Simplero and Kajabi are very similar-looking platforms, but while Simplero has stellar online reviews, I still think Kajabi is the best option for digital course creators.
It all comes down to usability, and Kajabi wins hands down in this area.
Key Takeaways:
- Simplero can cost significantly more because you pay extra for contacts
- Kajabi has fewer features, but they are best-in-class
- Simplero is harder to use but offers more CRM tools
Kajabi vs. Simplero: What You Need to Know at a Glance
| Feature | Kajabi | Simplero |
|---|---|---|
| SupplyGem Platform Ranking | No. 2 | Not ranked |
| SupplyGem score | 9.5 | 6.1 |
| Trustpilot score | 4.4 | 4.8 |
| Costs from | $69/month | $70/month |
| Free trial | Get a Growth plan 30-day free trial | 14-day free trial for any plan |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
| Platform pros | – All-in-one platform for learning content – Incredible user experience – Generous contact limits for no extra cost – Diverse product range – Trusted and respected platform – Easier to customize site and products | – Unlimited products on most plans – A good range of CRM features including support ticketing – More payment processor options – Great Trustpilot score and reviews |
| Platform cons | – Product limits apply on all plans – Limited CRM features – Extra charges for using custom widgets | – Extra contacts cost significantly more – Harder to use and navigate – Limited product range |
| Best for | Learning content creators looking for an all-in-one platform | Business owners who want extra CRM features |
What Is Kajabi, and Why Is It Better?
If you’re in the business of creating and selling learning products, you will already have heard of Kajabi. It’s one of the top platforms in this niche with over 100,000 users.
What I love most about Kajabi is that it’s a genuine “all-in-one” platform, meaning I don’t have to mess around with multiple integrations. I get everything I need to create, market, and sell my digital products.
Also, Kajabi places the user experience as its highest priority. It’s one of the least frustrating platforms I’ve ever used (trust me, I’ve used them all!). And, for a time-strapped online business owner like me, that’s really important.
Is Simplero Any Good, Though?
I’ve dabbled with Simplero, and I have to say that although it’s certainly not in Kajabi’s league, it’s still an okay platform.
There are a lot of similarities in terms of features, but the quality and usability of Simplero’s just isn’t as good as Kajabi’s. That said, if you want a more comprehensive platform for customer relationship management (CRM), then Simplero delivers in this respect.
8 Reasons Why I Chose Kajabi over Simplero
Best User Experience
One of my favorite things about Kajabi is that it just makes sense. The moment you log into the platform, everything is, well, easy.
All the features are super-intuitive, and browsing the platform is a breeze. Even as a complete newbie, I seldom had trouble finding what I needed.
In my book, placing the user experience first is key. Yes, it’s nice to have loads of fancy features, but they are no good if they are too complicated to find or use.
Kajabi certainly has a smaller feature set than Simplero, but its developers have made everything of the highest quality, which makes all the difference.
In contrast, I find Simplero more complicated to navigate, and it’s nowhere near as visually appealing.
Some of the features have odd names, which makes it harder to find what you need. And, using them doesn’t deliver quite the same seamless experience I get from Kajabi.
It’s More Affordable
Kajabi has four plans ranging from $69 per month for its Kickstarter plan to $399 per month for its Pro plan. There are plan limits, but they are pretty generous.
Simplero’s pricing is very similar, ranging from the Starter plan at $70 per month to the Skyrocket plan at $298 per month. However, I want to highlight the number of contacts (leads) you can add to your account.
With Simplero’s top-tier Skyrocket plan, you can only add a maximum of 5,000 contacts. In comparison, Kajabi’s top-tier Pro plan lets you add 100,000.
If you want to have that many contacts on Simplero, you pay extra. A lot extra. To the tune of $928.80 per MONTH!
Essentially, Simplero lets you customize the number of contacts you can have, but it significantly bumps up the cost.
Okay, so you can create unlimited products on its mid and top-tier plans, but what’s the point if you can’t add enough contacts for them?
Here’s a rundown of each platform’s plans and the number of contacts you get:
| Plan | Monthly price | Monthly price paid annually | Discount for paying annually | Number of contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kajabi Kickstarter | $69.00 | $55.00 | 20% | 250 |
| Kajabi Basic | $149.00 | $119.00 | 20% | 10,000 |
| Kajabi Growth | $199.00 | $159.00 | 20% | 25,000 |
| Kajabi Pro | $399.00 | $319.00 | 20% | 100,000 |
| Simplero Starter | $70.00 | $59.00 | 15% | 500 |
| Simplero Scale | $178.80 | $149.00 | 16% | 1,000 |
| Simplero Skyrocket | $298.80 | $249.00 | 16% | 5,000 |
You’ll notice, too, that Kajabi has better discounts for paying annually. You get a 20% discount, while Simplero offers a maximum of 16%.
