Kajabi vs Thinkific, and a third option.
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for courses, coaching, communities and newsletters. Thinkific is a platform for online courses, communities and memberships. Here they are on price, fees and features, with Sherpo next to them.
- Kajabi and Thinkific, side by side
- A year of platform cost
- Sherpo as a third option
- 0% of your sales on Sherpo
- Kajabi Basic$2,148 a year
- Thinkific Basic$648 a year
- Sherpo Pro$588 a year
- Sherpo Lite$228 a year
Paid through another processor, Kajabi Basic’s 2% fee adds $600, for $2,748 a year. Paid through Stripe, Thinkific Basic’s 5% fee adds $1,500, for $2,148 a year.
Kajabi Basic is $179 a month and takes 0% with Kajabi Payments, 2% through another processor. Thinkific Basic is $54 a month and takes 0% with Thinkific Payments, 5% through Stripe. For a business earning $2,500 a month in $50 orders, Kajabi Basic costs $2,148 a year and Thinkific Basic costs $648. Sherpo is a flat $19 or $49 a month and takes 0% of sales.
- Kajabi Basic
- $179 a month, 0% with Kajabi Payments, 2% through another processor
- Thinkific Basic
- $54 a month, 0% with Thinkific Payments, 5% through Stripe
- Sherpo
- From $19 a month, 0% of sales
- At $2,500 a month
- $2,148 and $648 a year
Kajabi, Thinkific and Sherpo, side by side.
Each platform’s entry plan. Features that need a higher plan or another tool are marked.
| Feature | Kajabi | Thinkific | Sherpo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $179 a month | $54 a month | Lite $19 · Pro $49 |
| Fees on your sales | 0% with Kajabi Payments, 2% through another processor | 0% with Thinkific Payments, 5% through Stripe | 0% of your sales |
| Your brand | |||
| Your own domain | Included | Included | IncludedPro |
| White-label | LimitedKajabi Growth and Pro, emails stay branded | LimitedOn Thinkific Grow and up | IncludedPro |
| Site builder | Included | Included | Included |
| Export your customer list | Included | Included | Included |
| What you can sell | |||
| Online courses | Included | Included | Included |
| Quizzes | Included | Included | IncludedPro |
| Certificates | Included | LimitedOn Thinkific Start and up | IncludedPro |
| Blog with a paywall | Included | Not offered | Included |
| Files and downloads | Included | Included5 on Basic | Included |
| Downloads tied to the buyer | Not offered | Not offered | IncludedPDF and XLSX |
| License keys | Not offered | Not offered | Included |
| Live portfolio | Not offered | Not offered | Included |
| Coaching and booking | Included | IncludedWith Calendly | IncludedWith Cal.com |
| Tips | IncludedPay what you want | Not offered | Included |
| Buyers’ AI access to every product (MCP) | Not offered | Not offered | Included |
| How you sell | |||
| Membership tiers | Included | LimitedOn Thinkific Start and up | Included |
| Bundles | Included | LimitedOn Thinkific Start and up | Included |
| Coupons | Included | Included | Included |
| Affiliates with commission | LimitedOn Kajabi Growth and Pro | IncludedPayouts made outside Thinkific | Included |
| Built in | |||
| Video hosting | Included | Included100 GB a month on Basic | IncludedNo bandwidth fees |
| AI subtitles | LimitedOn Kajabi Growth and Pro | LimitedThinkific Plus only | IncludedOn Sherpo Pro |
| For developers and AI | |||
| API for your own front-end | LimitedKajabi Pro only, no checkouts | LimitedGrow and up, read-only | IncludedYour own codebase, on Pro |
| Webhooks | LimitedOn Kajabi Growth and Pro | LimitedOn Thinkific Grow and up | IncludedEvery plan |
| Run your store from your AI | Included | LimitedThinkific Plus only, read-only | IncludedEvery plan |
| Included | 15 of 24plus 5 with a limit | 10 of 24plus 8 with a limit | 24 of 24 |
- Included
- Included with a limit, or through another tool
- Not offered
A year on Kajabi, on Thinkific, and on Sherpo.
For a business earning $2,500 a month in $50 orders, Kajabi Basic costs $2,148 a year and Thinkific Basic costs $648. Sherpo Pro costs $588 and Sherpo Lite $228.
