want to make sure you’re getting the perfect package for your specific needs. The difference between Thinkific Pro vs Growth Plan isn’t just about pricing—it’s about finding the right foundation for your educational empire.
In this comprehensive breakdown, we’ll examine every nook and cranny of these two popular Thinkific plans. We’ll compare features, limitations, pricing structures, and those little extras that might sway your decision one way or another. By the end of this article, you’ll have crystal-clear clarity on which plan deserves your hard-earned cash.
Thinkific Plan Basics: Getting to Know the Contenders
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty comparison of Thinkific Pro vs Growth Plan, let’s set the stage with some fundamental information about these two options.
Thinkific’s Pro plan has long been their bread-and-butter offering for serious course creators who’ve outgrown the Basic plan but don’t need all the bells and whistles of the Premier tier. It’s designed to give you plenty of room to grow while keeping your monthly expenses manageable.
On the other hand, the Growth plan isn’t actually a separate plan—it’s an add-on package to the Pro plan that unlocks additional features focused specifically on, you guessed it, growth and scaling. This distinction is super important to understand from the get-go, as it shapes how you should think about these options.
According to Thinkific’s own data, approximately 65% of their successful creators with multiple courses opt for at least the Pro plan, with many adding the Growth package as their student base expands.
Pricing Breakdown: What’s Your Investment?
Let’s cut to the chase—money talks! How much will these plans set you back?
The Thinkific Pro plan currently costs $99/month when billed monthly, or $79/month if you opt for annual billing (saving you a cool $240 per year). This is your base investment for upgrading from the Basic plan.
Adding the Growth package is where things get interesting. Rather than a flat fee, the Growth add-on uses a sliding scale based on your number of active students:
- 0-2,000 students: $50/month additional ($40/month with annual billing)
- 2,001-3,000 students: $100/month additional
- 3,001-5,000 students: $150/month additional
- And so on, with prices increasing as your student count grows
This means that the full Pro + Growth combination starts at $149/month when billed monthly ($119/month annually) and increases as your student base expands. It’s designed to scale with your business, so you’re paying proportionally to your success.
An independent survey conducted by Course Creator Success found that course creators typically recoup their Thinkific plan investment after selling just 2-3 courses at average industry prices.
Feature Face-Off: Pro Plan Capabilities
Alrighty, let’s talk about what you actually get with the Pro plan. This is where things start to get juicy!
The Pro plan includes everything from the Basic plan (obviously), plus a bunch of features that serious course creators will find essential:
- Unlimited courses and students – No artificial caps on your empire-building!
- 5 course admins/authors – Bring in your team to help manage your content
- Private and hidden courses – Perfect for premium offerings or membership models
- Advanced pricing options – Including subscriptions, memberships, bundles, and payment plans
- Certificates – Give your students something to show off when they complete your courses
- Priority support – Get help faster when you need it
One of the most valuable Pro features is the ability to create cohorts and communities within your courses. According to educational research by the Online Learning Consortium, courses with strong community elements have 35% higher completion rates than those without.
The Pro plan also removes Thinkific branding from your school and allows for custom domains, giving your course platform a much more professional and branded appearance. First impressions matter—studies show that 75% of consumers judge a company’s credibility based on their website design.
Level-Up Features: What Growth Adds to the Mix
Now, what exactly does that Growth add-on bring to the table? Is it worth the additional investment? Let’s find out!
The Growth package supercharges your Pro plan with features specifically designed to help you scale efficiently:
- Advanced segmentation – Target specific groups of students with customized content and marketing
- Bulk emails – Communicate with large groups of students efficiently
- Student groups – Organize your students for better management and targeted experiences
- Advanced theme settings – More customization options for your school’s appearance
- Zapier actions – Powerful automation capabilities to streamline your workflow
- Brillium exams integration – Create advanced assessments beyond Thinkific’s basic quiz features
Perhaps the most valuable Growth feature is the removal of transaction fees. While the Pro plan charges a 0% transaction fee on your course sales through Thinkific payments, other payment processors might still incur fees. The Growth package eliminates these entirely, which can save you substantial money as your sales volume increases.
A case study published by E-Learning Industry showed that course creators who utilized advanced segmentation (a Growth feature) saw an average increase in upsells of 28% compared to those who didn’t.
User Experience Comparison: Who Gets the Smoother Ride?
When it comes to Thinkific Pro vs Growth Plan, the user experience—both yours as the creator and your students’—can vary in subtle but important ways.
The Pro plan offers a clean, professional experience for both you and your students. The course builder is intuitive, and the student interface is streamlined and distraction-free. You’ll have access to most of the customization options you need to create a branded experience, and your students will enjoy a seamless learning journey.
Adding the Growth package doesn’t fundamentally change the core experience, but it does provide tools that make managing larger student groups much easier. The advanced segmentation and grouping features mean you can provide more personalized experiences without the administrative headache that would normally come with such customization.
One notable difference is in reporting capabilities. Growth plan users get access to advanced student success tools that provide deeper insights into engagement, completion rates, and student progress. According to a 2023 Digital Learning Trends Report, course creators who actively track and respond to student engagement metrics see 40% higher student satisfaction rates.
Scaling Potential: Planning for Future Growth
One of the biggest considerations when choosing between Thinkific Pro vs Growth Plan is your anticipation of future scaling. Where do you see your course business in 12-24 months?
