ClickFunnels vs. ConvertKit

ClickFunnels vs. ConvertKit [Read This Before Deciding]

​Are you considering ClickFunnels vs. ConvertKit for your marketing automation platform? ​In this article, I'll help you make your choice, covering the key differences in features and pricing. Though your pick should, of course, be based on capabilities you need, it should also be based on those you don't. I'm going to help make sure you're not paying for features you're already getting elsewhere, or just have no use for.

What is the difference between ClickFunnels and ConvertKit?

​ClickFunnels and ConvertKit both offer great marketing funnels and email automation, however, ClickFunnels is intended to be an all-in-one sales/marketing platform, while ConvertKit is intended to work as an integration with other tools, such as WordPress or Teachable.

Are you looking to build an online sales/marketing strategy on a single platform? Then ClickFunnels is likely for you. Or, do you already use an online platform to manage your site, and simply need a powerful plugin for marketing automation? Then ConvertKit may be best.

ClickFunnels and ConvertKit each offer a free trial. To get a feel for each system, I highly recommend you take advantage of the risk-free trials:   

Try ClickFunnels Free

Try ConvertKit Free

ClickFunnels vs. ConvertKit - core features

• Landing pages. Browse a library of optimized landing-page templates, for capturing leads and selling products online. Easily customize a template via a drag-and-drop editor.

• Email automation. Create simple, or sophisticated, automations that can trigger on a variety of conditions.

 

• Payment processing. Accept credit-card payments online.

 

• Customer portals. If you offer digital items like videos, audio files, or PDFs, you can store them inside a portal that customers log into. You can add discussion forums to your portal for customers to post topics and comments, and interact with each other and your team. Only ClickFunnels.

 

• Online-course management. If you want to create an online course, you can build it on top of a template, add video lessons and other material, and set a release schedule for each module. Only ClickFunnels.   

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• Shipping management. If you sell physical items, you can not only process payments for them, but collect and manage shipping information, including UPS details. Only ClickFunnels. 

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• Full websites. Go beyond building landing pages to an entire website, with a home page, product pages, and blog. Browse templates for various business types. Only ClickFunnels.

 

• Third-party integrations. Directly connect to major providers of digital sales/marketing tools, like WordPress and Teachable. 

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ClickFunnels - example user and customer

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• Jennifer knows a lot about graphic design and wants to create a business around her knowledge. She owns a domain name, but doesn't have any live digital presence yet. She wants to manage the whole business in one place, so creates an account on ClickFunnels.

 

• She selects an online-course website template and uses the drag-and-drop editor to build a site, which she launches on the domain name she owns.

 

• After recording videos for her online course, she adds them to ClickFunnels as individual modules, to be released to students a day apart from each other. She prices her course at $299.

 

• She creates a PDF document filled with graphic-design tips, to offer as a lead magnet. She uses ClickFunnels to build a landing page for this lead magnet.

 

• She sets up a series of five automated emails inside ClickFunnels, to go to people who claim the lead magnet in exchange for an email address. The first four emails provide educational content about graphic design, and the fifth pitches her $299 course, linking to a sales landing page.

 

• To market her new business, Jennifer starts running paid ads on Google and Facebook that direct to her lead-magnet landing page.

 

• Sally notices one of these ads and clicks it. She submits her email address on the landing page and receives an email from Jennifer with a download link for a PDF. She likes the content. A couple days later, she gets another email with more advice. Over the next few days, she receives two more emails.

 

• Sally is impressed with Jennifer's graphic-design knowledge. When Sally receives the next email from Jennifer, about an online course, Sally is interested. She clicks the link, goes to a sales page, and purchases the course.

 

• She logs into the customer portal of Jennifer's website to watch the video lessons. When she has questions, she visits a forum and posts them. Sometimes, other students answer the questions and, other times, Jennifer does.

Does this scenario resemble any from your business? Start your free ClickFunnels trial today:

Try ClickFunnels Free

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ConvertKit - example user and customer

• Dave hears Teachable is great for selling online courses, so makes an account and creates classes for playing instruments. He makes one for guitar and another for drums, both $299.   

