Kajabi Review

Introduction

Turn your expertise into income—without stitching together five tools. Kajabi combines courses, memberships, coaching, site, email, and checkout in one place so you can launch faster and focus on teaching, not tech.

Launched in 2010, Kajabi has evolved from a simple course platform into a complete business hub for digital entrepreneurs. For retirepreneurs looking to monetize decades of professional expertise, Kajabi eliminates the complexity of managing multiple tools by consolidating everything you need into one user-friendly system. You can build your website, host your content, manage email marketing, process payments, and engage with your community—all without technical skills or hiring developers. This makes it particularly valuable for transitional professionals over 55 who want to focus on sharing their knowledge rather than wrestling with technology.

 

Key Features & Benefits

• Launch faster: Blueprints + AI course assistant help outline content and structure in days, not months. You can start generating income from your expertise quickly without getting overwhelmed by technical setup.

• Marketing that just works: Email, funnels, and pages are native—no duct-taping tools (or extra subscriptions). You won't need to learn multiple platforms or pay for separate marketing software, saving you both time and money while building your audience.

• Keep your revenue: Flat platform fee; you own pricing and customer data (payment processor fees still apply). Unlike course marketplaces that take a cut of your sales, every dollar you earn from courses or memberships stays in your pocket, maximizing your retirement income.

• Build community: Forums and coaching tools deepen relationships and increase LTV. This creates recurring relationships and opportunities for higher-ticket coaching services beyond just course sales.

• Run it on the go: iOS/Android apps to message students, check sales, and moderate communities. This flexibility suits the lifestyle many retirees envision for their business ventures—manage your business while traveling or away from your desk.

• Simple payments: Stripe handles 1-time, subscriptions, and payment plans with automated access control. You don't need merchant accounts or complex financial setup to start accepting money.

• Always supported: Tutorials, Kajabi University, and responsive support when you're stuck. This safety net is especially valuable if you're less tech-savvy or new to online business.

Create your first product outline today—then publish a pre-sale page in under an hour.

 

Pricing

Kajabi offers four pricing tiers with a 14-30 day free trial depending on current promotions:

Plan	Monthly Cost	Annual Cost	Best For
Kickstarter	$89/month	~$1,068/year	Testing your business idea with one product and basic email marketing (7,500 emails/month)
Basic	$149/month	$119/month billed annually	Getting started with unlimited products and landing pages, suitable for most new retirepreneurs
Growth	$249/month	$199/month billed annually	Established businesses needing advanced automation, webinars, and affiliate program management
Pro	$499/month	$399/month billed annually	Scaling operations with code editing access and priority support for serious digital entrepreneurs

Note: Plan names, limits (products/pipelines/contacts), and trial length can vary by promotion. Confirm current limits before purchasing.

ROI Snapshot: Sell one $199 course or enroll two $59/month members and Basic more than pays for itself.

Best Value Recommendation: Start with Basic (annual) if you plan to sell multiple offers (course + coaching + membership). Choose Kickstarter only for a single-offer test; upgrade once you validate demand. Move to Growth when you need advanced automation or affiliates.

For retirees on fixed incomes testing a business concept, the Kickstarter Plan at $89/month provides an affordable entry point, though you'll likely need to upgrade once you validate your idea and want to create multiple products.

 

Pros & Cons

 

How It Works

1. Choose Your Business Blueprint
   Select from pre-built templates for online courses, membership sites, coaching programs, or newsletters. Kajabi's AI assistant helps you outline content based on your expertise area, giving you a structured starting point.

2. Build Your Content and Website
   Upload videos, documents, and resources to create your course modules or membership content. Use the drag-and-drop website builder to design your homepage, sales pages, and checkout process without technical skills.

3. Set Up Payment and Pricing
   Connect your Stripe account to accept credit cards and configure your pricing structure—one-time payments, subscriptions, or payment plans. Kajabi handles all the complex payment logic automatically.

4. Create Your Marketing Funnel
   Build landing pages to capture email addresses and design automated email sequences that nurture prospects into customers. Set up your sales pipeline so marketing runs on autopilot once configured.

5. Launch and Engage Your Community
   Publish your course or membership, invite your first students, and use the community features to answer questions and build relationships. Monitor your dashboard to track sales, engagement, and growth metrics from your phone or computer.

 

Comparison with Competition

Feature	Kajabi	Thinkific	Podia
Starting Price	$89/month	$49/month	$39/month
Website Builder	✅ Full website platform	❌ Limited pages	✅ Basic website
Email Marketing	✅ Advanced automation	✅ Basic automation	✅ Basic email tools
Built-In Community	✅ Forums included	❌ Requires third-party	✅ Basic community
Affiliate Management	✅ Growth plan and above	✅ Available	✅ Available
Payment Processing	✅ Stripe integration	✅ Multiple processors	✅ Stripe & PayPal
Revenue Sharing	✅ None—keep 100%	✅ None on higher plans	✅ None

Bottom line: Choose Kajabi if you want everything under one roof and can invest in a premium, business-grade platform. Thinkific lowers software cost but often requires add-ons for email/community. Podia is budget-friendly for starters but lacks Kajabi's deeper automations and site controls.

