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Canvas LMS vs Thinkific Plus comparison

Instructure and Thinkific are both solutions in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category. Instructure is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.0, while Thinkific is ranked #19 with an average rating of 5.5. Instructure holds a 5.3% mindshare in LMS, compared to Thinkific’s 0.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Instructure users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 50% of Thinkific users who would recommend it.
Canvas LMS
Read 10 Canvas LMS reviews
  • 703 Views
  • 466 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
Thinkific Plus
Read 2 Thinkific Plus reviews
  • 98 Views
  • 43 Comparison Views
50% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Canvas LMS and Thinkific Plus are competing products in the learning management system space. Canvas LMS is preferred for its comprehensive course management tools and integration capabilities, while Thinkific Plus stands out with its content creation and marketing features.

Features: Canvas LMS provides advanced communication tools, extensive third-party integrations, and comprehensive analytics. Thinkific Plus offers content monetization, customizable course sites, and an intuitive course builder.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Canvas LMS has a modular deployment model with strong support for customization and administrative control, making it suitable for institutions with IT resources. Thinkific Plus is cloud-based, allowing quick setup and immediate use, emphasizing user-friendly interfaces and fast customer support, ideal for those seeking easy deployment without extensive technical involvement.

Pricing and ROI: Canvas LMS often involves a higher upfront investment but offers significant ROI for large institutions due to its comprehensive features and customizability. Thinkific Plus, with a lower initial cost, provides strong ROI for smaller businesses and entrepreneurs by focusing on marketing and content monetization.

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To learn more, read our detailed Canvas LMS vs. Thinkific Plus Report (Updated: April 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Canvas LMS vs. Thinkific Plus
April 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Canvas LMS
Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
10
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Thinkific Plus
Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)
19th
Average Rating
5.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.5
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category, the mindshare of Canvas LMS is 5.3%, up from 5.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Thinkific Plus is 0.4%, down from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
 

Featured Reviews

James Phelps - PeerSpot reviewer
Intuitive, easy to learn, and easy to adapt to various teaching methodologies
It is scalable. There must be 20,000 people using it on that campus. We run a medical college, a public health department, and the hard sciences department. We also have a lot of things that are spread out across the state of Florida through Canvas. So, it is pretty scalable. In terms of our plans to increase its usage, I don't know what the university is going to do, but right now, the university is saturated with Canvas. Even if you're doing classes in a regular standard classroom, all of your exams, all of your quizzes, all of your practicals, and all of your teaching are recorded and loaded into the Canvas system for future review by accreditors. So, it is pretty well saturated on that particular campus.
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Carlos Da Silva - PeerSpot reviewer
Supports assessment creation but needs gamification and automation
I used it mainly for clients that worked in the school industry, taking their educators through content or a course concept It had options where you could create quizzes and assessments and upload PDFs. These features were beneficial in structuring educational content. Some of the limitations…
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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The assessment tools in Canvas significantly contribute to educational outcomes by allowing instructors to create and manage assessments effectively."
"The solution is easy to access."
"The product's flexibility is exceptional."
"Canvas LMS is user-friendly. Its assessment tools help to find the weaknesses and strengths of students."
"We have been using Canvas LMS, and overall, it has served our needs well for managing courses and general settings."
"The integration with Zoom is a notable feature. It allows for seamless access to live class sessions directly from Canvas after authentication, enabling quick entry into Zoom calls. You can also schedule Zoom calls or private recordings directly within Canvas, making it convenient, especially for situations like self-recording exams. Additionally, Canvas excels in collaboration and discussion capabilities. Users can engage in discussions on various topics, and there's the option to create custom groups for more focused interactions. These groups provide a level of privacy and isolation from the broader class, which is a significant advantage."
"They have a more extensive support base in terms of infrastructure."
"It's easy to follow. It flows well, and it's easy to use."
More Canvas LMS pros
"It had options where you could create quizzes and assessments and upload PDFs."
"User management is good in Thinkific Plus. The solution has nice features like certifications and email notifications."
 

