Kajabi vs ClickFunnels: Which Is Better?
Kajabi and ClickFunnels are popular platforms among creators and coaches who have an audience online. But these platforms have quite a different set of strengths and weaknesses. Kajabi shines in helping you build your course. ClickFunnels is better at helping you sell it.
Now with ClickFunnels 2.0, things get interesting. They’ve added a blog builder, a cleaner CRM, and even a course delivery tool, blurring the lines between funnel engine and all-in-one platform.
So, the comparison between ClickFunnels and Kajabi isn’t as black and white anymore. In this blog post, we dive deep into the details so that you can make the right decision if you’re looking for the platform that suits you best.
Quick Comparison: Kajabi vs ClickFunnels vs FreshLearn
Although the article compares Kajabi and ClickFunnels in great detail and gives you a verdict (winner) for each use case, we’ve added FreshLearn in this table as an additional option. The detailed comparison that follows does not include FreshLearn.
What is Kajabi?
Kajabi is a unified platform designed for course creators, coaches, and community builders who want to manage and grow their digital business from a single place. The platform helps create and sell online courses, membership sites, and coaching programs.
What sets Kajabi apart is its depth in content delivery, member engagement, and marketing automation. You get native tools for gated content, quizzes, and progress tracking, plus solid email workflows and analytics built in.
It’s often seen as a premium choice. Not just because of the price, but also because of the level of control it gives creators without requiring code or external plugins.
What is ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is a user-friendly sales funnel builder that helps businesses convert their visitors into customers. The platform is widely used for creating landing pages, checkout flows, and automated marketing sequences that guide prospects through your sales process.
While ClickFunnels markets itself broadly, it's fundamentally a funnel-first platform. You get advanced tools for campaigns and lead generation, plus built-in marketing automation.
The platform excels at one thing: turning traffic into sales. If you need sophisticated course delivery or community features, you'll need additional tools. ClickFunnels works best for entrepreneurs focused on direct-response marketing, product launches, and optimizing conversion rates above anything else.
You’ve met the contenders. Now it’s head-to-head, feature by feature.
Kajabi vs ClickFunnels: Detailed feature-by-feature breakdown
If you’re a creator building something big, you should compare specifics beyond generic pros and cons.
Here’s just that.
1. Course creation and delivery
If you're serious about teaching online, this comparison starts and ends here. Both platforms let you create courses, but the execution couldn't be more different.
Kajabi: purpose-built course builder
Kajabi isn’t just “course-friendly”, it’s course-first. The platform gives creators full control over how they structure, deliver, and enhance their courses.
The platform comes with an intuitive drag-and-drop course builder, where you can easily organize your content into categories (modules) and posts (lessons). You can bulk upload videos or import content directly from Google Drive or Dropbox.
And unlike ClickFunnels, Kajabi handles content hosting natively, so there’s no need for third-party video services like Vimeo.
Once your course is set up, Kajabi lets you tailor the learning experience:
- Drip scheduling and content locking let you control how learners progress. You can enforce prerequisites or timed unlocks, keeping students on track.
- Want live interaction? Kajabi supports live Q&A sessions and lets you republish recordings as lesson content (ideal for cohort-based courses).
- With "when/then/if" automation, you can reward course completion with certificates or trigger offers when a student finishes a module.
Kajabi also includes robust assessment tools. You can add graded quizzes, file uploads, and short answer questions. You can even set a passing grade before learners can move forward, something ClickFunnels simply doesn’t offer.
For presentation, Kajabi doesn’t hold back. The customizable course player comes with more than seven layout templates. Each one is mobile responsive, and your students can access everything via the Kajabi mobile app on iOS or Android.
And here's what sets Kajabi apart in 2025:
Its AI-powered Creator Studio can repurpose your video content into social clips, summaries, or marketing emails directly inside the platform.
ClickFunnels has nothing close to this.
ClickFunnels: Functional, but basic
ClickFunnels’ course tools feel like an add-on, not a core product. You can build structured lessons with videos, PDFs, and drip release (but it’s limited).
The editor uses the same drag-and-drop layout as Kajabi, but lacks depth. There’s only one default course layout, and customizing it requires editing global templates with placeholder variables. That’s clunky if you're building multiple course styles.
