Are you stuck choosing between platforms that both seem perfect for selling your online products? You’re not alone. When I was setting up my business, I spent months comparing Thrivecart vs Kajabi, trying to figure out which one actually made more sense for selling digital products and courses.
After testing both platforms for 6 months, I learned they’re built for completely different goals — and knowing which one fits your business model can save you thousands (and a ton of headaches).
So if you’re wondering which tool helps you sell smarter, grow faster, and stress less… you’re in the right place. Let’s break it down so you can pick your winner with confidence.
Quick Comparison: Thrivecart vs Kajabi at a Glance
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, here’s a side-by-side look at how Thrivecart and Kajabi stack up on the key things that matter most to creators and digital entrepreneurs:
| Feature | Thrivecart | Kajabi |
|---|---|---|
| Main Purpose | High-converting checkout and cart system | All-in-one platform for courses, memberships, and marketing |
| Best For | Digital product sellers, marketers, and course creators | Coaches, course creators, and membership site owners |
| Ease of Use | Straightforward setup; focused on selling | More tools = steeper learning curve |
| Website & Course Hosting | Requires external hosting or integrations | Fully hosted websites, landing pages, and course delivery |
| Email Marketing | Integrates with tools like ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, etc. | Built-in email marketing and automation |
| Sales Funnels & Upsells | Powerful funnels, bump offers, and A/B testing | Funnels via Pipelines, less flexible checkout flow |
| Integrations | Connects with 100+ third-party apps via Zapier | Native integrations for popular business tools |
| Analytics & Tracking | Detailed revenue and affiliate tracking | Course engagement, marketing, and revenue analytics |
| Pricing (2025) | One-time lifetime license (no monthly fees) | Starts around $149/month (with tiers up to $399+) |
| Support & Community | Active Facebook group, lifetime updates | 24/7 chat support, Kajabi University, large community |
What is Thrivecart?
Think of Thrivecart as your online business’s checkout powerhouse. It’s not a full course platform or website builder — it’s the engine that handles your sales, upsells, and payment processing with laser focus.
At its core, Thrivecart helps creators and digital sellers build high-converting checkout pages that make it ridiculously easy for customers to buy. You can set up one-click upsells, order bumps, and even manage affiliate programs — all inside a clean, no-fluff dashboard.
One thing I love? You buy it once, and it’s yours for life. No recurring fees, no hidden add-ons. It’s built for creators who already have tools for hosting their content (like Teachable, Thinkific, or WordPress) and just want a smarter, faster way to sell.
In short: if you already have your product or course built, Thrivecart is the system that helps you sell it on autopilot.
What is Kajabi?
If Thrivecart is the engine that powers sales, Kajabi is the entire vehicle. It’s an all-in-one platform built for creators who want to host, market, and sell everything from online courses to memberships and coaching programs — all under one roof.
With Kajabi, you don’t need five different tools to run your business. It gives you a website builder, email marketing, sales funnels (Pipelines), course hosting, and even automations to handle follow-ups or nurture sequences. Everything connects seamlessly, which means less tech stress and fewer moving parts.
The trade-off? Kajabi isn’t cheap — but it’s designed for entrepreneurs who want to build a branded, professional online presence without juggling multiple platforms.
If Thrivecart is for sellers who already have their setup and just need a checkout tool, Kajabi is for creators who want to run their entire business in one place — from landing page to payment to delivery.
