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Thinkific's monthly fee starts at $49 and the Start plan caps you at 5 courses. AOVANCY is free to start with unlimited courses, includes an AI wizard that drafts outlines and lessons, and has a marketplace bringing buyers in — not just software you rent.
Real numbers from real creators
€8,385
top creator earned in 6 weeks
€17K+
paid to creators so far
373+
orders completed
€119
Founder Pass — free for first 50
| Thinkific | AOVANCY | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $49-$199+/mo (Start/Grow/Plus) | €0 — pay only on sales |
| Transaction fee | 0% | 15% standard / 7.5% with Founder Pass |
| Marketplace traffic | None | Built-in /marketplace + SEO |
| Course limit (cheap plan) | 5 courses on Start | Unlimited on free Starter |
| AI course builder | Not available | AI wizard drafts outline + lessons |
| Crypto payouts | Not supported | Supported |
Thinkific is a solid LMS — it just isn't free, and it's a pure host. You pay $49+/month on the Start plan (capped at 5 courses), $99/month on Grow, $199/month on Pro. That's €600-€2,400/year before you've made a sale. AOVANCY flips it: free Starter plan with unlimited courses and a 15% commission only when you actually earn — so cost scales with revenue, not with calendar time.
The second swing point is distribution. Thinkific gives you a course player and expects you to drive 100% of your own traffic. AOVANCY runs a discovery-driven marketplace at aovancy.com/marketplace — buyers searching for "trading course", "Notion templates", or "design system" can find your work organically. See real outcomes on the creator case studies page.
And on the build side: AOVANCY ships an AI Course Creator that drafts course outlines and lesson content from a topic prompt. Thinkific doesn't — you bring your own outline. For creators going from zero to first course, that's typically days vs weeks.
If you're already on Thinkific Grow or Pro, the migration math is straightforward: cancel after a billing cycle, re-upload to AOVANCY (drag-drop video + a thumbnail), and stop paying monthly. Your buyer list comes with you via Stripe.
AI drafts your outline. AOVANCY hosts the lessons. Marketplace brings buyers.
Also see: vs Teachable · vs Kajabi · vs Podia