There are no native assessments, quizzes, certificates, or built-in discussions. Drip content is available, but students don’t receive automated emails when new lessons are unlocked.
Even the mobile experience is weak. ClickFunnels courses don’t use responsive design properly. On mobile, students often have to scroll past an expanded sidebar just to get to the lesson content.
And if you're offering more than one course? ClickFunnels creates a separate account login for each product. That’s a major friction point for student experience. Kajabi, on the other hand, houses everything in one unified member area.
There’s no dedicated mobile app for ClickFunnels. There’s no engagement analytics beyond funnel tracking or automation around learning events or student milestones.
And the winner is … Kajabi
This isn't close. Kajabi is purpose-built for building and delivering an online course, while ClickFunnels feels like it’s still beta testing this capability.
ClickFunnels works if you're adding a simple bonus course to a funnel. But if courses are your primary business model, you'll outgrow its limitations quickly. The lack of hosting alone adds complexity and ongoing costs that Kajabi includes in your subscription.
Choose Kajabi if you're building an education business. Pick ClickFunnels only if courses are a small add-on to your main offer.
If you need more options on course-building platforms, read our detailed guide on Kajabi alternatives here.
2. Sales funnel building
Both Kajabi and ClickFunnels offer visual builders for setting up funnels, automations, and conversion paths. But the way each platform handles funnel logic, testing, and customization is quite different.
ClickFunnels: Built for conversion
ClickFunnels gives you a drag-and-drop visual funnel builder with real flexibility. You can map out every step of your customer journey (opt-ins, upsells, downsells, thank-you pages) and plug in conditions that adapt to how users behave at each stage.
Once your funnel is live, Funnel Workflows let you automate everything. You set a trigger (like a page visit or form submission), and ClickFunnels handles the rest. Want to route users who clicked “Yes” to a one-time offer, and show “No” users a downsell instead? Set it up in seconds using conditional split paths.
Kajabi doesn’t support conditional logic inside its pipelines.
ClickFunnels also includes built-in A/B split testing. You can test variations of any page (different copy, CTAs, layouts, or offers), then send traffic to both and see which version performs better. The platform tracks conversions and lets you double down on what’s working.
You can run multiple funnels simultaneously and choose from 15+ pre-built funnel templates or build your own from scratch. Funnels aren’t limited to digital products either: ClickFunnels is better equipped for physical product sales, including multi-product funnels, which Kajabi doesn’t support natively.
And with FunnelHub, ClickFunnels gives you a centralized dashboard to manage all your funnels, pages, automations, and analytics in one place.
Kajabi: Simple, but limited
Kajabi calls its funnels “Pipelines.” You get a few starter blueprints (like opt-ins or product launches), and a visual builder to drag elements around. It’s functional for beginners but limited once you need serious customization or optimization.
Automations in Kajabi are mostly tied to content delivery (e.g., sending an email when a student finishes a lesson).
While it’s easy to set up and works well for course engagement, it doesn’t compare with the workflow engine in ClickFunnels.
Kajabi doesn’t support A/B testing in any form. You can’t test different versions of pages or analyze split-path performance. That makes it hard to know why your funnel isn't converting (or how to fix it).
Also, Kajabi offers fewer funnels on all plans compared to ClickFunnels. And if you’re managing multiple products or brands, that matters.
And the winner is … ClickFunnels
For pure funnel building, ClickFunnels dominates. The platform was engineered specifically for this purpose, and it shows in every feature.
Kajabi's pipelines work fine for simple course launches or basic email capture. But if you're running paid ads, launching products regularly, or need sophisticated marketing automation, you'll hit Kajabi's limits fast.
Choose ClickFunnels if funnels drive your business model. Pick Kajabi only if you need basic funnels alongside superior course delivery.
3. Website and page builder
I found this evaluation tricky. Both platforms let you build websites, but the verdict depends on what your end goal is. ClickFunnels focuses on individual page performance. Kajabi thinks about your entire web presence.
ClickFunnels for page building
ClickFunnels 2.0 has come a long way from its earlier version. The new builder gives you fine-grained control over every part of the page. You can drag in sections, nest rows, and tweak spacing, padding, and alignment with precision.
