1. Introduction: What Is ThriveCart – and Who Is It For?

If you’re selling digital products or online courses and finally want to automate parts of your business, chances are you’ll come across ThriveCart. It’s often considered a bit of an insider tip — especially among coaches who are tired of complicated funnel tools, expensive monthly subscriptions, or platforms that never quite fit their actual needs.

Maybe you’ve already worked with tools like Ablefy* or Coachy*, but something always felt a bit off — or maybe the ongoing costs just didn’t feel worth it. I’ve been there too. That was exactly my situation — until I discovered ThriveCart. I’ve now been using it for about twelve months, after helping several of my clients set it up before trying it in my own business.

To be honest, my desire to simplify things wasn’t random. I’m currently expecting my second child, and I knew I didn’t want to invest in yet another tool that charges me monthly — especially if I’m not using it actively all the time. Instead, I wanted to keep working on my existing digital products, improve my funnels, and stay as relaxed as possible. And ThriveCart has made that a whole lot easier.

In this article, I’ll take you behind the scenes and share my personal ThriveCart review — how I use it today, what I love (and don’t), and whether the one-time lifetime price is actually worth it.

2. What Is ThriveCart, Exactly? (Function & Focus)

ThriveCart is an all-in-one checkout platform — designed for people who want to sell digital products without dealing with dozens of tools, complicated integrations, or high monthly fees.
At its core, ThriveCart is like a smart checkout hub for your online business: You can create and sell products, process payments, set up subscription models, send invoices, build funnels, and even run your own affiliate program — all in one place.

It’s especially popular among coaches and digital creators because:

• There are no monthly fees (you pay once and use it for life)
• It comes with like upsells, coupons, and payment plans
• It integrates easily with newsletter platforms like ActiveCampaign, Zapier, or GetResponse*

What About Data Privacy?

ThriveCart is based in the United States and currently hosts its platform on servers outside the EU.
This means that ThriveCart is not 100% GDPR-compliant in the strictest legal sense.
If data protection is important to you (especially for EU-based businesses), here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Use double opt-in for all forms — handled via your email marketing tool.
• Request a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) from ThriveCart — currently only available upon request.
• Be transparent in your privacy policy — clearly state that you’re using ThriveCart and that it’s a third-party provider.
• Avoid embedding ThriveCart forms directly on your website. Instead, link to the hosted checkout page. That way, no third-party connection is established until the user clicks.

My personal take:
For many solo entrepreneurs and digital coaches, ThriveCart offers a practical and realistic solution — but it’s important to know what you’re getting into.
If you’re unsure whether it fits your business legally, definitely consult your data protection advisor.

3. My ThriveCart Experience After 12 Months of Use

To be honest, I didn’t buy ThriveCart out of pure excitement (let’s be real — the official landing page does look a bit scammy at first glance).
I made the decision for very practical reasons: I wanted to reduce my fixed monthly costs, finally have more control over how I sell my products, and stop depending on tools that either “think for me” or constantly trigger extra charges.

Especially now, as I’m restructuring my business to be more family-friendly — and getting ready to become a mom again — I knew one thing for sure:
I need a system that just works. Something I can rely on, and that I can scale and expand anytime I want.

3.1 What Was Important to Me When Choosing a Tool?

✅ One-Time Payment Instead of a Subscription

I hesitated for a long time before investing in yet another tool — but the fact that ThriveCart only requires a one-time payment was a total game-changer for me.

No extra subscription that silently drains your bank account every month — especially during times when you’re not launching or taking a break from client work. It’s a huge relief financially and mentally.

⚖️ Data Privacy & GDPR Considerations

I knew ThriveCart wasn’t based in the EU, so data privacy was something I had to actively account for. I took the time to do my research (shoutout to my favorite launch managers) and set everything up with a “minimal data” mindset.

For me, that means: no embedded forms on my site, clear info in my privacy policy, and double opt-in via my email provider.

Is it perfect? No. But for a solo business like mine, I feel good about the setup.

