Don't Do It Yourself

Kajabi Review (2026): Is It Worth the Price? Honest Verdict

Kajabi is one of the priciest online course platforms out there, which is what initially turned me away from it. After testing it extensively alongside a dozen other platforms, I decided to give it a proper run to see if it's worth the high price tag.

I was pleasantly surprised by the abundant features Kajabi offered and the immense value it provided for course distribution and marketing.

Here, I'll share the ins and outs of my experience. I'll review the pros and cons of the platform and compare it to the other top online course platforms so you can determine if it's worth the money.

Note: Kajabi overhauled its pricing in January 2026, removing the entry-level Kickstarter plan and raising prices across all tiers for the first time in its history. The current entry point is $179/month ($143/month billed annually).

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Key Takeaways

  • Kajabi is a comprehensive platform for online course creation, marketing, and sales, with integrated email marketing, sales funnels, and automation built in.
  • It now offers three pricing tiers: Basic, Growth, and Pro, ranging from $143 to $399 per month billed annually. The entry-level Kickstarter plan was removed in January 2026.
  • Kajabi's higher cost is offset by its all-in-one functionality, reducing or eliminating the need for third-party tools like ConvertKit, ClickFunnels, or Leadpages.
  • Alternatives such as Thinkific, LearnDash, Teachable, Podia, and Systeme.io cater to diverse needs and budgets, from beginners to those wanting a free starting point.

Kajabi Real User Reviews Video

Kajabi Review: The Good and Bad

Pros

  • Built-in email marketing — no third-party provider needed.
  • Pipeline Builder for sales funnels built right into the platform.
  • Marketing automations triggered by purchase behavior, course completion, or inactivity.
  • Deep brand customization with a large library of professional themes.
  • Strong coaching tools for live sessions and interactive calls.
  • Custom domain support.
  • Built-in community platform with challenges, leaderboards, live calls, and chat.
  • Payment plans and monthly subscription support for memberships.
  • AI tools for course outlines, lesson content, landing pages, and email sequences.
  • Completion certificates included.
  • Redesigned checkout with reported conversion improvements.
  • No transaction fees when using Kajabi Payments.

Cons

  • No free plan. The January 2026 restructure removed the Kickstarter tier with no grandfathering — $179/month is now the minimum.
  • The course marketplace is small and has no search functionality for students.
  • Using your own Stripe account adds a surcharge on top of Stripe's fees (2% Basic, 1% Growth, 0.5% Pro).
  • Affiliates, advanced automations, and branding removal require the Growth plan ($249/month).

What is Kajabi?

Kajabi is an elite “one-stop-shop” software for selling online courses and digital products. As an all-in-one platform, users can craft, market, distribute, and get paid for their custom classes without switching to other programs.

Kajabi Features:

  • Payment integrations through Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Kajabi's own native payment system.
  • Email marketing tools built into the platform with unlimited sends on all plans.
  • Fully automated marketing campaigns and funnels.
  • Built-in analytics to track performance and revenue.
  • Website builder with a library of ready-made themes.
  • Custom domain support.
  • Course creation tools for video, text, audio, and other digital content formats.
  • AI-assisted course outline and lesson creation via Creator Studio.
  • Lead generation and sales funnel tools.
  • Podcast hosting and community features included.
  • Newsletter tool for free or paid subscriber content.

Kajabi isn't lacking in features, and their claim of having everything “all in one place” is genuine. Since our last update, they have added AI tools across the platform, a redesigned checkout, expanded community features, and newsletter hosting.

What Is Kajabi Used For?

Kajabi is primarily used to create, market, and sell online courses, membership sites, and coaching programs. It also provides a website builder, payment processing, email marketing, a mobile app, and pre-built templates. The platform requires no coding knowledge and is designed so creators can run their entire business without external integrations.

If you need someone to help you design a more complex course or page, check out our guide here.

Kajabi Pricing (2026)

How Much Does Kajabi Cost?

Kajabi overhauled its pricing in January 2026 for the first time in nearly a decade. The Kickstarter entry plan was removed and prices increased across all tiers. There are now three plans ranging from $143 to $399 per month billed annually, or $179 to $499 per month on monthly billing. A 14-day free trial is available on all plans.

There are no transaction fees when using Kajabi Payments. However, if you use your own Stripe account, Kajabi adds a surcharge of 2% on Basic, 1% on Growth, and 0.5% on Pro, on top of Stripe's standard processing fees. Using Kajabi's native payment system avoids this entirely.