Key Differences Between ThriveCart vs Kajabi
| Feature Area | ThriveCart | Kajabi |
|---|---|---|
| All-in-One with LMS / Course Hosting | ThriveCart now includes ThriveCart Learn (LMS) and Learn+ upgrades. You can build & host your courses, drip content, bundle modules, gate content, import students, and use branded portals. | Kajabi has had course hosting, drip lessons, quizzes, certificates, assessments etc for a while. It also includes membership & community features native to the platform (forums, groups, coaching portals). |
| Funnels, Upsells, Order Bumps, Sales Maximization Tools | Very strong here. ThriveCart offers: order bumps, one-click upsells & downsells, advanced funnel logic & split / A/B testing, cart abandonment recovery. These are core parts even in the base package. | Kajabi also supports funnels (they call them “Pipelines”), upsells, etc., but some of the advanced funnel optimization, multiple price tiers etc are locked behind higher-tier plans. |
| Pricing / Cost Structure | One of ThriveCart’s biggest selling points: a one-time payment model rather than a subscription (for the core + Learn / Learn+ upgrades). The standard core license is US$495 one-time, with optional Pro+ (annual or optional) & Learn+ add-ons. | Kajabi uses monthly recurring subscription plans. As of 2025, plans range around US$149/month (Basic) → US$399/month (Pro), with yearly billing giving a discount. |
| Transaction / Platform Fees | ThriveCart charges 0% fees on sales (apart from payment processors like Stripe / PayPal). | Kajabi doesn’t take a platform-transaction fee on sales either (though payment processor fees or Kajabi Payments vary by region). But since your cost is monthly regardless, overhead is higher overall. |
| Limits & Scaling | ThriveCart gives you quite a lot even at base / standard levels: unlimited products, funnels, courses (with Learn), checkouts, etc. The upgrades (Pro+, Learn+) add more advanced analytics, team/user permissions, custom domains etc. The pricing structure means that once you pay, you can scale without paying more for core features. | Kajabi imposes limits in its plans: number of products, number of pipelines (sales funnels), number of contacts, number of admin users, etc. If you want large scale (lots of products, many students, big audience), you’ll likely need a higher priced plan. |
| Support, Community & Learning Resources | ThriveCart has been building out strong support and community, and ThriveCart Learn includes student LMS tools, training, etc. But some users note “you’ll need other tools” for website, blog, email if you want everything entirely under one roof. | Kajabi is more “all-in” from the start: website builder, blogging, email marketing, landing pages etc. They have large community, substantial documentation, and many courses/templates built in. Less “piecing together” of tools. |
| Branding, Customization & UX | ThriveCart offers checkout page builders, custom branding, ability to set up custom domains especially with Learn+; flexible checkout flows. LMS has improvements. However, some users say features like email marketing built-in are less robust. | Kajabi includes native website builder, themes, templates, blogs, custom domains, and more polished front-end experience for course sites, communities, membership portals etc. Better if you want everything under cohesive branded experience without stitching tools. |
| Updates / Innovation | Recent releases in ThriveCart Pro+ include better subscription management (upgrades / downgrades, prorated billing), QR code support, more order bumps, tax-inclusive pricing, etc. Also, in September they added a customer hub to Learn so students can manage orders/subscriptions from within their dashboard. | Kajabi is updating its plans (they call it Kajabi Evolved), raising prices and increasing limits, adding features like course cohorts, universal inbox (for DM/social conversations), commenting, better checkout pages etc. |
What That Means in Practice (For You)
Here are a few appealing takeaways / trade-offs to help you decide:
- If you want to minimize recurring costs, ThriveCart wins big. After you’ve paid the up-front cost + any add-ons, your ongoing costs are mostly payment processor charges.
- If you expect to offer many courses, bundle them, drip content, gate content, etc., ThriveCart’s Learn / Learn+ gives you the tools to do that without needing a separate course host (unless you need very advanced features Kajabi has).
- If you prefer having your website, blog, email marketing, course delivery, community, membership, etc. all in one place, Kajabi is more convenient (though more expensive). Less overhead managing separate services.
- If you care about conversion optimization (order bumps, upsells, multiple checkout customizations, A/B / split testing), ThriveCart is stronger.
- If you’re just starting out and cash flow / investment is a concern, ThriveCart’s one-time fee model might let you re-invest more of your revenue back into tools, content, or marketing, rather than paying high monthly fees.
