Updated: 27.10.2025 · Reading time: ~18–20 min
If you’re choosing between Kajabi vs Thinkific 2025, you’re likely asking a simple question: which platform helps me launch faster and convert more course sales with less tech debt? This BOFU guide compares real buying criteria — setup time, built-in offers (order bumps, upsells), checkout flow, email/automation depth, analytics, and long-term ROI — so you can pick confidently and get live this week.
Short answer: Kajabi is the all-in-one growth stack for creators and coaches who want pages, checkout, email, automations, offers, and analytics under one roof. Thinkific is a strong course-only platform with solid learning delivery and lower entry cost, but you’ll add extra tools for funnels and marketing depth. Below we unpack what that means for time-to-value and payback.
TL;DR verdict
Pick Kajabi if you want faster time-to-first-sale, native one-page checkout with upsells/bumps, email + automations without extra tools, and a platform optimized for selling knowledge products (courses, coaching, memberships). Pick Thinkific if you want course delivery first, plan to integrate your own email/landing tools, or you’re optimizing for initial subscription cost and a modular stack.
Pricing pages and feature limits change — confirm live before you decide. Treat charts as directional to compare time to value and conversion levers.
Quick comparison
| Decision factor | Kajabi | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first sale | Faster (pages + checkout + email built-in) | Slower (more tools to connect) |
| One-page checkout + offers | ✓ native bumps, upsells | ✗ add via apps/integrations |
| Built-in email + automations | ✓ included | ✗ use external ESP |
| Sales funnels & landing pages | ✓ native builder | Works with page builders (✓ but tool-sprawl) |
| Course delivery UX | ✓ polished | Excellent player & learning paths |
| Memberships / communities | ✓ built-in | Add-ons or separate community tool |
| Total tool count to run | Low (all-in-one) | Medium (ESP + pages + checkout add-ons) |
| Initial monthly cost | Higher, fewer add-ons | Lower, more add-ons later |
| Scaling complexity | Simpler (native stack) | Higher (integrations) |
| Best for | Creators/coaches who want speed | Course-first teams with custom stack |
What each platform includes
| Feature | Kajabi | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|
| Course builder & player | ✓ modern, templates | ✓ strong delivery |
| One-page checkout | ✓ native | ✗ add via apps |
| Order bumps | ✓ native | ✗ app-dependent |
| Post-purchase upsells | ✓ native | ✗ limited without add-ons |
| Coupons & offers | ✓ advanced | ✓ solid basics |
| Email marketing | ✓ built-in broadcasts + automations | ✗ use ESP |
| Visual automations | ✓ native flows | ✓ basic |
| Landing & sales pages | ✓ fast templates | ✓ via builders/integrations |
| Pipelines/funnels | ✓ visual pipelines | ✗ add via tools |
| Memberships & communities | ✓ native communities | ✓ add-ons available |
| Checkout A/B testing | ✓ | ✗ rely on external tools |
| Analytics & revenue attribution | ✓ built-in dashboards | ✓ core analytics, advanced via apps |
| Affiliate management | ✓ native | ✓ via integrations |
| Mobile-optimized checkout | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-currency | ✓ | ✓ via apps |
| Quizzes & assignments | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drip & cohort learning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Certifications | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-in blog/website | ✓ | ✓ basic |
| Integrations ecosystem | Focused (less needed) | Large app marketplace |
| Support & onboarding | Concierge, templates | Docs + community |
| Overall conversion toolkit | Strongest (native offers) | Good with add-ons |
Pricing
Kajabi emphasizes an all-in-one subscription (pages, checkout, email, automations, offers), typically higher per month but lower stack complexity. Thinkific’s entry price is typically lower for course delivery, but marketing depth (email, funnels, upsells) often requires extra apps or an external ESP. If your goal is fast payback, include the cost of add-ons and the time they add to setup.
Automations
Kajabi includes email broadcasts, visual automations (triggers, filters, actions), and native pipeline templates for launches, webinars, and evergreen course sales. This reduces tool-sprawl and speeds up first revenue. Thinkific supports transactional messaging and core student automations; for marketing journeys you’ll pair an ESP, page builder, and checkout offer tools.
Automation = revenue while you sleep. Set once, sell daily. Start with: lead magnet → nurture → timed offer → upsell.
Which one should you pick?
- Choose Kajabi if you value speed-to-impact, want fewer moving parts, and plan to sell multiple offers (courses + coaching + memberships) with built-in upsells/bumps and email.
- Choose Thinkific if your priority is course delivery UX at a lower initial subscription, and you’re comfortable composing a stack (ESP + page builder + checkout apps) for marketing.
- Revenue math: if native offers lift checkout conversion by 10–15% and your AOV is €150, the lift can fund a higher plan price quickly — especially during launches.
FAQs
Can I migrate from Thinkific to Kajabi (or vice-versa) later?
Which is better for memberships and communities?
Do I need a separate email service?
What about taxes and invoices?
Is one cheaper long-term?
Final verdict
If you want a conversion-ready, all-in-one platform, choose Kajabi. It wins on time-to-first-sale, native checkout offers, and built-in email/automations — the pieces that move revenue fastest. Pick Thinkific if you prefer a modular course stack and plan to bolt on funnel tools as you grow. You may also check: Kajabi Vs Thinkific
