Both sell courses with email, funnels and a website in one tool, but the prices are far apart. Systeme.io has a free plan (2,000 contacts, 1 course, unlimited emails, 0% fees) and paid plans from $17 to $97 a month. Kajabi lists no free plan, and its plans run from $179 to $499 a month. At every list size in the table below, Systeme.io's plan costs less. Kajabi's case is a 30-day money-back guarantee, a branded app on Pro and lower card rates on its own payments as you move up.
- You want to start for $0 (free plan, no credit card, never expires)
- You want unlimited contacts and courses for $97 a month (Unlimited)
- You want 0% transaction fees on every plan
Plain link.
- You want a 30-day money-back guarantee on a paid plan
- You want your own branded app in the App Store (Pro)
- You want lower card rates as you grow (2.9% down to 2.7% + $0.30 on Kajabi Payments)
Plain link.
Key facts side by side
Source: Systeme.io pricing, Kajabi pricing, checked 2026-10-21 · Bars show size only. Systeme.io Unlimited has unlimited contacts; Kajabi Pro has 100,000.
Free plans and trials compared
| Systeme.io | Kajabi | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, never expires, no credit card | None listed |
| Contacts | 2,000 | Not applicable |
| Courses | 1, up to 500 students | Not applicable |
| Funnels and automation | 3 funnels, 1 automation rule, 1 email campaign | Not applicable |
| Sales limit | $10,000 lifetime, then payment pages stop taking new sales | Not applicable |
| Free trial | Not stated | 14 days, with some features locked |
| Money-back guarantee | Not stated | 30 days |
Sources: Systeme.io pricing, how Systeme.io plans are moderated, Kajabi pricing, Kajabi trial information.
Prices as your list grows
| Contacts | Systeme.io plan (monthly) | Kajabi plan (monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| 2,000 | Free, $0 | Basic, $179 |
| 5,000 | Startup, $17 | Growth, $249 |
| 10,000 | Webinar, $47 | Growth, $249 |
| 25,000 | Unlimited, $97 | Growth, $249 |
| 100,000 | Unlimited, $97 | Pro, $499 |
Source: systeme.io/pricing · kajabi.com/pricing, checked 2026-10-21. Prices change; the vendor's page is the final word.
Cheapest plan that covers each list size. Kajabi's 5,000 row uses Growth because Basic (2,500) plus a 25,000-contact block ($125) costs $304. Kajabi yearly billing: $143, $199 and $399 a month. Systeme.io yearly prices are not stated in its pricing page text.
What else changes by plan:
- Systeme.io: Startup has 5 courses, 10 automation rules and 10 funnels; Webinar 20 courses, 100 rules, 50 funnels and 10 evergreen webinars; Unlimited removes the limits. Emails are unlimited and transaction fees are 0% on every plan.
- Kajabi: Basic has 5 products, 1 website, 1 community and 2 admins; Growth 50 products and 11 admins; Pro unlimited products, 3 websites and 26 admins. Marketing emails are unlimited, and Kajabi takes no revenue share.
Card processing: Kajabi Payments charges US entities 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic down to 2.7% + $0.30 on Pro, and adds 2%, 1% or 0.5% for a third-party provider other than PayPal. Systeme.io doesn't state processor fees; Stripe or PayPal set them.
Sources: Systeme.io pricing, Kajabi pricing.
Catches on each side
- Systeme.io: the free plan stops selling at $10,000 in lifetime sales. A warning shows at $8,000; affiliate commissions don't count (how plans are moderated).
- Systeme.io: 1 automation rule and 1 course on Free (pricing).
- Systeme.io: downgrading takes two steps: ask support to convert your remaining days, or cancel and pick the new plan after the account reverts to Free (pricing FAQ).
- Kajabi: no free plan listed and $179 to start (pricing).
- Kajabi: some features are locked during the trial, including test emails and email automation actions (trial information).
- Kajabi: 5 products and Kajabi branding on Basic (pricing).
Verdict
Pick Systeme.io if you want courses, funnels and email for the least money: $0 for your first course and 2,000 contacts, $17 for 5,000 contacts, and $97 for unlimited, with 0% transaction fees throughout.
Pick Kajabi if you're paying for a premium all-in-one and want a 30-day money-back guarantee, a branded app on Pro and lower Kajabi Payments card rates on higher plans, at $179 to $499 a month.
Full reviews: Systeme.io review and Kajabi review.
FAQ
Is Systeme.io cheaper than Kajabi?
Yes, at every list size on the official pages. Systeme.io is free up to 2,000 contacts and $17 for 5,000; Kajabi starts at $179 for 2,500.
Does either take transaction fees?
Systeme.io charges 0% on every plan. Kajabi takes no revenue share but adds 2% on Basic if you use a third-party payment provider other than PayPal.
Does Kajabi have a free plan like Systeme.io?
No free plan is listed on Kajabi's pricing page. It offers a 14-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
What's the catch with Systeme.io's free plan?
A $10,000 lifetime sales limit, 1 course with up to 500 students, and 1 automation rule.
What changed
- 2026-10-21: Written from Systeme.io's and Kajabi's official pricing and help pages.
Sources
All accessed 2026-10-21 (America/New_York).
- Systeme.io pricing and FAQ: https://systeme.io/pricing
- Systeme.io, "How systeme.io subscription plans are moderated": https://help.systeme.io/article/1509-how-systeme-io-subscription-plans-are-moderated
- Kajabi pricing (monthly and annual billing): https://kajabi.com/pricing
- Kajabi, "Kajabi trial information": https://help.kajabi.com/en/articles/17174347-kajabi-trial-information