Kajabi vs. Thinkific: We’ve Tried Both, And Here’s What We Found

Finding a perfect online course platform for your needs is not an easy task. Almost every platform out there offers a free trial, but once you build out your course and set everything up – it’s really hard to switch to something else. But how do you know which course platform is best unless you try it? We hope that this Kajabi vs. Thinkific comparison blog will clarify this for you. We’ve tried both of them, one of them will use to this day because we’re very happy with it, and the other one we left in the past. 

Thinkific vs. Kajabi comparison: Here’s What You Must Know

Kajabi vs. Thinkific: What’s The Purpose? 

Both Kajabi and Thinkific fall into the category of external learning management systems, which means they are designed to serve your customers rather than internal employees. External LMSs are tailored for online course creators who wish to sell their courses to a wide audience. This differentiation is crucial to understand when evaluating these platforms. If you’re looking for an LMS for employee training, we recommend checking out TalentLMS or TalentCards. 

Related Read: 10 Best eLearning Tools & Technologies for Small Business

Kajabi: The Ultimate All-in-One Solution

Kajabi offers a comprehensive suite of tools that streamline the entire course creation process. In addition to hosting your courses, here are some key features that make Kajabi our top recommendation:

• Website Builder: Kajabi provides an intuitive website builder that eliminates the need for external platforms like WordPress. You can create a professional website with ease without needing to know how to code. Just this Kajabi feature saved us over $10,000 we would spend on hiring a website developer. 
• Email Marketing: Effective email marketing is vital for selling online courses. Kajabi's built-in email marketing tools simplify automation and customer communication. You get prebuilt templates you can use to set autoresponders – emails that are sent automatically when someone opt-ins to get a freebie or purchases your course. This helps when creating automated income streams because you can set up autoresponders once, and they will work for you in your sleep. 
• Sales Automation: Kajabi excels in sales automation, allowing you to save time and effort by automating various processes involved in marketing and selling your courses.
• Blogs and SEO: Kajabi understands the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) and offers blogging functionality to help you drive traffic to your courses and increase visibility.
• Sales Funnels: With Kajabi, you can set up sales funnels and automate the customer journey. For example, you can create a webinar funnel with automated email sequences that educate your customer on the products you offer. 
• Landing Pages: Kajabi empowers you to create visually appealing and high-converting landing pages that play a crucial role in selling your online courses.
• Payment Processing: Kajabi simplifies payment processing, allowing you to securely and conveniently handle transactions without relying on third-party integrations.
• Mobile Application: Kajabi offers a mobile app, providing a seamless and user-friendly mobile experience for your course participants.

Thinkific: Basic Features with Limitations

While Thinkific is a popular online course platform and has many great features, it falls short in comparison to Kajabi. Here are some notable limitations of Thinkific:

• Basic Website Builder: Thinkific's website builder offers limited customization options compared to Kajabi's robust website-building capabilities.
• No Landing Pages: Unlike Kajabi, Thinkific lacks the ability to create dedicated landing pages, which are essential for driving conversions and sales.
• No Email Marketing or Automation: Thinkific lacks built-in email marketing tools and automation features, making it challenging to execute effective marketing campaigns.
• Limited Payment Processing: While Thinkific does offer payment processing options, it may not provide the same level of flexibility and convenience as Kajabi.
• Lack of Blogging Functionality: Thinkific doesn’t include a blog post feature, which is very important for the SEO of your website and course. If you get Thinkific to host your courses, you will have to use third-party tools to interlink your course website and your blog website, adding to the total amount you will end up paying overall.

Making the Right Choice

Considering the limitations of Thinkific and the comprehensive features provided by Kajabi, the choice becomes clear. Investing in Kajabi vs. Thinkific ensures you have access to all the necessary tools for successfully selling and marketing your online courses. As an added benefit, Kajabi offers features such as podcasting, community building, and a wide range of product offerings that enhance the overall learning experience.

Related Read: Kajabi vs. Teachable: Which Platform is Best for Selling Online Courses?

Conclusion

Selecting the right learning management system is crucial for effectively selling your online courses and building a successful e-learning business. While Thinkific may seem more affordable initially, the lack of essential features and functionality can lead to additional expenses and limitations in the long run. Kajabi's all-in-one platform, with its comprehensive tools and capabilities, provides the best value for course creators. Don't make the same costly mistake we did—choose Kajabi and unlock the full potential of your online courses. Make sure to take advantage of our affiliate link for an extended 30-day free trial of Kajabi.