🔄 Customizable Funnels & Upsells

I didn’t just want a basic payment link — I wanted a system that lets me build mini offers, order bumps, upsells, and evergreen funnels without needing to duct-tape ten different tools together.

ThriveCart hits that sweet spot between flexibility and simplicity. Especially for selling my templates and low-ticket products, I love being able to create smart offer structures in just a few clicks.

🤝 Affiliate Feature Built-In

As someone who both does affiliate marketing and wants to offer her own partner program, this was a huge plus:

ThriveCart includes a fully integrated affiliate system — no extra cost.

I can easily generate affiliate links, set commission levels, and handle payouts all within the platform.

3.2 What Convinced Me to Stick With ThriveCart?

There were a few things that stood out to me right away when I first started using ThriveCart — especially because I didn’t want to deal with a long tech setup but still needed flexibility.

🧩 Quick and Simple Setup

At first glance, ThriveCart’s interface may feel a bit outdated — but under the hood, it’s surprisingly clean and intuitive.
I had my first product set up with a payment plan and email automation in no time.
Even if you’re not a tech expert, you’ll find your way around pretty quickly with just a little patience — and more importantly, you’ll make progress fast.

📄 Sales Pages & Page Builder

Let’s be honest — ThriveCart’s sales pages are not exactly design masterpieces.
But: they get the job done. The built-in page builder allows for more customization than you’d expect, even if it takes a bit of trial and error to get the hang of it.
If you’re someone who loves design details and wants to build a sexy checkout experience, be prepared to invest some time.

If you want to launch quickly and in style, I highly recommend using my ready-made
ThriveCart templates on Etsy.
They save you hours of setup and still look like “Wow, that’s professional!” 👉 Check them out here.

🔌 Integrations That Actually Help

ThriveCart integrates smoothly with tools like MailerLite, ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, Zapier, and many others.
For my business, this was crucial — I want welcome emails to go out automatically after a purchase, tags to be applied, and email sequences to start without delay.
So far, ThriveCart has handled all of that without a hitch.

Whether it’s spontaneous flash sales for my email community or structured price testing —
discount codes, A/B testing, payment plans, one-time offers, and more make ThriveCart super flexible.
I love being able to test new strategies without relying on external tools or complex tech setups.

And the best part? I can create unlimited products — no extra fees, no limits.
For someone like me who regularly launches or experiments with new digital mini-products, that’s a total game changer.

3.3 What Could Be Improved (in My Opinion)

Of course, nothing is perfect — and I think it’s important to be honest about that. Here are a few things I find a bit lacking:

🇬🇧 No German Support – But Fast & Helpful

Support is currently only available in English — but to be fair: I’ve rarely received such fast and competent replies.
Every issue I’ve submitted so far was resolved within hours (sometimes even minutes).
If you’re comfortable with English, this shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.

🎨 Learn Platform: Functional, But Limited Customization

With ThriveCart Learn, you can host simple online courses without needing a separate platform.
That’s totally fine for mini-products and bonus content.
However, if you’re looking to create a visually immersive learning experience, you’ll quickly run into design limitations.
Customization options are quite restricted, and without CSS knowledge, things can look pretty basic.

The Pro version gives you access to Learn+, which includes more features (like progress bars, course bundles & certificates) —
but the overall design still remains quite minimalistic.

📹 No Built-in Video Hosting (Yet)

Right now, you’ll need to host your course videos externally — for example via Vimeo, unlisted YouTube, or Wistia.
ThriveCart currently does not offer built-in video hosting —
but according to their roadmap, native video hosting is expected by the end of 2025. That could be a real game changer!

🛍️ No Built-in Reseller System

If you want to sell your digital products through third-party vendors —
like it’s possible with platforms such as Digistore or ablefy — ThriveCart currently doesn’t offer a built-in reseller system.
Not a must-have for most coaches, but something to consider if you plan to scale via resellers.

