When you’re building an online business, the tools you choose can make or break your profit margins.
Between Kajabi, Shopify, and ThriveCart, there’s no shortage of powerful options — but they come with very different costs, features, and ownership models.
If you’ve ever wondered which one gives you the best return on investment, this guide breaks it down clearly.
The Cost Comparison
Let’s start with what most creators care about first: money.
Kajabi and Shopify are both subscription-based platforms. That means you’re paying every month, whether you’re making sales or not. ThriveCart, on the other hand, offers a one-time payment for lifetime access.
Here’s how it looks over time:
| Platform | Payment | Monthly Fee | Upsells | Affiliate System | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ThriveCart | One-time | None | ✅ | ✅ | Digital products |
| Kajabi | Monthly | $149+ | ✅ | ❌ | Course hosting |
| Shopify | Monthly | $39+ | ✅ | ❌ | Physical stores |
In one year, you’ll spend $1,788 on Kajabi’s base plan or around $468 on Shopify’s.
With ThriveCart, you pay once — and that’s it. No recurring costs.
That’s already a massive difference in profit retention.
Conversion Tools: Upsells, Order Bumps, and A/B Testing
A beautiful website doesn’t guarantee sales — conversions do.
This is where ThriveCart quietly outperforms both Kajabi and Shopify.
ThriveCart gives you:
- Order bumps (small add-ons during checkout)
- One-click upsells and downsells
- Split (A/B) testing for pages and pricing
- Built-in affiliate tracking
Both Kajabi and Shopify offer upsells — but often as add-ons or plugins that increase your costs further.
ThriveCart was built around conversions from day one, not just product hosting.
Speed and Control
When it comes to speed, ThriveCart is lightweight.
Pages load fast, checkout is optimized for both desktop and mobile, and setup takes minutes — not days.
Kajabi, while visually appealing, can feel heavy and slow for users who just need a streamlined checkout system. Shopify is excellent for physical products but requires more setup, themes, and paid extensions for digital sellers.
In short:
- ThriveCart: Fast and minimal.
- Kajabi: Beautiful but bloated.
- Shopify: Powerful but complex.
If you value control and simplicity, ThriveCart wins every time.
When Each Platform Is Ideal
Let’s be fair — all three platforms serve slightly different purposes.
- Kajabi is best for creators who want an all-in-one system to host and market courses, even if it’s costly.
- Shopify is ideal for selling physical products and managing inventory.
- ThriveCart is perfect for digital entrepreneurs who want to sell e-books, courses, memberships, or templates without ongoing fees.
If you want a business that stays lean, profitable, and under your control, ThriveCart is the clear winner.
Final Thoughts: Return on Investment
Here’s the reality: most small businesses don’t fail because of a lack of creativity — they fail because of rising costs.
When your tools cost hundreds per month, every sale goes toward paying your software instead of yourself.
ThriveCart flips that completely.
It’s a system that costs less than a single year of most competitors — and keeps running for life.
That’s what true return on investment looks like.
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