LearnWorlds VS ThriveCart

ByObeydul Haque Reading Time: 7 minutes

LearnWorlds is a robust LMS tailored for course creators, educators, and businesses looking to deliver professional online training. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools to create interactive courses, build branded websites, and engage students through communities and mobile apps. With features like SCORM compliance, interactive video, and advanced quizzing, LearnWorlds is ideal for those who prioritize a rich learning experience and want full control over their online academy.

ThriveCart is a powerful e-commerce platform focused on creating high-converting checkout pages and sales funnels. Its course creation module, ThriveCart Learn, allows users to build and sell online courses within the same platform. ThriveCart excels in conversion optimization, offering features like upsells, order bumps, and affiliate management. However, its course creation capabilities are simpler compared to dedicated LMS platforms like LearnWorlds.

Feature Comparison

Course Creation and Content Management

LearnWorlds shines in course creation with its advanced authoring tools. It provides a drag-and-drop course builder, WYSIWYG editor, and support for multiple content types, including videos, eBooks, quizzes, and SCORM files. Interactive video features allow creators to add quizzes, annotations, and overlays directly within videos, enhancing student engagement. LearnWorlds also supports sequential navigation, ensuring students follow the intended learning path, which is particularly useful for structured courses or compliance training. Additionally, LearnWorlds hosts videos and other content directly on its platform, eliminating the need for third-party hosting services.

ThriveCart Learn, in contrast, offers a straightforward course builder with a drag-and-drop interface for creating modules and lessons. It supports various content types like text, images, audio, and embedded videos, but it does not host videos natively. Users must upload videos to third-party platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, or Wistia and embed them into lessons. ThriveCart Learn lacks advanced learning tools such as interactive videos, quizzes, or SCORM compliance, making it better suited for simple, self-paced courses. Its content dripping feature is robust, allowing creators to release lessons based on time, specific dates, or student tags, but it doesn’t support in-lesson engagement tools like comments or discussion forums.

Winner: LearnWorlds, for its comprehensive course creation tools, native video hosting, and interactive features.

Website and Branding

LearnWorlds provides a complete website builder with customizable templates for creating a branded online academy. Users can design multiple pages, including homepages, blogs, and sales pages, with a custom domain and drag-and-drop widgets. LearnWorlds also offers white-label options and a branded mobile app feature, allowing businesses to create a fully customized app experience. Built-in tools like forms, pop-ups, and SEO optimization help capture leads and enhance marketing efforts. The platform’s community feature enables creators to foster student interaction, adding value to the learning experience.

ThriveCart is not a website builder. It allows users to create checkout pages, registration pages, and login pages for course access, but it doesn’t support building a full website. Users must rely on an external website (e.g., WordPress) to host their content and brand identity. ThriveCart’s strength lies in its high-converting checkout pages, which can be embedded into existing websites, but it lacks the branding flexibility and community-building tools that LearnWorlds offers.

Winner: LearnWorlds, for its robust website builder, white-label options, and community features.

Marketing and Sales Tools

LearnWorlds integrates marketing tools directly into its platform, including email marketing integrations (e.g., MailChimp, ActiveCampaign), affiliate programs, and coupon codes. It supports flexible pricing models, such as one-time payments, subscriptions, and course bundles. LearnWorlds also offers analytics to track student progress and course performance, helping creators optimize their marketing strategies. However, it lacks advanced sales funnel features like upsells or order bumps, which may require additional tools for complex marketing campaigns.

ThriveCart excels in marketing and sales optimization. Its checkout pages are designed to minimize cart abandonment and maximize conversions, with features like A/B testing, two-step checkout forms, and lead capture. ThriveCart supports upsells, downsells, and order bumps, allowing creators to increase average order value. Its affiliate program is robust, distinguishing between affiliates and joint venture (JV) partners, and integrates with payment processors like Stripe and PayPal. ThriveCart’s one-time payment model also appeals to cost-conscious creators looking to avoid recurring fees.

Winner: ThriveCart, for its superior checkout optimization and sales funnel capabilities.

Student Experience and Engagement

LearnWorlds prioritizes student engagement with features like interactive videos, quizzes, flashcards, and a customizable course player. Its community hub allows students to connect, discuss, and share, fostering a sense of belonging. LearnWorlds supports live lessons via integrations like Zoom and offers sequential navigation to ensure compliance with course flow. The platform’s mobile app and responsive design ensure a seamless experience across devices.

ThriveCart Learn provides a basic student experience. Its course player is functional but lacks customization options and engagement tools like quizzes or in-lesson comments. Students access courses through a simple dashboard, and content can be dripped for controlled delivery. However, without native video hosting or community features, the learning experience feels less immersive. ThriveCart’s focus is on ease of access rather than deep engagement.

Winner: LearnWorlds, for its rich engagement tools and community-building capabilities.

Integrations and Automation

LearnWorlds offers native integrations with popular tools like MailChimp, ActiveCampaign, Zapier, and Zoom, enabling creators to connect with their existing tech stack. Its affiliate program and analytics tools support marketing automation, and the platform’s API allows for custom integrations. However, some advanced features, like interactive videos, are only available on higher-tier plans.

