Honest Review of Kartra vs Kajabi: Best Online Platform 2026

Let’s be real – starting an online business can feel like a BIG mountain to climb.

But with the right tools, that mountain starts to look way more manageable – especially if you’re creating courses, digital products, or services.

I’ve been a course creator, teacher and service provider since 2019.

I’ve used Kajabi to grow my business for over 4 years and recently added Kartra into the mix, so I’ve got a solid pulse on which platform really works for course creators.

If you’ve got skills and knowledge that others are eager to learn, creating an online course is hands-down one of the best ways to share what you know and make an impact.

So, how do you get that knowledge out there?

With your own online courses. Yup, I’m talking about teaching what you know and getting paid for it.

Online learning has absolutely exploded over the past few years, so if you’re thinking about launching a digital product or course, there’s never been a better time.

It’s all about sharing what you know and getting paid while you’re at it.

In this article, I’m diving deep into two major players in the online course world – Kartra and Kajabi.

Since I’ve used both over the years in my own business, I’m an expert in reviewing them and giving you my honest opinion comparing the two.

You might be wondering, what exactly is Kartra used for? or can Kajabi handle a group program? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered on all of that.

Stick around till the end to see which platform truly shines for course creators – and why, after years of testing both, but if you want an answer this very second, I recommend Kartra 100% for course creators, coaches and service providers!

Let’s go into why I think that now…

Kartra vs Kajabi – What are they & What Can They Do For You?

If you’re here, chances are you’ve already heard of Kajabi, Kartra, or maybe both.

First things first, Kajabi and Kartra are both SaaS platforms (that’s software as a service), which basically means they’re online tools designed to help you run your business from one place.

For content creators and entrepreneurs like you and I, they offer the chance to build a website, sell digital products, launch courses, and even manage memberships.

Kajabi has been around since 2010, building a solid reputation as an all-in-one platform that makes course creation and sales easy.

It’s a favourite among many entrepreneurs, especially those focused on online courses.

It was the first platform I signed up with because it was highly recommended by a lot of my peers.

But what I realized is that it gets very limiting the bigger your business grows (so it’s not a good long-term solution in my opinion).

Kartra, on the other hand, is the newer kid on the block (launched in 2018) but has quickly made a name for itself with advanced marketing tools and more budget-friendly pricing.

Its focus on marketing and automation is where it really shines, making it a fantastic choice for anyone looking to maximise their sales without juggling a million different tools.

Both platforms are loaded with features to help you market and sell your products – but there’s a big difference in how they go about it.

With Kartra, you get a powerful suite of marketing tools that work seamlessly together, which is why, after testing both, I’m leaning towards Kartra as my top pick for growing an online business.

What I found is that with Kajabi I was still paying for an email marketing platform and a funnel/timer platform in order to really run the backend of my business so it ended up not being a truly ‘all-in-one’ platform.

But if you’re looking for something basic it can be good. By the way, you can test Kajabi out for 30 days for free if you want to see its capability.

While both Kartra and Kajabi make it easy to build and sell online courses, they each have their strengths and weaknesses.

So, let’s dig into what makes them different and why I think Kartra might just be the smarter choice for you.

Ready to get started now? Try Kartra with 30% off here

key differences and similarities between Kartra and Kajabi

At its core, Kartra was originally built as a marketing powerhouse.

But over time, it’s added some serious upgrades, like website hosting and the ability to sell digital products, making it a well-rounded choice for running an online business – whether you’re a coach, course creator or service provider.

Kajabi, on the other hand, has been focused on course creation from day one.

It’s great for building and hosting courses, plus it includes tools to market and grow your business (but in my opinion is lacking in funnels and automations which is crucial for a course creator).

Kajabi even lets you run a blog directly on your site – a solid feature if content marketing is a big part of your strategy.

Kartra doesn’t have a blogging feature built-in, so that’s one area where Kajabi pulls ahead.

I used Kajabi’s blog feature for 4+ years however and it was very limited so I’m happy to be using WordPress for my blog now.

Kajabi has a mobile app that allows your students to access course content on the go, which can be a big plus for engagement

Now, here’s where Kartra shines: it’s packed with features that go beyond the basics.