The Kajabi figure is $179 a month for Kajabi Basic, with sales through Kajabi Payments. The Thinkific figure is $54 a month for Thinkific Basic, with sales through Thinkific Payments. Card processing is charged by the payment provider on all three. Sherpo prices here are billed monthly. Competitor prices are from each platform’s own pages and published price trackers, checked in October 2026.
Put in your own numbers| Kajabi Basic | Thinkific Basic | Sherpo Lite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price a month | $179 | $54 | $19 |
| Transaction fee | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Plan price a year | $2,148 | $648 | $228 |
| Fees on $30,000 of sales | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total a year | $2,148 | $648 | $228 |
| Difference | Sherpo Lite costs $420 less | ||
What each is known for, and where Sherpo fits.
Kajabi is known for its marketing tools: funnels, landing pages and email on every plan, and a branded mobile app on the higher plans. Thinkific is known for its course builder, with assignments and drip scheduling, and Thinkific Plus for business training. Sherpo is the option for selling under your own brand, at a flat price.
One flat price
Sherpo is $19 or $49 a month and takes 0% of your sales, whatever you sell.
Your brand, your domain
On Pro your site runs on your own domain, with no Sherpo branding.
Every format in one account
Courses, paid blogs, files, live portfolios and memberships, with one login and one customer list.
Switching from Kajabi or Thinkific?
Contact us and tell us what you are moving. Our team handles the move with you, content and customers included.
Kajabi vs Thinkific: common questions.
Still curious? Talk to us
What is the difference between Kajabi and Thinkific?
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for courses, coaching, communities and newsletters, known for its marketing tools: funnels, landing pages and email on every plan, and a branded mobile app on the higher plans. Thinkific is a platform for online courses, communities and memberships, known for its course builder, with assignments and drip scheduling, and Thinkific Plus for business training.
Which is cheaper, Kajabi or Thinkific?
With Thinkific Payments, at $2,500 a month, Thinkific Basic is the cheaper of the two. For a business earning $2,500 a month in $50 orders, Kajabi Basic costs $2,148 a year and Thinkific Basic costs $648. Sherpo Lite costs less than both: $228 a year. If you pay through another processor, Kajabi Basic’s 2% fee adds $600, bringing it to $2,748 a year. If you pay through Stripe, Thinkific Basic’s 5% fee adds $1,500, bringing it to $2,148 a year.
Does Kajabi take a cut of sales?
On Kajabi Basic with Kajabi Payments, no. Where Kajabi Payments is offered, using another processor adds a Kajabi fee: 2% of every sale on Basic, 1% on Growth and 0.5% on Pro. That fee comes on top of the processor’s own card fees. Sherpo takes 0% on every plan.
Does Thinkific take a cut of sales?
On Thinkific Basic with Thinkific Payments, no. Where Thinkific Payments is offered, using Stripe adds a Thinkific fee: 5% of every sale on Basic, 2% on Start and 1% on Grow. That fee comes on top of the processor’s own card fees. Sherpo takes 0% on every plan.
Can I use my own domain on Kajabi, Thinkific and Sherpo?
On Sherpo Pro, your site runs on your own domain, with no Sherpo branding. Kajabi and Thinkific also support custom domains.
Can AI run my store on Kajabi, Thinkific or Sherpo?
On Sherpo, yes: the Merchant MCP is on every plan, so Claude and other assistants can create products, prices and coupons in your account. Kajabi also has an MCP server. Thinkific has a read-only MCP server, on Thinkific Plus only.
Is there an alternative to Kajabi and Thinkific?
Yes, Sherpo. It charges a flat $19 or $49 a month and takes 0% of sales. It sells courses, paid blogs, files, live portfolios and memberships from one account. On Pro, it runs under your own brand and domain.
What does Sherpo offer that Kajabi and Thinkific do not?
Neither Kajabi nor Thinkific offers downloads tied to the buyer, license keys, live portfolios or buyers’ AI access to every product through MCP. Sherpo includes them.
Can I switch from Kajabi or Thinkific to Sherpo?
Yes. Contact us and tell us what you are moving. Our team handles the move with you, content and customers included.
Can I try Sherpo before I leave Kajabi or Thinkific?
Yes. Lite and Pro start with a 14-day free trial, and your Sherpo site can stay offline until you launch. You can set everything up while your current account keeps running.
See what you would keep.
Start your free trial, or put your own numbers into the fee calculator.
- 14-day free trial
- Sherpo takes 0% of your sales
- Help moving over