Kajabi vs. LearnWorlds | Podcastbricks

Founded in 2010 by Kenny Rueter, Kajabi has established itself as a powerhouse for entrepreneurs, coaches, and creators aiming to build a comprehensive online business. Kajabi markets itself as an all-in-one platform, integrating course creation, website building, email marketing, sales funnels, and analytics into a single ecosystem. Its focus is on simplifying the process of creating, marketing, and selling digital products, including online courses, memberships, coaching programs, and podcasts.

Kajabi’s philosophy is to provide everything a knowledge entrepreneur needs under one roof, reducing the reliance on third-party tools. With a clean interface, pre-built templates, and automation features, it’s particularly appealing to those who want to focus on scaling their business without getting bogged down in technical complexities.

Launched in 2014 by Dr. Panos Siozos, George Palaigeorgiou, and Fanis Despotakis, LearnWorlds is designed with a strong emphasis on delivering exceptional learning experiences. It’s a learning management system (LMS) tailored for educators, corporate trainers, and course creators who prioritize interactive and engaging course content. LearnWorlds excels in course authoring, offering tools like interactive videos, SCORM support, and customizable course players, making it ideal for academic training, compliance programs, and professional development.

While LearnWorlds includes marketing and selling features, its core strength lies in its ability to create a polished, learner-centric environment. It’s particularly suited for those who want full control over branding and student engagement, with options like white-labeled mobile apps and advanced assessment tools.

Course Creation and Delivery

Kajabi: Streamlined Course Building

Kajabi’s course creation process is designed for ease and speed, catering to creators who may not have extensive technical expertise. Its drag-and-drop interface allows you to build courses using modules, submodules, and lessons. Kajabi offers “Product Blueprints”—pre-made, customizable templates for mini-courses, comprehensive online courses, and drip-fed courses. These templates provide a structured outline, so you only need to fill in your content, such as videos, text, quizzes, or downloadable resources.

Kajabi supports video hosting (via Wistia integration), audio, and assessments, but its editing capabilities are somewhat limited. For example, once a video is uploaded, you can’t add interactive elements like in-video quizzes or annotations. Kajabi’s strength lies in its simplicity: it’s easy to organize content into categories and subcategories, creating a clear framework for learners. However, it lacks advanced educational tools like SCORM/HTML5 support or robust grading systems, which may be a drawback for academic or compliance-focused courses.

LearnWorlds: Robust and Interactive

LearnWorlds takes course creation to another level with its robust course builder, which is both intuitive and feature-rich. It offers a wizard-guided process that helps beginners set up courses by prompting them to add titles, outlines, and materials. You can include a wide range of content types—videos, images, PDFs, surveys, quizzes, and even Zoom recordings. What sets LearnWorlds apart is its ability to create interactive videos, allowing you to embed questions, buttons, logos, or text overlays to keep learners engaged.

LearnWorlds supports SCORM and HTML5 files, making it a go-to choice for corporate trainers or educators migrating content from other LMS platforms. It also offers advanced assessment tools, including graded quizzes, assignments, and a gradebook, which are ideal for formal training programs. Additionally, LearnWorlds allows for drip-fed content (by day or date) and gated content, giving creators flexibility in how they deliver material.

Winner: LearnWorlds for course creation, due to its interactive features, SCORM support, and advanced assessment capabilities. Kajabi is better for those prioritizing simplicity and speed.

Marketing and Sales Tools

Kajabi: A Marketing Powerhouse

Kajabi’s marketing suite is one of its biggest selling points. It includes a built-in email marketing tool with a visual builder, allowing you to create personalized email sequences, newsletters, and automations. Kajabi’s “Pipelines” feature simplifies sales funnels, offering pre-built templates for webinars, course launches, or lead magnets. These funnels integrate seamlessly with landing pages, checkouts, and email campaigns, making it easy to drive conversions.

Kajabi also supports affiliate marketing, coupons, and upsells, with no transaction fees across all plans. Its analytics dashboard provides detailed insights into sales, open rates, and student engagement, empowering creators to optimize their strategies. For creators focused on scaling their audience, Kajabi’s all-in-one approach eliminates the need for tools like Mailchimp or ClickFunnels, saving time and money.

LearnWorlds: Functional but Limited

LearnWorlds offers marketing tools, but they’re less comprehensive than Kajabi’s. You can create landing pages, lead magnets, and coupons, and it supports affiliate management on higher-tier plans. LearnWorlds’ form builder is a standout, allowing you to create custom forms for lead capture or surveys. However, it lacks a built-in email marketing system, requiring integrations with third-party tools like Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign for full functionality.

LearnWorlds does provide basic automation features, such as triggered emails based on user actions, but building complex sales funnels can feel cumbersome without a marketing background. Its analytics are robust for tracking student progress but less detailed for marketing metrics compared to Kajabi.

Winner: Kajabi, for its integrated email marketing, automation, and funnel-building tools. LearnWorlds is better for those who already use external marketing platforms.

Pricing and Value

Kajabi: Premium Pricing

Kajabi’s pricing reflects its all-in-one capabilities, but it’s on the higher end:

Kickstarter ($69/month): 1 product, 250 contacts, limited features.
Basic ($149/month): 3 products, 10,000 contacts, 1,000 active members.
Growth ($199/month): 15 products, 25,000 contacts, advanced automations.
Pro ($399/month): 100 products, 100,000 contacts, 20,000 active members.

