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Software · head to head

Seesaw vs Thinkific

Seesaw logo

Seesaw

Software

Student-driven digital portfolios and family communication

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 Seesaw has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Seesaw seesaw Starter limited to 1 active class per teacher and 35 students maximum; Thinkific no free plan, 14-day trial only
  • They diverge on capability: Seesaw covers Digital portfolios, Thinkific covers Course builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Seesaw and Thinkific actually diverge.

Attributes where Seesaw and Thinkific differ
AttributeSeesawThinkific
Starting priceFree$36/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, Android, ChromebookWeb, Mobile
Founded20132012

Identical on both: 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 Seesaw

  • Digital portfolios
  • Creative tools
  • Family messaging
  • Activity library
  • Assessment
  • Translation
  • Multimodal responses
  • Mobile apps

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.

Seesaw

  • Student portfoliosnot Thinkific
  • Family communicationnot Thinkific
  • Formative assessmentnot Thinkific
  • Student voicenot Thinkific

Thinkific

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

Where each one falls short

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

Seesaw

  • Seesaw Starter limited to 1 active class per teacher and 35 students maximum
  • Free tier only offers 35 activities and 5 multimedia items per post
  • No individual teacher subscriptions available; requires school or district purchase
  • Paid licenses start at $2,500 USD minimum per school or district

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

Seesaw

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Digital portfolios
    • Family messaging
    • Basic activities
  • Seesaw Plus$12/month
    • All free features
    • Advanced activities
    • Skill-based learning
  • Seesaw for Schools$undefined/month
    • Admin tools
    • Analytics
    • SSO

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 Seesaw if

  • You need digital portfolios.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, Chromebook.
  • You also want creative tools.
Seesaw review

Choose Thinkific if

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

Questions people ask

Is Seesaw or Thinkific better?
Neither clearly leads. Seesaw 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, Seesaw or Thinkific?
Seesaw has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Seesaw and $36/month for Thinkific.
Does Seesaw or Thinkific run on more platforms?
Seesaw runs on Web, IOS, Android, Chromebook. Thinkific runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Seesaw for free?
Yes. Seesaw has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Thinkific starts at $36/month.
What is Seesaw best used for?
Seesaw is most often used for student portfolios, family communication, formative assessment, student voice. Of those, student portfolios and family communication are not what Thinkific is typically brought in for.
What can Seesaw do that Thinkific cannot?
Seesaw covers Digital portfolios, Creative tools, Family messaging, Activity library. Thinkific covers Course builder, Website builder, Quizzes, Certificates. Both handle Web support, IOS support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Seesaw: Is Seesaw free to use?

Seesaw offers a free tier called Seesaw Starter. Effective June 30, 2026, Seesaw Starter is limited to 1 active class per teacher, 35 students maximum, 35 activities, and 5 multimedia items per post. Paid plans are available for schools and districts only.

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
Seesaw: What grade levels does Seesaw support?

Seesaw is designed for elementary education from pre-kindergarten through 6th grade. It serves as the only elementary Learning Experience Platform with award-winning tools for joyful, inclusive instruction.

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
Seesaw: What new features are coming to Seesaw in 2026?

As of June 30, 2026, Seesaw Starter users gain AI-powered tools with included credits, Student Highlights Folders, and Post Visibility Settings to control who can see sensitive student work.

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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