LearnWorlds vs Thinkific: Which is best for online courses?

Are you trying to pack your knowledge into an online course to sell? If so, you’re likely investigating platforms to help you set up your curriculum, connect with students, and market your course effectively.

During your search, LearnWorlds and Thinkific may emerge as top options for sharing your knowledge. Both offer comprehensive tools for creating, marketing, and selling online courses. LearnWorlds, known for its interactive course features, caters to a diverse range of educators and learners. Thinkific, on the other hand, earns praise for its user-friendly interface and robust course creation toolkit. But which platform is right for you? 

Advanced features vs straightforward simplicity

While both platforms enable course creation and sales, their approaches differ. LearnWorlds excels when it comes to offering engaging elements and advanced tools such as interactive videos. Thinkific, meanwhile, focuses on simplicity and ease of use, making it a favorite among beginners.

Below are some unique features for each platform:

LearnWorlds

1. Messaging capabilities: LearnWorlds has an interactive social network-like feature that allows educators to create private or public student groups. For instance, if you’re teaching a photography course, you can create a group where students can share their photos, receive peer feedback, and engage in discussions.
2. Course creation: LearnWorlds allows users to create interactive videos. Imagine embedding questions, popup notes, or links directly in your video lectures, turning a passive watching experience into an engaging learning activity.
3. Data analytics: Advanced analytics dashboards help educators track course completion rates closely to uncover detailed insights. For example, you could isolate the parts of the video students rewatch most to develop a deeper understanding of student engagement.
4. Pricing: LearnWorlds plans start at $24 per month, but it offers a free trial for new users.

Thinkific

1. Notifications: Thinkific enables course creators to set up automated email notifications for various triggers. For instance, you can send a congratulatory email when a student completes a specific chapter, fostering a sense of achievement.
2. Ease of use: Thinkific’s drag-and-drop course builder is perfect for those new to course creation. Imagine designing your course layout, uploading content, and arranging modules without needing advanced technical skills.
3. Integration: Thinkific also offers integrations with various third-party applications. A Jotform integration, which allows you to seamlessly add custom forms to your courses for tasks such as enrollment or pre-course surveys, is available through Zapier.
4. Pricing: Thinkific offers a free basic plan, making it accessible for beginners who need time to design a course. Paid courses start at $36 per month, when billed annually, if you want access to more advanced features. 

A quick look into some standard features

Now that we’ve analyzed some of each platform’s unique features, let’s take a look at features everyone expects from an education platform.

Support

Both platforms provide extensive support through tutorials, community forums, and customer service. However, LearnWorlds offers more personalized support, such as a dedicated account manager for the top-tier plan. That said, Thinkific does have an extensive knowledge base with articles, video tutorials, and regular webinars to help new users find their way.

Marketing

Thinkific’s seamless integrations with marketing platforms give it an edge in attracting a broader audience. Another plus is Thinkific’s range of email marketing integrations that can help you send targeted campaigns directly from the platform. LearnWorlds also has interesting marketing tools, like an affiliate management system.

Security

Security is paramount for both platforms, with regular updates and compliance with data protection regulations. LearnWorlds offers security settings such as SSL certificates for all its sites, regular backups, and isolated databases. Thinkific leverages secure cloud hosting, multifactor authentication, and regular data backups.

Pros and cons

LearnWorlds

• Pros: Advanced interactive tools and in-depth analytics
• Cons: Steeper learning curve and no free version

Thinkific

• Pros: User-friendly tool with a free starter plan
• Cons: Limited interactive course elements

Choosing the right platform

When deciding between LearnWorlds and Thinkific, consider these things:

• Your technical proficiency and time line for course creation
• The level of interactivity you want in your courses
• Your budget 
• The importance of advanced analytics and personalized support

LearnWorlds and Thinkific both offer distinct advantages. Your choice depends on your specific needs, audience, and teaching style. Whether you prioritize interactive course creation or ease of use, each can transform your educational offerings into a successful online venture.

Leveraging Jotform: Your classroom’s tool chest

Jotform is a versatile alternative or supplement to platforms like LearnWorlds and Thinkific, especially for educators seeking a flexible solution. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface allows you to easily create and customize online quizzes, attendance trackers, and forms for classroom management. You can use it to register students, process payments, and collect course feedback.  

Jotform Apps further helps educators flex their digital muscles, enabling them to craft their own educational apps or customize Jotform’s quiz app template. To top it off, Jotform is an education-friendly software. It offers a 50 percent discount for educators and a 30 percent discount on Jotform Enterprise for educational institutions. But don’t take our word for it; try Jotform for free today.

Photo by Ivan Samkov