Kajabi Vs Wix: Where Should You Start Your Journey?

I've been using Kajabi since 2018, and I often get asked whether someone should choose Wix or Kajabi for their online business. The answer isn't straightforward because these are fundamentally different platforms designed for different purposes. Understanding what each platform offers will make your decision much clearer.

Wix is primarily a website builder that lets you create professional-looking pages using drag-and-drop editors and templates without any coding knowledge. Kajabi, on the other hand, is an all-in-one platform built for creators who want to build, market, and sell digital products like online courses, memberships, and coaching programs. While Kajabi does include website building capabilities, its real strength lies in the backend functionalities for running a complete online business, including course delivery, email marketing, payment processing, and community features.

Key Takeaways

• Wix is best suited for creating professional websites with basic features, while Kajabi is designed for building and monetizing complete online businesses
• Kajabi offers comprehensive tools for courses, memberships, coaching, email marketing, and payment processing that go far beyond simple website building
• The pricing difference reflects the functionality gap, with Wix starting at lower price points but Kajabi providing more extensive business management features

Defining Wix and Kajabi

Primary Use Cases

Wix is a cloud-based website building platform that uses a drag and drop editor and pre-designed templates. It helps users create professional-looking websites without coding.

The platform is a website builder at its core. If you're looking to build a website with a few signposts, maybe a cart checkout, and maybe a link to other pages or a link to socials, then Wix might be the platform for you.

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for creators to build, market, and sell digital products like online courses, memberships, and coaching programs. While Kajabi does have a website builder that may not be as advanced as Wix, it has so much more to offer in terms of back-end functionalities.

If you're thinking of building not just a website but behind it building courses, memberships, coaching, and community, then Kajabi is more up your street. Kajabi really is the all-in-one solution if you're looking for that online business.

Core Features Overview

Wix Features:

• Web design templates
• AI website builders
• E-commerce
• Blog
• Portfolio
• Scheduling

All of Wix's products focus on website functionality.

Kajabi Features:

• Courses
• Coaching
• Podcasts
• Membership
• Communities
• Newsletters
• Downloads
• Branded mobile app
• Email marketing
• Payment processing

When you click on products in Kajabi, everything's down the left-hand side. The courses have a really clean look and feel, and you can enroll people just by going to a landing page into a checkout and then into a program.

They have a members area, a login, and a members area where you can deliver courses, coaching, memberships, and community. You could have a Wix domain and then have Kajabi as your subdomain if you prefer the look and feel of the Wix website builder.

Additional Kajabi Capabilities:

• Marketing tools
• CRM for all your contacts
• Analytics dashboard
• Affiliate dashboard
• Sales and payments with checkout creation and payment provider integration

These two online platforms are both very different. This could be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut if all you want is a website that links out to some socials and has your domain hosted with it just so it can give you an online footprint and showcase exactly what you do.

Target Audiences and Use Scenarios

Ideal Users for Each Platform

Wix is designed for users who need a straightforward website with basic functionality. If you're looking to build a website with a few signposts, maybe a cart checkout, and a link to other pages or social media, then Wix might be the platform for you. It's suitable for those who want an online footprint to showcase what they do without requiring complex backend systems.

Kajabi serves a different type of user. If you're thinking of building not just a website but also creating courses, memberships, coaching programs, and community features, then Kajabi is more up your street. I've been using Kajabi since 2018 because the functionalities it provides are exactly what my business needs.

Key Distinctions:

• Wix users need website pages with basic signposting and links
• Kajabi users require complete online business infrastructure including digital product delivery
• Wix could be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut if you only want a simple website
• Kajabi could be overkill if all you want is a domain hosted with an online footprint

Types of Businesses Served

Wix serves businesses that primarily need web presence. The platform focuses on web design templates, AI website builders, e-commerce, blogs, portfolios, and scheduling. It's about your website functionality first and foremost.

Kajabi serves creators and businesses selling digital products. The platform offers courses, coaching, podcasts, memberships, communities, newsletters, downloads, a branded mobile app, email marketing, and payment processing systems. It really is the all-in-one solution if you're looking for that online business setup.

Business Types by Platform:

Understanding the differentiality of these two platforms is going to make your decision pretty easy. The question you have to ask yourself is: what is the requirement that I want? These two online platforms are both very different.

Website Design and Customization Capabilities

Drag-and-Drop Editing

Wix uses a drag-and-drop editor that helps users create professional-looking websites without coding. This is a core feature of the platform's website building approach.

The drag-and-drop functionality is focused specifically on website creation. It's designed to make the process straightforward for users who want to build website pages quickly.

Kajabi does have a website builder, though it may not be as advanced as Wix in terms of pure website design capabilities. The platform allows you to design your website and connect it to your domain.

