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Presentation & Slides · head to head

Google Slides vs Thinkific

Google Slides logo

Google Slides

Presentation & Slides

Create amazing presentations together

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thinkific logo

Thinkific

Learning Management

Create and sell online courses your way

From
$36/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Slides has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Slides presentation recording and presenter camera embedding are only available on some Google Workspace Business and Enterprise plans, not on the free consumer version; Thinkific no free plan, 14-day trial only

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Slides and Thinkific actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Slides and Thinkific differ
AttributeGoogle SlidesThinkific
Starting priceFree$36/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
CategoryPresentation & SlidesLearning Management
FoundedUnknown2012

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

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 Google Slides

Nothing recorded that Thinkific does not also cover.

Only in Thinkific

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

What people use each for

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

Google Slides

No use cases recorded yet. See the Google Slides review.

Thinkific

  • Course creationnot Google Slides
  • Membership sitesnot Google Slides
  • Coaching programsnot Google Slides
  • Corporate trainingnot Google Slides

Where each one falls short

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

Google Slides

  • Presentation recording and presenter camera embedding are only available on some Google Workspace Business and Enterprise plans, not on the free consumer version

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

Google Slides

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Slides review.

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 Google Slides if

  • You want to start without paying.
Google Slides review

Choose Thinkific if

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

Questions people ask

Is Google Slides or Thinkific better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Slides 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, Google Slides or Thinkific?
Google Slides has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Slides and $36/month for Thinkific.
Does Google Slides or Thinkific run on more platforms?
Google Slides runs on Web. Thinkific runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Google Slides for free?
Yes. Google Slides has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Thinkific starts at $36/month.
What can Google Slides do that Thinkific cannot?
Thinkific covers Course builder, Website builder, Quizzes, Certificates.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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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Related pages

More on Google Slides

More on Thinkific

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