Kajabi Plans

Basic Growth Pro
Monthly price $179/mo $249/mo $499/mo
Annual price $143/mo $199/mo $399/mo
Products 5 50 Unlimited
Contacts 2,500 25,000 100,000
Websites 1 1 3
Admin users 1 10 25
Transaction fees 0% (Kajabi Payments) 0% (Kajabi Payments) 0% (Kajabi Payments)
Affiliate tools No Yes Yes
Advanced automations No Yes Yes
Remove Kajabi branding No Yes Yes
Custom code editor No No Yes
Branded mobile app No No Yes

Kajabi Basic

The Basic plan is now Kajabi's entry-level option following the removal of the Kickstarter plan. It gives users up to 5 products, unlimited landing pages, and unlimited marketing emails. You are limited to 2,500 contacts and 1 website with 1 admin user. The Basic plan costs $179/month, or $143/month billed annually.

Note: Basic does not include affiliate tools, advanced automations, or branding removal. Those features require the Growth plan.

Kajabi Growth

The Growth plan is Kajabi's most popular tier and the one I recommend for most serious creators. It allows up to 50 products, 25,000 contacts, and 10 admin users. Users get advanced automations, affiliate management, 24/7 chat support, and the ability to remove Kajabi branding. The Growth plan costs $249/month, or $199/month billed annually.

Kajabi Pro

The Pro plan is for established businesses and agencies that need maximum scale. It allows unlimited products, 100,000 contacts, 3 websites, and 25 admin users. Pro also includes custom code editing for full design control and a branded mobile app. The Pro plan costs $499/month, or $399/month billed annually.

Current Kajabi Promo: 30 Day Free Trial + Free Exclusive Bonus

Kajabi's currently offering a 30-day free trial (most other free trials for Kajabi are 14 days).

Sign up through our link and you'll also get our free AI Prompt Library for course creators.

We built it after using many of the prompts ourselves for our own course, so everything in it's been tested. It covers every stage from outline to launch and works with any AI tool.

Kajabi cost calculator

What will Kajabi actually cost you?

Get your real monthly and annual price, see how it stacks up against paying for separate tools, then find your plan.

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Stack prices are typical starting prices, not exact quotes. Affiliate link, no extra cost to you.

1. How big is your audience / contact list?

2. Will you run a community or membership?

3. Need advanced automation, multiple sites, API, or a branded app?

Pricing verified June 2026. Kajabi adjusts plans periodically, so confirm current rates on Kajabi before signing up.

Is Kajabi Worth the Money?

Kajabi is worth the money for creators who want an all-in-one platform and plan to actually use its marketing tools. The value case depends on how many third-party tools it replaces for you.

Most course platforms only include the basics of course delivery. Kajabi bundles email marketing, sales funnels, landing pages, automation, and website hosting into one monthly price. If you were paying for these tools separately, the cost adds up fast.

For context: ConvertKit starts at $50/month, Leadpages at $49/month, and a funnel tool like ClickFunnels at $97 to $297/month. That's $196 to $396/month before you even add a course platform. Kajabi Basic at $143/month annual replaces that entire stack.

Tool Included in Kajabi? 3rd Party Cost
Email marketing Yes $50 to $150/mo (ConvertKit, Mailchimp)
Sales funnel builder Yes $97 to $297/mo (ClickFunnels)
Landing page builder Yes $49 to $99/mo (Leadpages)
Website hosting Yes $10 to $30/mo
Marketing automation Yes (Growth plan+) $49 to $150/mo (ActiveCampaign)
Affiliate management Yes (Growth plan+) $49 to $100/mo (Rewardful, Tapfiliate)
Community platform Yes $49 to $199/mo (Circle, Mighty Networks)
Potential 3rd party total $353 to $1,025/mo

The math changes if you don't need the full stack. If you only want course delivery and already have email and funnel tools you're happy with, Thinkific at $49/month or Teachable at $89/month will serve you better. Kajabi's value is in consolidation. If you're not consolidating, you're overpaying.

Kajabi AI

Kajabi now integrates AI to help create course outlines, lesson content, email sequences, and landing page copy via the Creator Studio. This gets your course up and running faster and removes some of the burden of starting from a blank page.

The AI tools extend across the platform: AI-assisted email drafts, automated transcriptions, subtitle generation, and content suggestions within the builder. The Creator Studio can also generate social media clips, blog posts, and marketing copy from your existing course content.

Kajabi Communities

Kajabi Communities Banner

Kajabi's community feature allows course creators to build forums and discussion groups within their platform, similar to Facebook groups. These can be offered as part of a course, as a standalone product, or charged separately as a membership add-on.

The community feature has been significantly expanded and now includes circles to segment members into smaller groups, live rooms for real-time Q&As, challenges, and check-ins to keep members accountable, and direct integration with course modules. Unlimited access groups can be created inside a community without counting against your product limit.

Recognizable Kajabi Customers

Kajabi is used by tens of thousands of course creators including Amy Porterfield (online marketing), Brendan Burchard (personal development), and Billy Gene (social media marketing).

Kajabi review - Customers

Kajabi has been accessed by over 33 million students and has generated over $6 billion in revenue for its creators.

