Kajabi alternatives: Systeme.io and Thinkific, priced
Systeme.io and Thinkific against Kajabi, from each vendor's pricing page: free plans, prices billed monthly and annually, and year-one cost for three course creators. Read September 23, 2026.
About this guide
Published by StackOnSale. Publisher: Emmanuel Grenier. Guide updated: 2026-10-24.
Research based on official vendor pages, not a hands-on review.
StackOnSale may earn a commission through disclosed affiliate links on the site. This does not decide which tool fits your needs.
The offer we list
US dollars, before tax and payment fees. We list no Kajabi offer.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-23. These are dated plan details, not a live checkout quote. Confirm current pricing and eligibility on the official pages.
Some vendor links on offer pages are disclosed affiliate links; this is not a paid ranking.
| Plan | Recorded price | Billing and limits | Before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io Startup | $170/year | Billed annually; $17 billed monthly | 5 courses, 5,000 contacts and 10 sales funnels in the comparison table. |
The short answer
We priced two Kajabi alternatives: Systeme.io and Thinkific. Kajabi's entry plan, Basic, is $179 a month, or $143 a month billed annually, for 5 products and 2,500 contacts. Systeme.io has a free plan and paid plans from $17 a month, or $170 a year. Thinkific's Basic plan is $54 a month, or $40 a month billed annually, with unlimited courses.
In the three creator profiles we priced, both alternatives cost less than Kajabi in year one. Systeme.io bundles email marketing and sales funnels; Thinkific's pricing page does not include an email marketing tool.
Prices were read in a browser on kajabi.com/pricing, systeme.io/pricing and thinkific.com/pricing on September 23, 2026, in US dollars. StackOnSale has not tested these products.
Entry plans side by side
Each vendor limits something different: Kajabi caps products and contacts, Systeme.io caps courses, contacts and funnels, and Thinkific caps current students.
| Tool | Free option | Entry plan, billed monthly | Entry plan, billed annually | Entry plan limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kajabi | None. Free trial | Basic: $179 a month | $143 a month | 5 products, 2,500 contacts, 2 admin users |
| Systeme.io | Free: 1 course, 2,000 contacts, 3 sales funnels | Startup: $17 a month | $170 for the year | 5 courses, 5,000 contacts, 10 sales funnels |
| Thinkific | None. Free trial | Basic: $54 a month | $40 a month, "Save $173" | Unlimited courses, 10,000 current students |
Read in a browser on kajabi.com/pricing, systeme.io/pricing and thinkific.com/pricing, monthly and annual options, September 23, 2026.
- Kajabi pricing
- Systeme.io pricing
- Thinkific pricing
- Kajabi processing fees and third-party provider rules, reviewed October 24, 2026
- Kajabi Payments US recurring-payment fees, reviewed October 24, 2026
Year one for three course creators
Thinkific's yearly figure is 12 times the monthly price minus the saving it states for annual billing: 12 x $54 - $173 = $475 for Basic. Kajabi's is 12 times its annual monthly price. We count each course as one Kajabi product.
| Creator | Kajabi | Systeme.io | Thinkific |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 course, under 2,000 contacts | Basic: $1,716 | Free: $0 | Basic: $475 |
| 5 courses, 2,500 contacts | Basic: $1,716 | Startup: $170 | Basic: $475 |
| 20 courses, 10,000 contacts | Growth: $2,388 | Webinar: $470 | Basic: $475, plus an email tool |
StackOnSale arithmetic on the prices above, before payment fees: Kajabi 12 x $143 and 12 x $199, Thinkific 12 x $54 - $173.
Which one fits which buyer
Systeme.io: a free plan for 1 course and 2,000 contacts, then $17 a month with email, funnels and 0% transaction fees on every plan, according to its pricing page.
Thinkific: unlimited courses from its entry plan and up to 10,000 current students, for creators who already pay for an email tool.
Kajabi: unlimited funnels, landing pages and marketing emails on every plan, and 25,000 contacts on Growth, at a higher price than both alternatives.
Payment fees before you choose
Payment fees are excluded from the annual totals. For US businesses using Kajabi Payments, subscriptions and payment plans add 0.7% to each transaction, including the first, on top of the applicable base processing rate. With a directly connected third-party card processor instead, Kajabi can charge a plan-based surcharge where Kajabi Payments is available; PayPal is excluded. Check the fee schedule for your registered country.
Fee scope reviewed October 24, 2026: Kajabi recurring fees and provider exceptions only. The price tables retain their earlier evidence dates. We have not tested payments.
What we could not verify
Thinkific's trial length and its transaction fee percentage, which its pricing page does not show. Kajabi's trial length and what it counts as a product. The processor fees you would pay on Systeme.io. Whether any annual price holds at renewal.
StackOnSale earns a commission if you buy Systeme.io through our link. We have no affiliate relationship with Thinkific or Kajabi.
Questions
What is the cheapest Kajabi alternative?
Systeme.io in the profiles we priced: $0 for 1 course and under 2,000 contacts, and $170 a year billed annually for 5 courses. Kajabi Basic is $1,716 a year billed annually. Read September 23, 2026.
Does Thinkific cost less than Kajabi?
Yes: Thinkific Basic is $40 a month billed annually, with unlimited courses, against $143 for Kajabi Basic. Thinkific's pricing page does not include an email marketing tool.
Do Kajabi alternatives have free plans?
Systeme.io does, for 1 course, 3 sales funnels and 2,000 contacts. Thinkific and Kajabi offer free trials, not free plans.
Are payment fees included in these annual costs?
No. The annual totals exclude payment fees. For US Kajabi Payments, subscriptions and payment plans add 0.7% per transaction, including the first, above base processing. A directly connected third-party card processor instead can trigger Kajabi's plan-based surcharge where Kajabi Payments is available; PayPal is excluded. Check the fee schedule for your country.
Related offers
Read next
- Selling a course online: subscriptions, fees and plan limits
- Systeme.io coupon: no code needed, and pages to avoid
- Systeme.io Pricing 2026: Free Limits & Annual Costs
- Systeme.io vs Kajabi 2026: Costs, Courses & Limits
- Kajabi vs ClickFunnels 2026: Annual Costs & Plan Limits
- Systeme.io vs Thinkific: what your first online course costs in year one
Sources
- Kajabi pricing
- Systeme.io pricing
- Thinkific pricing
- Kajabi processing fees and third-party provider rules, reviewed October 24, 2026
- Kajabi Payments US recurring-payment fees, reviewed October 24, 2026
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