Video Transcript
Kajabi and SamCart represent fundamentally different software categories: Kajabi is an all-in-one knowledge commerce ecosystem ($143/mo annual) bundling courses, email marketing, landing page funnels, and community under a single roof. In contrast, SamCart is a dedicated checkout conversion engine designed to maximize average order value, with a lightweight course delivery add-on. Its Core plan is $79/mo ($59/mo billed yearly); the 1-click upsells, order bumps, and checkout A/B testing are on Pro ($199/mo, or $149/mo billed yearly). This guide breaks down the true cost of each software stack, analyzes checkout conversion mechanics versus instructional depth, and details why educators building high-completion cohort academies frequently choose dedicated teaching platforms instead.
The short verdict: SamCart’s order bumps, 1-click upsells, and checkout A/B testing are on its Pro plan ($199/mo, or $149/mo billed yearly). Its Core plan ($79/mo, or $59/mo billed yearly) gives you checkout and a courses app without them. If conversion rate on paid ad traffic is your bottleneck and you already have an email platform, SamCart Pro pays back through checkout optimization. If you want courses, email, and funnels in one login, choose Kajabi ($143/mo billed yearly). If you teach structured programs with live sessions and lesson discussions, choose Ruzuku ($83.08–$99/mo), with built-in video meetings (60 on camera, 250 in presentation mode).
A correction: the video above was made in March 2026 for an earlier version of this page, and parts of it are out of date. It says our lesson-discussion figures come from 32,000 courses; they come from 26,632 courses and 1.3 million enrollments. They show that courses with discussions had higher completion, not that discussions caused it. It also says neither Kajabi nor SamCart has “native Zoom” for live sessions, and lists “native Zoom” as a Ruzuku feature. Kajabi includes built-in browser meetings in Coaching and Course Products, and Ruzuku runs its own built-in video meetings, with a Zoom integration as an option. SamCart’s plans are now Core and Pro, and its upsells, order bumps, and A/B testing are on Pro. I couldn’t find a SamCart source for the video’s claim that fixed-term Stripe and PayPal subscriptions stay with SamCart; see the migration section below. The video’s SamCart stack estimate starts at $99 a month; the table below starts at $104. I checked SamCart’s pricing on November 1, 2026. The Kajabi details were last checked on the date in the box below.
SamCart Core is $79/mo, or $59/mo billed yearly. Kajabi Basic is $143/mo billed yearly. SamCart’s upsells, order bumps, and A/B testing need Pro ($199/mo).
Published Pricing
SamCart says its Express Checkout converts 51% more visitors than its own older checkouts. That compares SamCart with itself, not with Kajabi. Order bumps and 1-click upsells are on its Pro plan.
SamCart's own claim (samcart.com)
Adding email, website, and community tools to SamCart Core totals $104–$268/mo, before a meeting tool.
Sum of the cost table below
Ruzuku includes built-in video meetings, lesson discussions, and tech support for your students at $83.08/mo. Email marketing is a separate tool.
Ruzuku pricing page
1. The Total Cost Structure: All-in-One vs the "Stack Tax"
While SamCart appears significantly cheaper on the surface, evaluating true software costs requires accounting for the external tools necessary to operate a complete online education business:
| Component / Tool | SamCart Stack | Kajabi All-in-One | Ruzuku Core |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Platform / Checkout | $59 / mo (Core annual; upsells & A/B testing need Pro at $149 / mo annual) | $143 / mo (Basic annual) | $83.08 / mo ($99 mo-to-mo) |
| Email Marketing & Broadcasts | +$30–$80/mo (ConvertKit/ActiveCampaign) | Included (Unlimited broadcasts) | Not included: course messages reach enrolled students only. Connect ConvertKit or Mailchimp through Zapier (+$30–$80/mo) |
| Website & Landing Pages | +$15–$30/mo (WordPress/Webflow) | Included (Full website builder) | Included (Course sales pages) |
| Community Platform | +$0–$99/mo (Skool/Circle) | Included (Community 2.0) | Included (Point-of-learning feeds) |
| Live Video Rooms | +$16–$55/mo (External Zoom Pro) | Included (Kajabi Live in Coaching and Course products) | Included (60 on camera, 250 in presentation mode) |
| Total Monthly Stack Cost | $104–$268 / mo on Core, without upsells or A/B testing (plus $16–$55 for Zoom) | $143 / mo before optional tools | $83.08 / mo, plus your email tool |
2. Head-to-Head Feature Comparison: Kajabi vs SamCart
| Feature / Capability | SamCart | Kajabi | Ruzuku |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checkout Conversion Tools | Checkout and cart abandonment on Core; 1-click upsells, order bumps, A/B testing on Pro | Standard checkout, basic 1-click upsells, no split testing | Clean, high-trust single-page checkout with zero transaction fees |
| Course Creation & Structure | Basic video modules & worksheets (No grading or cohorts) | Quizzes, assessments, drip sequences, cohort scheduling (Growth) | Structured cohorts, point-of-learning discussions, course copying for each new cohort |
| Live Video Infrastructure | None (External Zoom links only) | Built-in video (Kajabi Live) in Coaching and Course products; Cohort Courses on Growth/Pro | Built-in browser video rooms (60 on camera, 250 in presentation mode) |
| Product & Contact Limits | Unlimited products & students on all plans | Basic caps at 5 products & 2,500 contacts | Unlimited courses, students, and video storage |
| Student Technical Support | Creator only | Creator only | Dedicated human student tech support included |
3. The Subscription Migration Risk
Before committing recurring subscription revenue to either platform, find out how you would move those subscribers if you ever left:
- SamCart Subscription Portability: On SamCart Core, payments run through SamPay; connecting your own third-party processor needs Pro. SamCart’s help center says its support team handles moving subscriptions into SamCart. I found no SamCart page that explains how active subscriptions or saved cards move out of SamPay. Before you put a payment plan or membership on SamCart, ask support in writing how you’d move those subscribers if you left. Any subscriber who can’t be moved has to re-enter a card, and some won’t.