 

• Though Dave likes Teachable's course features, he wants more advanced capabilities for email marketing, so he creates an account on ConvertKit.  

 

• In seconds, Dave links his Teachable account to his ConvertKit one. The email addresses of his Teachable students flow into ConvertKit, as do characteristics about them that will play a factor in email marketing, such as which courses they've enrolled in.

 

• Dave creates the following automation in ConvertKit: If someone enrolls in his guitar class, and completes it, in seven days, that student should receive an email about the drums class. If the student doesn't enroll in the drums class, additional emails about it will be sent every 14 days, until 56 days have gone by.

 

• Steve finished Dave's guitar class and enjoyed it. In a week, he receives an email from Dave about a drums class. Steve doesn't have time to start another class quite yet, so doesn't click the link in the email. Every two weeks, Steve receives another message about drums. When he has more time, he clicks the link in an email.

 

• The link directs him to a page on Teachable for the drums class. Steve pays $299 and enrolls.

Does this scenario resemble any from your business? Start your free ConvertKit trial today:

Try ConvertKit Free

ClickFunnels vs. ConvertKit - pricing

ClickFunnels pricing

• The Basic plan is $127/month for up to 10,000 contacts
• ​The Pro plan is $157/month for up to 25,000 contacts
• ​The Funnel Hacker plan is $208/month for up to 200,000 contacts

The more advanced a plan, the more features and higher limits it has. To learn more about each plan, visit the ClickFunnels website:

Visit ClickFunnels

ConvertKit pricing

ConvertKit pricing for up to 1,000 contacts:

• ​The Free plan is free
• The Creator plan is $25/month
• ​The Creator Pro plan is $50/month

ConvertKit pricing for up to 10,000 contacts:

• ​The Free plan isn't available
• The Creator plan is $100/month
• ​The Creator Pro plan is $140/month

ConvertKit pricing for up to 25,000 contacts:

• ​The Free plan isn't available
• The Creator plan is $166/month
• ​The Creator Pro plan is $233/month

ConvertKit pricing for up to 205,000 contacts:

• ​The Free plan isn't available
• The Creator plan is $1,066/month
• ​The Creator Pro plan is $1,316/month

The more advanced a plan, the more features and higher limits it has. To learn more about each plan, visit the ConvertKit website:

Visit ConvertKit

ClickFunnels vs. ConvertKit - frequently asked questions

What are the disadvantages of ClickFunnels?

ClickFunnels plans start at $127/month, which is a pricier introductory level than other marketing platforms. However, you can store up to 10,000 contacts on this ClickFunnels plan, which is more than other systems allow, and you gain access to many robust features. 

Can I build a sales funnel on ConvertKit?

​Yes, you can build a sales funnel on ConvertKit. It offers landing pages for lead generation and e-commerce, and email automation with various targeting options. ConvertKit integrates with many sales/marketing platforms, if you'd like to add additional features to your funnel.

Is ClickFunnels worth the money?

If you are looking for a single platform to manage multiple online sales and marketing initiatives, then yes, ClickFunnels is worth the money. You can create landing pages, full websites, email automations, customized e-commerce checkouts, customer portals, and more.

Who should use ConvertKit?

​ConvertKit is great for businesses that are already using a major platform for their online store or other type of site, yet want to enhance it with marketing automation. ConvertKit's pricing is very affordable for businesses without large email lists, making it appealing to newer companies.  

What is ClickFunnels best for?

ClickFunnels is best for managing the end-to-end marketing funnel of a business in one place. You can create landing pages, full websites, email automations, online checkout, customer portals, and more. 

What is a ClickFunnels alternative?

ConvertKit is a ClickFunnels alternative. ConvertKit is preferable to ClickFunnels is you already have an online store or other type of site, and you want to plug in a tool for email automation. For businesses without large email lists, ConvertKit is more affordable than ClickFunnels. 

Does ClickFunnels integrate with ConvertKit?

Yes, ClickFunnels integrates with ConvertKit. For instance, you can use ClickFunnels to build landing pages to receive email addresses from leads, then send those email addresses directly into ConvertKit to be added to email automations.

Ready to try ClickFunnels and ConvertKit?

Try ClickFunnels Free

Try ConvertKit Free

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