If you are considering taking out a subscription to Kajabi, we’ve put together this article to highlight both its pros and cons, so you can make an informed decision regarding the platform.
As Kajabi users ourselves, we know it has many benefits, but we also know that it isn’t perfect.
We detail the advantages of Kajabi but will also make you aware of what we consider to be its downsides.
Let’s dive into the details.
Key Takeaway:
- Kajabi has rightly established itself as a trusted content creation and marketing platform, but there are potential downsides users need to be aware of
Kajabi’s Pros: Everything We Love
All-in-One Platform
One of Kajabi’s main pros is that it has an extensive range of features built in.
Kajabi markets itself as an ‘all-in-one’ platform and that’s difficult to argue with – it has pretty much everything you need to create, market, and sell digital products.
That means additional expense is kept to a minimum regarding the need to purchase third-party software.
That’s not to say that you will never need an additional product at some point to run your own coaching course with Kajabi (we use WebinarJam for instance to host group training classes), but it’s entirely possible to have a successful online business using the platform, without the integration of further software.
User and Beginner Friendly
You don’t need any coding knowledge to use Kajabi, so there’s no need to worry about having to have knowledge of website building.
There’s a wide range of templates that can be used for a website, all of which are fully customizable. The platform is also intuitive to use, and its home dashboard is clear and easy to navigate.
Communities
Kajabi has recently announced the exciting news that they have acquired Vibely.
This will be the foundation of the new Kajabi Communities.
The roll-out of the new and improved Kajabi Communities is coming in early 2023.
Kajabi Communities (previously Vibely) allows your customers to create a positive community using real-time chat, 1:1 calls, virtual meetups, challenges, leaderboards, accountability tools, and much more.
All of these great tools will help build an interactive community and allow you to keep control of the conversation.
Kajabi University
The training resources on Kajabi are second to none.
The platform’s training resource, Kajabi University, has literally hundreds of videos with downloadable resources and easy-to-follow instructions regarding every aspect of creating your own online training course.
For those new to the platform (and for more experienced users) the information contained in Kajabi University is invaluable.
Unmatched Customer Support
If you have a Growth or Pro plan, Kajabi has 24/7 live chat support.
Instant live chat can be a real lifesaver if you’re having any issues and, in our experience, the platform has a well-deserved reputation for having an extremely helpful support team. It’s worth noting that other similar sites like Podia or Thinkific, only have live chat support during business hours.
Automations
Through the use of Kajabi Automations, you can automate numerous repetitive tasks that will streamline your business.
Automations use the logic of ‘when this happens > then this happens.’
So, as a basic example, if someone purchases a product from you, they automatically receive a thank you email.
If you haven’t created automations before, then there is a learning curve as to how they are used and set up, but as your business scales, they can save you a huge amount of time and make the process of running your coaching course far easier.
Tags
Tags can be used on Kajabi to manage your contacts and send personalized marketing campaigns.
Marketing Features
Kajabi has in-built marketing features designed for conversion. There are a variety of email templates to choose from, all of which can be customized to fit your brand, stand out, and boost sales.
Template and Theme Options
Kajabi has a variety of pre-built website themes, each with a different user experience. You should have no trouble finding one that you feel is ideal for your brand.
The platform’s themes are easy to customize with their click-to-edit features and Kajabi doesn’t require you to have any HTML and CSS knowledge.
Integration Options
Kajabi has over 15 native integrations to customize your website and enhance your visitor’s experience. Email marketing, sales, conversions, analytics, and scheduling tools are all options that are built-in at no extra cost.
As we mentioned earlier, there may be occasions when users do want to integrate their favorite websites or apps to their site. Kajabi allows you to do so using automation tools like Zapier, LeadsBridge, Automate, and Integrately.
Mobile App
With so many people now accessing content on their phones, it’s essential that consumers cany access courses on the go. Kajabi has an official app with support for any course on the platform. In other words, learners will be able to access a customized version of your training even when away from their laptop.
