SamCart vs ClickFunnels: The Recurring Revenue Hostage (2026)

SamCart focuses on checkout optimization and conversion for digital product sellers. ClickFunnels is an all-in-one sales funnel builder that handles the entire customer journey from landing page to purchase. There’s a key difference in how they handle your recurring revenue.

The Recurring Revenue Jail

Here is something most people do not realize until it is too late.

SamCart holds your recurring payments hostage. If you decide to leave, your subscribers stop paying you. Even if you connected your own Stripe or PayPal account, the recurring charges do not continue.

Those customers you worked hard to acquire? Gone.

The subscription revenue you built over months or years? It stops the moment you switch platforms.

This is not a small thing. Recurring revenue is the foundation of a stable digital product business. You spent money on ads to acquire those customers. You wrote the emails that converted them. You built the relationship that convinced them to subscribe. And if you want to switch to a different platform, you lose all of it.

I have seen creators hesitate to leave SamCart even when unhappy with the platform. The switching cost is not just learning a new tool. It is losing the recurring revenue they depend on.

ClickFunnels handles this differently. When you leave ClickFunnels, your subscribers keep paying you. You actually own what you built. Your customers remain your customers. ClickFunnels lets you take your online sales with you.

I think this distinction matters more than most feature comparisons. Features change. Pricing changes.

But losing your entire subscriber base when you switch platforms? That is a structural problem baked into how SamCart works. 

And it is something you should know before you sign up. ClickFunnels and SamCart are two very different platforms in this regard.

The question you should ask before committing to any checkout platform:

• What happens to my recurring revenue if I leave? 
• If the answer is “you lose it,” that should give you pause.
• You earned those customers. Their ongoing payments should not vanish because you wanted to try something different.

What to Look For Before You Commit

Before picking a checkout or funnel platform, there are a few things worth checking. Most comparison articles focus on features and pricing. But there are deeper questions that affect your business long-term. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each platform helps you make a better decision.

First, we’ve just talked about it: will your subscribers keep paying you if you leave? This is the subscription hostage question. Some platforms let you walk away with your recurring revenue intact. Your subscribers keep getting billed through your payment processor, and the money keeps flowing to you. Other platforms tie the recurring billing to their system. Leave, and the subscriptions stop. Ask this question before you commit.

Second, what does support actually look like? Some platforms use AI bots as the first line of defense. That works fine for simple questions. But when you have a complex billing issue or need to cancel something urgently, AI bots create frustration. Look for platforms with human support from the start.

Third, is the pricing transparent? Revenue-based tiers, hidden fees, and confusing plan structures make it hard to predict your costs. You want to know what you are paying before you scale.

CartMango is one option that checks all three boxes. Your subscribers keep paying you if you leave. Support is founder-led and human, with response times averaging around an hour. And the pricing is simple: free until 2027, with no monthly fees.

SamCart and ClickFunnels both have their place. CartMango offers the best combination for solo digital creators who value simplicity and long-term, predictable revenue.

SamCart vs ClickFunnels vs CartMango

These are the links for each platform: SamCart, ClickFunnels, CartMango.

CartMango is Not for Everyone

CartMango is not trying to replace every feature that SamCart or ClickFunnels offers. It is built for a specific type of seller, and it is honest about that. Unlike platforms like ClickFunnels or like SamCart, CartMango focuses on simplicity over complexity.

If you are a solo creator or entrepreneur selling digital products, courses, or coaching services, CartMango covers what you need:

• Checkout pages that convert
• Subscriptions with trials and setup fees
• Order bumps and post-purchase upsells
• Protected downloads that cannot be shared
• Coupons and discounts
• Buy now, pay later options

You pay nothing until 2027. No monthly fees. No percentage of sales. Your subscribers keep paying you if you ever decide to leave. And when you need help, you talk to a human who responds within an hour on average.

What CartMango does not have yet: a built-in LMS for hosting courses and affiliate management. Both are planned for the future but not available today. If you need those features like membership sites or a full marketing platform right now, SamCart or ClickFunnels might be a better fit for your situation.

CartMango also has fewer native third-party integrations than the other two platforms. The Make.com integration opens up thousands of apps, so most workflows are still possible. But if you need direct integrations with specific tools, check the list first. Current native options include Kit, ActiveCampaign, Beehiiv, and BirdSend.

If you are an established creator with a large team, complex automation needs, and a budget for premium tools, CartMango probably is not built for you. Compared to ClickFunnels, CartMango has fewer bells and whistles. But if you are building solo and want a simple way to sell products online without monthly fees or subscription hostage situations, it is worth a look.

SamCart: The Premium Checkout Platform

SamCart built its reputation on high-converting checkout pages. The platform focuses on the checkout experience and optimizing the checkout process. This SamCart review covers what you need to know about SamCart features and SamCart pricing.

What SamCart offers

SamCart offers tools specifically designed to increase checkout conversions and average order value. SamCart provides everything focused on optimizing the checkout:

• High-converting checkout page templates with proven designs
• Order bump functionality to increase average order value at checkout
• One-click upsell presented after the initial purchase
• Subscription management with trials and setup fees
• Built-in course hosting (LMS) for membership sites
• Affiliate management system to run your own referral program
• A/B testing for checkout pages to optimize conversions
• Cart abandonment recovery to recapture lost sales
• Buy now, pay later payment options for customers

The platform integrates with popular tools like HighLevel, iContact, Shopify, and Slack. Zapier connects you to thousands more apps for email marketing and other workflows. SamCart helps creators sell their digital products with a shopping cart that converts.

