Softwr

Learning Management · head to head

Thinkific vs Whova

Thinkific logo

Thinkific

Learning Management

Create and sell online courses your way

From
$36/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Whova logo

Whova

Webinar & Virtual Events

Award-winning event management app

From
$1500/event
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Thinkific no free plan, 14-day trial only; Whova mobile app experiences slow loading and occasional crashes during large events
  • They diverge on capability: Thinkific covers Course builder, Whova covers Event mobile app.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Thinkific and Whova actually diverge.

Attributes where Thinkific and Whova differ
AttributeThinkificWhova
Starting price$36/month$1500/event
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryLearning ManagementWebinar & Virtual Events

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2012).

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 Thinkific

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

Only in Whova

  • Event mobile app
  • Agenda management
  • Attendee networking
  • Live polling
  • Virtual sessions
  • Zoom
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

Both cover

  • Mailchimp
  • Web support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Thinkific

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

Whova

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

Where each one falls short

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

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)

Whova

  • Mobile app experiences slow loading and occasional crashes during large events
  • Limited customization options to align with specific event branding needs
  • Notification overload can overwhelm attendees with too many messages
  • Default privacy settings include contact sharing concerns and data hosting in the US

Pricing, plan by plan

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)

Whova

$1500/event
  • Basic$1500/event
    • Event app
    • Agenda builder
    • Networking
  • Professional$3000/event
    • Virtual event support
    • Gamification
    • Analytics
  • Enterprise$6000/event
    • Custom development
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Thinkific if

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

Choose Whova if

  • You need event mobile app.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want agenda management.
Whova review

Questions people ask

Is Thinkific or Whova better?
Neither clearly leads. Thinkific starts at $36/month and Whova at $1500/event, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Thinkific or Whova?
Thinkific starts at $36/month and Whova at $1500/event.
Does Thinkific or Whova run on more platforms?
Thinkific runs on Web, Mobile. Whova runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Thinkific best used for?
Thinkific is most often used for course creation, membership sites, coaching programs, corporate training. Of those, course creation and membership sites are not what Whova is typically brought in for.
What can Thinkific do that Whova cannot?
Thinkific covers Course builder, Website builder, Quizzes, Certificates. Whova covers Event mobile app, Agenda management, Attendee networking, Live polling. Both handle Mailchimp, Web 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
Whova: How much does Whova cost?

Whova uses a quote-based pricing model. Final cost depends on event size, frequency, and features required. Contact their sales team for customized pricing.

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
Whova: Does Whova offer a free tier or trial?

Whova does not publish a permanent free plan, but offers no per-ticket registration fees for free events. A demo/trial is available by request.

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
Whova: What platforms does Whova support?

Whova provides native apps for iOS and Android covering 97% of mobile users, plus a web portal accessible from any device including browsers on laptops and desktops.

Source
Whova: Does Whova integrate with other tools?

Yes, Whova integrates with Zoom, Slack, and Mailchimp through Zapier for automation, enabling seamless data flow between platforms without manual data entry.

Source
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