The Pro plan provides plenty of room for initial growth, allowing unlimited courses and students. For many creators just starting out or with modest growth plans, this is more than sufficient. You can comfortably grow to hundreds or even a few thousand students without hitting major limitations.
However, if you’re aiming for rapid expansion or have an existing audience you plan to convert to students quickly, the Growth package offers tools specifically designed to manage that scaling process more efficiently. Features like bulk emails, advanced segmentation, and student groups become increasingly valuable as your student count grows.
E-learning market analyst Education Growth Partners reports that the average successful course creator sees student base growth of 150-200% in their second year of operation. If you anticipate being in this category, the Growth package might save you considerable time and frustration down the road.
Specific Use Cases: Finding Your Perfect Match
Not all course businesses are created equal, and the best Thinkific plan for you depends heavily on your specific use case. Let’s break down some common scenarios:
Solo Educators with Limited Courses
If you’re a one-person show with plans to offer just a handful of specialized courses, the Pro plan is likely sufficient. You’ll get all the essential tools without paying for scaling features you may not need yet.
Membership or Subscription Models
If your business model relies on recurring revenue through memberships or subscriptions, the Growth package becomes more valuable. The advanced segmentation and group features allow you to create more sophisticated membership experiences with content targeting based on member level or tenure.
Corporate Training Providers
For businesses offering corporate training, the Growth plan’s student groups feature is practically essential. It allows you to organize trainees by company, department, or training cohort, making administration and reporting much more manageable.
Educational Institutions
Schools, universities, or other educational institutions will benefit significantly from the Growth package’s bulk email and advanced user management capabilities when managing large student populations.
According to a survey by Course Creator Hub, 78% of course creators who use their platform for corporate training or formal education environments opted for plans equivalent to Thinkific’s Pro + Growth combination.
Technical Limitations: Where Each Plan Falls Short
No plan is perfect, and understanding the limitations of each option is crucial when comparing Thinkific Pro vs Growth Plan.
The Pro plan, while robust, does have some notable constraints:
- Limited customization for student portals
- Basic email capabilities without advanced segmentation
- No built-in advanced assessment options beyond simple quizzes
- Limited integration capabilities with external tools
Adding the Growth package addresses many of these limitations, but it’s not without its own drawbacks:
- The sliding scale pricing can make costs unpredictable as you grow
- Some users report that the advanced theme settings have a steeper learning curve
- The Brillium exams integration, while powerful, requires additional setup time
It’s worth noting that even with these limitations, Thinkific consistently ranks in the top three learning management systems for ease of use according to G2 user ratings.
FAQs: Your Burning Questions Answered
Can I upgrade from Pro to Pro + Growth later?
Absolutely! Thinkific makes it easy to add the Growth package to your Pro plan at any time. Your billing will be adjusted accordingly, and you’ll gain immediate access to all Growth features.
What happens if my student count decreases after I’ve moved to a higher Growth tier?
Thinkific adjusts your Growth package pricing based on your active student count. If your numbers decrease, you’ll move back down to the appropriate tier at your next billing cycle.
Are there any hidden fees I should know about?
Neither the Pro plan nor the Growth package has hidden fees. However, be aware that certain integrations with third-party tools might have their own costs beyond what you pay Thinkific.
Can I try the Growth features before committing?
Yes! Thinkific occasionally offers temporary access to Growth features for Pro users, allowing you to test drive the additional capabilities before making a decision.
How does customer support differ between the plans?
Both Pro and Pro + Growth users receive priority support. However, Growth package users tend to receive slightly faster response times and more personalized assistance due to their higher investment level.
The Bottom Line: Making Your Decision
We’ve covered a lot of ground in this Thinkific Pro vs Growth Plan comparison, and now it’s time to bring it all together. Which one deserves your investment?
The Pro plan ($99/month or $79/month billed annually) is ideal for:
- Course creators who are just scaling beyond the basics
- Those with straightforward course structures and modest growth projections
- Educators who prioritize course quality over advanced marketing features
- Businesses with tighter budgets who need essential premium features
The Pro + Growth combination (starting at $149/month or $119/month billed annually) is better suited for:
- Educators managing larger student populations
- Businesses with complex course offerings requiring advanced segmentation
- Corporate training providers needing robust group management
- Course creators focused on rapid scaling and sophisticated marketing
Remember that the Growth package is designed to scale with you, so even if you don’t need its features immediately, it’s there when you’re ready to level up.
According to Thinkific’s internal data, approximately 60% of creators who start with the Pro plan ultimately add the Growth package within 18 months as their businesses expand.
Final Thoughts: Investing in Your Course Empire
Whew! We’ve navigated the complex waters of Thinkific Pro vs Growth Plan, and hopefully, you’re now equipped with the knowledge to make the right choice for your unique situation.
Remember, there’s no universally “better” option here—only the option that better aligns with your specific needs, goals, and budget. Many successful course creators have built thriving businesses on both the Pro plan alone and the Pro + Growth combination.
The beauty of Thinkific’s structure is its flexibility. You can start with Pro and upgrade to Growth when the time is right. Your choice today isn’t permanent—it’s just the next step in your course creation journey.
Whichever path you choose, focus on creating exceptional content that delivers real value to your students. At the end of the day, that’s what will drive your success more than any platform feature ever could.
