Kajabi vs Whop: a small business perspective
I’ve been running my online side hustles for a couple of years now, and I’ve tried my fair share of platforms. Recently, I’ve been using both Kajabi and Whop for different parts of my business, and I wanted to share my experience with both — especially for those of you who are comparing options.
Starting With Kajabi
Kajabi was actually my first “serious” platform. After outgrowing basic tools, I needed something more professional for my courses and membership site. Kajabi delivered on that front — it’s polished, comprehensive, and has pretty much every feature you could think of.
The platform starts at $89/month for the Kickstarter plan, though most people end up on Basic ($149/month) or Growth ($199/month) for the features they need. It’s definitely an investment, but for established course creators, it can make sense.
What I appreciated:
- Professional course player
- Built-in email marketing
- Solid analytics
- Everything under one roof
Discovering Whop
I found Whop through a creator friend who was selling digital products there. What caught my attention wasn’t just the platform — it was the whole vibe around it.
First thing that surprised me: you can literally start for free. No credit card required, no trial period that converts automatically. You just start. They only take a percentage when you make sales (2.9% + $0.30, basically standard processing fees).
But here’s what really got me interested — the community aspect. The creators and buyers on Whop feel different. Maybe it’s because the platform attracts more tech-savvy entrepreneurs, or maybe it’s the marketplace model, but there’s this energy of people actually building cool stuff and supporting each other.
One thing that stood out immediately with Whop was how they handle payments. While Kajabi uses standard processing, Whop has this multi-PSP orchestration system that routes payments through different processors automatically. They also support BNPL (buy now, pay later) options, which means my customers can spread out payments while I still get paid upfront.
In practice? My payments just… work. International customers who previously had issues? Their payments go through now. The platform handles crypto payments too, which opened up a whole new customer base I didn’t even know existed.
Different Philosophies
Kajabi feels like a traditional course platform that expanded into other areas. It’s built for structured learning experiences, cohort-based courses, and formal education products. If you’re building an online academy or certification program, it’s hard to beat.
Whop feels like it was built by people who actually sell digital products online. It’s flexible, modern, and doesn’t force you into a specific box. Want to sell Discord access? Trading indicators? Digital downloads? Coaching sessions? It all just works without feeling forced.
The Community Difference
This might sound intangible, but the community matters more than I expected.
Kajabi’s community is professional, established, and course-focused. You’ll find yoga instructors, business coaches, and consultants. The forums and groups are helpful but formal.
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Whop’s community is… different. Younger, hungrier, more experimental. People are building AI tools, trading communities, exclusive Discord servers, SaaS products. There’s this sense that everyone’s figuring it out together. The marketplace itself creates discovery — I’ve gotten sales from people just browsing who never would have found me otherwise.
The Money Part
With Kajabi, you’re committing to a monthly fee whether you sell anything or not. For established businesses, that’s fine. But when you’re starting or experimenting, those monthly charges add up.
With Whop, I only pay when I make money. The 2.9% + $0.30 is what I’d pay for payment processing anyway. There’s no subscription hanging over my head during slow months. Plus, their payment routing actually increases successful transactions, so I’m making more sales overall.
Who Should Use What?
Consider Kajabi if:
- You’re focused primarily on traditional courses
- You want that established, professional feel
- You have consistent revenue to cover monthly fees
- You need extensive email marketing automation
- Your audience expects a formal learning platform
Consider Whop if:
- You’re selling diverse digital products
- You want to start without upfront costs
- Payment flexibility matters (especially internationally)
- You value being part of an innovative community
- You’re experimenting and iterating quickly
- You want marketplace exposure for organic growth
Here’s what I didn’t expect: I’m gradually moving more of my business to Whop. Not because Kajabi is bad — it’s not. But Whop just fits how I want to run my business better.
The free start, the community energy, the payment flexibility, the quick payouts — it all adds up to a platform that feels like it’s working with me, not just processing my transactions.
Plus, being part of a marketplace where people actively discover new products? That’s marketing I don’t have to pay for.
Both platforms work. Both have successful creators making good money. The question isn’t which is “better” in absolute terms — it’s which fits your business model and style.
For me, Whop’s flexibility, modern approach, and community won me over. The fact that I can start free, pay only when I earn, and get my money quickly just makes sense for how I operate. The creators there are doing interesting things, pushing boundaries, and that energy is contagious.
Your mileage may vary, but if you’re curious about Whop, the barrier to entry literally doesn’t exist. You can start today, free, and see if it clicks for you. That’s pretty hard to beat.
P.S. — The coolest part about Whop that nobody talks about? The platform actually feels fun to use. When’s the last time you said that about a business platform?
