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Software · head to head

Kaltura vs Thinkific

Kaltura logo

Kaltura

Software

Video platform for learning, media, and engagement

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thinkific logo

Thinkific

Software

Create and sell online courses your way

From
$36/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kaltura the pricing page lists ten separate products and publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver for them, routing visitors to a quote request; Thinkific no free plan, 14-day trial only
  • They diverge on capability: Kaltura covers Video creation, Thinkific covers Course builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kaltura and Thinkific actually diverge.

Attributes where Kaltura and Thinkific differ
AttributeKalturaThinkific
Starting priceOn request$36/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWindows, Mac, IOS, Android, WebWeb, Mobile
Founded20062012

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Kaltura

  • Video creation
  • Live streaming
  • Interactive content
  • Mobile apps
  • Canvas
  • Blackboard
  • Moodle
  • Salesforce

Only in Thinkific

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

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • IOS support
  • Android support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Kaltura

  • Enterprise video portals and internal town hallsnot Thinkific
  • Virtual classrooms and lecture capture for universitiesnot Thinkific

Thinkific

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

Where each one falls short

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

Kaltura

  • The pricing page lists ten separate products and publishes no rate, no minimum and no named cost driver for them, routing visitors to a quote request
  • Capabilities are split across separate products such as Webinars, Virtual Events, Town Halls, Video Portal and Virtual Classroom, each licensed on its own

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

Kaltura

On request
  • Starter$400/month
    • Video library
    • Basic features
  • Professional$1000/month
    • Live streaming
    • Analytics
  • Enterprise$2500/month
    • Custom solutions
    • Support

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 Kaltura if

  • You need video creation.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want live streaming.
Kaltura review

Choose Thinkific if

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

Questions people ask

Is Kaltura or Thinkific better?
Neither clearly leads. Kaltura starts at On request and Thinkific at $36/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kaltura or Thinkific?
Kaltura starts at On request and Thinkific at $36/month.
Does Kaltura or Thinkific run on more platforms?
Kaltura runs on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web. Thinkific runs on Web, Mobile.
What is Kaltura best used for?
Kaltura is most often used for enterprise video portals and internal town halls, virtual classrooms and lecture capture for universities. Of those, enterprise video portals and internal town halls and virtual classrooms and lecture capture for universities are not what Thinkific is typically brought in for.
What can Kaltura do that Thinkific cannot?
Kaltura covers Video creation, Live streaming, Interactive content, Mobile apps. Thinkific covers Course builder, Website builder, Quizzes, Certificates. Both handle Analytics, IOS support, Android support, Web support.

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

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