ThriveCart recently launched a significant update to their platform—ThriveCart Pro+. This is the first substantial development update from ThriveCart in several years, signaling a strategic shift toward more frequent enhancements and additional premium features. If you’re currently using ThriveCart or considering it, you’re probably asking yourself: “Is ThriveCart Pro+ worth it?” Let’s dive into exactly what’s included, what’s changed, and my honest opinion about whether you should upgrade.
What is ThriveCart Pro+?
ThriveCart Pro+ is essentially replacing the previous ThriveCart Pro plan. Historically known for its attractive lifetime deal pricing, ThriveCart has transitioned with Pro+ to an annual subscription model for new customers, introducing new advanced features for more robust checkout management and sales optimization.
ThriveCart Pro+ Pricing
Here’s the important pricing breakdown:
- New Customers: ThriveCart Pro+ costs $295 per year. You can and will need to still purchase ThriveCart for $495.
- Existing ThriveCart Pro users: You’re eligible for a free upgrade until around June 22, 2025. Not yet a ThriveCart user? Upgrade before it’s too late to avoid paying a subscription for Pro+!
- Existing standard ThriveCart users: You can upgrade to ThriveCart Pro and then claim the free Pro+ upgrade by paying the one-time $195 upgrade fee by approximately May 22, 2025.
The introduction of this subscription model marks a departure from ThriveCart’s famous lifetime-only pricing structure.
Key ThriveCart Pro+ Features
ThriveCart Pro+ introduces several noteworthy enhancements. Let’s review the highlights:
1. Multiple Order Bumps (Up to Six)
One of the most exciting new features is the ability to add up to six different order bumps to your checkout pages. Previously, ThriveCart was limited to just one, potentially leaving money on the table.
You can set rules around these bumps, such as conditional visibility (e.g., hiding certain bumps for returning customers who previously purchased related products) or cascading offers, which can significantly increase your average transaction value.
2. Tax-Inclusive Pricing
ThriveCart Pro+ now supports tax-inclusive pricing, which allows sellers to set a price that already includes taxes like VAT. This means the price your customers see is precisely what they pay, simplifying pricing strategies for global audiences.
3. Recurring Revenue Upgrades
Pro+ includes smart subscription management enhancements, such as automatically cancelling one product’s subscription when a customer upgrades to another. For example, transitioning customers from a monthly payment plan to annual billing becomes simpler. While promising, there’s still room for improvement in the subscription management area.
4. Enhanced UTM Tracking and Reporting
The reporting functionality in ThriveCart has historically been average, but Pro+ brings meaningful improvements. The new robust UTM tracking lets you precisely analyze sales data by source, campaign, or medium. You can easily track sales originating from different marketing channels, including emails, social media, and paid ads.
5. QR Code Checkout and Tracking IDs
Pro+ adds the convenient ability to generate QR codes directly within ThriveCart, streamlining the checkout process for offline scenarios. Additionally, it includes tracking IDs, allowing precise analytics about where your sales come from, such as specific YouTube videos or marketing materials. This is a feature I personally find valuable for detailed campaign tracking.
6. Crypto Payments
If you’re interested in accepting cryptocurrency payments, ThriveCart Pro+ has introduced this capability, expanding the versatility of your payment options.
A Major Behind-the-Scenes Change: Stripe Connect
One of the significant operational changes in ThriveCart Pro+ is the potentially mandatory shift to Stripe Connect (also known as Connect+). Previously, you could use your existing Stripe account directly. With Stripe Connect, your ThriveCart account creates a separate Stripe “profile” within your Stripe Account.
This change carries pros and cons:
Pros:
- Enhanced payment integration
Cons:
- Multiple Stripe profiles create complexity, especially around managing payouts, accounting, and taxes (multiple 1099 forms)
- Not ideal if you prefer a unified Stripe account for all transactions across platforms
If multiple Stripe profiles seem inconvenient or cumbersome, carefully consider this before upgrading.
My Honest Opinion on ThriveCart Pro+: Is it Worth It?
The Good:
- Multiple Order Bumps: This feature alone could justify the upgrade if you have an effective order-bump strategy.
- UTM Tracking and Analytics: Robust analytics are always beneficial. Knowing exactly where your sales are coming from can dramatically enhance marketing effectiveness.
- Tax-inclusive Pricing: Ideal for simplifying international transactions if you’re charging tax.
Areas to Improve:
- Subscription Management: ThriveCart’s subscription handling still feels limited, especially compared to dedicated membership management platforms. The member hub is functional but could benefit greatly from further updates.
- Stripe Connect Implementation: Having multiple Stripe profiles is not ideal for streamlined bookkeeping or ease of management.
Verdict: Is ThriveCart Pro+ Worth It?
If you are an existing ThriveCart Pro user, it’s unquestionably worth activating your free upgrade before the deadline (around June 22nd). There is literally no downside.
For new users or standard ThriveCart users evaluating the $295/year subscription, here’s how I’d frame it:
- Worth it if:
- You have a proven track record with order bumps and upsells.
- You heavily rely on precise tracking data (UTMs and Tracking IDs).
- You value convenience features (QR codes, tax-inclusive pricing).
- Not worth it if:
- You dislike managing multiple Stripe accounts (which is technically only tangentially related to Pro+ — whether this becomes mandatory remains to be seen for deprecating the old Stripe connection.)
- You primarily want advanced subscription and membership management (other platforms might serve you better here).
- The features mentioned do not directly impact your current selling strategies or potential revenue growth.
ThriveCart’s Strategic Shift: My Perspective
This move to ThriveCart Pro+ represents a significant strategic shift. ThriveCart has long promoted their lifetime pricing as a unique selling point. The shift to annual billing signals their intent to deliver sustained updates and possibly more substantial improvements down the line.
However, some long-awaited features—like conditional upsells and an improved customer management hub—remain missing. These are the updates I hope ThriveCart prioritizes next.
Overall, I’m cautiously optimistic. ThriveCart Pro+ clearly shows renewed attention to the platform, bringing valuable new capabilities. However, for ThriveCart to reclaim its position as a market leader, additional core improvements in usability and feature depth are necessary.
Final Thoughts on ThriveCart Pro+
ThriveCart Pro+ is an impressive upgrade with valuable new features that add significant marketing and sales capability. If you’re already committed to the ThriveCart ecosystem, particularly if you’re a ThriveCart Learn+ user, upgrading is likely beneficial. For new users, weigh carefully whether these enhancements justify the annual subscription, considering your business model and specific needs.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to whether features like multiple order bumps, enhanced tracking, and improved payment flexibility align with your business objectives.
So, is ThriveCart Pro+ worth it? For most serious marketers and product creators, the answer is likely yes—but only if the enhanced capabilities directly contribute to revenue or significantly improve your workflow.