Key Differences Between Thrivecart vs Kajabi
Both Thrivecart and Kajabi have evolved a lot in the past year. Thrivecart is no longer just a checkout tool — it’s now a full sales and course delivery system thanks to Thrivecart Learn and Learn+, while Kajabi continues to dominate as the go-to all-in-one platform for creators.
Here’s how they truly differ — and which one wins where it matters most.
1. Course Hosting & Learning Management
Thrivecart’s Learn and Learn+ now let you host full online courses, drip lessons, lock modules, track student progress, and even bundle programs under one branded dashboard. It’s fast, lightweight, and doesn’t require external platforms like Teachable or Thinkific anymore.
Kajabi, on the other hand, has had a robust LMS for years — complete with quizzes, certificates, communities, and coaching programs. Its interface feels more polished, and the student experience is top-tier.
Winner: Kajabi — slightly more refined learning experience and built-in community features, though Thrivecart is catching up fast.
2. Sales Funnels, Upsells & Order Bumps
This is Thrivecart’s sweet spot. You get high-converting checkout pages, 1-click upsells, downsells, order bumps, and built-in A/B testing — all without needing extra software. It’s optimized for selling, period.
Kajabi offers sales funnels too (called “Pipelines”), but they’re more focused on guiding customers through content rather than optimizing conversions. You’ll need higher-tier plans to unlock advanced funnel options.
Winner: Thrivecart — unmatched flexibility for maximizing revenue per sale.
3. Pricing & Cost Structure
Thrivecart keeps its legendary lifetime deal — a one-time payment ($495) gives you lifetime access. Add Learn+ or Pro+ ($790) if you need advanced features, but you’ll never pay monthly fees again.
Kajabi runs on a subscription model, starting around $89/month and going up to $399/month depending on features and limits. It’s predictable but pricier over time.
Winner: Thrivecart — no contest. The one-time payment saves thousands long-term.
4. Scalability & Limits
Thrivecart lets you sell unlimited products, courses, and checkouts right out of the box. There are no limits on students or transactions, which makes it ideal for scaling.
Kajabi caps how many products, funnels, and contacts you can have based on your plan — and once you outgrow it, you’ll need to upgrade to a higher-tier plan.
Winner: Thrivecart — more freedom to scale without extra cost.
5. Design & Customization
Thrivecart’s checkout and course design tools have improved with Learn+, giving more flexibility to match your brand. Still, its visual design capabilities aren’t as deep as Kajabi’s drag-and-drop website builder.
Kajabi wins big on design. You can create sleek websites, stunning course layouts, and cohesive branding across your entire business without needing code.
Winner: Kajabi — more creative control and polish.
6. Integrations and Customization
How well a platform plays with others can make or break your workflow. Both Thrivecart and Kajabi offer integrations — but they take very different approaches.
Thrivecart is built to connect. Out of the box, it integrates with top email tools like ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, GetResponse, Mailchimp, and MailerLite.
You can also connect to Zapier or Pabbly, unlocking thousands of possible automations — from CRMs and webinar tools to Slack and Google Sheets.
For course creators, Thrivecart Learn also syncs easily with membership tools, payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay), and analytics platforms like Google Tag Manager.
Kajabi, being an all-in-one system, doesn’t rely as much on third-party tools. Still, it integrates with popular platforms like Zapier, Stripe, PayPal, Segment, and Google Analytics. You can also embed code snippets or connect third-party apps using webhooks.
Verdict: Thrivecart wins for flexibility and integrations; Kajabi wins for simplicity (since you might not need as many).
Thrivecart vs Kajabi for Course Creators
When it comes to hosting and delivering online courses, both Thrivecart and Kajabi have stepped up their game — but they cater to different kinds of course creators.
If your goal is to create polished learning experiences with minimal tech fuss, Kajabi will feel like home. But if you care more about profitability, flexibility, and full ownership, Thrivecart might be the smarter move.
Let’s unpack the difference.