Cons

"It would be good to be able to do teleconferencing within the LMS."
"There are a couple of areas that could be improved. Firstly, the discussion feature is not very interactive and can be slow to respond, making it less intuitive at the moment. This is an aspect that needs substantial improvement. Another point to consider is related to the cost of the LMS system. It's perceived as relatively expensive, which has led to discussions about transitioning away from Canvas, potentially to a more cost-effective alternative. This cost-related aspect is a significant factor to consider when implementing such a system."
"The learning curve is not steep, but it is intermediate."
"In our working, we are encountering many challenges with Canvas LMS. One of the major area is their business model which is having a very different pricing structure. The structure is made in such a way that the license fee is needed to be paid for the complete year even if the student has been enrolled for a programme of short duration. This structure is not conducive with our needs and hence, in the past few years, been increasing our costs manifold. Along with this, Canva LMS also lacks many functionalities such as notifications and adaptive learning. There is a specific issue with the licensing model that affects us in continuous education. The inability to reuse a license for the same course in different terms hinders our cost efficiency. For instance, if a program runs from January to April, we are required to pay for the license twice within the same academic year. This contrasts with other platforms like Hyper, where reusing a license is possible, allowing us to use the same license multiple times in different terms. Along with the use, we are exploring the integration of artificial intelligence into our processes, and Canvas LMS falls short in this regard. While some platforms allow connections with external AI services, Canvas does not currently offer built-in artificial intelligence capabilities, a feature we find valuable for enhancing the learning experience."
"The product could be integrated with a talent management system."
"It would be nice to be able to do more real-time comprehensive reporting with Canvas LMS."
"The high-tech interactivity with other software, like ArcGIS or RSA Archer, can be better. It is not as easily compatible with them. You can put apps in it that the students can then access, but the routing of apps through the Canvas system slows down functionality on the other types of products."
"Integrating more AI capabilities for the product could enhance its functionality, particularly in automating repetitive tasks and personalizing learning experiences."
More Canvas LMS cons
"Some of the limitations are the lack of gamification and automation, which we considered important."
"The solution doesn't have too many templates. There are only three templates."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Canvas LMS is low-priced compared to other vendors."
"The platform can be expensive for smaller organizations with fewer students."
"Canvas LMS is an affordable solution."
"The pricing of Canvas is satisfactory for my university. We have negotiated a good price, especially considering that we are a large university with twenty-six campuses across the country. Canvas offers a favorable pricing model for academic institutions, and the cost is reasonable. However, in continuous education, the challenge lies not in the price itself but in the business model. The requirement to pay for the entire year when our students may only use the license for a shorter duration creates challenges. The inability to adjust the licensing based on actual usage is a significant drawback for us, making the effective cost higher compared to other platforms like Hyper Learning"
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
22%
University
13%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Canvas LMS?
We have been using Canvas LMS, and overall, it has served our needs well for managing courses and general settings.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Canvas LMS?
Integrating more AI capabilities for the product could enhance its functionality, particularly in automating repetitive tasks and personalizing learning experiences.
See all answers
What advice do you have for others considering Canvas LMS?
I rate Canva LMS a nine out of ten.
See all answers
What do you like most about Thinkific Plus?
User management is good in Thinkific Plus. The solution has nice features like certifications and email notifications.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Thinkific Plus?
Some of the limitations are the lack of gamification and automation, which we considered important. These were areas where I felt the product could improve.
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Thinkific Plus?
I used it mainly for clients that worked in the school industry, taking their educators through content or a course concept.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 15% of the time
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Compared 15% of the time
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Compared 14% of the time
Totara Learn vs Canvas LMS Logo
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Compared 13% of the time
More Canvas LMS Competitors
No data available
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Canvas LMS
April 2025
Canvas LMS reportDownload Canvas LMS product report
Buyer's Guide
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
April 2025
Thinkific Plus reportDownload Thinkific Plus product report
 

Overview

Canvas LMS is a comprehensive learning management system that enhances the educational experience. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows educators to create and manage courses, assignments, and assessments. Canvas enables seamless communication and collaboration between students and teachers. It supports various multimedia formats, making it easy to incorporate engaging content into lessons. Canvas also provides a mobile app, ensuring accessibility on the go. Its built-in analytics and reporting allow educators to track student progress and identify areas for improvement. Canvas LMS can integrate with other educational tools and platforms, enhancing its functionality. Canvas LMS is a powerful and versatile platform that empowers educators to deliver effective and engaging online learning experiences.

Instructure

Thinkific Plus offers scalable course creation tailored for high-growth businesses aiming to elevate online learning experiences. This platform supports a robust framework to facilitate interactive, customizable e-learning content delivery.

Thinkific Plus caters specifically to enterprises looking for effective online education platforms that deliver enhanced learner engagement. By providing an array of tools tailored for large-scale course deployment, it integrates seamlessly into different business models. Users find Thinkific Plus advantageous due to its advanced customization, enabling course creators to implement branding, automate processes, and utilize integrations for a comprehensive educational solution. This e-learning platform is beneficial for organizations seeking innovative ways to train their staff or customers, providing tools that improve learning management efficiency. Users point out its potential for further improvement in analytics and mobile optimization.

What are the key features of Thinkific Plus?
  • Advanced Customization: Facilitates brand-specific course designs.
  • Seamless Integrations: Connects with numerous third-party applications.
  • Automated Processes: Simplifies administrative tasks for course managers.
What benefits or ROI should be expected?
  • Increased Engagement: Interactive tools increase learner participation and interest.
  • Scalable Solutions: Supports growth without compromising on performance.
  • Time Savings: Automation reduces manual workload for course delivery.

Thinkific Plus is particularly effective in industries such as corporate training, where companies need efficient platforms for employee development or customer education. Its adaptability allows educators in technology, health, or retail sectors to offer diverse, engaging learning opportunities.

Thinkific
 

Sample Customers

Pragmatic Group, MRWED Training and Assessment, RedHill Education
Information Not Available
Buyer's Guide
Canvas LMS vs. Thinkific Plus
April 2025
Free Report: Canvas LMS vs. Thinkific Plus
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