With Kartra, you get an in-built customer support option for live chat, meaning you can chat with customers directly on your site without needing any third-party plugins.

Kajabi doesn’t have this, so you’d need to install an extra app if live chat is a must-have for you.

Kartra also includes a built-in scheduling tool, which is a game-changer if you’re managing appointments or running a client-based business.

Kajabi, unfortunately, doesn’t have this feature, so you’d need something like Calendly or TidyCal to fill the gap.

Despite these differences, both platforms cover the essentials like marketing automation, email marketing, sales funnels, website building, course creation, and plenty of visual design tools.

So whichever you choose, you’re getting a solid foundation to build your business on.

→ Try Kartra free for 30-days here

→ Try Kajabi free for 30 days here

Online Course Creation Comparison

When it comes to creating and selling online courses, both Kajabi and Kartra pack a serious punch, each with its own unique approach to helping you build a thriving online business.

I have used it to host my signature course Blog Traffic Machine.

When it comes to creating and selling online courses, both Kajabi and Kartra pack a serious punch, each with its own unique approach to helping you build a thriving online business.

Kajabi has always been a favourite for course creators, and it’s easy to see why.

Originally built with education in mind, Kajabi lets you create and sell courses, build a website, and even manage memberships all from one place.

The platform’s interface is incredibly user-friendly, and there’s a library of tutorials if you ever need a hand.

With Kajabi, you can design a range of educational experiences, including:

• Short courses for quick learning
• In-depth courses broken into modules and lessons
• Learning communities where students can interact, collaborate, and stay engaged
• Memberships for exclusive, subscription-based content

Kajabi also gives you control over how your course is delivered.

The drip content feature, for example, allows you to schedule when students gain access to different parts of your course – ideal if you want to release content gradually or keep students coming back week after week.

Plus, Kajabi supports live video and coaching sessions, making it easier than ever to engage with your students directly.

And it doesn’t stop there.

Kajabi has a strong focus on content marketing, letting you integrate a blog directly into your site.

So if you’re looking to attract organic traffic and build authority in your niche, Kajabi has you covered.

But as I said earlier, the blog feature is VERY limited so you probably are better to host your website and blog on another platform like WordPress, Squarespace or Wix.

Kartra, on the other hand, started out more as a marketing powerhouse but has quickly evolved to include some serious course-creation capabilities.

In addition to courses, Kartra’s suite includes email marketing, automation, and sales funnels – all designed to help you grow your business under one roof.

With Kartra, you can build:

• Courses and memberships that allow students access to exclusive content
• Automated sales funnels to guide customers through every stage of the buying journey
• Progress tracking tools to keep an eye on how students are interacting with your content

One of Kartra’s standout features is its integrated scheduling tool, which lets you manage appointments and bookings directly within the platform.

This is perfect if you’re offering coaching or consultation sessions alongside your course.

Kartra also includes video hosting with built-in calls-to-action so you can make your video content work harder for you, whether you’re teaching or selling.

It’s also easy to upload video content to Kartra as you can simply add a Youtube or Vimeo link (or upload the file directly), whereas with Kajabi you can only upload the video file.

Kartra doesn’t currently offer blogging functionality like Kajabi, but if you’re mainly focused on marketing automation and streamlined course creation, Kartra’s strengths in these areas make it an excellent choice.

Both platforms make it easy to set up and sell courses, but they differ in terms of emphasis.

Kajabi shines in content-rich environments where blogging and community engagement are key, while Kartra’s strength lies in its powerful marketing automation and advanced analytics, giving you more tools to optimize your customer journey.

But since I’ve moved from Kajabi to Kartra, I’m able to still blog because my website and blog are hosted using WordPress and Kartra makes it easy to integrate with the platform.

I’m able to also communicate engagement on my courses by leaving comments on or offering live calls and a community on the likes of Facebook or Slack anyway.

Ready to get started now? Try Kartra with 30% off here

Can You Create Membership Sites?

Kajabi and Kartra allow creators to offer membership sites to their customers which provide room for business growth.

Membership sites are the ultimate way to increase your sales and give customers what they value the most.

Kartra allows creators to upload audio and video content on membership sites directly, without the integration of a third-party application.

The number of membership sites allowed varies according to the plan you choose – with the starter plan you can create only two sites, but unlimited on higher plans.