It behaves more like a proper design tool (similar to Elementor or Webflow) than a standard funnel builder.
ClickFunnels also lets you create universal sections that sync across your site. Update it once, and it reflects everywhere. That’s a time-saver for headers, footers, or product banners.
You can even collaborate live on a page with your team (real-time edits from multiple people, just like in Google Docs). No one else offers that right now.
Kajabi’s website-first approach
Kajabi, on the other hand, is better suited for building a complete branded website. It comes with over 10 pre-built themes and offers more than 40 sections you can add to each page. That makes it ideal for creators who want a professional-looking site without coding.
You can quickly build home pages, blog sections, about pages, and contact pages, and integrate them with your course or product content.
Its built-in blogging functionality gives Kajabi an edge for content marketing and SEO. You can write and publish posts directly in Kajabi, no need for third-party blogging tools.
ClickFunnels supports blogging too, but it’s not as polished or tightly integrated into the site structure.
Where Kajabi falls short is in advanced customization. The page builder is intuitive but limited. It works well out of the box, but users looking for pixel-perfect control or complex layouts might hit a wall. You’ll need extra design expertise to push the builder beyond basic use.
And the winner is … Kajabi
For building complete websites, Kajabi takes the lead. Choose this if your priority is building a full website with blog support, cohesive themes, and visual consistency.
If you want full design freedom, advanced split testing, and global elements for funnel-style pages, ClickFunnels gives you more control.
4. Community and memberships
This isn't even a competition, and you’ll know why soon.
Spoiler alert: This is where Kajabi pulls way ahead. Let’s see how.
Kajabi’s full-featured community platform
Kajabi has built-in community tools that go beyond basic memberships. After acquiring Vibely, they rolled out features that rival Circle and Mighty Networks, without any external integrations.
You can build structured, paywalled communities with multiple access tiers. Want one community for buyers of your flagship course, another for coaching clients? Set it up directly inside Kajabi. Each group can have its own pricing, permissions, and engagement features.
Inside these communities, Kajabi lets you run:
- Challenges with deadlines and progress tracking
- Live meetups directly within the platform
- Broadcasts for announcements or nudges
- Q&A circles to keep the feed organized
- Leaderboards, points, and badges to gamify engagement
It’s built for creators who want more than passive content delivery. This is an active, structured, and gamified community experience, all inside Kajabi.
Even better, there’s a dedicated mobile app (iOS and Android), so members stay connected wherever they are. Notifications, replies, live events: they don’t miss a beat.
ClickFunnels' non-existent community features
ClickFunnels doesn’t offer anything close.
You can build a basic membership site inside ClickFunnels using its Courses and Blogs features. You can drip content over time and lock access behind a paywall. But that’s it. No feed, gamification, or engagement tools.
There’s no way to build a real, interactive community on ClickFunnels. And there are no native groups, meetups, or mobile app experiences for members. If you want those things, you’ll need a separate community platform (and more duct-tape integrations).
And the winner is … Kajabi
For community features, Kajabi wins by default. ClickFunnels doesn't even show up to compete.
If community is central to your business model (coaching programs, membership sites, or cohort-based courses), Kajabi is your only choice between these two.
5. Email marketing
Both Kajabi and ClickFunnels offer built-in email marketing, but one platform clearly leads in usability, automation, and depth.
What Kajabi offers
Kajabi treats email as a core feature. Upload your contacts and start sending immediately without any technical setup.
The platform offers two email types:
- Email broadcasts: Send one-time messages to your entire list or specific segments. Perfect for announcements, promotions, or weekly newsletters.
- Email sequences: Automated drip campaigns that nurture leads over time. Set up a 7-day welcome series or a 30-day challenge with automated email notifications.
Inside Kajabi, you’ll find built-in templates for real use cases: product launches, events, referrals, and more. You can customize them or use them as-is.
Each email can be personalized, scheduled, and tracked with built-in analytics. Want to trigger an action (like tagging a user or sending a discount) when someone clicks a link? You can do that with Kajabi’s automation rules.
Setting up is another area where Kajabi pulls ahead. Upload your contact list and start sending right away without a custom domain or SMTP setup.