Kajabi Website Case Studies

1. Grant Cardone Training Center

Kajabi Grant Cordone Training Center Screencap

Grant Cardone is known as one of the top salespeople providing marketing and sales training online. The site leverages Kajabi's ability to host a large library of training videos while using landing pages and email marketing to bring in a steady flow of new clients.


2. Glossible by Sonia Roselli Beauty

Kajabi Glossible Screencap

Glossible creates several small courses specializing in different areas of makeup artistry, plus an ecommerce shop for an additional revenue stream. They use Kajabi's landing pages and email capabilities to drive traffic and convert students.


3. Juice Guru Institute

Kajabi Juice Guru Institute Screencap

The Juice Guru Institute uses Kajabi's templates to create a polished landing page and leverages the blogging tool to attract organic traffic through SEO, demonstrating how the platform supports both course delivery and content marketing in one place.


4. Full Plate Living

Kajabi Full Plate Living Screencap

Full Plate Living sells nutrition programs and uses Kajabi's blogging tools to create SEO-friendly content, attracting customers without paid media. Their use of analytics helps track what's converting and where to focus content effort.

Alternatives to Kajabi

Kajabi is one of the better course platforms and comes packed with features. I've also compared Kajabi vs Teachable and Kajabi vs Thinkific in detail.

If you're looking for a more affordable option, Thinkific starts at $49/month and integrates with your favorite third-party tools. For the lowest cost all-in-one alternative, Systeme.io offers a free plan covering courses, email, and funnels up to 2,000 contacts.

Top alternatives to Kajabi:

Conclusion

With a blend of course creation, marketing, and sales tools, Kajabi sets itself apart as a one-stop online course platform. The January 2026 price increase was significant and drew real backlash from the creator community, but for those who use the full stack, the all-in-one value proposition still holds up.

If you're paying separately for email marketing, sales funnels, and a website, Kajabi will likely save you money while simplifying your workflow. If you only need course delivery, you'll be better served by a platform that costs less.

Ready to see if it's right for you? Kajabi offers a 30-day free trial.

Try Kajabi Free

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kajabi?

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for selling online courses, memberships, and digital products. It includes a website builder, email marketing, sales funnels, payment processing, and community tools in one dashboard.

How much does Kajabi cost in 2026?

Kajabi now has three plans after removing the Kickstarter tier in January 2026. Basic costs $179/month ($143/month annually), Growth costs $249/month ($199/month annually), and Pro costs $499/month ($399/month annually). A 14-day free trial is available on all plans.

Is Kajabi worth the money?

Kajabi is worth it if you plan to use its built-in email marketing, funnels, and automation tools rather than paying for those separately. If you only need course delivery, platforms like Thinkific ($49/month) or Teachable ($89/month) are more cost-effective. The value depends entirely on how much of the platform you'll actually use.

Did Kajabi raise prices?

Yes. In January 2026, Kajabi raised prices for the first time in nearly a decade and removed the Kickstarter entry plan. Existing customers were not grandfathered at old rates, which caused significant backlash in creator communities. The new entry price is $179/month ($143/month annually).

Is Kajabi legit?

Yes, Kajabi is a legitimate company founded in 2010 by Travis Rosser and Kenny Rueter. It has been used by tens of thousands of course creators who have collectively generated over $6 billion in revenue through the platform.

Does Kajabi replace MailChimp?

Yes. Kajabi has built-in email marketing tools so there's no need to use a third-party email provider. However, you can integrate it with ConvertKit, Mailchimp, and ActiveCampaign if you prefer to keep your existing setup.

Does Kajabi charge transaction fees?

No transaction fees when using Kajabi Payments. However, if you use your own Stripe account instead, Kajabi adds a processing surcharge: 2% on Basic, 1% on Growth, and 0.5% on Pro, on top of Stripe's standard fees.

What is a Kajabi pipeline?

Pipelines are marketing funnels designed to maximize lead conversion and sales. You can connect landing pages, videos, and email sequences into an automated series that nurtures leads toward a purchase.

Can I sell physical products on Kajabi?

Yes, though the platform is primarily designed for digital products and courses.

Is Kajabi mobile friendly?

Yes. Kajabi courses are fully mobile responsive. All users get access to Kajabi's free mobile app. Pro plan users also get a fully branded mobile app for their students.

Is Kajabi free?

No. Kajabi offers a 14-day free trial but has no permanent free plan. After the January 2026 restructure, the cheapest paid option is $143/month billed annually.

Is Kajabi an LMS?

Yes, Kajabi is a web-based learning management system (LMS) that supports course creation, delivery, and student tracking in both written and video formats.

Where is Kajabi located?

Kajabi is headquartered in Irvine, California.

What does Kajabi mean?

According to co-founder Travis Rosser, “Kajabi” comes from an Aboriginal word meaning “to take flight.”