There is also a bandwidth limit of 50 GB on the content in the starter plan, but the higher plans have unlimited bandwidth.

Creators can also choose the drip content feature for membership sites, allowing learners to access content only after they have passed a certain level.

Kajabi, on the other hand, offers even more features for the proper functioning of membership sites.

Kajabi allows creators to choose from a wide range of themes for products and the design of the site. The Kajabi paid themes that are available are all user and SEO-friendly.

Kajabi membership sites even allows customization and features like downloading media files, links to social networking sites, custom site domain, blogs and comment sections.

The best part, Kajabi does not have a storage or bandwidth limit on its membership site – and this applies to all plans.

So, you don’t have to pay more on Kajabi to get unlimited storage and bandwidth. It is apparent who the winner is here with Kartra vs Kajabi! Why not get started on your Kajabi membership site today?

Ready to get started now? Try Kartra with 30% off here

How to Run Group Programs and Coaching on Kartra vs. Kajabi

If you’re looking to run group coaching programs or create an interactive experience for your clients, both Kartra and Kajabi have tools that can support your needs – but they do it in slightly different ways.

Kartra really shines when it comes to flexibility and customization for group coaching.

The platform’s built-in scheduling tool makes it easy to manage group sessions and one-on-one appointments without needing to integrate third-party tools.

Kartra also allows you to set up automated reminders and follow-ups, which can be a game-changer for keeping your clients engaged and on track.

Plus, if you want to upsell other services during your group program, Kartra’s sales funnels and email automations let you do that seamlessly.

So if you’re planning to run a coaching program that includes multiple touchpoints and interactions, Kartra gives you the tools to keep everything organized and efficient.

Kajabi, on the other hand, takes a more community-driven approach, which can be perfect for group programs that focus on collaboration and discussion.

Kajabi offers Community and Membership features that allow you to create a virtual space where your clients can connect, share insights, and support each other’s progress.

While Kajabi doesn’t have a built-in scheduling feature, you can easily integrate a tool like Calendly to manage session bookings if you’re hosting live group calls or Q&A sessions.

Both platforms let you set up drip content, which can be especially useful in a group program setting.

With drip content, you can release new modules or resources each week, keeping clients engaged and building a structured learning journey.

Whether you want to offer worksheets, video lessons, or recorded group calls, both platforms make it easy to control when and how your clients access content.

So, which one’s better for group programs?

If your main goal is to build a structured, automated coaching program with lots of touchpoints and upsell opportunities, Kartra’s got the edge with its scheduling and automation features.

But if you’re all about fostering a supportive community vibe where your clients can connect with each other, Kajabi’s community tools might be a better fit.

Either way, both platforms give you plenty of room to create an engaging, effective group coaching experience.

But when it comes to scaling a business with advanced automation, Kartra is the best choice for serious entrepreneurs.

Ready to get started now? Try Kartra with 30% off here

Hosting And Building Your Website

Both Kajabi and Kartra let you create a website for your business, but each platform has its own approach, so it’s worth knowing the differences to see which one fits your needs best.

Building a website in Kajabi

Kajabi makes it easy to create a professional, branded website – even if you’re not a tech wizard.

With Kajabi’s website builder, you get access to a variety of beautifully designed themes that are customizable, so you can tweak everything to match your brand.

I must say it doesn’t have as much customization as Kartra but it is still good enough.

🚨 ANITA’S RECOMMENDATION: If you want more beautiful page and website themes, I highly recommend these Kajabi plug-and-play website templates that are high-converting and absolutely beautiful! I used these when I was designing my website in Kajabi, Click here to check them out.

You also get all the essentials, like a custom domain option, video backgrounds, call-to-action buttons, client testimonials, blogs, and more, available across all pricing plans.

And if you need a standalone page, like a sales page or a unique landing page, Kajabi lets you create those separately from your main site, giving you even more flexibility.

Within the page builder, you can adjust the visibility, title, URL, and SEO settings for each page, which helps your content rank better and reach a wider audience.

Kartra’s drag-and-drop page builder makes it easy to create high-converting pages without needing any coding skills.

All these options make Kajabi’s builder a great choice if you’re looking for both creative freedom and ease of use.