Suitable for Beginner and Advanced Users
While complete newbies can quickly grasp and use the platform, that doesn’t mean it’s too simplistic for advanced users.
Far from it. Once you’re in the swing of creating products, you can build them rapidly and get them in front of your eager audience. And the more you get to know Kajabi, the more you can leverage its marketing tools to reach new eyes.
Some might argue that Kajabi’s plan limits might restrict seasoned users. However, a lot of people don’t realize that Kajabi has an Enterprise option with customized plan limits and pricing so you can scale without restriction.
Everyone Else Uses It
Kajabi isn’t just some random platform that you happen to stumble upon.
In the realm of selling digital content, Kajabi is at the top of its game. It’s trusted and used by many well-known individuals such as Action Jacqueline and Graham Cochrane.
Here’s a tantalizing statistic: Kajabi’s users are collectively earning $5 million every day! And, in total, the platform has generated over $4 billion in revenue for those who sell its products.
So, in short, Kajabi works. And that’s why so many people use it.
Easy Customization Options
Although Kajabi has a limited selection of templates, I find it very easy to customize them for a unique look. That means my Kajabi products can look very different from another user’s.
Also, using the page editors is so easy that even beginners can quickly master the tools.
Kajabi is a visual platform that allows you to see your customizations happening in real-time, and you don’t have to go back and forth to see what your changes look like.
Simplero is a little different in this respect, particularly concerning its community feature. You have to make changes to the back end of your site, then hop over to the front end to see what they look like.
Also, Kajabi will create a full website for you, whereas Simplero only generates one page. Sure, you can create and add additional pages, but it’s much more time-consuming.
The editing tools are a lot more complicated and took me much longer to understand them.
Diverse Product Creation Tools
Kajabi has upped its product game recently and now features the ability to sell singular digital downloads (something it was missing for a long time) and create a monetized newsletter.
That’s on top of the existing podcast, course, coaching, and community products.
Of course, you can also incorporate a mix of these products into a single unique offer. I find this crucial for upping the value factor of what I sell.
Is Simplero Still Worth Considering?
Although my preference is definitely Kajabi, that’s not to say that Simplero isn’t worth considering. It does have several features that may better appeal to your business needs.
Better Payment Processor Options
Up until recently, Kajabi only gave you access to the Stripe and PayPal payment gateways. It has since started rolling out its own payment processor, but it’s currently only available in select countries (USA, Canada, UK, and Australia).
If none of these options work for you, you’re going to get stuck, fast.
In contrast, Simplero has a much broader choice. Besides Stripe and PayPal, you can opt for over 60 alternative payment providers. Plus, you can set up manual payments like bank transfers and even Venmo.
Social Media Integrations
Technically, you can add social media feeds to your Kajabi site, but to do so, you need to use the custom widget feature. The massive drawback is that it costs extra (you get one custom widget for free, and then it costs from $5 per month for three or more).
Simplero includes social media feed integrations for TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook without the need to pay extra. This is definitely worth considering if these platforms are integral to your business.
The X (formerly Twitter) integration is also cool. Simplero will automatically create a post on X whenever you publish a blog post, saving you the hassle of doing it manually.
Includes Sales Pipelines
Kajabi doesn’t have a specific pipeline feature, which makes it harder to track your potential revenue.
Simplero allows you to track all your pipeline stages and even understand the probability of whether or not it will transform into a sale.
Pipelines are completely customizable, and you can attach them to automations so each stage automatically updates as your contacts move through them.
Support Tickets
To provide your customers with better, more responsive service, Simplero has a support tickets feature that can be attached to your website or membership site.
Users can email a request, and you can reply and manage them all from within the Simplero platform. It’s even possible to receive an SMS alert when an urgent ticket requires action.
Kajabi doesn’t have anything like this available, so from a CRM perspective, I feel that Simplero has the edge.
Kajabi vs. Simplero: Final Thoughts
Nowadays, there are so many similar platforms available for online businesses that choosing one can feel overwhelming.
However, for me, the choice comes down to two things: Usability and feature quality.
The platform is just much nicer to use. As an online business owner, I face many daily frustrations, but the one thing I can count on is that Kajabi is not one of them.
That said, Simplero isn’t a bad platform. It’s got some decent features and good support and guidance. I just don’t think it matches Kajabi’s user experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Simplero the Same As Kajabi?
Simplero and Kajabi have a lot of overlapping features. However, Simplero is geared more toward customer relationship management (CRM) and coaching products, while Kajabi is focused on selling digital learning products.
Can I Use Kajabi and Simplero for Free?
Neither Kajabi nor Simplero has a free plan available. With Kajabi, you can get an extended 30-day free trial, whereas Simplero only has a 14-day free trial.
