SamCart and ThriveCart are some of the popular checkout software for online businesses.
They allow you to sell any type of products, digital and physical, very easily.
They also both now offer an online course feature which enables you to build a basic online program directly there, without the need for a specialist platform.
Today we compare the two platforms and which one is best specifically for online course creators.
| Feature | SamCart | ThriveCart |
|---|---|---|
| Checkout and payments | ||
| Checkout style | Mobile-first, one-step checkout with 1-click purchasing | Multiple cart types, including two-step checkout |
| Payment methods | Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay | Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay. Older reviews also list Authorize.net and crypto |
| Buy now, pay later | Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay | Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, plus installment options |
| Payment plans and subscriptions | Subscriptions and basic payment plans | Broader options: subscriptions, installments, pay-what-you-want, deposit then installments |
| Sales tax collection | Automatic | Automatic |
| Conversion tools | ||
| Order bumps | Unlimited | 1 on Standard, up to 6 on higher tiers |
| Upsells and downsells | Yes, with post-purchase flows | Yes, with logic rules and the ability to clone upsells across funnels |
| A/B testing | Pro plan. Covers checkouts, upsells, bumps and pages | Reported as price testing only on Standard. Older reviews say full testing is included |
| Subscription recovery (dunning) | Subscription Saver on Pro | Reported as limited to higher tiers |
| Pages and design | ||
| Page builder | Drag-and-drop builder with niche-specific templates | Limited templates. Carts can be embedded on external sites with custom code |
| AI tools | AI copy and page design, limited on Core, unlimited on Pro | No built-in AI tools reported |
| Affiliates and automation | ||
| Affiliate program | Affiliate center on Pro | Built-in affiliate management with automated rules, such as messaging affiliates with high refund rates. Reported as gated to higher tiers |
| Automation rules | Less detailed | Behavior-based rules: tags, declined-payment follow-ups, affiliate incentives |
| Reporting and analytics | Funnel analytics, LTV and AOV on Pro | Basic on Standard. UTM and cohort data reported on higher tiers |
| Courses and products | ||
| Course hosting | SamCart Courses, with native video hosting (limited on Core) | ThriveCart Learn. Reported to lack native video hosting, quizzes and certificates |
| Physical products | Limited | Shipping and fulfilment logic |
| Integrations and support | ||
| Email and CRM integrations | Major platforms (ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo, AWeber, Mailchimp) | The same major platforms, plus rule-based automation |
| Zapier and webhooks | Zapier. Webhooks reported on higher plans only | Zapier and full webhooks |
| Support and training | Email support and CreatorU training library | Email support, knowledge base and community |
| Ease of use | Beginner-friendly | More technical, more flexible |
| Overall | ||
| Best for | Coaches and course sellers who want a guided, template-led setup | Affiliate-led sellers and marketers who want more flexibility and control |
What’s the difference between SamCart and ThriveCart?
Overall SamCart and ThriveCart are very similar platforms.
We’ll dive deeper into the specific features further in this article but the two platforms are more alike than they are different.
Feature Breakdown: Samcart vs Thrivecart
Let’s now take a more in depth look at some of the most important features for online course creators and see how SamCart and ThriveCart compare.
Checkout & Funnel
This is of course the area of expertise of these two platforms. Specifically when it comes to offering the most flexible checkouts.
That means first of all in terms of design, where you can build a full sales page/checkout.
SamCart Page Templates
That being said, let's be clear here that neither SamCart or ThriveCart do an amazing job here and are not a replacement for a proper website builder.
SamCart offers quite a few templates for you to play with that can be either just for the checkout, or for a 1-page sales page.
The front-end designers us easy to use and offer a wide range of blocks you can design:
SamCart Page Builder
ThriveCart also allows for a front-end checkout builder but not with as much flexibility…
The interface is a little clunky and looks dated, the text editor is lacking and the formatting can get a little wonky.
With some time and effort you should be able to build a well-designed page, but it might take a bit more time.
ThriveCart page Builder
Alternatively, you can buy 3rd party ThriveCart templates and import them into your account.
Both platforms allow for multiple Upsells and Downsells and to build a sophisticated funnel for your offers.
The way this work is by setting up Upsell #1, then the Downsell associated to Upsell #1, then Upsell #2, etc.
ThriveCart Funnel Builder
The upsell page itself also uses the page builder mentioned earlier.
We did find that ThriveCart offers more options when it comes to configuring your upsells, such as the ability to replace an upsell with a product already in the order.
So for example if a customer purchases a monthly subscription, then upsells successfully to a yearly one, the first subscription (the monthly one) is replaced.
In terms of pricing options, both platform allow for one-time payments, subscription, free and paid trial, split payments,etc.
SamCart Price Options
There is a difference between the 2 platforms in terms of payment processors options.
- SamCart allows for:
- SamPay (powered by Stripe)
- Stripe
- Paypal
- Braintree
- EasyPayDirect
ThriveCart allows for:
- Stripe
- Paypal
- Authorize.net
Most people will use Stripe and Paypal but depending on where your clients are you may have a preference for more.
