Thinkific is not a marketplace like Udemy or Skillshare. It is software you pay for to build and sell online courses on your own website, under your own brand, at your own price. That makes it interesting for side hustlers in three different ways: you can sell your own course on it, you can earn recurring commissions through the Thinkific affiliate program, or you can sell Thinkific setup and design services to course creators on Fiverr.
This guide covers all three as of 2026, with current plan pricing, affiliate terms and a practical plan for each path.
The Thinkific affiliate program
If you write, make videos or post about online business, the Thinkific affiliate program is one of the better-paying software offers in the course creator niche. Here are the terms listed on Thinkific's affiliate page as of 2026:
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| Commission | 30% of recurring revenue on paid monthly or annual plans |
| Duration | Recurring for as long as the referred customer stays on a paid plan |
| Plus plan referrals | $150 per month instead of a percentage |
| Cookie | 90 days from the first click |
| Minimum payout | $25 |
| Payout methods | PayPal or Stripe |
| Cost to join | Free |
Recurring commissions are what make this program worth attention. One referral on a mid-tier plan keeps paying you every month it stays active, so a handful of referrals each month compounds into a meaningful monthly figure over a year or two. Model it with the affiliate commission calculator (it is also in the sidebar): enter a plan price, 30% commission and an assumed churn rate.
How to actually get Thinkific affiliate sales
- Write comparison content. "Thinkific vs. Teachable" and "best course platforms" searches come from people close to buying.
- Show your own setup. A walkthrough of building a real course on Thinkific converts far better than a generic review.
- Target specific creators. Coaches, fitness trainers, yoga teachers and consultants all need course platforms. Niche content beats broad content.
- Disclose your links. FTC rules require clear disclosure of affiliate relationships, and readers trust you more when you do.
Search content is the long game here. If you are new to SEO, a keyword tool like Semrush helps you find comparison keywords worth targeting.
What Thinkific affiliate income could look like
Here is a simple illustration, not a promise. Say you refer three people a month who each pick the Basic plan billed monthly at roughly $54. At 30%, each referral is worth about $16 a month for as long as they stay. If nobody cancelled, after 12 months you would have 36 active referrals worth roughly $580 a month. In reality some customers cancel, some choose annual billing and some upgrade, so your actual number will be lower or higher. The point is that recurring commissions stack, which one-time payouts do not.
Two things move this number the most: the plan your referrals choose (a Start or Grow referral is worth two to four times a Basic one) and how long they stay. Content that helps people succeed on Thinkific, such as setup tutorials and course launch guides, tends to attract customers who stick around.
Who should join the Thinkific affiliate program
- Bloggers and YouTubers in online business, education, coaching or creator-economy niches.
- Existing Thinkific users who can show real results from their own school.
- Freelancers and consultants who set up course platforms for clients and can recommend Thinkific honestly.
- Newsletter writers whose readers are building digital products.
If you do not create content or work with course creators, a 30% commission will not do much on its own. Pair the program with a channel you control.
Selling your own course on Thinkific
The main reason people use Thinkific is to sell their own courses without giving a marketplace most of the revenue. You build a course site, upload video lessons, quizzes and downloads, set your price (one-time, payment plan, subscription or bundle) and take payments through Thinkific Payments or another supported processor.
Thinkific pricing in 2026
Thinkific raised prices in 2026, with reports of roughly a 10% increase applying to renewals from August 2026. As of late 2026 the plans are reported at roughly:
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually (per month) | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | ~$54 | ~$40 | Your first course |
| Start | ~$109 | ~$82 | Several courses, more selling tools |
| Grow | ~$219 | ~$164 | Established course businesses |
| Plus | Custom | Custom | Larger teams and enterprises |
Thinkific does not take a platform cut when you use Thinkific Payments; standard card processing fees still apply. Some third-party reviews report an extra transaction fee on lower plans if you use an outside payment gateway, so check the current fine print. Older pages may still show the pre-2026 prices ($49/$99/$199), and availability of a free plan or trial has changed over time, so confirm on Thinkific's pricing page before you sign up.
Run your numbers with the course revenue calculator. Try a realistic price, a modest number of monthly sales and subtract your plan cost, then compare the result to the same course on Udemy.
Online Course Revenue Calculator
See what one course could earn per month on Udemy, Skillshare and your own Thinkific site.
How to launch a course on Thinkific
- Validate the idea first. Pre-sell to your audience, run a free webinar or survey your email list. A course with no audience behind it will not sell on Thinkific, because there is no marketplace traffic.
- Outline the transformation. Define the specific result a student gets, then split it into modules and short lessons.
- Record your lessons. Start with simple screen recordings or talking-head video. Clear audio matters most.
- Build the site. Pick a theme, create your sales page, set up checkout and connect your email tool.
- Price with confidence. Courses on your own site typically sell at higher prices than marketplace courses, because you are selling directly to people who already trust you.
- Launch to your list. Use an email sequence, a launch discount and a deadline. Your first sales come from people who already know you.
- Add evergreen traffic. Blog posts, YouTube videos and social content keep new students arriving after launch.
Recording setup for Thinkific course creators
You do not need a studio to produce a course that sells at a premium. A good microphone, steady light and a webcam cover most needs, and a laptop stand gets your camera to eye level for talking-head lessons.
Thinkific + Fiverr: two side hustle angles
People searching "Thinkific Fiverr" usually want one of two things: to hire help building a Thinkific course, or to earn money by selling Thinkific services. Both work.
Hire Fiverr freelancers to build your course
If you know your subject but hate tech, Fiverr freelancers can handle the parts you would rather skip: Thinkific site setup, theme design, sales page copy, video editing, slide design, logo work and migrating a course from Teachable or Kajabi.
