Thinkful Review 2025

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Thinkful in a Nutshell

Overview

Thinkful is a United States-based coding bootcamp offering a range of 100% online programs. It employs almost 300 experienced mentors to ensure students always have access to professional support. It also boasts partnerships with industry organizations such as GitHub, Women Who Code, and Lesbians Who Tech. 

You can study all of Thinkful’s six courses on a part-time, self-scheduled basis. Full-time, guided study is also available for the Data Analytics, Software Engineering, and UX/UI Design courses.

What is Thinkful? 

Thinkful is a coding bootcamp offering various study options for individuals from all walks of life. It’s an especially great option for women and non-binary individuals who want to enter the tech industry, as Thinkful offers discounts to incentivize people from these demographics. 

Each of Thinkful’s six courses will leave you well-equipped to take a position in the tech industry. Here’s some more information about them. 

• Software Engineering Bootcamp: This course is available on a part- or full-time basis and teaches JavaScript, Node, React, front-end development, back-end development, and more.

• Data Science Bootcamp: This six-month part-time course teaches Python fundamentals and applies them to machine learning and data science.

• Data Analytics Bootcamp: You can complete this course in four months (full-time) or six months (part-time) and learn Python, SQL, and various data analysis techniques.

• UX/UI Design Bootcamp: This five-month (full-time) or six-month (part-time) course teaches user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design fundamentals and how to apply them in a real-world setting. 

• Digital Marketing Bootcamp: This part-time course takes three months to complete and teaches SEO, content marketing, social media marketing, PPC marketing, and more. 

• Technical Project Management Bootcamp: This part-time, five-month course leaves students with strong technical project management skills.

Overall, Thinkful is a solid choice for anyone who wants to enter the coding industry through a short, intensive bootcamp. It offers career support for six months post-graduation, and its deferred payment program is great for financially disadvantaged individuals. 

Is Thinkful Safe and Reliable? 

Thinkful is a well-rated coding bootcamp that operates 100% online. It has received many positive reviews and offers a secure, reliable online learning experience. On top of this, students have access to almost 300 highly skilled mentors with an average of 10 years of relevant industry experience. 

Although Thinkful isn’t accredited by any national accreditation agency, it has various state-level accreditations. In Texas, for example, it’s accredited and regulated by the Texas Workforce Commission. 

Last but certainly not least, Thinkful has great reviews across the web. Many current and previous students have commented on the quality of the learning resources, the friendly mentors, and the helpful career support services. 

How Thinkful Works

Thinkful offers flexible coding bootcamps with both part- and full-time study options. Courses take anywhere from three to six months to complete, depending on the subject and study load. 

In addition, Thinkful provides robust student support during the entire process—from pre-admission to post-graduate job searching. You’ll have access to one-on-one live video tutoring from experienced mentors. Plus, you can ask questions while studying via the built-in ThinkChat live chat tool.

How to apply to Thinkful

To get started with Thinkful, you’ll head to the company's website, find the course you’re interested in using the Courses dropdown menu, and click the blue Get Started button. This will take you further down the page, where you’ll enter your email address and hit the blue Apply button. 

Next, you’ll answer a few questions about yourself, your education history, and your reasons for applying for a Thinkful program. 

Now, you’ll have to wait for an Admissions Rep to contact you and organize an admissions interview. I was contacted via an email invitation to Slack, but you may be called, messaged, or emailed directly. 

Your interview will be scheduled for a time that suits you, and you’ll need to do a little planning to ensure you’re well-prepared. During your interview, you’ll be asked more about your experience and what you hope to achieve with a Thinkful certification. The Admissions Rep will also discuss your payment options, course requirements, and what you’ll need to get started. 

Thinkful has a 100% acceptance rate for qualifying candidates, so you shouldn’t have any issues with admissions as long as you meet the enrollment prerequisites. 

Overall, I found the admissions process very straightforward, and the Thinkful team was helpful every step of the way. 

Prerequisites

You don’t have to have any special tech skills or prior training to enroll in a Thinkful bootcamp. However, there are a few admissions prerequisites. Students must: 

• Be at least 18 years old

• Have a high school diploma or equivalent qualification

• Demonstrate basic proficiency with a computer

• Show written and spoken English proficiency

Cost

Thinkful’s six courses range from $5,341-$16,000 if you pay upfront. Part- and full-time versions of the same course cost a different amount. You can also pay in monthly installments for the duration of your course, although this is a more expensive option. 