ClickFunnels requires an SMTP integration before you can send anything. That means dealing with domain records, server warm-up, and other deliverability concerns, none of which are beginner-friendly.
What ClickFunnels offers
ClickFunnels currently only supports one-time broadcast emails. No native email sequences. Their workaround? Create "workflows" with delays between individual broadcast steps. It's clunky and hard to manage.
The platform offers 15+ email templates covering basics like cart abandonment, community notifications, and order confirmations.
The drag-and-drop builder works well for creating emails. But without proper sequences, you're limited to one-off messages.
It does have tagging and follow-up funnels, but it lacks Kajabi’s ease of use and native integrations. More importantly, you can’t send emails from your own domain unless you go through a third-party SMTP setup.
And the winner is … Kajabi
Kajabi wins decisively. Their email system is complete, integrated, and ready to use.
If email marketing matters to your business (and it should), Kajabi provides everything you need. ClickFunnels forces you to either accept limitations or integrate external tools, adding cost and complexity.
Kajabi vs. ClickFunnels: Pricing breakdown and total cost analysis
Neither platform offers budget-friendly entry points. Kajabi starts at $89/month, while ClickFunnels begins at $97/month. But starting prices tell only part of the story.
ClickFunnels front-loads its value proposition. Even at the base tier, you get unlimited funnels (currently a limited-time offer), which is their core feature.
Compare this to Kajabi's Kickstarter plan with just one product and one funnel, barely enough to test the waters.
Kajabi employs aggressive feature gating. If you want to run an affiliate program, that requires jumping from $149 to $199/month. Or if you need to remove their branding for a professional appearance, it’s the same $199 tier.
It forces serious creators to pay for the Growth plan minimum, making their real starting price $199/month, not $149.
Read the in-depth analysis we’ve made of Kajabi pricing in our blog here.
ClickFunnels takes a different approach. Their restrictions focus on workspaces and team members rather than core functionality. A solopreneur can access most features at the base level. The higher tiers mainly add capacity: more contacts, emails, and workspaces.
Functionally, these two plans are quite comparable in what they offer (email marketing, CRM tools, affiliate systems, etc.). Still, Kajabi continues to limit you to 15 products and 25,000 contacts, whereas ClickFunnels remains unlimited on both.
That said, Kajabi bundles in built-in video hosting, a mobile app, SEO/blog tools, podcasting, and a proper website builder. ClickFunnels, on the other hand, often requires external tools (e.g., Wistia for video hosting, ConvertKit for blogging or podcasting). That can increase setup costs over time.
Here’s a simple calculation of your Total Cost of Ownership
*Using Kickstarter or the Basic plan as the base subscription is too limited for serious businesses and also limits the number of funnels compared to ClickFunnels’ unlimited funnel availability.
The hidden value proposition
ClickFunnels' "unlimited funnels" offer seems generous until you realize most businesses need 3-5 funnels maximum. Meanwhile, they cap courses at 3 on the base plan, which is problematic for educational businesses.
Kajabi's feature gating feels aggressive, especially locking affiliate programs behind the $199 tier. But their unlimited email sends and visitor traffic on all plans provide predictable scaling. You won't face surprise overages during a successful launch.
Take their highest tier: ClickFunnels at $297/month and Kajabi at $399. Kajabi still won't give you unlimited funnels or products, but you'll get access to a custom code editor for customizing your emails and pages with CSS styling. But, ClickFunnels offers a code editor across all plans.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of ClickFunnels' pricing and affordable alternatives to help you understand the value you can expect.
Final verdict Kajabi vs ClickFunnels: The cheaper option depends on your needs
ClickFunnels does offer better starting value, especially for funnel builders who don’t mind duct-taping together a few tools. Its “unlimited everything” approach is attractive if you are comfortable with integrations.
But Kajabi is more complete and more polished. For course creators, coaches, or knowledge entrepreneurs who want to launch and grow with fewer moving parts, Kajabi becomes more cost-effective (despite the higher sticker price) once you factor in everything it replaces.
For creators just starting out or those bootstrapping their knowledge business, these price points can be deal-breakers.