🔄 Confusing Product Naming

What honestly confused me the most — and what still feels messy today — is the naming of the products and upgrades:

• ThriveCart (Standard) – the base plan
• ThriveCart Pro – with additional features (now discontinued)
• ThriveCart Learn and Learn+ – the course platform
• And since April 2025, there’s now ThriveCart Pro+ – which combines and replaces parts of Pro

It’s not just hard to follow — it’s also needlessly complicated for new users.
Who gets what? What’s included? Do you need to upgrade again?
This definitely needs to be communicated more clearly.

My wish for ThriveCart:
Less feature clutter, clearer package options, and please — a well-structured comparison page. 🙏

Until then, you might find these posts helpful:

👉 ThriveCart Standard vs. ThriveCart Pro: What’s the Difference?

👉 Learn Plus – What You Need to Know About the Advanced Features

4. ThriveCart for Coaches – How I Use It in My Business

I love tools that don’t just do one thing but adapt flexibly to my business – and that’s exactly what ThriveCart does.
As a mom, web designer, and online business strategist focused on digital products, I need a system that runs smoothly, sells on autopilot, and automates everything – without me constantly having to chase tasks.
Here’s a quick look at how I currently use ThriveCart in my everyday business:

Example 1: Selling My Website Templates + Online Course

One of my core offers is my Divi website templates for coaches, which come with an online course. The entire sales process is handled through ThriveCart:

• Clients choose their preferred template
• They check out on a clean, high-converting ThriveCart sales page
• After purchase, access to the online course is automatically unlocked via ThriveCart Learn
• An invoice is sent out via email – no extra tools needed

Once set up, the process runs entirely in the background – no manual access setup, no third-party tools. 🧘‍♀️

Example 2: Payment & Onboarding for “Done-for-You Blog Articles”

My done-for-you service “Done-for-You Blog Articles” is a bit more custom – but ThriveCart still takes care of all key processes:

• Interested clients receive a booking link with offer details and pricing
• After purchase, they automatically receive a questionnaire to brief me on their needs
• While payment, onboarding, and invoicing happen automatically, I can start writing right away

This saves me tons of time, admin work, and follow-up emails – and lets me focus fully on the creative side of things.

And honestly, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

These two examples give you just a glimpse of what ThriveCart is capable of.
Time-limited funnels, smart order bumps, flexible payment plans, built-in affiliate systems, members-only areas – it’s all in there.
But let’s be real: we’d be here all day if I covered everything. 😅

You can already tell: ThriveCart isn’t just a tool – it’s more like a sales engine that powers my entire business.
And that’s what makes it so valuable for coaches who want to sell digital products on autopilot – without depending on 5 other tools.

5. How Much Does ThriveCart Cost (Including Learn/Learn+)?

One of the biggest advantages of ThriveCart – and honestly the reason I signed up – is the pricing model: pay once, use forever.
No monthly subscription, no “just another tool” draining your budget on autopilot.

Important update (as of July 2025): The former ThriveCart Pro one-time upgrade has been replaced by a yearly Pro+ subscription. That means: if you want access to advanced features like the affiliate system or EU VAT handling, you now pay an additional $295 per year.

Currently, there are two available plans:

💳 ThriveCart Standard – $495 (One-Time Payment)

• Product and funnel creation
• Payment processing incl. subscriptions, payment plans, etc.
• Coupons, A/B tests, order bumps, simple checkout pages
• Email integrations, webhooks, tags
• Access to ThriveCart Learn (the internal course platform – basic version)

🚀 ThriveCart Pro+ – $295/year (Add-on to Standard)

This is an optional upgrade to ThriveCart Standard. With Pro+, you’ll get access to:

• Affiliate platform (let customers promote your product)
• Advanced user permissions (perfect for VAs or team members)
• Advanced reporting & analytics
• Smart EU VAT handling (incl. automatic invoicing)

6. My ThriveCart Tips for Getting Started

You’ve decided to give ThriveCart a try – yay! 🎉
To make sure your setup leads to actual sales (and not just frustration), here are my go-to tips for a smooth start.
No tech jargon, I promise.

