Thinkific alternative with certificates from the first plan
Your students finish the course, pass the practice day and get a certificate in their name. No upgrade needed to make that happen.
The Avana Academy, part of Avana by Sweeber Technologies, is a Thinkific alternative for beauty educators who teach from their salon. It costs $11.99 a month with an Avana plan or $12.99 on its own, sales tax included, with certificates and practice days on every plan. Thinkific raised its prices in 2026; its paid plans start at around $50 a month, less when billed yearly, certificates arrive from the Start plan, and using your own Stripe account on Basic adds a 5% fee.
| At a glance | Avana | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $11.99 with a plan, $12.99 alone | Around $50 a month |
| Certificates | Every plan | From Start |
| Practice day in your calendar | Yes | No |
| Fee when using your own Stripe | Not applicable | 5% on Basic |
Thinkific figures from Thinkific's support pages and public reviews, October 2026. Check thinkific.com for current prices.
Thinkific or the Avana Academy?
Thinkific is a full online school. The Academy is a teaching room inside your salon software.
- you teach next to your salon work
- your course includes a hands-on day
- you want certificates without upgrading
- you want students and clients in one system
- you are building a large online school
- you need communities, memberships and bundles
- your courses have no practical day
Three reasons to teach with the Academy
Thinkific is powerful. For a salon educator, these matter more.
Certificates are not an upgrade
Every Academy plan sends a certificate in the student's name when they complete the course.
Your practice day has places
Set a date and a number of places. Students book it, and the time is blocked in your calendar.
Payments are already there
Students pay through the same Avana payments your clients use, by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Sell what you know as a course, from your own salon
You already explain your technique to every junior who joins. Record that once in the Avana Academy and sell it as a course. The hands-on practice day sits in your calendar between your appointments.
- Lessons you set up once
- Certificates go out automatically
- Nothing comes off your course price
Thinkific and the Avana Academy compared
The parts that matter for a hands-on course.
| Thinkific | Avana | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | From around $50* | $11.99 with a plan, $12.99 alone |
| Certificates | From Start* | Every plan |
| Practice day in your calendar | No | Yes |
| Quizzes | Yes | Yes |
| Communities and memberships | Yes | No |
| Extra fee on your own Stripe | 5% on Basic, less on higher plans* | Not applicable |
*Thinkific prices changed in 2026; check thinkific.com. Checked in October 2026.
Everything a hands-on course needs
The Avana Academy costs $11.99 a month with an Avana plan or $12.99 on its own, sales tax included. Every Academy plan includes online lessons, quizzes, certificates and bookable practice days.
Thinkific alternative: common questions
What is a Thinkific alternative for salon courses?
The Avana Academy. It is made for salon owners who teach: online lessons, quizzes, certificates and a practice day booked your calendar. It costs $11.99 a month with an Avana plan or $12.99 on its own.
How much does Thinkific cost now?
Thinkific raised its prices in 2026. At the time of writing (October 2026), its paid plans start at around $50 a month, with a discount for yearly billing. Certificates come with the Start plan and above. Check thinkific.com for the exact figures.
Do I get certificates on the cheapest Academy plan?
Yes. Certificates are part of every Academy plan and go out automatically when a student completes the course.
How do my students pay?
Students pay through Avana's online payments by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, on a course page in your salon's name. The money goes to the same account as your treatment payments.
Question not here? The help center walks through every part of Avana step by step.
A course platform that knows about your calendar
If you are weighing up a Thinkific alternative, ask where your practice days will live. In a general course platform they need a second tool. In the Avana Academy, they are bookings in the same calendar as your clients.
Compare it with Kajabi and Teachable, or read about online payments in Avana.
Your course, your calendar, one place
Try the Avana Academy for 7 days at no cost.
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