Kajabi offers a 14-day free trial (credit card required) but no free plan. Its plans limit the number of products and funnels, which can be restrictive for creators with multiple offerings. However, the absence of transaction fees and the inclusion of marketing tools provide strong value for those scaling a business.

LearnWorlds: Cost-Effective Flexibility

LearnWorlds is generally more affordable, with plans that emphasize unlimited courses:

Starter ($29/month): Unlimited courses, $5 fee per sale, basic features.
Pro Trainer ($99/month): No transaction fees, advanced features, 20 SCORM files.
Learning Center ($299/month): Full customization, premium support, mobile app builder.
High Volume & Corporate: Custom pricing for enterprises.

LearnWorlds offers a 30-day free trial (no credit card required), making it more accessible to test. The Starter plan’s $5 transaction fee can add up, but higher plans remove this, offering excellent value for creators focused on education. Unlike Kajabi, LearnWorlds doesn’t limit course creation, even on the lowest tier.

Winner: LearnWorlds, for its lower starting price and unlimited courses. Kajabi is worth the investment for those needing integrated marketing tools.

User Experience and Interface

Kajabi: Polished and Intuitive

Kajabi’s dashboard is clean, modern, and easy to navigate, with a search feature and helpful pop-ups to guide new users. Everything—courses, emails, websites, and analytics—is accessible from a single interface, reducing the learning curve. Its page builder is flexible, with customizable themes and templates that ensure professional-looking sites and courses, even for non-designers.

However, some users find Kajabi’s course creation process slightly confusing due to its use of “posts” and “categories” instead of standard LMS terminology. Overall, it’s polished and beginner-friendly, ideal for solopreneurs.

LearnWorlds: Feature-Rich but Cluttered

LearnWorlds’ interface is functional but can feel overwhelming due to the sheer number of features packed into its sidebar. The spacing between elements is tight, and finding specific tools may take time for new users. That said, its course builder is intuitive, with a clear pathway for adding content, and the platform offers extensive onboarding videos and tutorials.

LearnWorlds’ website builder is a highlight, offering over 400 templates and widgets, plus advanced features like parallax scrolling and animations. However, the interface could benefit from a more streamlined design to match Kajabi’s polish.

Winner: Kajabi, for its cleaner, more intuitive interface. LearnWorlds is better for those who don’t mind a learning curve for advanced customization.

Community and Support

Kajabi: Strong Community, Robust Support

Kajabi boasts a vibrant community, including a large Facebook group and “Kajabi Heroes” program, where users share tips and strategies. Kajabi University offers free courses on course creation, marketing, and business growth, supplemented by webinars and a regularly updated blog.

Support is available via 24/7 chat (Growth plan and above), email, and a comprehensive help center. Kajabi’s dedicated support team is known for quick resolutions, making it reliable for solo creators.

LearnWorlds: Comprehensive Resources, Top-Notch Support

LearnWorlds’ community is smaller but growing, with forums and webinars fostering collaboration. LearnWorlds Academy provides free resources on building online schools, and its blog covers selling, teaching, and platform updates. The platform also offers free eBooks and daily webinars.

Support is a strong suit, with 24/7 email support (Starter plan), priority email (Pro Trainer), and premium support (Learning Center). Many users report response times within an hour, and LearnWorlds’ staff is praised for expertise.

Winner: Tie. Kajabi excels in community engagement, while LearnWorlds shines in responsive support and educational resources.

Mobile Apps and Branding

Kajabi: Ready-Made Apps

Kajabi offers a mobile app for iOS and Android, allowing students to access courses and communities on the go. A beta white-labeled app is available, but it’s not as customizable as LearnWorlds’. Kajabi’s branding is minimal, though lower plans include Kajabi branding on checkouts.

LearnWorlds: White-Label Excellence

LearnWorlds stands out with its fully white-labeled mobile app builder (Learning Center plan, $249/month), letting you create a branded app for your school. It also offers complete white-labeling for websites, with no LearnWorlds branding on higher plans, ideal for professional trainers.

Winner: LearnWorlds, for its superior white-labeling and app customization.

Who Should Choose Kajabi?

Kajabi is the best choice for:

Entrepreneurs and coaches wanting an all-in-one platform.
Creators focused on marketing and scaling their audience.
Those who value simplicity and a polished interface.
Businesses selling diverse digital products (courses, memberships, podcasts).

Who Should Choose LearnWorlds?

LearnWorlds is ideal for:

Educators and trainers prioritizing interactive learning experiences.
Corporate or academic programs needing SCORM support and assessments.
Creators seeking cost-effective plans with unlimited courses.
Those who want full branding control, including white-labeled apps.

Final Verdict

Both Kajabi and LearnWorlds are exceptional platforms, but they cater to different needs. Kajabi is the go-to for entrepreneurs who want a seamless, all-in-one solution with powerful marketing tools, ideal for building a scalable online business. LearnWorlds excels for educators and trainers who prioritize engaging, interactive courses and need advanced LMS features at a lower cost.

If your goal is to create a learning-first academy with robust student engagement, LearnWorlds is the better pick. If you’re focused on marketing, automation, and a streamlined business ecosystem, Kajabi is worth the premium. Test both with their free trials—Kajabi’s 14-day trial or LearnWorlds’ 30-day trial—to see which feels right for your vision.