Sell Thinkific setup services on Fiverr
Learn Thinkific inside out, then offer packaged gigs: "I will set up your Thinkific course site," "I will design your Thinkific landing page," or "I will upload and organize your course." Coaches and creators will pay for speed.
Thinkific gig ideas that sell
- Full course site setup: theme, navigation, checkout, legal pages and a first course uploaded.
- Sales page design and copy: a high-converting landing page for a single course.
- Course migration: moving lessons, students and pricing from another platform.
- Lesson video editing: trimming, captions, intros and consistent audio levels.
- Email and automation setup: connecting Thinkific to an email tool and building a welcome sequence.
- Ongoing site maintenance: a monthly package for adding lessons, updating pages and handling small fixes.
Start with one or two gigs, collect reviews, and expand once you know which requests come in most. Many course creators also need help with marketing, so skills from a digital marketing side hustle pair naturally with Thinkific services.
How to start a Thinkific services gig
- Build a demo site. Use a trial or your own plan to create a polished sample school you can show in your portfolio.
- Pick a narrow offer. Site setup, landing page design and course migration are easier to sell than "anything Thinkific."
- Create three packages. For example: basic setup, setup plus sales page, and full build with email integration.
- Price for the fee. Fiverr keeps 20%, so build that into your rates. The freelance rate calculator does the math.
- Add your affiliate link where appropriate. Clients who do not yet have an account may sign up through your Thinkific affiliate link. Disclose it, and never pressure clients onto a plan they do not need.
Thinkific vs. Udemy vs. Skillshare vs. Teachable
The key difference is who owns the students and who brings the traffic. As of 2026 (prices are approximate and change often):
| Platform | Cost to you | Your revenue share | Traffic | Who owns the students |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thinkific | From ~$40/mo (annual) | Nearly 100% minus payment processing | You bring it | You |
| Teachable | From ~$29/mo (annual) | 100% minus fees; 7.5% fee on Starter | You bring it | You |
| Udemy | Free | 37% organic, 97% via your coupons | Udemy marketplace | Udemy |
| Skillshare | Free | Royalty pool by minutes watched | Skillshare members | Skillshare |
Pros and cons of Thinkific as a side hustle
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| You set prices and keep nearly all revenue | Monthly fee whether or not you sell |
| You own your student list and brand | No marketplace traffic; marketing is on you |
| Affiliate program pays 30% recurring with a 90-day cookie | 2026 price increase raised the cost to start |
| Platform skills sell as Fiverr services | Fiverr takes 20% of service orders |
Is Thinkific worth it for a beginner?
If you have zero audience, paying a monthly fee for a course platform before anyone has asked to buy from you is usually the wrong first move. A better sequence for most beginners looks like this:
- Start where the traffic already is. Publish a short course on Udemy or a class on Skillshare to test whether people want what you teach.
- Build an email list on the side. Offer a free checklist or mini-lesson related to your course so interested students can follow you off-platform.
- Move to Thinkific when you can fill it. Once a few hundred people are on your list, a premium course on your own site starts to make financial sense.
If you already have an audience (a YouTube channel, a client base, a newsletter or an active social following), skip straight to Thinkific. You will keep far more of each sale and own the relationship with every student.
Bottom line
Thinkific is the right tool once you have an audience and want to keep the money and the customer relationship. If you do not yet, start on a marketplace, grow an email list, and move your best course to Thinkific later. Meanwhile, the affiliate program and Fiverr services let you earn from Thinkific without making a course at all. For more ways to earn with your skills, browse the Better Side Hustles blog.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Thinkific affiliate program pay?
As of 2026, Thinkific's affiliate page lists a 30% recurring commission on paid monthly or annual plans for as long as the referred customer keeps paying, and $150 per month for referrals on the custom-priced Plus plan. The cookie lasts 90 days and payouts go out by PayPal or Stripe once you reach $25. Check the affiliate terms when you apply, since rates can change.
Is the Thinkific affiliate program the same as a referral program?
People use the terms interchangeably. Thinkific's official partner offer is its affiliate program: you get a unique link, and when someone signs up for a paid plan through it within 90 days of clicking, you earn a recurring commission. There is no separate customer "refer a friend" program advertised alongside it as of 2026.
Can I hire someone on Fiverr to build my Thinkific course?
Yes. Fiverr has freelancers who set up Thinkific sites, design course landing pages, edit lesson videos, write sales copy and migrate courses from other platforms. Give them a clear brief, a content outline and admin access through a collaborator account rather than your own login, and check reviews and portfolio samples first.
Can you make money selling Thinkific setup services on Fiverr?
Yes, it is a realistic side hustle if you learn the platform well. Course creators pay for site setup, theme customization, course uploading, email integrations and migrations. Fiverr keeps 20% of each order, so price your gigs to cover that fee and package them into clear tiers.
How much does Thinkific cost in 2026?
Thinkific raised prices in 2026. Its Basic, Start and Grow plans are reported at roughly $54, $109 and $219 per month billed monthly, or about $40, $82 and $164 per month billed annually, with Plus on custom pricing. Prices vary by region and change often, so confirm on Thinkific's pricing page.
Is Thinkific better than Udemy for selling a course?
It depends on whether you have an audience. Thinkific lets you set any price, keep nearly all revenue after payment fees, and own your student email list, but you have to bring the traffic and pay a monthly fee. Udemy is free and supplies students, but keeps 63% of organic sales and discounts prices heavily.
Better Side Hustles Editorial Team. We research side hustles the practical way — platform fees, real pay ranges and what it takes to land your first dollar. How we write our guides.
Last reviewed October 26, 2026. Pay ranges are estimates and vary by city, season and effort. This article may contain affiliate links; see our disclosure.