Note that both platforms allow for A/B testing (but only on higher tiers for SamCart).
Affiliate Program Feature
A big reason some users are switching to a specialist platform such as SamCart and ThriveCart, is because of the advanced affiliate features they offer.
Affiliate programs are very often tied to a checkout system and therefore if you’re selling your products on either one of these systems, you will have to use their affiliate feature.
Both SamCart and ThriveCart have their strengths in that area.
ThriveCart allows for example to make the distinction between Affiliate and JV’s.
ThriveCart Affiliate Feature
Affiliates being regular partners promoting your products and getting paid a commission when a sale happens.
JV’s on the other hand, would be real partners that essentially get a share of all your sales, much like an equity partner would.
SamCart works a bit differently but just as well, allowing you to create different Tiers of affiliates and set commissions differently for each tiers.
SamCart Affiliate Tiers
Both platforms allow for commissions to be a fixed amount, a percentage of the sales, recurring or not for subscription products.
You can extend the window for the affiliate cookie exactly as you want for both platforms. Meaning that you can choose how long a sales made by lead sent by an affiliate will generate a commission.
Both platforms also let you create Affiliate Assets to share with your partners
ThriveCart Affiliate Assets
These can be images, banners, videos, swipe copy, logos,etc.
Affiliate Payouts can be set up automatically via Paypal
Overall SamCart and ThriveCart are very similar when it comes to this feature.
Online Course Feature
In an effort to expand their reach, both platforms have launched a new feature aiming to help course creators deliver their program directly.
This is why you’ll now find a separate section on these platforms to build your online course!
ThriveCart’s course builder is a bit more robust with an easier drag and drop section design.
ThriveCart Online Course Builder
SamCart’s course builder is a bit more clunky and looks more like a text editor.
But you could arguably build very similar looking modules.
Kajabi Coaching
Both platforms are overall fairly limited in terms of the course layout and customization, note that neither of them takes care of video hosting.
Meaning that you will have to pay for a 3rd party video host (Vimeo, Wisitia,etc.) to build a video based course.
The upside of using SamCart or ThriveCart is that if you course is very simple, you don’t have to use an online course platform.
It’s also very easy to set up cross-sells when using the online course feature here.
One last feature to compare here is related to the drip release of your modules.
SamCart only allows for 2 options: “Days after purchase” or “Specific Day Of The Week”
ThriveCart has a lot more flexibility here and offers many different options:
MORE ON THRIVECART LEARN:
This includes:
Time period (eg. 2 days after enrollment)
- Day of the month
- Specific calendar date
- After a trial
Again, depending on the kind of online course or membership you’re selling, this could make a big difference!
Pricing Comparison: Samcart vs Thrivecart
Finally, one other significant difference between SamCart and ThriveCart is their pricing structure.
ThriveCart has 2 pricing options:
ThriveCart Pricing
- ThriveCart Standard: $47/month
- ThriveCart Pro+: $87/month
ThriveCart Pro is necessary for some of the advanced features such as the affiliate program.
SamCart works on a subscription basis, with 3 different tiers:
SamCart Pricing
- Core: $79/mo billed monthly
- Pro: $199/mo billed monthly
Samcart vs Thrivecart The Bottom Line
Overall the two platforms have more in common than anything else.
Some features such as the affiliate marketing or the online course builder are essentially identical.
SamCart does have a better page builder but its pricing model, which is a recurring subscription might be a deal breaker for most people.
ThriveCart might be the best option for most creators.
Is ThriveCart better than SamCart?
It depends on how you sell. ThriveCart suits sellers who want flexible payment plans, built-in affiliate management and automation rules, and who don't mind a more technical setup. SamCart suits beginners who want a guided, template-led builder with AI tools and training. Neither is better for everyone, so match the tool to your funnel and your budget model.
Does SamCart or ThriveCart offer a free trial?
SamCart offers a 7-day free trial. ThriveCart's lifetime plans have no free trial, and a refund window applies instead. Reports on the length of that window vary, so check ThriveCart's current terms before you buy.
Do SamCart and ThriveCart charge transaction fees?
ThriveCart advertises 0% platform fees, so you pay only your payment processor, such as Stripe or PayPal. SamCart's own SamPay processor charges 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, plus a small tax collection fee on some plans. Processor fees apply on both platforms.
Which is better for selling online courses?
Both platforms can host courses, but neither is a full course platform. SamCart Courses includes native video hosting, while ThriveCart Learn is reported to lack it, so ThriveCart users often host video elsewhere. If courses are your main product, consider pairing a checkout tool with a dedicated course platform.
Can I connect either tool to my email marketing platform?
Yes. Both integrate with major email platforms such as ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo, AWeber and Mailchimp. ThriveCart adds rule-based automation, such as tagging buyers or following up on declined payments, and both connect to thousands of other apps through Zapier.
