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Software · head to head

Codecademy vs Thinkific

Codecademy logo

Codecademy

Software

Learn to code interactively for free

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thinkific logo

Thinkific

Software

Create and sell online courses your way

From
$36/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Codecademy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Codecademy free plan has limited access to quizzes and projects; Thinkific no free plan, 14-day trial only
  • They diverge on capability: Codecademy covers Interactive coding, Thinkific covers Course builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Codecademy and Thinkific actually diverge.

Attributes where Codecademy and Thinkific differ
AttributeCodecademyThinkific
Starting priceFree$36/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
Founded20112012

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Codecademy

  • Interactive coding
  • Instant feedback
  • Projects
  • Career paths
  • Mobile app
  • Offline practice
  • Community forums
  • GitHub

Only in Thinkific

  • Course builder
  • Website builder
  • Certificates
  • Communities
  • Memberships
  • Marketing tools
  • Analytics
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Quizzes
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Codecademy

  • Learn to codenot Thinkific
  • Career transitionnot Thinkific
  • Skill buildingnot Thinkific
  • Portfolio projectsnot Thinkific

Thinkific

  • Course creationnot Codecademy
  • Membership sitesnot Codecademy
  • Coaching programsnot Codecademy
  • Corporate trainingnot Codecademy

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Codecademy

  • Free plan has limited access to quizzes and projects
  • Pro pricing at $15.99/month is among the higher options for coding education platforms

Thinkific

  • No free plan, 14-day trial only
  • Transaction fees on third-party payment processors (5% on Basic tier)
  • PayPal only available on Grow plan ($199/month), not on Basic or Start
  • Limited customization on lower-tier plans
  • Cannot embed courses in external domains or iframes
  • Limited number of spaces per plan
  • Less interactive community features compared to alternatives
  • Features continuously moved to higher-priced tiers
  • Payment processing delays reported (up to 90 days)

Pricing, plan by plan

Codecademy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic courses
    • Interactive lessons
    • Community
  • Plus$17.49/month
    • All courses
    • Projects
    • Quizzes
  • Pro$29.99/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Interview prep
    • Real-world projects

Thinkific

$36/month
  • Basic$36/month
    • 1 course
    • Up to 500 students
    • Thinkific Payments (0% fees)
  • Start$74/month
    • Up to 3 courses
    • Up to 2,000 students
    • Third-party payment (3% fees)
  • Grow$149/month
    • Unlimited courses
    • Unlimited students
    • Third-party payment (0% fees)

Which should you pick?

Choose Codecademy if

  • You need interactive coding.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want instant feedback.
Codecademy review

Choose Thinkific if

  • You need course builder.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want website builder.
Thinkific review

Questions people ask

Is Codecademy or Thinkific better?
Neither clearly leads. Codecademy starts at Free and Thinkific at $36/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Codecademy or Thinkific?
Codecademy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Codecademy and $36/month for Thinkific.
Does Codecademy or Thinkific run on more platforms?
Codecademy runs on Web. Thinkific runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Codecademy for free?
Yes. Codecademy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Thinkific starts at $36/month.
What is Codecademy best used for?
Codecademy is most often used for learn to code, career transition, skill building, portfolio projects. Of those, learn to code and career transition are not what Thinkific is typically brought in for.
What can Codecademy do that Thinkific cannot?
Codecademy covers Interactive coding, Instant feedback, Projects, Career paths. Thinkific covers Course builder, Website builder, Certificates, Communities. Both handle Quizzes, Web support, IOS support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Codecademy: Does Codecademy have a free plan?

Yes. Codecademy offers a permanent free plan with access to basic courses and introductory content. Advanced features like quizzes, projects, and career paths require Pro with a 7-day free trial.

Source
Thinkific: Does Thinkific have a free plan?

No. Thinkific does not offer a free plan but provides a 14-day free trial. Paid plans start at $36/month (Basic tier).

Source
Codecademy: What is Codecademy Pro pricing?

Codecademy Pro costs $15.99/month when billed annually. Student pricing is available at a discount.

Source
Thinkific: Are there transaction fees on Thinkific?

Thinkific charges no transaction fees when using their built-in Thinkific Payments. Third-party payment processors incur 5% fees (Basic) down to 0% (Plus), plus 3.6% for Stripe with subscriptions.

Source
Thinkific: What payment methods does Thinkific support?

PayPal is locked to Grow plan ($199/month). Basic and Start plans do not support PayPal, limiting payment options for international creators and potentially reducing conversions.

Source
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