Kartra vs. Kajabi: Why There are Superior Choices
Quick Verdict
When comparing Kartra and Kajabi, both platforms fall short of providing the comprehensive features today’s businesses need, especially when it comes to affordability, versatility, and support. For an all-in-one marketing suite, GoHighLevel surpasses both in terms of CRM capabilities, multi-channel automation, and scalability. Meanwhile, for courses and memberships, ThriveCart offers a better, more cost-effective solution than either Kartra or Kajabi, with straightforward pricing and powerful course-building tools.
Kartra and Kajabi are both well-known in the digital marketing space, each aiming to serve businesses and creators through various sales, marketing, and content distribution tools. However, they are limited in certain areas and can be costly without delivering on the level of features businesses truly need.
Platform Overview
  • Kartra: Known as a funnel and marketing platform, Kartra offers tools for email marketing, sales funnels, and some CRM capabilities. However, its limited integrations, rigid workflows, and high pricing often make it challenging for users who need more flexibility and control.
  • Kajabi: Primarily a course creation platform with some email marketing capabilities, Kajabi works well for online courses and memberships but lacks robust marketing automation, CRM, and funnel-building tools compared to dedicated platforms.
Key Takeaway: While both platforms offer core features, GoHighLevel and ThriveCart outperform in terms of versatility, cost-efficiency, and scalability for businesses looking for powerful marketing and course solutions.
User Interface & Experience
  • Kartra: Kartra’s interface can be overwhelming, especially for new users. Its many tools are compartmentalized, creating a disjointed workflow. Customization options are limited, making it hard for users to tailor the experience to their specific needs.
  • Kajabi: Known for its clean and simple interface, Kajabi is relatively easy to navigate but doesn’t offer enough depth in customization. It’s more suitable for creators with straightforward needs, but businesses looking for advanced functionality may find it restrictive.
Verdict: GoHighLevel and ThriveCart offer a smoother, more intuitive experience that caters to both beginners and advanced users.
Core Features Comparison
CRM and Customer Management
  • Kartra: Offers basic CRM tools but lacks advanced segmentation, lead scoring, and comprehensive contact management. It’s difficult to customize CRM workflows, limiting its usefulness for complex client management.
  • Kajabi: Barely scratches the surface of CRM functionality. It allows user tagging and basic segmentation for email lists but lacks in-depth customer management tools, which are essential for tracking and nurturing leads over time.
Winner: GoHighLevel’s CRM features are far more advanced, providing a complete solution with powerful segmentation, lead tracking, and management tools.
Automation & Marketing Tools
  • Kartra: Offers email and SMS automation, but it lacks the depth and flexibility found in GoHighLevel’s multi-channel automation suite. Users often report limitations in customizing workflows, which can hinder growth for businesses needing tailored marketing flows.
  • Kajabi: Primarily focused on email marketing, Kajabi’s automation is basic and doesn’t extend to SMS, social media, or other channels. Its limited scope restricts businesses from running comprehensive, multi-channel marketing campaigns.
Winner: GoHighLevel’s advanced, multi-channel automation makes it the clear choice for businesses seeking diverse marketing options.
Sales Funnels and Landing Page Creation
  • Kartra: Known for its funnel-building tools, Kartra does provide some flexibility here but lacks the full customization and ease of use many users seek. Limited integration options also make it challenging to extend Kartra’s capabilities.
  • Kajabi: Offers a landing page builder but falls short on full funnel creation and customization options, which limits businesses aiming to create complex, conversion-focused sales journeys.
Winner: GoHighLevel offers a better funnel-building experience, with more robust customization and integration options for a seamless sales process.
Course Creation and Membership Sites
  • Kartra: Includes basic course-building tools, but users find it limited compared to dedicated course platforms. It lacks detailed course analytics, flexible membership options, and customization for the learning experience.
  • Kajabi: Kajabi does a better job in course and membership creation than Kartra, offering pre-built templates, quizzes, and certificates. However, its high pricing and lack of advanced marketing tools make it less appealing.
Winner: ThriveCart Learn offers the best value for course creation with its easy-to-use, flexible tools and transparent pricing, making it a better choice over Kajabi and Kartra.
Pricing Breakdown & Plan Comparison
Kartra:
  • Starter: $99/month – Limited contacts and email marketing, ideal only for small-scale businesses.
  • Silver: $199/month – Access to most features, but still restricted by limits on emails, pages, and bandwidth.
  • Gold/Platinum: $299-$499/month – Complete feature access with higher limits, but at a high cost for businesses.
Kajabi:
  • Basic: $149/month – Limited products, landing pages, and basic automations.
  • Growth: $199/month – More products, users, and expanded automations, but still limited for scaling businesses.
  • Pro: $399/month – Maximum features, but the price is high compared to more versatile platforms.
Winner: ThriveCart’s one-time payment model is a far better deal for course creators, while GoHighLevel’s pricing offers better value for comprehensive CRM and marketing features.
Support, Training, & Community Resources
  • Kartra: Limited to live chat and email support, with reported delays in response times. The platform lacks extensive training resources, making it difficult for new users to get started.
  • Kajabi: Provides live chat and email support with a larger library of tutorials, though the support level varies based on plan. Users on the lower tiers may find their support options limited.
Winner: GoHighLevel’s 24/7 support and robust training resources make it a better choice for businesses needing reliable, ongoing assistance.
Unique Selling Points & Target Users
  • Kartra: Works best for small businesses or solopreneurs looking for an entry-level funnel builder with basic automation, but it struggles with scalability and lacks advanced CRM tools.
  • Kajabi: Suitable for creators focused solely on course-building without extensive marketing needs. Its high price point and limited automation may deter users looking for a more all-encompassing solution.
Verdict: GoHighLevel is the best choice for an all-in-one CRM and marketing solution for businesses, while ThriveCart outperforms as the best platform for courses and memberships.
Real-World Use Case: Why GoHighLevel and ThriveCart Stand Out
GoHighLevel: A growing agency switched to GoHighLevel to consolidate their CRM, automation, and sales funnel needs. By replacing multiple tools, the agency saved over $500/month while improving lead engagement with multi-channel automations that increased conversion rates by 30%.
ThriveCart: A digital course creator migrated to ThriveCart Learn to avoid Kajabi’s high subscription fees and quickly launched multiple courses with advanced features like student progress tracking and detailed analytics. ThriveCart’s one-time pricing provided significant long-term savings.
Key Takeaway: For businesses needing versatile tools, GoHighLevel and ThriveCart provide far better functionality at a fraction of the ongoing costs associated with Kartra and Kajabi.
Final Verdict: Which Platform Should You Choose?
When considering your business needs:
  • Choose GoHighLevel if you’re looking for an all-in-one CRM and marketing suite with advanced automation, funnel-building, and client management. GoHighLevel is the superior choice for businesses wanting to scale without the high costs and limitations of Kartra and Kajabi.
  • Choose ThriveCart if your focus is course and membership creation. ThriveCart’s transparent pricing, powerful tools, and flexible course options make it the best value over Kajabi and Kartra.
Conclusion
In the face-off between Kartra and Kajabi, both platforms fall short for businesses needing a true all-in-one solution. GoHighLevel stands out as the ultimate CRM and marketing platform, and ThriveCart excels in course and membership creation. Save time, money, and effort by choosing tools that fully support your business goals without compromise.
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Evan Mitchell
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Kartra vs. Kajabi: Why There are Superior Choices
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