ClickFunnels Pricing And Comparison Affordable Alternative

Ever notice how humans tend to follow a path when it’s already laid out for them? Blame it on “choice architecture”, a psychological concept that explains why we’re more likely to say yes when the next step is clear.

That’s exactly what ClickFunnels does: it builds step-by-step sales journeys that lead customers from “Hmm, interesting…” to “Take me in!” But here’s where things get tricky: those step-by-step journeys come with step-by-step price hikes.

So, is ClickFunnels really worth it, or could you create something just as powerful without breaking the bank? Let’s see.

What is Clickfunnels?

ClickFunnels is cloud-based sales funnel software designed to guide customers through every stage of the buyer's journey, from awareness to purchase. Its drag-and-drop funnel builder lets entrepreneurs create landing pages, lead capture forms, sales pages, and even online courses without needing advanced tech skills.

ClickFunnels launched in 2014 with a focus on simplifying sales funnels. Co-founders Russell Brunson, Todd Dickerson, and Dylan Jones combined marketing, technical, and design expertise to build an intuitive platform.

Beta testing, webinars, and an aggressive affiliate program helped early growth. Over time, ClickFunnels expanded beyond funnel-building to include email automation, membership sites, and course creation.

Inside the ClickFunnels toolkit

ClickFunnels offers several features, from building sales funnels and websites to creating online courses. All these help businesses attract, convert, and retain customers effectively.

Among its many features, ClickFunnels stands out with five key tools that help businesses create an impact:

✅Sales funnel builder: Create and customize sales funnels to guide visitors through the customer journey. Entrepreneurs can quickly create customized funnels tailored to their business needs using pre-built templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. The platform also supports testing and optimization, enabling users to improve funnel performance and maximize customer value over time.

✅A/B testing: The platform supports A/B testing, enabling users to run split tests on elements like headlines, button color, and CTA. This helps optimize funnel performance by identifying the most effective variations based on real-time data.

✅Landing page builder: Design high-converting landing pages and lead capture pages. ClickFunnels lets you create high-converting landing pages with options for subscriptions, one-time offers, upsells, and order bumps. Customize layouts effortlessly to streamline the customer journey and maximize conversions.

✅Membership site builder: Users can create and manage membership sites delivering exclusive content to subscribers. This feature supports content delivery, access control, and user management, facilitating the creation of a loyal community.

✅Smart checkout: Smart Checkout instantly recognizes returning customers by detecting their email, eliminating repeated form-filling and forgotten passwords. Shipping and payment details auto-fill for an easy, one-click purchase. It adapts to your brand’s style while offering customizable templates. Customers can easily upgrade or adjust their subscriptions, ensuring they stay engaged rather than leaving your platform.

Who gets the most value out of ClickFunnels?

ClickFunnels is a solid choice for marketers and businesses focused on building high-converting sales funnels if they’re ready to pay a premium for it (and not the “slightly higher” kind of premium!).

But, ClickFunnels isn’t the best option for course creators who need a full-fledged learning platform.  

Let’s see why.

The ClickFunnels Price Tag: What Comes with It?

ClickFunnels does not provide a free plan but offers a 14-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. With the ClickFunnels risk-free trial, you can explore the platform without upfront costs and ensure it fits your needs before committing.

Though the platform does not incur any fee for cancelling before the 44 days (free trial + the guarantee period), users face issues cancelling the subscription, and ClickFunnels charges them without proper notification.

Below are a few of the user reviews mentioning this issue:

Now, coming to their pricing plans, ClickFunnels comes with two plans:

Monthly billing

• Startup: $97/month
• Pro: $297/month

Annual billing

• Startup: $81/month
• Pro: $248/month.

Let’s break it down

Startup plan

ClickFunnels’ startup plan, priced at 97/month(or $970/year [$81/month]), allows adding unlimited members and several other features. It is a solution for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to build unlimited pages and create membership sites and marketing campaigns.

While its “unlimited” features and mid-tier pricing may seem appealing, several limitations make it a less-than-ideal choice for growing businesses. Below are key disadvantages to consider before opting for this plan.

Restrictive brand workspaces and team members

The Startup plan allows only 3 brand workspaces and 3 team members, severely limiting scalability. Entrepreneurs managing multiple brands or client accounts will quickly outgrow this cap, forcing an upgrade to the more expensive pro plan ($297/month).

