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Software · head to head

Hopin vs Thinkific

Hopin logo

Hopin

Software

Virtual and hybrid events at scale

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 Hopin has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hopin platform complexity with feature breadth that results in no single feature being particularly strong compared to specialized competitors; Thinkific no free plan, 14-day trial only
  • They diverge on capability: Hopin covers Virtual stages, Thinkific covers Course builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hopin and Thinkific actually diverge.

Attributes where Hopin and Thinkific differ
AttributeHopinThinkific
Starting priceFree$36/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile
Founded20192012

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Hopin

  • Virtual stages
  • Networking sessions
  • Expo areas
  • Breakout rooms
  • Live streaming
  • HubSpot
  • Salesforce
  • Marketo

Only in Thinkific

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

Both cover

  • Stripe
  • Zapier
  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Hopin

  • Event planningnot Thinkific
  • Ticket salesnot Thinkific
  • Attendee managementnot Thinkific
  • Virtual eventsnot Thinkific
  • Event marketingnot Thinkific

Thinkific

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

Where each one falls short

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

Hopin

  • Platform complexity with feature breadth that results in no single feature being particularly strong compared to specialized competitors
  • Hard registration caps with additional charges if events exceed 100 registrations
  • Post-acquisition delays with slow account activation taking up to 45 days and slow responses to onboarding questions
  • High pricing particularly problematic for organizations running occasional or simple webinars
  • No Facebook or YouTube live streaming integration and limited caption support for accessibility

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

Hopin

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Hopin 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 Hopin if

  • You need virtual stages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want networking sessions.
Hopin review

Choose Thinkific if

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

Questions people ask

Is Hopin or Thinkific better?
Neither clearly leads. Hopin 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, Hopin or Thinkific?
Hopin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Hopin and $36/month for Thinkific.
Does Hopin or Thinkific run on more platforms?
Hopin runs on Web, iOS, Android. Thinkific runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Hopin for free?
Yes. Hopin has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Thinkific starts at $36/month.
What is Hopin best used for?
Hopin is most often used for event planning, ticket sales, attendee management, virtual events. Of those, event planning and ticket sales are not what Thinkific is typically brought in for.
What can Hopin do that Thinkific cannot?
Hopin covers Virtual stages, Networking sessions, Expo areas, Breakout rooms. Thinkific covers Course builder, Website builder, Quizzes, Certificates. Both handle Stripe, Zapier, Web support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hopin: What is Hopin's pricing?

Hopin (now RingCentral Events) starts at approximately $99 per organizer per month (billed annually) for the Events Pro plan, with higher tiers at $199 and $299 per month adding onsite capabilities and advanced integrations. A free plan is available with limited features.

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
Hopin: What features does Hopin include?

Hopin provides registration, live streaming, networking tools (1:1 video matchmaking, breakout rooms), virtual reception and expo areas, real-time analytics and reporting, and integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and Pardot.

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
Hopin: Can Hopin live stream to Facebook or YouTube?

No. Hopin does not offer native options to live stream video conferencing directly to Facebook or YouTube. This requires manual setup or third-party solutions.

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
Hopin: Does Hopin provide automated captions during events?

Hopin does not offer built-in caption support across all features, which is a limitation for accessibility and engagement during live sessions.

Source
Hopin: Who acquired Hopin?

RingCentral acquired Hopin in late 2023. The platform is now sold as RingCentral Events with ongoing support and updates managed by RingCentral.

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