ThriveCart integrates with a wide range of third-party tools, including payment processors (Stripe, PayPal), autoresponders (ActiveCampaign, GetResponse), and Zapier for additional connectivity. Its behavioral rules allow for automation based on student actions, such as tagging or triggering email sequences upon course completion. ThriveCart’s integrations are particularly strong for marketing and sales, but its course-specific automation is limited compared to LearnWorlds.

Winner: Tie, as both platforms offer strong integrations, but their focus areas differ (LearnWorlds for learning, ThriveCart for sales).

Pricing and Value

LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds operates on a subscription model with plans ranging from $29 to $249 per month (or $24 to $199 with annual billing). The Starter plan ($29/month) includes basic features but limits advanced tools like interactive videos and white-labeling, which are available on the Pro Trainer ($99/month) or Learning Center ($249/month) plans. LearnWorlds offers a 30-day free trial, but some features, like the branded mobile app, require higher-tier plans or additional costs. The platform’s pricing reflects its comprehensive LMS capabilities but may feel expensive for beginners.

ThriveCart

ThriveCart is unique for its one-time payment model. A standard ThriveCart license costs $495, including ThriveCart Learn at no extra charge. For advanced features like course bundling and enhanced automation, ThriveCart Learn+ is available for a one-time fee of $195. This pricing structure is highly cost-effective in the long term, especially compared to recurring subscription fees. However, users must budget for third-party video hosting and potentially a separate website, which adds to the overall cost.

Winner: ThriveCart, for its one-time payment model, which offers significant savings over time.

Ease of Use

LearnWorlds has a user-friendly interface but comes with a learning curve due to its extensive feature set. The course builder and website editor are intuitive, with drag-and-drop functionality, but customizing advanced features like interactive videos or SCORM files may require some technical know-how. LearnWorlds provides tutorials, webinars, and responsive customer support to ease onboarding.

ThriveCart Learn is designed for simplicity. Its course builder and checkout page editor are minimalist and easy to navigate, making it ideal for beginners or those with simple course needs. However, the lack of advanced features means there’s less to learn but also less flexibility for complex courses. ThriveCart’s Helpdesk is comprehensive, and email support is available during business hours.

Winner: ThriveCart, for its straightforward interface and minimal learning curve.

Customer Support

LearnWorlds offers robust customer support, including live chat, email, and a knowledge base with tutorials and webinars. Users praise the responsiveness of the support team, though some note that advanced features may require additional guidance. Support is available across all plans, with premium plans offering priority assistance.

ThriveCart provides support through a detailed Helpdesk with articles and a ticketing system for email support (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. NZST). The platform is monitored 24/7 for major issues, but the lack of live chat or phone support may be a drawback for some users.

Winner: LearnWorlds, for its more accessible and varied support options.

Who Should Choose LearnWorlds?

LearnWorlds is ideal for:

  • Course creators who prioritize a rich, interactive learning experience.
  • Businesses or educators needing SCORM compliance or advanced quizzing.
  • Those who want a branded website, mobile app, and community features.
  • Users willing to invest in a subscription for comprehensive LMS features.

Who Should Choose ThriveCart?

ThriveCart is best for:

  • Creators with simple courses who prioritize sales and conversions.
  • Budget-conscious users seeking a one-time payment model.
  • Marketers who need advanced checkout features like upsells and A/B testing.
  • Those already using ThriveCart for e-commerce and wanting to add courses.

Pros and Cons

LearnWorlds

Pros:

  • Advanced course creation tools, including interactive videos and SCORM support.
  • Full website builder with custom domains and white-label options.
  • Community hub and branded mobile app for student engagement.
  • Native integrations for marketing and analytics.

Cons:

  • Subscription-based pricing can be costly for beginners.
  • Some features are locked behind higher-tier plans.
  • Steeper learning curve for advanced customization.

ThriveCart

Pros:

  • One-time payment model offers long-term savings.
  • High-converting checkout pages with upsells and order bumps.
  • Simple course builder suitable for beginners.
  • Strong affiliate and marketing integrations.

Cons:

  • No native video hosting, requiring third-party services.
  • Limited learning and engagement tools (e.g., no quizzes or communities).
  • Not a full website builder, requiring an external site.

Conclusion

Both LearnWorlds and ThriveCart are powerful platforms, but they cater to different needs. LearnWorlds is the better choice for course creators who need a comprehensive LMS with advanced learning tools, a branded website, and student engagement features. Its subscription model is justified by its robust capabilities, making it ideal for professional educators and businesses. ThriveCart, with its one-time payment and focus on sales optimization, is perfect for creators with simpler courses who want to maximize conversions without recurring fees. Its limitations in course creation and engagement make it less suitable for complex educational needs.

Ultimately, your choice depends on your priorities:

  • If you value a rich learning experience and branding, go with LearnWorlds.
  • If you prioritize affordability and sales funnels, choose ThriveCart.

Before deciding, take advantage of LearnWorlds’ 30-day free trial or explore ThriveCart’s demo to test their features. By aligning your goals with the platform’s strengths, you’ll set your online course business up for success.

Obeydul is a full time content creator, blogger, and SEO strategist. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the North South University.