How Patreon and Thinkific compare
Patreon turned fans into patrons. Membership tiers, members-only posts, community chats, a shop for one-off items, and native podcast and video delivery give creators steady income from the people who care most. It is the default word for creator memberships, and the tools have grown up with it.
Thinkific is a reliable place to build and sell learning. Courses, assessments, certificates, communities, memberships, and a branded mobile app option let a training business grow without moving platforms, and the site builder is good enough that many creators never need another. It is steady, well documented, and built around the student.
Where they are different
Patreon
- Patreon lives at patreon.com/yourname and gates most content.
- Patreon takes a percentage of membership revenue.
- Patreon messages patrons in-app.
Thinkific
- Thinkific pages exist to sell courses.
- Thinkific broadcasts to students and sends abandoned-cart email.
- Thinkific books coaching calendars on Start and up.
Choose Patreon when recurring fan support with tiers and members-only perks is the model.
Choose Thinkific when courses, assessments, and student communities are the business.
Compare features
What's on Patreon and Thinkific
A check means that capability is available. Patreon and Thinkific are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace sitePatreon: Not includedThinkific: Included
- Custom domainPatreon: Not includedThinkific: Included
Public content
- Shop pagesPatreon: IncludedThinkific: Included
Audience and email
- AudiencePatreon: IncludedThinkific: Included
- Marketing emailsPatreon: IncludedThinkific: Included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsPatreon: IncludedThinkific: Included
- Orders and fulfillmentPatreon: IncludedThinkific: Included
- Scheduling and bookingsLink to external scheduling available on Starter.Patreon: Not includedThinkific: Included
Team
- Admin usersPatreon: IncludedThinkific: Included
- Per-admin permissionsPatreon: IncludedThinkific: Included
- AI AssistantPatreon: Not includedThinkific: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Patreon or Thinkific, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Patreon or Thinkific may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Patreon vs Thinkific pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Patreon
Current plans and prices
See what Patreon charges on their pricing page.
Thinkific
Current plans and prices
See what Thinkific charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Patreon and Thinkific
You don't pay until you publish.
Cardel provides a home for your craft. Share and sell your work, grow your audience, and bring your community together on a site of your own.
Common questions
Is Cardel an alternative to Patreon or Thinkific?
Cardel is a home for your craft: a site of your own with a blog, newsletter, shop, community, and one inbox. It can replace Patreon or Thinkific when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Patreon and Thinkific are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Patreon or Thinkific?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Patreon or Thinkific for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Patreon and Thinkific?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Patreon and Thinkific set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Patreon or Thinkific to Cardel?
Start with Build Your Site, set up your home, and bring your work over at your own pace. You do not have to move everything on day one.