Softwr

LMS · head to head

Padlet vs Thinkific

Padlet logo

Padlet

LMS

Collaborate on digital walls and canvases

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thinkific logo

Thinkific

LMS

Create and sell online courses your way

From
$36/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Padlet has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Padlet the Internet Archive's capture of Padlet's premium plans page on 10 January 2020 named three distinct paid editions, Padlet Backpack for schools, Padlet Briefcase for businesses, and Padlet Pro for individuals, but the page itself carried no price figures.; Thinkific no free plan, 14-day trial only
  • They diverge on capability: Padlet covers Digital boards, Thinkific covers Course builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Padlet and Thinkific actually diverge.

Attributes where Padlet and Thinkific differ
AttributePadletThinkific
Starting priceFree$36/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile
Founded20082012

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

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 Padlet

  • Digital boards
  • Multimedia posts
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Templates
  • Privacy controls
  • Reactions
  • Comments
  • Export options

Only in Thinkific

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Padlet

  • Brainstormingnot Thinkific
  • Collaborationnot Thinkific
  • Portfoliosnot Thinkific
  • Exit ticketsnot Thinkific

Thinkific

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

Where each one falls short

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

Padlet

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Padlet's premium plans page on 10 January 2020 named three distinct paid editions, Padlet Backpack for schools, Padlet Briefcase for businesses, and Padlet Pro for individuals, but the page itself carried no price figures.

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

Padlet

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 padlets
    • Basic features
  • Pro$8/month
    • Unlimited padlets
    • Privacy controls
    • Custom branding
  • Team$12/month
    • Shared workspace
    • Admin controls
    • Priority support
  • Classroom$99/month
    • Unlimited padlets
    • Student accounts
    • No ads

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 Padlet if

  • You need digital boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want multimedia posts.
Padlet review

Choose Thinkific if

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

Questions people ask

Is Padlet or Thinkific better?
Neither clearly leads. Padlet 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, Padlet or Thinkific?
Padlet has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Padlet and $36/month for Thinkific.
Does Padlet or Thinkific run on more platforms?
Padlet runs on Web, IOS, Android. Thinkific runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Padlet for free?
Yes. Padlet has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Thinkific starts at $36/month.
What is Padlet best used for?
Padlet is most often used for brainstorming, collaboration, portfolios, exit tickets. Of those, brainstorming and collaboration are not what Thinkific is typically brought in for.
What can Padlet do that Thinkific cannot?
Padlet covers Digital boards, Multimedia posts, Real-time collaboration, Templates. Thinkific covers Course builder, Website builder, Quizzes, Certificates. Both handle Web support, IOS support, Android 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
Share

Related pages

More on Padlet

More on Thinkific

Keep looking

Other head to heads