# edX online learning vs Thinkific

The clearest difference is review sentiment: edX online learning at 82% against Thinkific's 13%. edX online learning also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.8) and ratings volume (11K vs 104). Thinkific's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 213) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. edX online learning sells 42 one-off in-app purchases. Thinkific asks for nothing beyond the download.

edX online learning holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: edX online learning has 11K ratings behind it against 104, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of edX online learning's written reviews are positive against 13% of Thinkific's.

edX online learning ships an update every 5 weeks, Thinkific weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | edX online learning | Thinkific |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/edx-online-learning/id945480667/reviews)** | [1.8 (104 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinkific/id1557573471/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 104 |
| Positive reviews | **81.8% of reviews** | 12.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 56 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [edX LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1700453712) | [Thinkific](https://appshunter.io/developer/1557573473) |

## What reviewers say

### edX online learning

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/edx-online-learning/id945480667)

Access thousands of online courses and degree programs from top universities and companies. Upskill in critical disciplines, strengthen your resume, and advance your career on your own schedule. Stream content, download materials, and test your knowledge with quizzes and exams.

**Highlights:** Thousands of courses and programs, World-class academic and industry partners, Career skill development, Professional certificate programs, Degree programs, Stream online courses, Download course materials

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (42)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade Course | $5.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $10.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $19.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $20.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $25.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $26.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $29.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $30.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $39.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $45.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $49.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $50.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $54.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $55.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $59.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $60.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $69.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $79.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $99.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $100.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $105.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $119.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $123.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $124.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $129.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $149.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $150.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $159.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $169.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $186.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $189.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $199.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $200.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $209.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $219.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $229.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $249.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $299.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $300.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $349.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $449.00 | one-time |
| Upgrade Course | $829.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient learning on the go
- 💡 Wide variety of courses
- 🌟 High-quality content from renowned institutions
- 👍 Intuitive interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app performance
- 🔍 Lack of progress tracking
- 📱 Limited functionality compared to website
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate courses
- 🔍 Inconsistent user experience

**Reported bugs**

- Videos not playing or freezing
- Frequent app crashes or refreshes
- Login issues and loss of course progress
- Incompatibility with certain devices

**Requested features**

- Improved progress tracking and bookmarking
- Split-screen support for note-taking
- Offline mode for all course content
- Better search and filtering options
- Seamless sync between app and website


### Thinkific

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thinkific/id1557573471)

Access courses and communities on your schedule, from anywhere. Learn with various lesson formats optimized for mobile and track your progress seamlessly. Stay connected with instructors and peers through integrated communities and activity feeds.

**Highlights:** Mobile course access, Progress tracking, Community interaction, Multiple lesson formats, Push notifications, On-the-go learning

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and clean interface design
- 🚀 Fast performance when working properly
- 📱 Convenient on-the-go learning capability
- 💡 Branded app option available
- 🎓 Good for course content delivery when functional

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 🔐 Persistent login and authentication issues
- 📵 Poor customer support and unresponsive team
- 📱 Severe iPad/tablet compatibility problems
- 🎬 Video playback issues and constant buffering

**Reported bugs**

- Login failures and constant sign-outs
- App crashes on startup or when searching for courses
- Gray/blank screen appearing on launch
- Video playback freezing and buffering
- Complete button missing or not clickable

**Requested features**

- Unified dashboard for multiple courses from different creators
- Ability to manage multiple courses without logging out
- AirPlay and casting support for videos
- Offline download capability
- PDF annotation and highlighting tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is edX online learning free?

edX online learning is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Thinkific free?

Thinkific is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, edX online learning or Thinkific?

edX online learning is rated higher. edX online learning averages 4.8 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Thinkific averages 1.8 from 104 ratings.

### Do edX online learning or Thinkific have ads?

Neither edX online learning nor Thinkific shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, edX online learning or Thinkific?

edX online learning ships an update every 5 weeks, and Thinkific weekly. Most recently, edX online learning was updated on October 15, 2026 and Thinkific on October 10, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*