Passes vs Thinkific
Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.
Platform fee
10% · of revenue
from $36/mo · monthly, 0% on Thinkific Payments
Payout speed
instant
weekly
Minimum payout
$50
$0
Countries
Primarily US, Stripe-supported
Global via Thinkific Payments / Stripe / PayPal
Email list export
Limited
Full access (Thinkific Email with automation)
Custom domain
Yes (subdomain)
Yes
Community features
DMs, group chats, 1:1 video calls
Built-in Communities with Spaces
Best for
Mainstream creators, influencers, coaches wanting low-fee subs and merch
Course creators who want predictable monthly pricing and native payments
Passes vs Thinkific: which one wins?
Passes charges 10% (of revenue) versus Thinkific at from $36/mo (monthly, 0% on Thinkific Payments).
On payout speed, Passes pays instant while Thinkific pays weekly. For creators where cashflow matters, the faster cadence usually wins.
For audience ownership, Passes offers limited email export and Thinkific offers full access (thinkific email with automation). Email portability matters most for creators planning to migrate later or build a list independent of any single platform.
Best for: Passes suits mainstream creators, influencers, coaches wanting low-fee subs and merch. Thinkific fits course creators who want predictable monthly pricing and native payments.