Similarly, small teams collaborating on projects may find the 3-member limit restrictive, especially as workflows expand. Agencies, in particular, would struggle to onboard clients or delegate tasks efficiently under these constraints.

Overpriced for small businesses

At nearly $100/month, the startup plan is costly for small businesses or bootstrapped startups. Competitors like FreshLearn ($39/month) provide similar sales page building tools and also have built-in marketing tools.

Also, ClickFunnels’ pricing structure forces users to pay a premium for features they may not fully utilize, such as unlimited contacts or domains, which many small businesses don’t need.

Pro plan

ClickFunnels’ pro plan costs $297/month (or $2,970/year [$248/month]). This plan works well for growing businesses and marketers who need options to include more brand workspaces and team members. But it has the same features as the startup plan (unlimited funnels, unlimited domains, and more).

High Upfront Investment

Opting for the annual billing of the pro plan requires a payment of $2,970 upfront. This substantial expense can be challenging for small businesses or startups with limited budgets. Even the monthly plan, at $297 per month, accumulates to a significant annual cost of $3,564. So, evaluating the return on investment is crucial before committing to this plan. ​

Other Limitations

Unclear additional costs

ClickFunnels’ pricing looks straightforward, but the platform states they may introduce additional charges for certain features in the future. Need a specific tool or advanced functionality? While the current plans don’t explicitly list every feature, future updates could come with extra costs. This uncertainty makes budgeting tricky, especially if you’re planning to scale and want to avoid surprise expenses down the line.

Extra expenses for third-party integrations

ClickFunnels supports various third-party integrations. However, some of them aren’t free. You might have to pay extra if you need domain names or email marketing services. That means your total cost could go well beyond ClickFunnels’ advertised pricing, depending on what you need to run your business smoothly.

As one reviewer put it, ClickFunnels' pricing feels "relatively expensive compared to competitors" due to these added costs.

• Sending 1,000 emails through ClickFunnels costs $0.675.
• Validating 1,000 emails (powered by Emailable) comes with a $2.50 fee.
• Each integration run costs $0.01.
• Hosting a video on ClickFunnels costs $0.10 per upload.
• Using 1TB of video bandwidth incurs a $10 charge.

Also, ClickFunnels 2.0 offers Payments.ai as its built-in payment processor, charging 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction and an additional 0.5% for subscriptions. Using third-party gateways like Stripe, PayPal, Coinbase, or Klarna adds a 1% fee on top of their standard processing charges.

Customer service concerns

Despite paying a premium, users often face technical issues and experience poor customer care when resolving them.

FreshLearn vs. ClickFunnels: Which One Delivers More Value?

Now that you know everything about ClickFunnels' pricing, it’s clear that the platform may not be suitable for course creators looking for a comprehensive solution. This is because the price you pay is mainly for the sales and landing page funnels, while you get basic course creation features.

For example, ClickFunnels does not have features for advanced assessment, assignments, and quizzes, and there is no mobile application for course access.

Also, though ClickFunnels' pricing plans provide an unlimited number of communities, they are more basic. It lacks in:

• Built-in events or coaching
• A mobile app
• Gamification

On the other hand, FreshLearn’s pricing plans are exclusive for course creators and businesses, ensuring you get all the tools you need without hidden fees or the hassle of third-party integrations.

We offer a free plan (Yes, that’s right) with all the core features required to begin a course creation business.

Apart from this, we have three pricing plans:

Monthly billing

• Pro: $39/month
• No Brainer: $69/month
• No Brainer+:$149/month

Annual billing

• Pro: $29/month
• No Brainer: $49/month
• No Brainer+:$119/month

With this budget-friendly pricing, you get all the features below (and this is just a glimpse; there’s more!) required for your complete course creation journey (Aside from a few features not included in the Pro plan).

✅ Advanced assessments & quizzes

FreshLearn includes graded quizzes and assignments, allowing you to evaluate learners effectively. With built-in analytics, FreshLearn helps you measure performance and engagement without relying on third-party tools. A complete learning experience requires more than just video lessons; FreshLearn delivers exactly that.