- Kajabi Payments: The same question applies if you take payments through Kajabi Payments instead of your own Stripe account. Ask Kajabi how saved cards and active subscriptions would move to another processor.
4. When SamCart Is Worth It
SamCart is the optimal financial choice under four specific conditions:
Scenario 1: Paid Traffic & Direct-Response Funnels (Pro plan)
If you spend thousands of dollars monthly on Facebook, YouTube, or TikTok ads to drive sales to digital products, SamCart’s slide-out checkout and multi-tier order bumps squeeze maximum average order value (AOV) from every click.
Scenario 2: You Already Have an Established Tech Stack
If you already have a mature ConvertKit email system, a custom WordPress or Webflow site, and an active Circle community, paying $143/mo for Kajabi duplicates tools you already own. SamCart plugs into your existing stack as a pure checkout engine.
Scenario 3: Extensive Physical & Digital Product Catalogs
If you sell 50+ diverse items (ebooks, print workbooks, physical merch, 1-on-1 coaching calls), Kajabi Basic’s 5-product cap is prohibitive. SamCart allows unlimited products on all plans.
Scenario 4: Rigorous Checkout A/B Split Testing (Pro plan)
If you require mathematical split testing between different pricing points, guarantee badges, and checkout layouts, SamCart provides native conversion tracking that Kajabi lacks.
5. When Kajabi Is Worth It
Kajabi is the superior choice under the following conditions:
Scenario 1: Starting a Knowledge Business from Scratch
If you have no existing website, no email marketing subscription, and no community platform, Kajabi gives you an entire digital business under a single login without stitching together 5 separate SaaS tools.
Scenario 2: Advanced Visual Marketing Automation
Kajabi’s visual pipeline builder links landing page opt-ins to automated email sequences, conditional tagging, and dynamic offer reveals inside one unified dashboard.
Scenario 3: Native Mobile App Access
Kajabi provides an iOS and Android mobile app where your students can stream video lessons and interact with your community on the go.
Scenario 4: Integrated Community Discussions
Kajabi includes Community 2.0 with gamification badges, member leaderboards, and live community feeds directly tied to student accounts.
6. When NEITHER Platform Fits: The High-Engagement Cohort Academy
SamCart optimizes how you sell. Kajabi optimizes how you market. But if what you actually do is teach, both platforms introduce significant pedagogical gaps:
- No Point-of-Learning Discussion: In the August 2026 Ruzuku snapshot, across 26,632 courses and 1.3 million enrollments, courses with at least one enabled lesson discussion had 50.9% recorded completion per enrollment, compared with 37.3% for courses without. This observational comparison does not establish cause or compare vendors. See the Course Success Index. SamCart has zero discussion features, while Kajabi isolates discussions into a separate community forum detached from lesson steps.
- Different Live-Video Workflows: Kajabi includes native browser video meetings in Coaching and Course Products. Cohort Courses with scheduled live sessions require Growth or Pro; confirm access for other product contexts on your plan. SamCart needs an external meeting tool. See the Kajabi live-video FAQ.
- Zero Student Tech Support: On both Kajabi and SamCart, student technical issues (login friction, video buffering, browser errors) fall entirely on the course creator to troubleshoot.
4-Stage Platform Selection Protocol
Gate 1: Existing Tech Stack Audit
If you already have email and a website, choose SamCart for checkout or Ruzuku for courses; if starting fresh, evaluate Kajabi.
