Thank you vs Thanks by the way

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Thank you

High-frequency chunk

Thanks by the way

Informal Top 5,000 (fairly common)

Most formal: Thank you Most common: Thank you

	Thank you	Thanks by the way
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //θæŋk juː// 🇺🇸 //θæŋk ju//	🇬🇧 //θæŋks baɪ ðə weɪ// 🇺🇸 //θæŋks baɪ ðə weɪ//
Meaning	A way to show appreciation to someone.	A phrase used to add thanks casually.
Example	Thank you for helping me with my homework.	Thanks by the way for helping me with my project.
Register	Neutral	Informal
How common	High-frequency chunk	Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Collocations	thank you very much, thank you for your help, thank you all, thank you kindly, say thank you	thanks by the way, say thanks, thanks for your help
Antonyms	You're welcome, No thanks, Don't mention it	-
Common mistakes	Omitting 'you' and just saying 'thank', Using it in overly formal letters without variation, Not capitalizing at the start of sentences	Used in formal emails or speeches., Omitting 'by the way'., Confusing with 'thank you very much'.
Usage notes	Used in most situations to express gratitude. Avoid using it in sarcastic contexts or overly formal settings.	Use this phrase in informal conversations to express gratitude while mentioning something else. It's not suitable for formal situations.

See it in real clips

Thank you very much.

Breaking Bad › S1 E1

Thank you.

Ted Lasso › S1 E1

-Thank you. -Yeah.

Thank you very much.

Breaking Bad › S1 E1

Thank you.

Thank you

Agent Carter › S1 E1

Thanks, by the way.

Thanks by the way

Frequently asked questions: Thank you vs Thanks by the way

What's the difference between Thank you and Thanks by the way?

Thank you: A way to show appreciation to someone. Thanks by the way: A phrase used to add thanks casually.

Which is more formal: Thank you and Thanks by the way?

Thank you is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Thank you and Thanks by the way?

Thank you is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Thank you: Thank you for helping me with my homework. Thanks by the way: Thanks by the way for helping me with my project.

Can I use Thank you and Thanks by the way interchangeably?

Not always. Thank you and Thanks by the way are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.