I've built everything within Kajabi, including my about page and blogs. The website builder is accessible from the dashboard, where you can create and manage your site pages.

Templates and Design Flexibility

Wix offers pre-designed templates that work alongside the drag-and-drop editor. The platform emphasizes web design templates as part of its product offerings.

The templates are centered around creating websites with different purposes, including e-commerce, blogs, portfolios, and scheduling. Everything is focused on the website itself.

Kajabi provides a clean look and feel for courses and website pages. You can customize your members area and create landing pages that flow into checkout pages.

If you prefer the look and feel of the Wix website builder, you could have a Wix domain and then use Kajabi as your subdomain. This gives you flexibility in how you structure your online presence.

The design capabilities in Kajabi extend beyond just websites. You can create course pages, community spaces, and member login areas that all maintain a consistent appearance.

Digital Product Delivery and Monetization Tools

Course Creation

When you click on products in Kajabi, courses are right there in the left-hand side menu. I can click into any of my courses and access programs like Kajabi Unboxed, which I offer to people who sign up through my link.

The course interface provides a clean look and feel. People can enroll by going through a landing page, then to a checkout, and finally into the program itself.

Course Delivery Features:

• Members area with login functionality
• Clean, professional interface for content delivery
• Landing page integration
• Direct checkout process

The system allows you to deliver structured course content to enrolled members. Everything operates through a members area where students can access their purchased programs.

Membership Management

Kajabi handles membership delivery through the same product system as courses. The platform includes a complete members area with login access for people who purchase your memberships.

From the dashboard, I can manage all contacts through the CRM section. This is where all your contacts live and can be organized.

Payment and Access Control:

• Sales and payments section for checkout creation
• Links to payment providers
• Enrollment management through landing pages
• Domain connection capabilities

You can connect Kajabi to your domain or use it as a subdomain. I've built everything within Kajabi, including my about page and blogs.

The platform tracks all enrolled members and manages their access to membership content through the same system used for courses.

Coaching and Community Features

The products menu includes both coaching and community as separate offerings. These sit alongside courses, podcasts, newsletters, and downloads in the left-hand navigation.

Community features integrate with the rest of your digital products. Members can access community areas through the same login system used for courses and memberships.

Kajabi provides an affiliate dashboard where you can manage affiliate relationships. The analytics section gives you data on your products and their performance.

The platform includes a branded mobile app option for delivering coaching and community content. Email marketing tools are built in, allowing you to communicate with coaching clients and community members directly from the platform.

Integrated Marketing and Automation

Email Campaigns

Kajabi includes email marketing capabilities built directly into the platform. This is part of the marketing functionality that sits under the marketing section in the dashboard.

The email marketing tools are integrated with the rest of the business functions. This means you can connect your email campaigns to your courses, memberships, and other products without needing a separate email service provider.

CRM Features

Kajabi has a dedicated CRM system where you can manage all your contacts. The CRM is located within the platform and serves as a central place to view and organize everyone who interacts with your business.

All contacts are stored in one location within the Kajabi dashboard. This allows you to track and manage your audience members, students, and customers from a single interface.

The CRM connects with the other features in Kajabi, including the courses, coaching programs, and marketing tools.

Analytics and Reporting

The analytics section is available within the Kajabi dashboard. This provides data and insights about your business performance.

You also get access to an affiliate dashboard as part of the analytics capabilities. This allows you to track affiliate performance if you're running an affiliate program for your products.

The analytics are integrated with the sales and payments sections, giving you visibility into how your business is performing across different areas.

E-Commerce and Payment Integration

Product Selling Functions

Wix focuses primarily on basic e-commerce capabilities as part of its website building platform. The platform includes cart checkout functionality and standard product selling features suitable for straightforward retail needs.

Kajabi offers comprehensive selling tools designed specifically for digital products. I can sell online courses, memberships, coaching programs, podcasts, newsletters, and downloads all through the platform. The sales and payments section allows me to create checkouts and manage all transactions from a centralized dashboard.

The enrollment process in Kajabi works through a landing page that directs to checkout and then into the actual program or membership area. Members get their own login credentials and access to a dedicated members area where they can consume content.

Checkout Experiences

Wix provides standard cart and checkout functionality as part of its e-commerce offerings. The checkout is designed to work with basic product sales and links to various pages.

In Kajabi, I can create custom checkout experiences through the sales and payments section. The checkout process integrates directly with my products, whether those are courses, memberships, or coaching programs. When someone purchases, they immediately get access to their member login and content area.

The platform allows me to design landing pages that flow into the checkout experience. This creates a seamless path from initial interest to purchase to content access.

Supported Payment Providers

Kajabi allows me to connect to certain payment providers through the sales and payments dashboard. The platform handles payment processing for all digital products including courses, memberships, coaching, and other offerings.

