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Software · head to head

Rakuten vs Thinkific

Rakuten logo

Rakuten

Software

Get cash back on every purchase

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 Rakuten has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Rakuten minimum withdrawal amount of $5.01 creates friction for light users; Thinkific no free plan, 14-day trial only
  • They diverge on capability: Rakuten covers Cash back rewards, Thinkific covers Course builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rakuten and Thinkific actually diverge.

Attributes where Rakuten and Thinkific differ
AttributeRakutenThinkific
Starting priceFree$36/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsBrowser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)Web, Mobile
Founded19992012

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 Rakuten

  • Cash back rewards
  • Coupon codes
  • In-store offers
  • Price comparisons
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Safari support

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.

Rakuten

No use cases recorded yet. See the Rakuten review.

Thinkific

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

Where each one falls short

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

Rakuten

  • Minimum withdrawal amount of $5.01 creates friction for light users
  • Quarterly payout schedule only, with months-long delays between earning and receiving payments
  • Amazon cashback limited to specific categories at 1-3% rates
  • Must click through Rakuten link first or cashback does not register

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

Rakuten

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Rakuten 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 Rakuten if

  • You need cash back rewards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
  • You also want coupon codes.
Rakuten review

Choose Thinkific if

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

Questions people ask

Is Rakuten or Thinkific better?
Neither clearly leads. Rakuten 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, Rakuten or Thinkific?
Rakuten has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Rakuten and $36/month for Thinkific.
Does Rakuten or Thinkific run on more platforms?
Rakuten runs on Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge). Thinkific runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Rakuten for free?
Yes. Rakuten has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Thinkific starts at $36/month.
What can Rakuten do that Thinkific cannot?
Rakuten covers Cash back rewards, Coupon codes, In-store offers, Price comparisons. Thinkific covers Course builder, Website builder, Quizzes, Certificates.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rakuten: Is Rakuten free to use?

Yes, the Rakuten browser extension is completely free with no membership fees. Users never pay to earn cashback rewards.

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
Rakuten: How and when can I withdraw my cashback earnings?

Rakuten processes payouts quarterly in February, May, August, and November. You need a minimum balance of $5.01 to request a payout via PayPal or check.

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
Rakuten: How many stores does Rakuten support?

Rakuten works with over 3,500 online stores and offers cashback rates up to 40% depending on the retailer and promotion.

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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