Kajabi vs Teachable and how to know which one fits your coaching business in 2025

If you’re a coach who’s building momentum, landing clients, and ready to scale, there’s one tech question that always comes up:

Do I stick with Teachable? Or is it time to switch to Kajabi?

I hear it all the time. Most of my clients come to me with Teachable, ConvertKit, Stripe, and Zapier all duct-taped together. And it worked… until it didn’t.

In this guide, I’m breaking down Kajabi vs. Teachable. Not just by features, but by what actually works when you’re running a coaching business. Because picking the wrong platform will cost you more than just time.

What Is Teachable?

Teachable is where a lot of coaches start. And honestly, it does a solid job of helping you get your first course out into the world. It’s simple, clean, and lets you upload your content, organise it into lessons, and start making sales fairly quickly.

You can host videos, add downloads, set up lesson structures, and even offer 1:1 coaching (though it’s a bit clunky if you’re running anything beyond the basics).

One genuinely helpful feature (especially if you’re selling globally) is Teachable Pay. It handles payments and takes care of tax compliance like VAT and GST, so you’re not stuck Googling “do I need to charge tax in [insert country]” at 10pm on a Friday night.

What Is Kajabi?

Kajabi is more than just a course platform, it’s built for running your entire business in one place. That means your website, email marketing, offers, client onboarding, payments, automations, and more can all live under one login.

You can create digital courses, run group programmes, sell memberships, offer 1:1 coaching, and even host a podcast – without having to duct-tape five other tools together.

One standout feature for coaches is the client portals and progress tracking, so whether you’re running a course or a live programme, your clients know where to go, and you know how they’re engaging.

Want a deeper dive into what it actually does? Check out my full breakdown: What is Kajabi and how to use Kajabi as a coach.

Comparing Pricing Plans

On the surface, Teachable looks like the cheaper option, and technically, it is. But once you factor in transaction fees, missing features, and the extra tools you’ll need to plug the gaps, the real cost starts to climb.

Let’s break it down…

Teachable Pricing

• Free Plan: $0/month, but you’ll pay a 10% fee plus $1 per sale
• Basic Plan: $59/month, with a 5% transaction fee
• Pro Plan: $159/month, no transaction fees
• Pro Plus Plan: $249/month, includes advanced features
• Business Plan: Around $500/month (aimed at high-volume course creators)
  

You’ll still need to budget for tools like ConvertKit, landing page builders, and Zapier if you want funnels, automations, or email sequences that go beyond the basics.

Kajabi Pricing

• Basic Plan: $149/month (or $119/month billed annually)
• Growth Plan: $199/month
• Pro Plan: $399/month
  

All plans include:

• Unlimited marketing emails
• Landing pages
• Automations
• Built-in payments
• Course & product hosting
• Website builder
• Funnel builder
• CRM & client tracking
• Community features
  

Translation: you’re not just paying for a course platform, you’re paying for an actual business system that’s ready to scale with you.

Kajabi vs Teachable: Who Does What Best?

Course Creation Tools

Both platforms let you host and deliver courses, but the difference is in how well those tools work for the way you deliver results.

Teachable

Teachable is great for delivering straightforward, linear courses. Think:

• Pre-recorded modules
• Downloadable PDFs
• Simple lesson-by-lesson progress
  

It’s clean, easy to set up, and ideal if you’re teaching something structured, like a language, a software skill, or fitness programme.

But when coaching steps in (with live calls, client personalisation, or ongoing support) Teachable starts to show its limits. You can’t create private client spaces or blend coaching with content without patching together other tools.

Kajabi

Kajabi is built for more than content delivery, it’s built for coaching models that evolve. You can:

• Run hybrid programmes (mixing live + self-paced)
• Create private portals for 1:1 clients
• Drip content based on time or behaviour
• Assign tasks, track progress, and embed resources
• Host live webinars and build the funnels to promote them
  

And because it’s all in one place, you’re not recreating the wheel every time you launch something new.

When to Pick What:

Choose Teachable if:

• You’re selling a simple, self-paced course
• You want a clean, no-fuss student experience
• You’re not ready to invest in a full business system yet

Choose Kajabi if:

• You’re running or planning to run coaching programmes
• You want to mix live calls, client work, and evergreen content
• You’re tired of duct-taping tools and want your backend to scale with you

Marketing and Automation

This is one of the biggest differences between the two platforms, and honestly, one of the reasons so many coaches eventually make the switch to Kajabi.

With Kajabi, you can build out full client journeys – from the first freebie download to the post-sale email sequence – without jumping between five platforms. 

Everything lives in one place: your email marketing, your sales funnels, your checkout, your automation rules. You can trigger emails based on behaviour, recover abandoned carts, and track what’s actually converting. It’s built to sell.

Teachable, on the other hand? It’ll let you send a few basic updates to your students, and that’s about it. 

Want to welcome new leads with a nurture sequence? Launch with a multi-email funnel? Follow up automatically when someone downloads your freebie but doesn’t buy? You’ll need to plug in extra tools, bump up your plan, or spend time stitching it together manually.