An alternative to consider: FreshLearn for budget-conscious creators
If you're finding Kajabi too limiting at the base tier and ClickFunnels too dependent on external tools, you're not alone (I did, too). Many creators don’t need dozens of complex features; they just want an affordable, all-in-one platform that covers the essentials without breaking the bank.
One such alternative is FreshLearn.
FreshLearn offers the same all-in-one convenience as Kajabi (course creation, checkouts, email campaigns, sales funnels, and landing pages) but without the inflated monthly cost or frustrating feature caps. With plans starting at just $29/month, it’s built for creators who want powerful tools without paying enterprise rates.
Despite its low price, FreshLearn doesn’t cut corners. You get:
- Unlimited courses, free video hosting with anti-piracy protection, smart drip scheduling, custom certificates, and integrated AI tools that help you create outlines, quizzes, and even full sales pages in minutes.
- Easily customizable site, certificates, and mobile app to match your brand.
- Conversion-optimized checkouts, zero transaction fees, and support for Stripe, PayPal, and Razorpay so you keep 100% of what you earn.
- Built-in lead magnets, email builder, and automation engine to deliver personalized, scheduled campaigns without ever leaving the platform.
And unlike Kajabi or ClickFunnels, FreshLearn offers key features without artificial limits or forced upgrades.
The popular No Brainer plan at $46/month includes the affiliate marketing suite, smart automations, and advanced analytics, all features you'd have to unlock with Kajabi’s $199 Growth plan or ClickFunnels’ $297 Platinum plan.
And when it comes to the total cost of ownership, FreshLearn wins hands down. Even the Enterprise plan, priced at $139/month, is cheaper than Kajabi’s basic tier and still includes everything you need to scale: unlimited courses, branded emails, full API access, and multi-site support.
In short, FreshLearn gives you the features creators love about Kajabi and the sales power of ClickFunnels at a fraction of the price, with zero bloat. And the good news is that FreshLearn comes with a forever-free plan, something that neither platform offers.
Get started at $0, with support for one product, three sales pages, and up to 25 enrollments. No time limits or credit card required.
Final take on Kajabi vs ClickFunnels
You've seen how FreshLearn, ClickFunnels, and Kajabi stack up. And while each has its strengths, FreshLearn strikes the perfect balance for creators who want powerful funnels and course delivery, without overpaying or overcomplicating things.
If you’re looking for a clear path forward, here’s the quick takeaway:
- ClickFunnels is great for sales-heavy campaigns, but it’s not built to host or manage online courses long-term; you'll need another tool (and another bill).
- Kajabi excels at course delivery, but its funnel builder is limited, and scaling can get expensive fast if you’re not closing enough sales.
- FreshLearn gives you ClickFunnels-style sales funnels and Kajabi-quality course hosting with zero sales limits, built-in marketing tools, and one simple price.
Still confused? If you’re a creator who wants to sell smarter and deliver a great learning experience, FreshLearn is exactly what you’re looking for. Join 15K+ creators who love FreshLearn for our ease of use, affordability, and stellar support.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I migrate my course content from ClickFunnels to Kajabi?
Yes, but manually. You can manually move assets like videos, downloads, and email lists. Kajabi doesn’t offer a migration service for ClickFunnels users, but its onboarding support can guide you through setup. You can also try FreshLearn’s free migration and enjoy the same capabilities as both.
2. Can Kajabi replace ClickFunnels?
Kajabi can replace ClickFunnels if your primary focus is online course creation, digital products, and building a branded customer experience. It offers native tools for course delivery, memberships, email automation, and community building. However, if your business relies heavily on complex sales funnels, A/B testing, or upsell/downsell sequences, ClickFunnels may still be more effective.
3. Can I use Kajabi and ClickFunnels together?
Yes, many creators combine them, using ClickFunnels as the front-end for funnel design and Kajabi as the back-end platform for delivering courses and managing memberships. You can integrate your Kajabi account with ClickFunnels through the API.
4. What’s the most affordable Kajabi alternative for course creators?
FreshLearn is the most affordable all-in-one Kajabi alternative. It offers unlimited courses, built-in marketing tools, community features, and AI-based course creation, all starting at $29/month. It even has a free plan to test the platform before scaling.
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