Teachable vs. Kajabi: | Podcastbricks

Teachable, launched in 2014, is a dedicated online course platform designed to simplify the process of creating and selling courses. It focuses on providing a user-friendly experience for creators who want to share their expertise without getting bogged down by technical complexities. Teachable is known for its affordability and flexibility, making it a popular choice for beginners and small-scale creators. It supports courses, coaching, memberships, and digital downloads, with a strong emphasis on course creation and delivery.

Kajabi, founded in 2010, positions itself as an all-in-one platform for knowledge entrepreneurs. Beyond just courses, Kajabi offers tools for website building, email marketing, sales funnels, and community management. It’s designed for creators who want to manage their entire online business from one place, reducing the need for third-party integrations. Kajabi’s premium feel and comprehensive feature set make it ideal for established creators or those aiming to scale quickly.

Feature Comparison

1. Course Creation and Customization

Both platforms excel at course creation, but their approaches differ slightly.

Teachable: Teachable’s course builder is intuitive and flexible, using a drag-and-drop interface that allows creators to mix and match content types within a single lesson. You can include videos, audio files, PDFs, quizzes, and even custom code for advanced customization. Teachable supports advanced features like drip content (releasing lessons over time) and course compliance tools, such as requiring students to complete quizzes before progressing. Its AI-powered tools, like text generation and quiz creation, add efficiency to the process. However, Teachable’s design options are somewhat limited compared to Kajabi, and its templates can feel basic.
Kajabi: Kajabi offers a streamlined course creation process with pre-built Product Blueprints for mini-courses, full online courses, communities, or evergreen training. Its course builder is less flexible than Teachable’s in terms of mixing content types within a single lesson—you typically choose one primary media type (e.g., video or audio) per lesson and supplement with downloads or text. However, Kajabi shines in its polished, professional templates and customization options, allowing creators to craft visually stunning courses without coding skills. Kajabi also supports submodules for better organization and includes community and live session features, though it lacks advanced quiz options compared to Teachable.

Winner: Teachable for flexibility in lesson content; Kajabi for polished design and templates.

2. Website and Branding

Your course platform often doubles as your website, so branding and customization are critical.

Teachable: Teachable provides a basic website builder with limited templates and customization options. While you can create a functional site with a custom domain, SSL certificate, and basic pages (e.g., homepage, sales page), the design capabilities are minimal. Full white-labeling (removing Teachable branding from login and checkout pages) requires a high-tier plan ($665/month), and even then, some elements remain tied to Teachable’s subdomain. This can be a drawback for creators prioritizing a fully branded experience.
Kajabi: Kajabi’s website builder is far more robust, offering a range of customizable themes and a drag-and-drop editor. You can create a full website, including a blog, landing pages, and sales funnels, all under your brand. Kajabi’s Premier theme provides aesthetic flexibility, and its customization options don’t require coding expertise. White-labeling is also more achievable on higher plans ($399/month), making it easier to present a professional, cohesive brand identity.

Winner: Kajabi for its superior website builder and branding options.

3. Marketing and Sales Tools

Marketing is essential for selling courses, and both platforms offer tools to attract and convert customers.

Teachable: Teachable focuses on core course-selling features like customizable checkout pages, one-click upsells, and affiliate programs. However, it lacks built-in email marketing or sales funnel builders, requiring integrations with third-party tools like Mailchimp or ConvertKit. Teachable’s analytics are solid for tracking student progress and revenue but less comprehensive for marketing insights. Its free plan includes a 10% transaction fee, which can eat into profits for new creators.
Kajabi: Kajabi is a marketing powerhouse, offering built-in email marketing, sales funnels (called Pipelines), and automation tools. You can create landing pages, run webinars, and send broadcast emails or sequences without leaving the platform. Kajabi’s analytics provide deeper insights into customer behavior, helping you optimize campaigns. Its automation engine allows triggers and actions (e.g., tagging users who complete a course), reducing reliance on tools like Zapier. However, Kajabi’s marketing features come with limits on lower plans (e.g., only three Pipelines on the Basic plan).

Winner: Kajabi for its all-in-one marketing suite.

4. Community and Engagement

Engaging students beyond course content can boost retention and loyalty.

Teachable: Teachable doesn’t have a native community feature, though you can integrate third-party platforms like Discord or Circle. Its engagement tools are limited to comments on lessons and basic email notifications. Creators looking to foster a community often need to rely on external solutions, which can fragment the student experience.
Kajabi: Kajabi excels in community building, offering a native community feature where students can interact, post, and participate in events or challenges. Features like Kajabi Live (livestreaming) and in-app notifications enhance engagement. Kajabi’s mobile apps (iOS and Android) also support community access, making it easier for students to stay connected on the go. Teachable’s mobile app, by contrast, is iOS-only and more basic.

Winner: Kajabi for its robust community and engagement tools.

5. Monetization Options

Both platforms support multiple ways to monetize your expertise, but their approaches vary.