Gate 2: Traffic & Conversion Driver
Paid ad volume favors SamCart Pro’s checkout split testing; live cohort teaching favors Ruzuku’s built-in meetings.
Gate 3: Product Catalog Diversity
Large catalogs of downloads or physical products point to SamCart, which allows unlimited products on every plan. Ruzuku allows unlimited courses on every plan, but selling digital downloads needs Pro, and Ruzuku doesn’t sell physical products.
Gate 4: Student Retention & Support Capacity
Ruzuku includes built-in browser video rooms (60 on camera, 250 in presentation mode) and dedicated human student tech support.
4 High-Leverage Delivery Plays
Play 1: In-Browser Live Cohort Workshops
Deliver live workshops without external Zoom subscriptions.
Host weekly interactive masterclasses directly in Ruzuku’s browser video rooms: up to 60 people on camera, or 250 in presentation mode with student cameras and mics off. Students join with a single click without external software downloads.
Play 2: Point-of-Learning Discussion Feeds
Anchor student reflections directly to lesson steps.
Eliminate disconnected forums by keeping student questions and peer feedback attached directly to instructional lessons.
Play 3: Copy the Course for Each New Cohort
Relaunch seasonal cohorts from last season’s course.
Copy your entire course framework, course messages, and downloadable tools, shifted to the new start date. Past student discussions stay with the earlier course.
Play 4: Dedicated Human Student Technical Support
Eliminate creator burnout from handling student tech issues.
Ruzuku’s support team answers your students’ technical questions directly, such as logging in or reaching a lesson, on every plan including Free.
3-Tier Creator Tech Stack
The High-Conversion Checkout Engine
Recommended: SamCart Pro ($199/mo) + ConvertKit, for getting the most revenue from each visitor on paid ad funnels. Core ($79/mo) doesn’t include order bumps, upsells, or A/B testing.
Best For: Marketers with existing email and content stacks who need advanced checkout upsells.
The All-in-One Knowledge Suite
Recommended: Kajabi Basic ($143/mo) for building courses, email automation, and funnels under one login.
Best For: Solopreneurs starting from scratch who want an integrated marketing and course dashboard.
The High-Engagement Cohort Academy
Recommended: Ruzuku Core ($83.08–$99/mo) for 0% fees, built-in live video rooms, and point-of-learning discussions.
Best For: Coaches, therapists, and educators delivering high-impact cohort courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SamCart cheaper than Kajabi?
SamCart Core costs $79/month, or $59/month billed yearly. Kajabi Basic costs $143/month billed yearly. Add an email tool ($30–$80/mo) and a website ($15–$30/mo), and at the low end the gap is under $40/month. SamCart’s order bumps, 1-click upsells, and A/B testing are on Pro ($199/month, or $149/month billed yearly), which costs more than Kajabi Basic before you add anything.
Does SamCart have a course builder?
Yes. SamCart includes a lightweight course builder with video hosting, drip releases, and basic worksheets, but lacks advanced cohort scheduling, student discussions, and live video rooms.
Does SamCart have email marketing?
No. SamCart does not include email broadcasts or marketing automation. You must integrate a third-party email service provider like ConvertKit or ActiveCampaign.
Which platform has better checkout features?
SamCart is purpose-built for checkout conversion with 1-click upsells, slide-out carts, multi-option order bumps, and native checkout A/B split testing. The upsells, order bumps, and A/B testing are on its Pro plan ($199/month).
Can you migrate customer subscriptions away from SamCart?
Ask SamCart before you build recurring revenue there. Its help center covers moving subscriptions into SamCart, done by its team, but not moving them out of SamPay. On Core, payments run through SamPay; connecting your own processor needs Pro. Any subscriber who can’t be moved has to re-enter a card.
Does Kajabi or SamCart include live video meeting rooms?
Kajabi includes native browser video meetings in Coaching and Course Products. Cohort Courses with scheduled live sessions require Growth or Pro; confirm access for other product contexts on your plan. SamCart requires an external live meeting tool. Ruzuku includes browser meetings for 60 conference participants or 250 presentation attendees.
How do Kajabi and SamCart compare to Ruzuku for structured courses?
Ruzuku costs $83.08/mo flat with 0% platform fees, built-in live video rooms, point-of-learning discussions, and dedicated human student tech support. Email marketing isn’t included; you connect your email tool through Zapier.
Experience Teaching-First Cohort Delivery on Ruzuku
Start free with up to 5 students, no credit card and no time limit. Every plan includes built-in video meetings (60 on camera, 250 in presentation mode), lesson discussions, tech support for you and your students, and no Ruzuku transaction fees.
Explore additional knowledge commerce comparisons: Read our comprehensive guides on Ruzuku vs Kajabi and Kajabi Pricing Breakdown.