Course Creation and Hosting
Thrivecart recently introduced Thrivecart Learn and Learn+, which turned it into a true course delivery platform. You can create multiple courses, drip lessons, lock modules, issue completion certificates, and even offer bundled programs.
It’s fast to set up, lightweight, and doesn’t come with the typical “course platform clutter.” The student dashboard is clean and mobile-friendly.
Kajabi, on the other hand, is a powerhouse for course creation. It offers everything — from quizzes and progress tracking to coaching portals, memberships, and communities. The visual builder lets you organize lessons beautifully, making the learning experience feel premium.
Verdict: Kajabi wins on design and polish, but Thrivecart delivers a faster, simpler workflow that’s easier to manage — especially if you don’t need heavy customization.
Automation and Engagement
Thrivecart integrates with top email tools (ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, Drip, etc.) for automations. You can trigger onboarding emails or upsell messages when students buy, finish lessons, or cancel a subscription.
Kajabi has this built-in. Its native email system lets you send lesson reminders, drip updates, or re-engagement sequences — all without needing external software.
Verdict: Kajabi wins for convenience; Thrivecart wins for flexibility if you prefer to use your own marketing stack.
Monetization Flexibility
Here’s where Thrivecart dominates. You can sell courses as one-time purchases, subscriptions, bundles, or pay-what-you-want models. You can also add upsells, downsells, and order bumps — something Kajabi’s checkout still can’t match at that depth.
Kajabi supports memberships, one-time payments, and subscriptions too — but with fewer customization options for funnel structure and pricing flow.
Verdict: Thrivecart — far more control over pricing and sales strategy.
Analytics and Tracking
Knowing not just how many people buy, but how students go through your courses, which lessons they complete, and where they drop off — that’s what separates average courses from great ones.
Thrivecart
- With Thrivecart Learn you now get “completed lesson indicators”, letting students see which lessons they’ve already finished.
- The Learn+ upgrade adds more sophisticated student-behavior tracking, like tagging based on lesson access, issuing completion awards, and more control over the student dashboard.
- For more detailed tracking (student behavior beyond what’s built in), Thrivecart supports integration with Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager, letting you capture custom events (e.g. when someone finishes a lesson or clicks certain links).
Kajabi
- Kajabi gives you a Product Progress Report, which shows student progress through a course: lesson completion, quiz or assessment completion; the video lessons must be watched to a certain percentage (or “Mark as Complete” tapped) for them to count.
- They also recently added video stats + heatmaps, so you can see not just whether students watched, but how far into videos people drop off.
- The Analytics Overview dashboards and other reports show key metrics like logins, last activity, module completions, page views, and “product progress” by individual students or by cohort.
- Kajabi’s dashboard is built for convenience — you get built-in, ready-made reports without needing external tools, which is helpful for course creators who want to see engagement & completion without configuring much.
Verdict: Kajabi still wins on depth and immediacy of course & student-engagement analytics — more built-in insights, less setup. But Thrivecart has significantly improved and now covers the essentials of tracking lesson completion, letting users own more of the data, especially when combined with external analytics and the Learn+ upgrade.
Thrivecart vs Kajabi for Coaches & Memberships
If you’re a coach or running a membership site, your tech stack can make or break your client experience. You want smooth onboarding, flexible payment options, and a space where your members actually engage.
Both Thrivecart and Kajabi can handle coaching and memberships — but they do it in very different ways. Let’s break it down.
Coaching Capabilities
Thrivecart doesn’t offer dedicated “coaching” tools, but it’s incredibly flexible for selling coaching packages. You can create custom checkout pages for 1:1 or group sessions, add upsells for VIP access, and integrate with booking apps like Calendly or Acuity.
You can also host coaching materials or recordings right inside Thrivecart Learn, making it easy to deliver resources without paying for another platform.
Kajabi, on the other hand, introduced a full Kajabi Coaching feature set — allowing you to create structured coaching programs with milestones, notes, and client progress tracking. You can manage clients directly inside the dashboard, assign tasks, and record outcomes after each session.
