Kajabi vs. Showit: Which Platform Is Best for Coaches & Course Creators?

One of the questions I’ve been getting a lot lately from other coaches and creators is: “Should I build my site on Kajabi or Showit?”

It’s a great question, and the truth is—there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Both platforms are powerful, both have their loyal fans, and both can help you build a professional online presence that attracts clients and grows your business. But they shine in very different ways.

Since I now sell templates for both Kajabi and Showit, I wanted to write this as if we were chatting over coffee. Think of this as my personal download of what I’ve seen, what I’ve used, and what might help you make the right choice.

Kajabi: The All-In-One Ecosystem for Serious Coaches

Kajabi has become the gold standard for coaches, consultants, and course creators who want everything in one place.

Here’s what I love about Kajabi:

✅ Complete Ecosystem — You can build your website, create sales and landing pages, sell courses, set up lead magnets, run email marketing campaigns, and even launch digital products, paid communities, or private podcasts. It’s like having Shopify, Mailchimp, Teachable, and Squarespace all under one roof.

✅ Highly Customizable — Kajabi templates make it easy to create a polished, professional look, and if you want to customize, the drag-and-drop editor is flexible.

✅ Payment Capture & Automation — You can take payments directly on Kajabi, set up subscriptions, and even automate delivery of your products and emails.

✅ Scales With You — Whether you’re just starting out or running a six-figure coaching business, Kajabi grows with you.

The downsides?

❌ Higher Cost — Kajabi is more expensive than Showit, with plans starting at $71/month. But honestly, if you’re serious about your coaching or digital business, the investment pays for itself. I personally use the Growth Plan ($199/mo), the price has recently increased for the first time in 5 years but the amount of features that have been added have grown much faster than the price. 

❌ Learning Curve — Some people get overwhelmed by all the options at first. But once you spend a little time in the dashboard, it clicks and becomes surprisingly easy.

Showit: The Beautiful Website Builder on a Budget

Now let’s talk Showit. If Kajabi is the all-in-one ecosystem, Showit is the designer’s dream canvas.

Here’s why people love Showit:

✅ Affordable Pricing — Plans start as low as $19/month, which makes it an amazing option if you’re on a budget but still want a high-quality site.

✅ Beautiful Design — Showit has a ton of gorgeous free and paid templates (and yes, I design and sell some of these too!). It gives you that “high-end designer” look without the high-end price tag.

✅ Flexibility with WordPress — Showit integrates seamlessly with WordPress, so if blogging is a big part of your strategy, you’ll love how easy it is to create content.

The tradeoffs?

❌ Not All-in-One — Unlike Kajabi, Showit doesn’t handle payments, products, or email marketing. If you want to sell, you’ll need to use a third-party tool like ThriveCart, PayPal, or Stripe.

❌ No Lead Magnet Delivery — If building an email list is a big part of your business (and it should be), you’ll need to connect Showit with another tool for email marketing and delivery.

In short, Showit is amazing if you want a stunning website at a low cost, but it won’t run your entire business.

So… Kajabi or Showit?

Here’s the simple breakdown:

• Choose Kajabi if… you want an all-in-one platform that can run your courses, coaching programs, email marketing, lead magnets, digital products, and website all from one dashboard. It’s more expensive, but it’s powerful and built for serious business owners.

• Choose Showit if… you mainly want a beautiful, professional website at a lower cost, and you don’t mind connecting outside tools to handle selling, email, and automation.

My Recommendation for Coaches

Honestly? Both are great. It just depends on where you are in your journey.

• If you’re just starting out and want something budget-friendly and beautiful → Showit. Just be prepared to upgrade to either more tools or to Kajabi if you need to scale. 

• If you’re ready to scale and want to simplify your tech stack with everything in one place → Kajabi.

I personally recommend taking the leap to Kajabi if you are serious about coaching but just starting out. This was my first platform and one I still use several years down the road. 

And whichever path you choose, I’ve designed done-for-you templates to help you hit the ground running.

👉 Shop Kajabi Templates  — sleek, high-converting designs for coaches & course creators.
👉 Shop Showit Templates  — modern, professional templates that give you a polished online presence for a fraction of the cost.

Your website is the digital “front door” to your business. Whether you go with Kajabi or Showit, what matters most is that it reflects who you are and connects with the clients you’re here to serve.

To your success,
Simon