When to Pick What:

Choose Kajabi if:

• You want your funnel, emails, and sales all in one place
• You’re running launches, evergreen programmes, or multiple client journeys
• You’re done duct-taping tools together and want a proper backend that sells for you
  

Choose Teachable if:

• You’re selling a single course or workshop with no automation needs
• You’re happy handling your marketing through other platforms
• You just need something clean and simple to start

Design and Customisation Options

Teachable keeps things nice and simple. You can upload your course content, organise it into lessons, and choose from a handful of clean, minimal templates. But if you want to make your site, emails, and client experience actually look and feel like your brand? You’ll likely feel boxed in pretty quickly.

Kajabi, on the other hand, gives you far more creative control. You can customise your website, landing pages, product layouts, and even your email templates – all without touching a line of code (unless you want to). Fonts, colours, imagery, layout – everything can be tweaked to fit your vibe. 

And if you’re on Kajabi’s Pro Plan? You’ll also get access to the custom code editor for full design freedom, but for most coaches, the visual builder does the job beautifully without needing to get technical.

When to Pick What:

Use Kajabi if:

• You care about branding
• You want design freedom
• You plan to scale into other content (like podcasts or communities)

Use Teachable if:

• You want simplicity
• You’re okay with basic customisation
• You’re focused purely on course delivery

Support & Learning Curve

If you’re switching platforms or building from scratch, support matters more than you might think. 

Kajabi gives you a full-onboarding experience, live chat support, step-by-step setup guides, and a super active user community. You also get access to expert-led trainings, Kajabi University, and feature walkthroughs. Yes, there’s a learning curve, but the support is there to help you move quickly from overwhelmed to “oh wow, this is actually working.”

Teachable is a little easier to get started with. If you’re uploading a course and hitting publish, it’s plug-and-play. You’ll find simple guides and tutorials to walk you through the basics. But if you need more personalised help (or want to do anything beyond a straightforward course setup) you’ll often need to upgrade to a higher plan or bring in outside tools.

When to Pick What:

Who Kajabi is best for:

• Coaches, consultants, and service providers with growing businesses
• People who are ready to invest a bit of time upfront to build long-term systems
• Anyone looking for one platform that supports all of their offers, not just a course

Who Teachable is best for:

• Creators launching their first course
• Solopreneurs who want something simple and minimal to start with
• Businesses focused solely on self-paced content with fewer moving parts

Bonus Offers

If you’re leaning toward Kajabi, there’s a little extra good news… some affiliates (like me) offeran extended 30-day free trial instead of the usual 14. It’s a great way to explore the platform properly, without rushing to decide if it’s right for your business.

You’ll also often get bonus resources, like setup checklists, Notion templates, or quick-start video guides, to help you hit the ground running.

Final Thoughts

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to course platforms. 

Teachable is great if you’re just getting started and want to test a simple offer. But if you’re building a coaching business that includes courses, 1:1, group programmes, and a growing list of offers and automations, Kajabi gives you the space (and the systems) to scale without the tech stress.

My advice (budget permitting) would always be to build for the business you want, not the one you have right now. Otherwise, you’ll end up doing this all over again in six months or a year’s time.

If you’re leaning toward Kajabi but don’t want to spend weeks figuring it out alone, I’ve got your back.

I’ll plan, build, and customise your Kajabi platform so it actually works for how you coach – from offers and automations to a beautiful client experience.

Take a look at my Kajabi Setup services and let’s build you a backend that’s as powerful as your coaching.

Final Summary: Quick Recommendations

Want to see what Kajabi could actually do for your business? Start with a free 30-day trial, have a proper nose around the features, and see if it feels like the upgrade your backend’s been begging for.

FAQs: Kajabi vs. Teachable

What is better, Kajabi or Teachable?

Kajabi is better for coaches and creators who want an all-in-one platform with built-in marketing, funnels, and client management. Teachable is better for people focused solely on delivering simple, self-paced courses. The right choice depends on your business model and how much you want to automate.

What platform is better than Teachable?

Kajabi is considered a step up from Teachable for coaches and course creators who need more advanced tools. It includes email marketing, website hosting, funnel building, and client portals — all in one platform. This makes it easier to scale without stacking extra software.

What is Kajabi best for?

Kajabi is best for service-based business owners, coaches, and course creators who want to manage their entire business (including sales, marketing, delivery, and automation) from one place. It’s especially powerful for hybrid offers, memberships, and evergreen funnels.

Can I use Kajabi or Teachable for coaching instead of courses?

Yes, both platforms support coaching, but Kajabi is more tailored to coaching businesses. It offers private client portals, progress tracking, embedded scheduling, and task assignment. Teachable has basic coaching tools but lacks deeper client experience features.

Do I need to know how to code to use either platform?

No coding is required for Kajabi or Teachable. Kajabi offers more customisation options using drag-and-drop builders and design settings. Advanced users can access a code editor on higher plans, but it’s optional.

Which platform is better for email marketing?

Kajabi includes built-in email marketing with automation, segmentation, and visual funnel builders. Teachable offers only basic email features unless you upgrade to higher-tier plans or integrate third-party tools like ConvertKit.

Can I migrate from Teachable to Kajabi?

Yes. You can migrate your content, student data, and email lists from Teachable to Kajabi. Kajabi offers onboarding support, video guides, and templates to help you switch without losing key assets.

Which is more cost-effective in the long run?

If you’re scaling your business and want fewer tools, Kajabi is often more cost-effective over time. It replaces multiple subscriptions (email, website, funnels, CRM) with one system. Teachable is more budget-friendly upfront but often requires extra tools to fill in feature gaps.