A unique option that I liked was Thinkful’s deferred tuition package. With this, you won’t pay anything upfront or for the first six months following graduation. 

If you’re hired within this time, you’ll pay your tuition back in 36 equal monthly payments. If you aren’t hired, follow the terms in the Tuition Refund Policy (such as meeting with your career coach), and your tuition will be forgiven. 

Deferred tuition is a significantly more expensive option, but it enables those without the money to pay upfront a chance to enter the tech industry.  

Below is a full breakdown of Thinkful’s course costs.

Thinkful also offers a range of discounts for military veterans, women, and non-binary individuals. These generally range from $200-$500, and you’ll need to ask your Admissions Rep if you qualify. 

Thinkful Student Resources

Thinkful offers an online contact form and live chat support that anyone can use to get in touch. However, it’s only available during Thinkful’s business hours: Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm ET. I asked a few questions via live chat during this time and got a helpful response almost immediately. 

There’s also a support center and FAQ page with loads of great information about Thinkful and its resources. Plus, various resources are available for students at every stage of the study process. 

Pre-admissions

Before you’re accepted as a student at Thinkful, you can contact a team member via live chat or the online contact form. You’ll also be able to access ‌self-help resources and a selection of free introductory courses. 

Once you’ve started your application, a dedicated Admissions Rep will contact you to walk you through the entire admissions process. 

During your studies

During your studies, you’ll have immediate access to live tutors through the ThinkChat live chat app. This enables you to ask questions about your program as soon as you have trouble rather than having to wait for an email reply. 

Additionally, you can book one-on-one sessions with an experienced mentor who can provide career advice and detailed feedback. With most programs, there are also regular Q&A sessions you can use to ask curriculum-based questions. 

Further, students have access to all knowledge base and FAQ resources, which include useful information about studying at Thinkful. 

Post-graduation

After you’ve graduated, you’ll have access to various career services designed to help you get your first job in the field. These include mock interviews, career-focused workshops, and resume and cover letter-writing support. 

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Thinkful Alternatives

How Thinkful compares with other tech bootcamps

Thinkful vs Springboard

Springboard and Thinkful both offer a small number of intensive coding bootcamps. Thinkful’s cheapest courses are more affordable than Springboard’s, but its top-end programs are also more expensive. Ultimately, though, both options are highly rated, and I’d recommend checking out both to see which best suits your needs. 

Thinkful vs BrainStation

BrainStation offers more courses than Thinkful, including more flexible learning options and shorter professional certifications. Their bootcamps are similarly priced, and both provide good student resources. However, I’d recommend Thinkful as the more user-friendly option, especially if you’re a coding newbie. 

Thinkful vs Kenzie Academy

Although both boast quality coding bootcamps, Kenzie Academy offers significantly longer courses than Thinkful. Both also offer flexible part- and full-time study options, along with great student support resources. Thinkful is a great option if you want a fast, intensive program, but I’d recommend Kenzie Academy if you’re looking for maximum real-world practice before you start your new career. 

Bottom Line

Thinkful is a high-quality, reliable coding bootcamp offering six intensive study programs. These are available part-time and full-time and take three to six months to complete. They’re relatively affordable, and there are multiple payment options—including the ability to defer payment until up to six months post-graduation. 

Moreover, Thinkful offers excellent student support resources and academic support throughout your program. You’ll also have access to postgraduate career support. 

Ultimately, I’d recommend Thinkful if you’re looking for a user-friendly, inclusive coding bootcamp that positions you to start your career in tech. 

FAQs

Does Thinkful actually work? 

Yes. Thinkful’s intensive coding bootcamps will equip you to enter the tech industry. It boasts a very high job placement rate and offers students six months of post-graduation career support. 

Is Thinkful a good coding bootcamp? 

Thinkful is one of the top-rated coding bootcamps, and it offers a selection of part- and full-time courses you can complete entirely online. Graduates have a high job placement rate, and there are six courses with different career pathways within the tech world. 

Is Thinkful accredited? 

Thinkful doesn’t have any national or regional certifications or accreditations. However, it’s registered in several states and localities, including Texas, Utah, and Washington DC. On top of this, it has a great reputation among past and current students, suggesting it delivers on its promise of offering high-quality coding bootcamps.