Building a website in Kartra

Kartra also offers robust website-building tools, with over 200 pre-designed templates that cover a wide range of styles and purposes.

Kartra’s templates are optimized for mobile and tablet views, and they come with built-in analytics to track visitor behaviour and performance, so you know exactly how each page is doing.

However, unlike Kajabi, Kartra doesn’t offer full theme options; you choose a template and customize it for your specific page type.

Since I have my website hosted with WordPress and I create standalone pages that integrate with my WordPress website, this is not really an issue for me.

Where Kartra really stands out is in its marketing focus.

Its templates are designed with conversions in mind, which makes it a solid choice if your primary goal is to guide visitors through a funnel or direct them to specific actions.

Kartra’s SEO capabilities are also strong, so you won’t miss out on search visibility, even though the customization options aren’t as extensive as Kajabi’s.

Ready to get started now? Try Kartra with 30% off here

With both platforms, you can easily create standalone sales pages and websites that showcase your digital products and services in a way that converts.

Also, both Kartra and Kajabi let you use custom domains for a more professional, branded experience.

Email marketing in Kartra vs Kajabi

When it comes to growing and engaging your audience, email marketing is still one of the most effective strategies out there.

Building an email list is crucial for business growth, and both platforms offer the tools to capture and nurture leads effectively.

Both Kartra and Kajabi offer built-in email tools, but they approach email marketing campaigns differently – and if you’re like me, those differences can make or break your workflow (and budget!).

Email marketing with Kartra

Kartra includes email marketing through its Kartra Mail feature, which allows you to set up fully automated sequences based on your customers’ behaviour and preferences.

Kartra’s automation tools make it easy to send personalized emails that engage customers at the right time – whether they’re clicking links, making purchases, or subscribing to new content. A

nd with detailed analytics, you can track everything from open rates to conversions.

One of the best parts? When I switched to Kartra, I no longer needed ActiveCampaign for my email sequences and funnels.

I cut my expenses in HALF.

That was a big cost saver, as Kartra’s built-in email marketing meant I could create funnels, nurture sequences, and automated workflows without paying for an extra tool.

Kartra does have some limits on email lists in the Starter and lower-tier plans, which could be a consideration for larger businesses, but it’s been more than enough for my needs.

Also, Kartra has lead scoring which is normally an add-on feature on ActiveCampaign and not even available in Kajabi at all!

Email marketing with Kajabi

Kajabi also has its own email marketing tools, and while they’re easy to use, I found them more basic compared to Kartra’s.

With Kajabi, you can send newsletters, segment your audience, and create basic email campaigns.

The email editor includes customizable templates, so you can design your emails to fit your brand, but when I wanted to set up complex sequences or behavioural triggers, I had to bring in ActiveCampaign to handle those features.

Kajabi does offer unlimited emails on the Basic and Growth plans, which can be a huge benefit for businesses sending high volumes of emails.

However, without advanced automation, it’s a bit limiting if your goal is to create highly personalized, behaviour-driven sequences without needing an external tool.

Final Analysis

If you’re looking for advanced email automation and want everything in one place, Kartra’s built-in email marketing is hard to beat – and it can save you the cost of a third-party tool.

When it comes to building sales funnels, both Kajabi and Kartra offer tools to guide your customers from initial interest all the way to purchase – but each platform approaches funnels in its own way.

Creating Kajabi Pipelines – AKA funnels

Kajabi makes it super easy to get started with its Pipelines feature, which is designed specifically for creating sales funnels.

Kajabi’s pipeline builder provides pre-made templates for popular funnel types, like webinar sign-ups, product launches, and email captures.

All you need to do is select a template, and Kajabi will automatically set up all the essential pages – from the landing page to the thank you page – and even link them together for a seamless experience.

Once your funnel is set up, you can customize each page to fit your brand, adjust calls-to-action, and add upsell offers where you see fit.

Kajabi’s sales funnel builder is visually appealing and simple to use, making it a solid choice if you’re looking for a polished, user-friendly setup right out of the box.

The downside is that Kajabi’s plans are VERY limiting on the amount of pipelines you can create so when choosing I recommend journaling a bit on what’s your vision for your business and how big do you want to grow it!