SamCart pricing structure

SamCart pricing uses revenue-based pricing tiers that scale as your business grows:

• Launch: $79/mo (supports up to $3,000/mo revenue)
• Grow: $219/mo (supports up to $10,000/mo revenue)
• Scale: $849/mo (supports up to $100,000/mo revenue)

Live customer support costs an additional $19/mo on top of your plan. Without it, you are limited to email support during business hours, Mon-Fri. SamCart only offers a free trial, not a free plan.

The limitations

The biggest issue with SamCart: it holds your recurring payments hostage.

If you leave the platform, your subscribers stop paying you. Even though payments process through your own Stripe or PayPal account, the recurring billing is tied to SamCart’s system. Using SamCart means accepting this tradeoff.

The pricing also scales with your revenue. A creator making $50,000/mo is paying $849/mo just for checkout functionality. SamCart gives you the ability to customize your checkout pages, but that customization comes at a cost.

Best for

SamCart works well for established creators who want a premium checkout experience and do not mind paying for it. If checkout conversion is your absolute priority and you are not planning to leave the platform anytime soon, SamCart delivers on that promise.

This is the link for SamCart.

ClickFunnels: The All-in-One Funnel Machine

ClickFunnels is an all-in-one sales funnel platform designed for marketers who want to control the entire customer journey from first click to final purchase. The platform handles landing pages, email sequences, checkouts, and follow-up automation all in one place. This overview of ClickFunnels covers what you need to know. ClickFunnels is designed for building a sales funnel from scratch.

What ClickFunnels offers

ClickFunnels offers the tools to build sales funnels and complete sales pages, not just checkout pages. ClickFunnels specializes in the ability to create entire customer journeys:

• Drag-and-drop editor for building funnels with a visual interface
• Landing page and funnel templates optimized for conversions
• Checkout pages integrated into your funnels
• Email marketing built into the platform
• Membership site functionality for online courses
• Course hosting (LMS) for digital product delivery
• Affiliate management for running referral programs
• A/B split testing across your entire funnel
• CRM integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, and others

The platform connects with Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, Pipedrive, Slack, and Trello through Zapier or Make for additional automation options. Using ClickFunnels, you can create sales funnels with payment gateways already configured. ClickFunnels works well for marketers who want an all-in-one solution.

ClickFunnels pricing structure

ClickFunnels comes with three plans and no revenue caps:

• Startup: $97/mo
• Pro: $197/mo
• Funnel Hacker: $297/mo

Unlike SamCart, there are no revenue limits. You pay the same monthly fee whether you make $1,000/mo or $100,000/mo. The plans differ in features and the number of funnels you can build, not your sales volume. ClickFunnels and SamCart excel at different things, which is why the ClickFunnels vs SamCart comparison matters.

The limitations

ClickFunnels has a steep learning curve. If you just want a simple checkout page, ClickFunnels might be overkill. You are paying for sales funnel capabilities you may not use. Some users find a simpler platform better than ClickFunnels for basic needs.

Customer support relies heavily on AI bots. Users on basic plans report long waits when dealing with complex issues or trying to cancel.

Best for

ClickFunnels is ideal for marketers who want to build complete sales funnels with landing pages, email sequences, and post-purchase flows all in one platform. If you think of yourself as a funnel hacker and want comprehensive sales funnel capabilities, ClickFunnels delivers that. Ease of use is not its strength, but power is.

This is the link for ClickFunnels.

Pricing Breakdown: What You Actually Pay

Here is what each platform actually costs when you factor in Stripe/PayPal processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). I am assuming an average order value of $50 to calculate the number of transactions.

At $1,000/mo revenue, CartMango saves you $79-97/mo compared to the other platforms. At $50,000/mo revenue, CartMango saves you $97-$849/mo in platform fees alone. Over a year, that is $1,164 to $10,188 in savings.

The processing fees are the same everywhere since Stripe and PayPal charge the same rates regardless of which shopping cart platform you use. The difference is entirely in platform fees.

Note that SamCart requires you to upgrade plans as your revenue grows (revenue caps on each tier), while ClickFunnels stays at $97/mo regardless of revenue on the Startup plan. CartMango remains free until 2027 with no revenue limits.

SamCart vs ClickFunnels vs CartMango: Which is Suitable for Your Business?

These are the links for each platform: SamCart, ClickFunnels, CartMango.

Choose SamCart if:

• Checkout conversion is your top priority and you want proven templates
• You want a built-in LMS and affiliate management available today
• You are comfortable with $79-849/mo based on your revenue level
• You do not plan to leave the platform (your recurring payments stop if you do)

Choose ClickFunnels if:

• You want to build complete sales funnels, not just checkout pages
• You need landing pages, email marketing, and CRM integrations in one platform
• You can handle a learning curve for a more powerful and complex system
• You want to keep your recurring payments if you ever decide to leave

Choose CartMango if:

• You want zero platform fees (free until 2027, no commission)
• You want to keep your recurring payments no matter what happens
• You prefer human support over AI chatbots when you need help
• You are a solo digital creator who needs checkout, subscriptions, and upsells without the complexity
• You can wait for LMS and affiliate management features coming in the future

The right choice depends on where you are in your business and what you value most. If you want the most features available today and do not mind paying premium prices, SamCart or ClickFunnels deliver. If you want simplicity, no fees, and no subscription hostage situation, CartMango is worth trying.

All three platforms give you ways to sell digital products online. The question is which tradeoffs you are willing to accept for your specific situation.

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