Other platforms like Thinkific don’t have mobile apps. Customers can access courses through a browser, but the experience isn’t as seamless as Kajabi’s mobile app
Create Multiple Digital Products
Kajabi is not just an online course creation website. You can also create membership sites, podcasts, coaching programs, and other digital products. This allows you to expand your store and branch into selling other digital products in the future.
Custom Domain
Kajabi allows you to connect a custom domain name. This helps to distinguish your brand and create trust with your audience. Customers can still access your site through the original Kajabi domain.
Established Company
Most people when buying a product will understandably want to go with a company that has a proven track-record and reputation. Kajabi was established in 2010 and has been running successfully for over ten years – it currently has a valuation of $2 billion! Kajabi is continually investing in creating a better platform for users and is seen as a trusted option for those wishing to build an online training course.
Affiliate Program
You can maximize your revenue by encouraging others to promote your course. When they make a sale, they will receive a commission from you.
You can have unlimited affiliates selling your Kajabi course. The program will help you to manage registrations, track conversions and form submissions, and calculate earnings.
Kajabi’s Cons: Everything We Don’t Love
We’ve taken you through all the pros of using Kajabi and, as promised, it’s now time to look at aspects of the platform that we’re not so keen on. These are Kajabi cons.
Can’t Sell Physical Products Natively
If you want to sell physical products, Kajabi is not the best platform. Kajabi is primarily designed for teachers, coaches, and entrepreneurs to sell their knowledge as a digital product. Why is this a downside? Well, let’s say you created a highly successful course or thriving community and wanted to sell branded merchandise to users, you would have no option but to integrate your site with something like Shopify or WordPress.
Check out our article on everything you need to know about selling physical products using Kajabi.
Sites Can Look Similar
While Kajabi is perfect for those with no coding knowledge, there is less flexibility compared to sites like WordPress, which can potentially lead to sites looking similar.
Extra Cost for Integrations
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform. While many users don’t need any extra software to sell their course, if you want expert features, you may need to pay for additional tools and integrate them with the platform. Some of these include:
- WebinarJam for hosting webinars
- Klaviyo for SMS marketing
- Accredible for personalized certificates
All of these would be additional costs to your Kajabi subscription charge.
No Free Plan and Expensive Plans
Kajabi is one of the more expensive options for selling digital products. Prices start at $119 per month. In addition, unlike other similar sites (such as Thinkific), Kajabi does not offer a free plan.
While having to pay more is obviously not ideal, it’s justified when comparing the price to other sites and what they offer. Although Podia is cheaper (at $39 per month), you would need to purchase additional CRM software and marketing tools. Managing multiple tools is also time-consuming and can lead to errors and customer dissatisfaction.
We wouldn’t put anyone off opting for a cheaper option if they’re new to selling digital products and only need basic features while getting started. Thinkific and Podia both offer a free plan allowing you to launch your first course and start making money without the financial commitment.
Kajabi does offer a free trial if you want to check out the platform before joining as a paid member.
Limited File History
Kajabi doesn’t have a large file history of everything you uploaded previously. You can see the last 100 items you uploaded, but Kajabi won’t store any files before that.
As a result, you’ll need to backup all of your files.
Should I Choose Kajabi for Creating Digital Products?
Kajabi is our favorite platform for creating digital products. It is the best all-in-one platform.
The marketing capabilities outshine Thinkific, and the round-the-clock customer service and expert help are far superior to Clickfunnels.
Other sites like Teachable and Podia require integrations for marketing and automation to create beautiful and streamlined websites.
Read our full review on Kajabi here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Kajabi Best For?
Kajabi is an excellent all-in-one platform for selling digital products like courses, coaching, e-books, and podcasts.
Is Kajabi Hard to Use?
No, Kajabi is super user-friendly. There are detailed lessons and step-by-step videos to teach you how to use Kajabi to its fullest. They also have excellent customer service if you ever need assistance.
Is Kajabi Expensive?
Kajabi is one of the more expensive platforms for creating digital products. However, Kajabi has everything included to create and sell an online training course, so it may well save you money compared to a cheaper option requiring numerous integrations.