Teachable: Teachable allows you to sell courses, coaching, memberships, and digital downloads. You can bundle products or offer subscription pricing, though memberships require some creative setup (e.g., combining courses with recurring payments). Teachable’s payment gateway supports daily payouts in eligible countries, but non-eligible creators face a 30-day hold. Its affiliate program is easy to set up, and EU VAT handling is included.
Kajabi: Kajabi supports courses, coaching, memberships, communities, and podcasts, with native tools for each. Its membership feature is more seamless than Teachable’s, allowing you to create tiered access levels instantly. Kajabi’s payment processing is straightforward, with no mandatory refund delays, but it lacks a marketplace for course discovery (unlike Teachable’s basic marketplace). Kajabi’s affiliate tools are robust, and its analytics help track affiliate performance.

Winner: Kajabi for its seamless membership and monetization options.

6. Mobile Apps

Mobile accessibility is crucial for both creators and students.

Teachable: Teachable offers an iOS-only app for students, which is functional but lacks features like in-app purchases or notifications. There’s no Android app, limiting accessibility. Instructors can manage their school via a mobile browser, but there’s no dedicated admin app.
Kajabi: Kajabi provides feature-rich iOS and Android apps for both students and creators. Students can access courses, communities, and notifications, while creators can monitor analytics, send emails, or host live sessions. Kajabi’s apps support in-app purchases, enhancing monetization.

Winner: Kajabi for its comprehensive mobile apps.

7. Customer Support

Reliable support can save you time and stress, especially during a launch.

Teachable: Teachable offers email support on all plans, with live chat available on higher tiers ($159/month and up, weekdays 10-5 EST). Its Knowledge Base is extensive, and Teachable:u provides free courses for creators. However, recent reviews suggest mixed experiences with technical support, with some users reporting slow response times.
Kajabi: Kajabi provides 24/7 live chat on its Growth and Pro plans ($199/month and up), with business-hours chat on the Basic plan. Its Help Center and Kajabi University offer detailed guides and webinars. Kajabi’s support is generally well-regarded, with a 4.4-star Trustpilot rating.

Winner: Kajabi for its more accessible and responsive support.

Pricing Comparison

Pricing is often a deciding factor, and Teachable and Kajabi cater to different budgets.

Teachable Pricing

Free Plan: $0/month, unlimited students, one course, $1 + 10% transaction fee per sale.
Basic Plan: $59/month (monthly billing), 5% transaction fee, 5 products, affiliate program.
Pro Plan: $159/month, no transaction fees, 50 products, advanced analytics.
Business Plan: $665/month, no transaction fees, 200 products, white-labeling.

Teachable’s free plan is a standout for beginners, though transaction fees add up. Its paid plans are affordable, with unlimited students across all tiers.

Kajabi Pricing

Basic Plan: $149/month, 3 products, 3 Pipelines, unlimited students.
Growth Plan: $199/month, 15 products, 15 Pipelines, 24/7 chat support.
Pro Plan: $399/month, 100 products, 100 Pipelines, white-labeling.

Kajabi has no free plan but offers a 30-day trial. Its pricing reflects its all-in-one nature, but product limits on lower plans can feel restrictive.

Winner: Teachable for affordability and free plan; Kajabi for value if you need marketing tools.

Usability and Learning Curve

Teachable: Teachable’s interface is clean and beginner-friendly, with a straightforward setup process (name your school, add courses, publish). Its simplicity makes it ideal for first-time creators, though advanced features like custom code require some technical know-how.
Kajabi: Kajabi’s interface is polished and intuitive but can feel overwhelming due to its extensive features. Experienced creators will appreciate the depth, but beginners may need time to explore tools like Pipelines or automations. Kajabi University helps ease the learning curve.

Winner: Teachable for ease of use; Kajabi for depth once mastered.

Scalability and Growth

Teachable: Teachable scales well for course-focused businesses, offering unlimited students and courses on higher plans. However, its reliance on third-party tools for marketing or community features can become cumbersome as your business grows.
Kajabi: Kajabi is built for scaling, with integrated tools that replace multiple subscriptions (e.g., email marketing, CRM). Its higher plans support larger product catalogs and advanced automations, making it suitable for businesses earning $10k-$50k/month.

Winner: Kajabi for long-term scalability.

Who Should Choose Teachable?

Teachable is ideal for:

Beginners testing a course idea on a budget.
Creators focused solely on course creation and delivery.
Those comfortable integrating third-party tools for marketing.
Small-scale entrepreneurs who want flexibility in lesson content.

Who Should Choose Kajabi?

Kajabi is best for:

Established creators or those aiming to scale quickly.
Businesses needing an all-in-one platform for courses, marketing, and community.
Creators prioritizing a premium, branded experience.
Entrepreneurs who want to replace multiple tools with one solution.

Final Thoughts

Both Teachable and Kajabi are excellent platforms, but they serve different purposes. Teachable is a cost-effective, course-centric solution that’s perfect for beginners or creators who don’t need extensive marketing tools. Its flexibility in lesson design and free plan make it accessible, though it lacks the polish and integrations of Kajabi.

Kajabi, on the other hand, is a premium all-in-one platform that excels in marketing, branding, and community building. It’s pricier and has a steeper learning curve, but its comprehensive features save time and money for creators who want to manage everything in one place.