Set These Essentials First

Before you create your first product, take a few minutes to walk through your general settings:

• Enter your business info & tax details (including VAT ID, if applicable)
• Change currency & language to Euro and German (if you’re selling in the EU)
• Customize your invoice templates (add your logo, footer, business address, etc.)
• Enable notifications – so you’re instantly informed about purchases, refunds & more

✨ Pro tip: Create a demo product just for testing. It’s a safe way to explore features and preview your checkout flow without going live.

GDPR & Legal Must-Knows

Even though ThriveCart is super flexible, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding data privacy:

• Always use double opt-in for freebies & newsletters – set this up in your email tool (like MailerLite, ActiveCampaign)
• Update your privacy policy to mention ThriveCart as a third-party provider
• Don’t embed ThriveCart forms directly on your website → instead, link to the hosted checkout page
• The DPA (Data Processing Agreement) is available on request – contact support for the link

And what about invoices? They’re fully automated! ThriveCart generates PDF invoices for your customers – even with VAT, reverse charge logic and more, if set up correctly.

⚠️ But keep in mind:
Starting in 2025, e-invoicing will be mandatory for B2B transactions in many EU countries. That means basic PDFs might no longer be enough.

If you regularly sell to businesses and use accounting software like Lexoffice, FastBill, or sevDesk, you can also disable ThriveCart’s built-in invoice generation entirely. This way, your accounting tool creates fully compliant e-invoices – and keeps all numbers in one place.

7. Who Is ThriveCart Ideal For – And Who Isn’t?

ThriveCart is a powerful tool – but it’s not the right fit for everyone.
Like most things in online business, it really depends on your goals, your workflow, and what you value most.
Here’s an honest breakdown to help you decide whether ThriveCart is a good match for you and your business:

✅ Best suited for:

Coaches selling digital products, memberships, or mini offers
If you offer online courses, PDF guides, templates, or membership areas, ThriveCart was basically made for you. It handles payments smoothly and helps you automate your sales – while keeping everything neatly organized.

Evergreen funnel fans
Do you love setting up a funnel once and letting it sell on autopilot? With order bumps, upsells, time-limited offers, and smart discounts? Then you’re going to love ThriveCart. Especially with the Pro+ upgrade, you can sell like a pro – even while you’re at the playground or sleeping 😄

❌ Less ideal for:

People without basic tech skills or English proficiency
ThriveCart is beginner-friendly – but it’s not a plug-and-play tool like Canva. If words like “tags” or “split tests” overwhelm you – and you don’t have someone to support you – you might be better off with a simpler system.

Offline service providers without a digital focus
Do you offer local yoga classes or work 1:1 without digital products? Then you probably don’t need ThriveCart (yet). A standard booking tool like Calendly plus a simple payment link is often all you need.

8. Conclusion: Is ThriveCart Worth It?

If you’ve read this far, you probably already know the answer:
Yes, I would definitely buy ThriveCart again.
Not because it’s the flashiest or most feature-rich tool out there – but because it simply works incredibly well for my business.

I paid once and now I can sell, launch, automate, and run affiliate programs – all without monthly fees or product limits, and with the peace of mind that I’m fully in control. Especially now that I’m designing my business around a more family-friendly lifestyle, that’s pure gold.

Of course, ThriveCart isn’t perfect – but in my opinion, the value for money is spot on. I was able to get started with a manageable investment, set things up step by step, and keep testing new ideas – from mini offers to online courses to evergreen funnels.

And the best part? ThriveCart grows with you.
As your business expands or you bring on a team, you can easily activate more features – without switching platforms or starting from scratch.

If you’d like to get ThriveCart, feel free to use my
affiliate link*. You’ll get full access to ThriveCart – and I’ll send you my exclusive ThriveCart Template Bundle as a free bonus to help you launch faster.

Good to know: If you feel like ThriveCart isn’t the right fit for you after all, you can easily request a refund within 30 days.
That means no risk – just the chance to still grab the lifetime deal while it’s available.