Creating Kartra Sales Funnels

Kartra takes a different approach, and while it may require a bit more hands-on setup, it offers incredible flexibility.

With Kartra, you can build complex, multi-step funnels using Kartra’s Page Builder and Kartra’s Automation tools.

You’ll create each page in the funnel individually, and then use Kartra’s automation features to set up triggers, actions, and follow-ups.

This manual setup lets you fully customize each funnel, from email sequences to behavioural triggers, without sticking to a template.

One of Kartra’s standout features is its advanced behavioural tagging and tracking.

You can monitor exactly how each customer interacts with your funnel, allowing you to tailor follow-up emails or upsell offers based on their specific actions.

While this does mean more initial setup, it’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for highly customizable, data-driven funnels that you can adapt as your business grows – this is a MUST in my opinion.

Overall, Kartra offers a streamlined user experience for entrepreneurs focused on automation and conversion.

Final Analysis

Kajabi is great if you’re looking for a quick, streamlined funnel setup with pre-made templates and a polished visual editor.

But if you’re ready to dive into advanced customization and want to leverage data to optimize your funnel, Kartra’s in-depth automation and tagging features give it a serious edge.

Ultimately, Kartra may require more setup time, but the flexibility and customization options can pay off big if you’re focused on optimizing conversions.

Also Kartra will be less expensive in the long-run when you expand your business.

Ready to get started now? Try Kartra with 30% off here

Creating An Affiliate Program In Kartra VS Kajabi

Affiliate marketing can be a fantastic way to boost your revenue and expand your reach.

Both Kajabi and Kartra offer built-in tools to help you set up and manage an affiliate program, but I can honestly say that Kartra has been a game-changer for managing affiliates compared to Kajabi.

I could never go back to Kajabi after setting my affiliate program up in Kartra!

Affiliate Program Management in Kajabi

Kajabi does include basic affiliate marketing features, allowing you to assign affiliates to specific products and set commission percentages for each one.

You can create unique affiliate links for each partner, which they can use to drive traffic to your offerings.

However, I found Kajabi’s affiliate tools somewhat limiting.

While it works for basic affiliate setups, it didn’t offer the depth of customization or the in-depth analytics I needed to effectively grow my program.

Plus, I found it SO hard to track because in order to see who I should pay and what for, I could not see that information in the dashboard and instead had to download a new CSV file every time I wanted to see which was really annoying.

Affiliate Program Management in Kartra

Kartra, on the other hand, takes affiliate management to the next level.

Not only can you assign specific commission rates for each product and create custom affiliate links, but you also get access to advanced analytics and tagging features that make tracking performance a breeze.

Kartra allows you to see exactly how each affiliate is performing, including tracking clicks, conversions, and sales, which helps me make data-driven decisions on where to focus and which affiliates are driving the most value.

One of the biggest advantages I’ve found with Kartra is the ability to collect tax forms directly from affiliates AND I can have an application process which is hosted in Kartra.

This feature saves a ton of time and helps keep everything organized and compliant, especially if you’re working with affiliates from multiple regions.

I also love how easy it is to manage and customize my entire program – from setting custom payouts to organizing affiliates by performance level.

In Kajabi, managing affiliates felt like a basic add-on; in Kartra, it’s a full-featured, integrated solution.

Kartra is the clear winner here!

Final Analysis

If you’re looking for a straightforward affiliate setup, I actually wouldn’t even recommend Kajabi’s affiliate features.

This feature really seemed like something they never update or improve. In my 4 years of using it, they made no updates or improvements to affiliate management which was disappointing.

If you’re serious about building a powerful, scalable affiliate program with customizations, real-time data, and effortless management, Kartra is hands down the better choice.

Moving from Kajabi to Kartra gave me far more control and insight, and it’s been 100% worth it for my business.

Ready to get started now? Try Kartra with 30% off here

Which Platform is the Most Cost-Effective?

Pricing is a major consideration for most creators choosing between Kajabi and Kartra.

Here’s a look at each platform’s plans and what they offer so you can determine which one gives you the best value.

Kajabi Pricing Plans With My Referral Discount:

With my referral link, Kajabi offers 50% off the first year on all plans, making it more accessible for new users.

*This is ONLY available through my affiliate link, you won’t see this offer publicly available.