I can manage all payment connections and transactions from within the Kajabi dashboard. The platform processes payments and automatically grants access to purchased products without requiring manual intervention.

Pricing Structures and Plan Comparisons

Entry-Level Plans

Wix starts at £9 per month for the Light plan. The Core plan is available at £16 per month. These entry-level options focus on basic website building capabilities.

Kajabi's entry point is significantly higher at $89 per month for the Kickstarter plan. This price difference reflects the more comprehensive business tools included in the platform.

Higher-Tier Offerings

Wix offers a Business plan at £25 per month and a Business Elite plan at £119 per month. You need to review the details of each plan to identify which matches your business requirements.

Kajabi's pricing structure includes Basic, Growth, and Pro plans that increase substantially from the Kickstarter level. The higher cost accounts for the extensive features and functionalities designed to support courses, memberships, and coaching programs.

Included Features by Plan

Wix Plans Include:

• Web design templates
• AI website builders
• E-commerce
• Blog
• Portfolio
• Scheduling

Kajabi Plans Include:

• Courses
• Coaching
• Community
• Podcasts
• Newsletters
• Downloads
• Branded mobile app
• Email marketing
• Payment processing
• Website builder
• Members area and login
• CRM for contact management
• Analytics
• Affiliate dashboard
• Sales and payment checkout connections

The features are accessible from the dashboard with products on the left-hand side. Kajabi provides clean course layouts where you can enroll people through landing pages into checkout and into programs. You can design your website, connect to your domain, or use Wix as your main domain with Kajabi as a subdomain.

Platform Limitations and Considerations

Scalability Factors

Wix operates primarily as a website builder with drag-and-drop functionality. The platform focuses on creating professional-looking website pages without coding requirements.

Kajabi functions as an all-in-one platform that extends beyond basic website building. I've been using Kajabi since 2018 because it provides the complete functionality my business requires.

Key Functional Differences:

The pricing structure reflects these functional differences. Wix starts at £9 monthly for the light plan, £16 for core, £25 for business, and £119 for business elite. Kajabi pricing begins at $89 monthly for the Kickstarter plan, then scales up through basic, growth, and pro tiers.

Potential Drawbacks

Kajabi could be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut if you only need a website that links to socials and provides an online footprint. The platform delivers extensive backend functionality for courses, memberships, coaching, and community features that may exceed basic requirements.

Wix may not provide sufficient functionality if you're building a complete online business beyond a standard website. The platform finishes where website building ends, without the comprehensive tools for digital product delivery.

You can use Wix for your main domain and have Kajabi as a subdomain if you prefer the Wix website builder appearance. This allows you to separate website design from business operations.

The decision depends entirely on your specific business requirements. You need to identify what functionalities you want before selecting either platform.

Making the Right Choice for Your Business

Clarifying Business Needs

The first step is identifying what you actually need from a platform. Are you just looking to build a website with a few signposts, maybe a cart checkout, and a link to other pages or socials? If that's the case, then Wix might be the platform for you.

If you're thinking of building not just a website but also courses, memberships, coaching, and community features behind it, then Kajabi is more up your street. This could be using a sledgehammer to crack a nut if all you want is a website that links out to some socials and has your domain hosted with it just to give you an online footprint and showcase what you do.

You have to ask yourself what requirements you want. Understanding the differences between these two platforms is going to make your decision pretty easy.

Summary of Platform Strengths

Wix is a cloud-based website building platform that uses a drag and drop editor and pre-designed templates to help users create professional-looking websites without coding. It's a website builder that allows you to build good-looking website pages, and that's pretty much where it finishes.

The platform focuses on:

• Web design templates
• AI website builders
• E-commerce
• Blog
• Portfolio
• Scheduling

Wix Pricing:

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for creators to build, market, and sell digital products like online courses, memberships, and coaching programs. While Kajabi does have a website builder that may not be as advanced as Wix, it has so much more to offer in terms of back-end functionalities.

The platform includes:

• Courses
• Coaching
• Podcasts
• Membership
• Communities
• Newsletters
• Downloads
• Branded mobile app
• Email marketing
• Payment processing
• CRM for contacts
• Analytics
• Affiliate dashboard
• Sales and payments with checkout creation

Kajabi Pricing:

Kajabi starts at $89 a month with the Kickstarter plan, then goes up to basic, growth, and pro. The pricing is higher because it has all these features and functionalities to deliver on the back end of your courses, memberships, and coaching.

You can have a Wix domain and then have Kajabi as your subdomain if you prefer the look and feel of the Wix website builder. Everything from about pages to blogs can be built within Kajabi. It really is the all-in-one solution if you're looking for that complete online business.