Verdict: Kajabi wins for structured coaching workflows; Thrivecart wins for flexible pricing and custom setup.
Payment Flexibility
Thrivecart gives you unmatched flexibility here — payment plans, subscriptions, pay-what-you-want, trials, and even lifetime memberships. You can stack offers, bundle bonuses, and track everything from one dashboard.
Kajabi supports one-time and recurring payments but with less flexibility for complex pricing setups (like multi-step order bumps or conditional upsells).
Verdict: Thrivecart takes this one easily.
Thrivecart vs Kajabi: Affiliate Management
Both Thrivecart and Kajabi give you ways to promote and sell your offers — but their focus is very different.
Thrivecart comes with a built-in affiliate management system, even on the standard plan. You can:
- Create custom commission rates per product
- Offer instant or delayed payouts
- Track clicks, conversions, and refunds
- Give affiliates their own login and dashboard
It’s simple, effective, and great for creators who rely on affiliate sales to scale.
Kajabi does have affiliate tools — but only on the Growth plan and higher. You can track referrals and payouts, but the customization and reporting aren’t as detailed.
Verdict: Thrivecart wins for affiliates — more control, better tracking, no extra cost.
Customer Support
Thrivecart offers support primarily through email and an extensive knowledge base. Their help articles are clear, and response times are usually quick (especially for Pro+ users). There’s no live chat yet, but their documentation and tutorials cover most setup scenarios.
The good news? Thrivecart’s Facebook community is incredibly active — you’ll often get peer-to-peer help faster than official support. Plus, the Thrivecart team regularly drops product updates and insider tips in the group.
Kajabi takes customer support a step further. You get 24/7 live chat, a massive help center, and Kajabi University, which is packed with free courses to help you master the platform. Kajabi’s onboarding process is smooth, and their support team is known for being friendly and proactive.
Verdict: Kajabi wins for hands-on support and live assistance. Thrivecart wins for an active, engaged user community that shares real-world solutions.
Community & Training
Thrivecart’s private Facebook group has become a goldmine of strategies, templates, and behind-the-scenes experiments from other creators. It feels personal — like a small circle of entrepreneurs helping each other grow.
Kajabi, however, has built a much larger ecosystem. You’ll find Kajabi Heroes, official training events, webinars, and meetups. The community vibe here leans more polished and brand-driven, with success stories and motivational content everywhere.
Verdict: Kajabi wins for formal training and structure; Thrivecart wins for real-world, user-led insights.
Final Verdict: Which Platform Is Right for You?
By now, you’ve seen that Thrivecart and Kajabi aren’t really competing head-to-head — they’re built for two very different types of creators.
Both platforms are excellent. It just comes down to what you value more: control and profit, or simplicity and polish.
Let’s sum it up.
Choose Thrivecart if you want…
- A one-time payment that saves you thousands long-term
- Freedom to use your own tech stack (email, site, community, etc.)
- Advanced sales funnels with upsells, downsells, and order bumps
- A simple but effective course delivery system (Thrivecart Learn+)
- Full ownership of your business without recurring costs
Thrivecart is ideal for creators, course sellers, and digital product entrepreneurs who care about profitability, flexibility, and independence.
Choose Kajabi if you want…
- An all-in-one platform that handles everything — website, email, courses, and community
- Beautiful, ready-to-go templates that look professional instantly
- Built-in automation and marketing tools (no integrations needed)
- A structured coaching and membership experience
- 24/7 support and a large, inspiring community of creators
Kajabi is perfect if you prefer ease over complexity and want one login to run your entire business.
Final Word
If you’re serious about scaling your business while keeping costs low and control high, Thrivecart is a powerhouse — especially with Learn+ now rivaling full LMS systems.
But if your priority is simplicity and delivering a premium experience without piecing tools together, Kajabi remains one of the most elegant, done-for-you options online.
At the end of the day:
Thrivecart builds your profits. Kajabi builds your brand.
Choose the one that fits your vision — and go all in.