 

Testimonials

"Within three months of launching my consulting course on Kajabi, I replaced my corporate salary with recurring membership income. The automation handles everything—I just focus on creating great content for my students."
— Patricia Rodriguez, Former HR Director, Retirement Career Coach

"I was intimidated by the technology, but Kajabi's templates made it so simple. I had my first online workshop up and running in less than a week, and I've already enrolled 47 students. The support team answered every question patiently."
— James Mitchell, Retired Financial Advisor, Personal Finance Educator

 

Final Verdict

Kajabi delivers a premium all-in-one solution that justifies its higher price point if you're serious about building a digital business around your expertise. The platform eliminates technical complexity while providing professional marketing tools that help you attract and convert customers effectively.

✅ Best for: Retirepreneurs with established expertise ready to monetize knowledge through courses, coaching programs, or membership communities who value an integrated solution over managing multiple tools.

❌ Not ideal for: Those on extremely tight budgets testing initial business concepts, anyone planning to sell primarily through marketplace discovery rather than direct marketing, or businesses focused on physical products rather than digital content.

Why Retirepreneur Recommends Kajabi

Our audience values simplicity, control, and recurring income. Kajabi centralizes the tech so you can focus on teaching and serving clients.

💡 7-Day Launch Plan: Day 1–2 outline your first offer with the AI assistant → Day 3 build a pre-sale page → Day 4–5 set email nurture → Day 6 open checkout → Day 7 host a kickoff webinar in Kajabi. Start your free trial and follow the checklist.

👉 Start Free Trial | See a Demo Site Built with Kajabi

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✅ Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kajabi worth the cost for retirees on a fixed income?

Kajabi's pricing is premium, but the value depends on how you'll use it. If you're creating multiple revenue streams—courses, coaching, memberships, and newsletters—then consolidating everything into one $119-149/month platform actually saves money compared to piecing together separate tools for website hosting, email marketing, course hosting, and payment processing. However, if you're just testing a single course idea, start with the Kickstarter plan at $89/month or consider lower-cost alternatives until you validate your concept and can justify the investment.

How difficult is Kajabi to learn if I'm not tech-savvy?

Yes—Kajabi is built for non-technical users; most launch a first product in 1–2 weeks. The platform provides extensive video tutorials, and the AI course assistant actually helps you outline your content by asking questions about your topic. The learning curve is moderate—expect to invest 5-10 hours initially to understand the basics, but you won't need to learn coding or complex technical concepts.

Can I use Kajabi if I'm not creating online courses?

Absolutely. While Kajabi started as a course platform, it now supports coaching programs, membership communities, newsletters, podcasts, and downloadable digital products. Many retirepreneurs use it solely for coaching by scheduling sessions through the built-in calendar, managing client communications, and delivering resources through the member portal. Others run paid newsletters or membership communities without any formal course content. The platform adapts to various business models beyond traditional courses.

How does Kajabi compare to free platforms like YouTube or Substack?

Free platforms help you build an audience but offer limited monetization and no business infrastructure. YouTube takes 45% of ad revenue and gives you no direct customer relationships or email list. Substack charges 10% of subscription revenue and provides basic newsletter tools but no courses, coaching features, or sales funnels. Kajabi costs more upfront but lets you keep 100% of revenue, own your customer data, and build a complete business ecosystem. Use YouTube/Substack for audience building, then convert on Kajabi where you keep margin and own the relationship.

What kind of support does Kajabi provide for users who get stuck?

Kajabi offers multiple support channels including a comprehensive help center with written guides and video tutorials, live chat support during business hours, and email support with typical response times under 24 hours. The Pro plan ($399-499/month) includes priority support with faster response times. Additionally, Kajabi University provides structured training courses on using the platform, and there's an active user community where members share tips and solutions. The support quality consistently receives high marks from users.

Can I migrate my existing course content from another platform to Kajabi?

Yes, Kajabi provides migration tools and support for transferring content from other platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, or WordPress. You can bulk upload videos, documents, and resources, and Kajabi's support team offers guidance on the migration process. The complexity depends on how much content you have and how it's structured, but most migrations can be completed within a few days to two weeks. Some retirepreneurs hire Kajabi specialists to handle technical migrations, though this isn't necessary for simpler setups.

Does Kajabi require a long-term contract, or can I cancel anytime?

Kajabi operates on month-to-month billing with no long-term contract required, even on monthly plans. You can cancel at any time without penalties, though you won't receive refunds for the current billing period. Annual plans offer significant discounts (saving $360-1,200/year) but require paying upfront for the full year. If you're uncertain about the commitment, start with monthly billing during your trial period, then switch to annual billing once you're confident Kajabi fits your business needs.

What are the email limits and how's deliverability?

Plans include email sending with limits that vary by tier—Kickstarter allows 7,500 emails/month, while higher tiers provide expanded capacity. Kajabi includes built-in deliverability tools to help keep your campaigns healthy, monitor engagement rates, and maintain good sender reputation. You can also integrate with dedicated email service providers if you need advanced deliverability features.

Can I sell in multiple currencies or offer coupons?

Yes—Stripe supports multiple currencies, and Kajabi allows you to configure coupons, discount codes, and flexible payment plans per offer. You can create one-time discounts, recurring subscription discounts, or time-limited promotional pricing to suit your marketing strategy. This flexibility helps you run sales campaigns and accommodate international customers.

Can I connect Calendly or Zoom for coaching sessions?

Yes—you can embed or integrate scheduling links (like Calendly) and meeting links (like Zoom) directly into your coaching products and automated emails. Many coaches use Kajabi to deliver course content and community access, then schedule live sessions through integrated tools that sync with their existing calendar systems.