soona vs Thinkific
soona and Thinkific serve completely different creative needs. soona creates product photos and videos. Thinkific builds online courses and communities. The right choice depends entirely on what you're selling.
Best for: Ecommerce brands needing a constant stream of photos and videos., Teams frustrated with slow, expensive agency turnaround times.
Best for: Entrepreneurs and subject-matter experts packaging their knowledge into courses., Businesses launching customer education or employee training academies.
Fast, ecommerce-focused content creation.
We found soona delivers on its promise of speed and simplicity for ecommerce brands needing reliable photo and video assets. The live collaboration and channel-specific optimization are standout features. Overall, it's a strong choice for teams prioritizing a streamlined, fast-to-market content workflow.
Pros
- Dramatically faster content turnaround, often in 24 hours.
- Live virtual shoots for real-time feedback and collaboration.
- Content optimized for specific channels like Amazon and Shopify.
- Generally more affordable than traditional agencies.
Cons
- Pricing can be confusing, with per-asset costs adding up.
- Requires a Studio Pass for one-time bookings, adding to cost.
- Ideal for frequent users; may not suit very low-volume needs.
- Focus is on standard ecommerce content, not complex cinematic work.
Solid all-in-one for knowledge businesses.
We find Thinkific is a robust platform for creators and businesses focused on selling courses and communities. Its core strength is combining creation, marketing, and sales tools in one reliable package. Overall, it's a strong choice for those ready to scale their expertise, though it may not suit the simplest or most custom tech needs.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop course builder for easy setup.
- All-in-one platform includes marketing, sales, and community tools.
- Reliable hosting with unlimited students and courses.
- Strong customer support and onboarding resources.
Cons
- Interface design can feel slightly dated in places.
- Deep customization of layouts may require more steps.
- Pricing details for higher tiers aren't always fully transparent upfront.
- No native, built-in CRM for direct sales workflow automation.
Aboutsoona
✨ soona is a creative platform designed specifically for ecommerce brands. It connects you to a network of expert photographers and models to produce professional photo and video content.
Think of it as your on-demand content studio. You can plan a shoot, attend virtually, and get finalized assets optimized for all your sales channels.
AboutThinkific
Thinkific is an online course platform for creators, coaches, and businesses. 🚀 It lets you build and sell digital learning experiences. You can create courses with a simple drag-and-drop editor, add communities and memberships, and handle payments all in one place. It’s built for anyone wanting to share their knowledge and earn revenue from it.
Highlights
Feature Comparison
Features Overview
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
Core Purpose
soona creates visual content for sales. Thinkific builds and sells educational products.
soona connects you to photographers and models. You book a shoot, collaborate live, and get optimized assets for your store.\n\nThinkific gives you a course builder and website. You create lessons, add quizzes, and sell access through your own branded school.\n\nThe difference is fundamental. soona makes assets you use. Thinkific makes products you sell directly.
Ease of Use
Both are user-friendly but for different tasks. soona guides you through shoots. Thinkific helps build courses.
soona simplifies content creation. You plan a shoot in minutes, join virtually, and get edited assets delivered fast. Reviews call it \"slick\" and \"easy.\"\n\nThinkific uses a drag-and-drop builder. You add lessons, customize your site, and launch without coding. Users praise its straightforward setup.\n\nYour experience depends on your goal. If you need photos, soona is simpler. If you need a course, Thinkific is the path.
Speed & Turnaround
soona is built for speed. Thinkific moves at your creative pace.
soona promises content in 24 hours on its Standard plan. This is 5X faster than traditional methods. It's designed for quick launches and promotions.\n\nThinkific has no built-in turnaround. You create courses on your schedule. The platform hosts unlimited content and students once live.\n\nChoose soona if you need assets yesterday. Choose Thinkific if you're building something with a longer runway.
Monetization & Sales
Thinkific is a sales machine. soona helps you create assets to sell with.
Thinkific includes commerce tools like upsells, coupons, and abandoned cart recovery. TCommerce users reportedly sell 31% more. You can offer subscriptions and payment plans.\n\nsoona doesn't sell products for you. You buy assets like photos ($39 each) and use them on your sales channels. The value is in the content itself.\n\nThinkific directly helps you earn revenue. soona helps you create the visuals that make earning possible.
Pricing Model
soona uses memberships plus per-asset costs. Thinkific is a flat subscription.
soona pricing starts with a Studio Pass ($149 one-time) or memberships ($13-$49/month). You then pay per photo or video after your shoot.\n\nThinkific charges monthly/annual subscriptions ($74+/month). You get unlimited courses and students. There are no transaction fees on its own processor.\n\nsoona's cost scales with content volume. Thinkific's cost scales with plan tier and student count.
Scalability
Both scale for growth, but differently. soona handles content volume. Thinkific handles learner volume.
soona scales content production. You can book more shoots and assets as your catalog grows. It's built for brands needing constant new visuals.\n\nThinkific scales your audience. All plans offer unlimited students, courses, and bandwidth. It's built for growing education businesses.\n\nsoona helps you grow your product line. Thinkific helps you grow your student base.
