Interested in the new Learner Hub, but not sure how it compares to the Classic Student Dashboard experience? This article explains the key differences between the two experiences: what’s changed, what’s improved, and what to expect if you’re switching to Learner Hub.
This feature is available by default on Thinkific sites created on or after January 28, 2026 and on some Thinkific sites created prior to January 28, 2026. We are working on adding features and functionality and releasing it to more customers. Stay tuned for updates if you do not see the option on your site!
The Classic Student Dashboard was the default experience for learners in Thinkific, giving them access to their enrolled courses in a basic list format.
The Learner Hub replaces the classic student dashboard with a modern layout and new features. The Learner Hub is a unified learning ecosystem, designed to maximize learner engagement by transforming fragmented learning experiences into a single, personalized learner home where learners return to master new skills, reconnect with their existing knowledge, and discover additional learning opportunities.
The Learner Hub brings all of your learning products and everything your learner needs into one central place. Instead of searching for courses in their dashboards, digital downloads in their email, direct messages in a community, learners now have one consistent space to access everything they’ve purchased or have access to.
Learn more about the Learner Hub here: The Learner Hub.
Example of the Learner Hub:
Example of the Classic Student Dashboard:
For more, see: The Classic Student Dashboard
The Learner Hub is a fresh take on the learning experience, designed from the ground up to maximize engagement and support everything a learner might need in one place.
In addition to the centralized experience, the Learner Hub includes several other improvements. See the core differences between the two experiences below:
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Learner Hub |
Classic Student Dashboard |
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Unified access to all learning products |
Supported: Your learners can access all products in one place |
Not supported: Only courses and communities are visible. Other products need to be accessed via email |
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New Community Experience |
Supported: Communities are built right in the Learner Hub, making it easier for learners to connect. Learn more: Get Started with Thinkific Communities. |
Not supported: Communities exist on a separate page and are not integrated into the experience |
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Dynamic and personalized per learner |
Supported: Widgets and side navigation menu items adjust based on the learner's products and your site features |
Not supported: Page elements stay the same for all students |
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Upsells |
Supported: Upsell widget automatically offers relevant products |
Not supported: Upsell option is not available |
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Easy preview |
Supported: Allows you to easily preview from a learner's perspective |
Not supported: You need to navigate through several pages to see the page from the student perspective |
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Built-in engagement tools |
Supported. Learn more here: Introducing Learner Engagement Streaks: Build a Learning Habit Week by Week, Introducing Learner Goals: Give Learners a Goal to Work Toward, Introducing the Study Session Scheduler: Build a Study Habit That Sticks |
Not supported |
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Built on |
Modern interface and architecture |
Classic Site Themes |
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Mobile-friendly design |
Supported: The hub automatically adjusts to the screen size |
Supported |
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Page customizations |
Supported: Customize style (color, font, logo), navigation menu, home page widget layout. |
Supported: Ability to add additional site builder section at the bottom of the page, ability to select product card alignment |
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Advanced customizations |
Supported: ability to create custom pages, and create custom widgets to extend built-in functionality |
Supported, but limited and require 3rd party integrations or theme code edits |
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Site Footer Code support |
Supported via opt-in. Learn more how to opt in here: How to Run Site Footer Code on the Learner Hub and New Course Player. |
Supported |
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Site Footer and Header |
Not supported: Site Footer and Header set up through the Site Builder will not appear in the Learner Hub |
Supported: Site Footer and Header set up through the Site Builder will be visible on the Student Dashboard |
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Integrations support |
Not supported at the moment, coming later in 2026 |
Supported, can be integrated with 3rd party apps |
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Custom code editing |
Not supported |
Supported, the page can be edited using the Theme Code |
Yes, the Learner Hub works for the majority of use cases and can be customized to support advanced customizations and learning structures. The Learner Hub brings courses, communities, live events, and resources together in one place, letting your learners engage with your content with less friction and better engagement. We have added a lot of new exclusive functionality to the Learner Hub that is not available on the Student Dashboard.
We are actively working toward expanded customization options and are in the process of rolling out the Learner Hub experience to customers. If you see the option to switch, follow these steps: Switch to the Learner Hub.
If you do not see the option to switch and want to get access to the Learner Hub, please reach out to our Support team: How to Get Help and Contact Thinkific Support.
For new customers who require advanced customizations or the ability to connect to third-party apps, but the Learner Hub is enabled on your Thinkific site, you can request to disable the Learner Hub and revert back to the Classic Student Dashboard. To do so, please reach out to our Support team: How to Get Help and Contact Thinkific Support.
The Learner Hub is not built on the Site Theme technology and does not include your site header and footer. You can customize the font, color, logo, navigation menu, home page widget layout, and add custom navigation pages and widgets. See: How to Customize Your Learner Hub.
Yes. You can enable the site footer code to run in the Learner Hub and the New Course Builder by following the instructions here: How to Run Site Footer Code on the Learner Hub and New Course Player.
For more, see: Introducing Thinkific's New Course Builder
No. The Learner Hub is not built on the Site Themes technology, and you cannot edit the Learner Hub code. More customization options are coming later in 2026. However, you can build and add custom widgets using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. See: Introducing Custom Widgets: Build Rich Page Experiences in Your Learner Hub.