Thinkific vs Kajabi
Two education & courses affiliate programs, compared field by field on verified terms. Every figure below was checked against the official program page; each profile links the source. Scoring follows our public rubric.
30% recurring for 12 months · 90 days cookie
Strong — best for course-platform comparison and tutorial content
Kajabi
Premium creator commerce platform · Education
30% recurring, lifetime · 30 days cookie
Good — best for established creator-economy educators
The verdict
Thinkific — 78/100
Thinkific wins by 5 points on a longer attribution window (90 days vs 30 days), lower payout friction, easier entry. Kajabi still makes sense for a specific fit: established creator-economy educators.
Verified terms, side by side
| Field | Thinkific | Kajabi |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | 30% recurring for 12 months | 30% recurring, lifetime |
| Model | Recurring (12 months) | Recurring (lifetime) |
| Cookie duration | 90 days ✓ | 30 days |
| Est. $/first referral | ~$160 | ~$500 ✓ |
| Network | PartnerStack | In-house |
| Payout threshold | $5 | None stated |
| Payout methods | PayPal, Stripe | PayPal |
| Payment terms | Monthly, ~NET 30 | Monthly, ~NET 30 |
| Geo focus | Global | Global |
| Terms verified | 2026-08 | 2026-08 |
Score breakdown
Subscores are 1–10, weighted per the methodology.
Earnings power (35%)
Attribution window (20%)
Trust & conversion (20%)
Payout reliability (15%)
Ease of entry (10%)
Why pick Thinkific
- 90-day cookie beats Teachable's 30
- PartnerStack payouts with $5 minimum
- Free plan lowers referral friction
Watch out
12-month cap
Full Thinkific profile →Why pick Kajabi
- 30% lifetime on $149–$399/mo plans is elite economics
- Low churn among serious creators
- Partner tiers add bonuses
Watch out
Program historically favored existing customers — check eligibility
Full Kajabi profile →