Integrations & Ecosystem
soona connects to sales channels. Thinkific connects to business tools.
soona integrates with Shopify and Amazon to manage listings. It pulls product data and helps plan shoots. There's also a Canva integration.\n\nThinkific has an App Store and API. It works with Zapier (on higher plans) and connects to email marketing, analytics, and more. It supports custom domains.\n\nsoona integrates where you sell. Thinkific integrates how you run your business.
Customer Support
Both offer strong support. soona aids shoots. Thinkific aids course launches.
soona support is noted as responsive during onboarding. Enterprise customers get dedicated account management. The focus is on shoot success.\n\nThinkific's support team won a top 50 G2 award. Plans include email/chat support. Higher tiers get phone support and dedicated success managers.\n\nBoth get good marks. soona for creative projects, Thinkific for platform setup.
soona pricing: soona offers flexible creative memberships starting at $13/month annually, plus a one-time Studio Pass option for $149 per booking. Content is purchased individually starting at $39 per photo or $93 per video clip after your shoot is complete. \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\ Plans range: $1–$500/month Billing options: Free plan, Monthly subscription, Yearly subscription, Usage-based pricing
Thinkific pricing: Thinkific offers tiered subscription plans starting at $74/month when billed annually. Pricing scales based on the number of active students, admin accounts, and advanced selling or integration features needed for your learning business.
Each plan includes a 30-day free trial to explore all AI-enabled tools and course-building features risk-free. Annual billing provides a significant discount over monthly payments, with professional-grade tiers tailored for scaling academies and large organizations through Thinkific Plus.
Thinkific also provides native payment processing via TCommerce to help you sell more effectively with no hidden transaction fees on its own processor. All plans include a 30-day free trial to get started.
Pricing Notes
- soona's costs are per-asset: $39 per photo, $93 per video after the shoot.
- soona offers memberships ($13-$49/month) that waive the $149 Studio Pass fee.
- Thinkific offers a 30-day free trial on all plans.
- Thinkific charges no transaction fees on its own TCommerce processor.
- Pricing transparency is a concern for both tools; details often require contacting sales.
Pricing Head-to-Head
User Reviews
Based on Trustpilot reviews, users frequently praise soona for its speed, quality, and ease of use. The platform is often called a "game-changer" for its fast turnaround and the professional look of the final assets.
🎯 Many appreciate the live shoot collaboration, which gives them control and direct input. However, a recurring theme is confusion over pricing, particularly the per-asset costs, which some feel are not transparent upfront.
The turnaround time is incredible. We got stunning, on-brand photos in 24 hours, which was a total game-changer for our launch.
Users consistently praise Thinkific's ease of use, particularly its straightforward course setup and content upload process 👍. However, some note that certain interface elements feel outdated and that customizing layouts can require extra steps.
Customer support responsiveness and the platform's reliability for hosting are frequently highlighted as positive. Recurring feedback points to the value of the all-in-one features for creators and coaches, though some mention that transparent, upfront pricing for all plan details would be helpful.
Setting up my course was incredibly simple. The drag-and-drop editor made everything visual. I had my first module live in under an hour.
Our Verdict
This isn't a fair fight. soona and Thinkific are built for completely different missions.\n\nsoona's superpower is speed. It gets you professional product photos and videos in 24 hours. You can join the shoot live and give feedback. It's built for ecommerce brands that need content fast.\n\nThinkific's superpower is building a business. It lets you create courses, memberships, and communities. You get built-in payments, upsells, and unlimited students. It's for turning knowledge into a revenue stream.\n\nThe deciding factor is what you're selling. If you sell physical products and need visuals, pick soona. If you sell information or expertise, pick Thinkific.\n\nFor most ecommerce brands, soona is the right tool. For educators and coaches, Thinkific wins. They're not really competing—they're solving different problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for selling products online: soona or Thinkific?
They serve different purposes. soona creates product photos and videos for your store. Thinkific lets you build and sell online courses. Choose soona for physical product visuals.
Can I use soona to create courses like on Thinkific?
No. soona is for ecommerce content creation. It produces photos and videos for sales channels. Thinkific is the platform for building and hosting online courses.
Is soona cheaper than hiring a photography agency?
According to reviews, yes. Many users report getting 2X the content for half the cost. Pricing starts at $1/month for membership, plus per-asset fees.
Does Thinkific charge transaction fees on sales?
No transaction fees when using Thinkific's own TCommerce processor. Standard payment processing fees (around 2.9%) still apply. Third-party gateways may add extra fees.
Which platform is faster to get started with?
soona can have content ready in 24 hours after a shoot. Thinkific's setup depends on your course creation time. Both are praised for easy onboarding.
Do both tools offer a free trial?
Thinkific offers a 30-day free trial on all plans. soona does not list a free trial, but has a free plan tier. Always confirm current offers.
Ready to Choose?
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.