Kickstarter Plan (Limited time offer at $34/month for the first year, then $69/month): This plan includes 1 product, 1 funnel, 1,250 marketing emails, 50 landing pages, and supports up to 250 contacts and 50 active customers.

Basic Plan (50% off at $74/month for the first year, then $149/month): Includes 3 products, 3 funnels, unlimited landing pages and emails, and can support up to 10,000 contacts and 1,000 active customers.

Growth Plan (50% off at $99/month for the first year, then $199/month): This plan provides 15 products, 15 funnels, unlimited landing pages and emails, 25,000 contacts, and 10,000 active customers. It also offers affiliate marketing tools and support for 10 admin users.

Pro Plan (50% off at $199/month for the first year, then $399/month): Perfect for advanced businesses, it includes 100 products, 100 funnels, unlimited landing pages and emails, 100,000 contacts, and 20,000 active customers, along with support for up to 25 admin users.

Kartra Pricing Plans with My Referral Discount

When you sign up through my referral link, Kartra offers a 30% significant discount across all plans, making it even more cost-effective:

*This is ONLY available through my affiliate link, you won’t see this offer publicly available.

Also when you sign up for the Starter plan through my link, Kartra will give you access to an advanced feature ‘Advanced Automations’ which helps you eliminate Zapier!

But this is only for people who sign up through my link as this is a bonus Kartra is giving my audience only.

• Starter Plan – $83/month (billed monthly) or $69/month (billed annually): Includes 2,500 active members, unlimited emails, 1 domain, 5 team members, and full access to Kartra’s essential tools, such as page building, membership and course creation, and automated email sequences.
• Growth Plan – $160/month (billed monthly) or $132/month (billed annually): Supports up to 12,500 contacts, 3 domains, and all Starter features plus advanced features and tools like webinars for 300 attendees, affiliate management, and funnel simulation.
• Professional Plan – $384/month (billed monthly) or $300/month (billed annually): Allows up to 25,000 contacts, 5 domains, and includes all Growth features, with expanded capabilities like real-time analytics, help desk live chat, and advanced automation.

By using my link, you can access these plans with a 30% discount, making Kartra an even more affordable choice with powerful features for scaling your business.

When I moved from Kajabi to Kartra I was able to eliminate two very costly software that I was paying for – ActiveCampaign and DeadlineFunnel.

This brought my software expenses from $500 a month down to $250 a month.

I highly recommend Kartra as the more cost-effective for the long-term.

Kajabi at first might seem ‘less expensive’ however you’re extremely limited and before you know it, you’ll have to upgrade to the Kajabi Pro plan at $399 (similar to Kartra’s Professional plan which is $384 with much fewer limitations)

Both Kartra and Kajabi offer a free trial, so you can test out each platform before making a commitment.

Gettting Questions & Concerns Answered With Customer support

I’m quite passionate when it comes to getting support and help, especially when you’re paying for all-in-one platforms.

Kajabi used to have great customer support however in 2021 something changed and it felt like I could no longer get support and was just talking to a robot.

I was asked a semi-advanced question and the live chat would give me a basic answer that didn’t answer my question.

Ultimately it felt like the people replying had never used Kajabi at all.

When I moved to Kartra, I tested their support system out quite thoroughly because I had read some reviews from a few years ago that said their support wasn’t great.

So when I signed up I put them to the test and asked them all sorts of basic and advanced questions.

They were more than helpful, even providing me with a custom video tutorial showing me how to customize a certain feature to my liking.

Kartra is definitely the winner here when it comes to customer support!

What About The other online course platforms Out There?

Let’s talk about what makes these two stand out from other course platforms like Coursera, Udemy, Skillshare, and EdX.

Platforms like Udemy or Skillshare are great if you just want to create a course and pop it onto an existing marketplace.

But Kartra and Kajabi go way beyond that.

They let you run your entire business in one place – from building your website to setting up an online store, and of course, launching your courses.

In other words, with Kartra and Kajabi, you’re not just creating a course; you’re building your brand.

Both platforms give you powerful tools to market your business, manage customer relationships, and keep everything under one roof.

It’s all about freedom and control – everything you need to create, sell, and grow without juggling a dozen different tools.

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