✅ A fully branded mobile app

Unlike ClickFunnels, FreshLearn gives you a dedicated mobile app so students can access courses anytime, anywhere. Without relying on a browser or desktop, your learners get a smooth learning experience on their phones. This is crucial for engagement, as mobile-friendly learning increases course completion rates and keeps students connected to your content on the go.

✅AI agents
FreshLearn’s AI agents help you effortlessly create, market, and scale your course creation process.

• AI course outline generator: Instantly generate a structured course outline tailored to your subject and audience. This tool organizes your content within seconds, saving hours of planning time. You can customize sections based on your input, ensuring your course follows a logical and engaging flow.
• AI quiz generator: Effortlessly create interactive quizzes that increase engagement and lead generation. This tool automatically generates multiple quiz types from your course content, allowing you to test students’ knowledge while keeping them engaged. You can customize questions and answers to align with your teaching style and course objectives.
• AI blog generator (Coming soon): Turn your ideas into SEO-optimized blog content that drives course sales. This AI-powered tool generates blog posts based on your course themes, helping you market your content effectively. You can attract new learners by providing valuable insights while reinforcing key concepts for existing students.
• AI video caption file generator (Coming soon): AI-generated captions make your videos more accessible. This tool automatically creates accurate transcription files, ensuring your content reaches a wider and more inclusive audience. By improving accessibility, you improve the learning experience for all students.
• AI course content generator (Coming soon): Save time and generate high-quality course content instantly. This tool creates comprehensive course materials aligned with your objectives, reducing manual effort. You can customize the tone and style to match your teaching approach, ensuring a consistent and engaging learning experience.

✅ Live events & coaching

FreshLearn allows you to host live classes, coaching sessions, and webinars, all within the platform. ClickFunnels does not include this, meaning you will miss out on providing a holistic teaching space. With FreshLearn, you can schedule live events and interact with students in real time, creating a dynamic and interactive learning environment beyond pre-recorded content.

✅ AI-powered course idea validation

Not sure if your course will sell? FreshLearn’s AI helps validate your idea before you create content. It analyzes market demand and competition through your course’s audience waitlist, giving you data-driven insights to refine your topic. ClickFunnels focuses on sales funnels, but FreshLearn ensures you build courses people actually want, reducing the risk of launching a course that doesn’t attract buyers.

✅ Digital downloads

Want to sell more than just courses? FreshLearn lets you offer eBooks, templates, guides, and exclusive downloads as standalone products or course add-ons. ClickFunnels lets you create courses within the sales funnel, but FreshLearn gives you multiple ways to monetize your knowledge beyond traditional course sales.

✅ Campaign URL builder

Tracking your marketing efforts is easier with FreshLearn’s built-in campaign URL builder. Generate trackable links for different campaigns or email marketing efforts. With FreshLearn, you can optimize your marketing strategy using real-time data without extra software.

With all these features and more, FreshLearn gives everything you need without extra transaction fees eating into your revenue as a course creator. We also let you decide your products’ pricing (be it one-time, monthly, or yearly) with 0% commission.

Why does this matter? Because every course sale counts. When you're scaling your online business, hidden fees add up fast. FreshLearn’s all-in-one platform lets you build, market, and sell courses without worrying about unexpected costs.

Ready to grow your course business without restrictions? Get started for free today!

FAQ

1.How much does ClickFunnels cost?

The ClickFunnels pricing comes with two options: startup and pro

Monthly billing

• Startup: $97/month
• Pro: $297/month

Annual billing

• Startup: $81/month
• Pro: $248/month.

2.Is there a cheaper option than ClickFunnels?

Yes, FreshLearn is a more affordable alternative to ClickFunnels. It offers complete course creation, marketing, and sales features without transaction fees. Unlike ClickFunnels, which mainly focuses on funnels, FreshLearn provides an all-in-one platform for creators to build, sell, and scale their courses at a lower cost and with more flexibility.

3.How much do sales funnels cost?

Sales funnel setup costs vary between $19 and $499 per month, depending on the funnel builder tool you choose.

4.Does ClickFunnels 2.0 host videos?

ClickFunnels 2.0 offers valuable membership features like video hosting and optimization. The latest version also improves security with additional defensive mechanisms.

5.Do you have to pay for ClickFunnels?

ActiveCampaign offers pricing plans that vary based on features and the number of contacts, starting at $15 per month (for 1000 contacts).

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