SamCart is a checkout platform built for digital product sales. Kajabi is an all-in-one platform that handles course hosting, website building, and email marketing. Both serve creators and course creators, but they solve different problems.
The Income Hostage Trap: Your Customers Aren’t Really Yours
If you build a subscription business on SamCart, those recurring payments don’t actually belong to you. Not in any practical sense. You can connect your own Stripe account. You can connect your own PayPal. Doesn’t matter. When you decide to leave SamCart, those subscriptions stay behind.
Think about what that means for your online business. You spent months (maybe years) building that subscriber base. You created the content. You ran the ads. You handled the customer support. But the platform holds the keys to your recurring revenue.
I want to be fair here. Kajabi handles this differently. If you leave Kajabi, your recurring payments come with you. Credit where it’s due: Kajabi doesn’t hold your revenue hostage. This is a key difference between Kajabi and SamCart that matters for online course businesses.
But SamCart? Different story.
Some creators don’t realize this until they try to switch platforms. By then, they’re faced with an ugly choice: start over from zero, or stay locked into a business platform that may no longer fit their needs. Neither option feels good. And that’s exactly how subscription hostage situations work. You built something valuable, but someone else controls whether you get to keep it.
Creators Deserve to Own Their Revenue
We built CartMango because checkout, payments, and recurring revenue shouldn’t feel so fragile.
Too many creators wake up one day and realize they don’t actually own their customer relationships. The platform does. That felt wrong to us.
Creators earn their customers. Platforms don’t.
You do the work. You create the courses, write the emails, run the launches. The platform just processes the transaction. So why should the platform get to decide whether you keep your subscribers when you leave?
CartMango was built on a simple idea: your recurring revenue should travel with you. Always. No exceptions, no fine print, no hostage situations.
If you want to leave CartMango tomorrow, your recurring income from existing subscriptions come with you. We don’t think that’s a feature. We think that’s basic respect for the people who actually built the business.
This isn’t about being “better” than other platforms. It’s about building something that respects a simple truth: you earned those customers, not us. If you’re looking for a platform that treats your membership revenue as yours, CartMango might be what you need.
SamCart vs Kajabi vs CartMango
When you compare Kajabi and SamCart, the core question is what kind of platform you need. Here’s a comparison showing how all three stack up in this Kajabi vs SamCart comparison:
| Feature | SamCart | Kajabi | CartMango |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do you keep recurring payments if you leave? | ❌ Recurring payments lost if you leave: – Stripe fixed-term subs – All PayPal & non-Stripe subs – Still lost even with your own Stripe / PayPal | ✅ You retain your recurring payments | ✅ You retain your recurring payments |
| Completely free? (Stripe/PayPal fees apply on all platforms) | ❌ $79/mo for up to $3,000/mo in revenue. $219/mo for up to $10,000/mo revenue. $849/mo for up to $100,000/mo revenue. | ❌ $89/mo + 5% (1 product) $179/mo + 2% (5 products) $249/mo + 1% (50 products) $499/mo + 0.5% (unlimited products) | ✅ Yes, $0 monthly fees, 0% commission. All features included (free until 2027). |
| Learning management system (LMS) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ Coming soon |
| Funnels (upsells & downsells) after customers purchase the main product | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Customer support | $19/mo extra for live support: Mon-Fri, 9-5 CT | Kajabi support tends to be friendly and helpful for common questions. Some users report slower, less consistent responses for complex or technical issues. (Source) | Founder-led personal support, no chatbots, no live chat. Average response time is 1hr+ |
| Buy now, pay later (BNPL) to help boost your sales | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Order bumps to increase revenue | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Subscriptions (with trials & setup fees) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dynamic coupons & discounts | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Optimized & fast checkouts | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Customers can buy without logging in (quick checkout) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Direct, instant payout to Stripe/PayPal (no payment holds) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Are download links protected from sharing? | ✅ Links are protected | ✅ Links are protected | ✅ Links are protected |
| Integrations | ✅ Connects directly to HighLevel, iContact, Shopify, Slack, Digital Access Pass, plus thousands more through Zapier. | ✅ Native connections with Stripe, PayPal, GA4, Segment, and webhooks. Link email tools, CRMs, and thousands of apps through Zapier. Supports Meta & Google tracking pixels. | ⚠️ Limited native integrations, but Make.com integration gives you access to 3,000+ apps. Current native integrations: Kit, ActiveCampaign, Beehiiv, and BirdSend, with more on the way. |
| Affiliate management | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ Coming soon |
| Best for | Affluent creators who don’t mind paying premium prices for a full feature set, even if they only use half of them. | Established creators and coaches who want an all-in-one platform and don’t mind higher pricing or paying for features they may not fully use. | Solo digital creators who don’t want their recurring revenue held hostage, plus instant setup, human support, and $0 platform fees (free until 2027). |
| Free migration | ❌ No free migration | ❌ No free migration | ✅ Free migration included |
Both Kajabi and SamCart offer solid features, but neither offers free migration.
These are the links for each platform: SamCart, Kajabi, CartMango.
CartMango Isn’t for Everyone
If you need a full learning management system right now with course creation features, choose Kajabi. Kajabi is an all-in-one platform with course hosting, community features, and everything bundled together. Kajabi excels at online course creation. CartMango’s LMS is still in development.
If you want premium checkout optimization and don’t mind paying $79 to $849 per month for it, use SamCart. SamCart was created to maximize conversions, and SamCart has evolved into a solid course creation platform. Their course templates and SamCart sales page designs convert well. That’s their thing.
CartMango is built for a specific type of seller: solo digital creators who are tired of the platform tax. People who want to own their customer relationships completely. Creators who refuse to build recurring revenue on a platform that won’t let them take it when they leave.
You’re not going to get every feature under the sun. What you get is zero monthly fees, zero commission, and the freedom to leave whenever you want without losing your subscribers.
If that trade-off makes sense, CartMango might be a better option for your situation. If you need the full feature stack today, either SamCart or Kajabi exists for a reason.
SamCart
SamCart is primarily a checkout optimization platform and ecommerce platform. SamCart was created as a way to help creators sell online courses with high-converting checkout pages, and that’s still its core strength.
What you get
- Learning management system for hosting online courses
- Sales funnel builder with one-click upsells and downsells
- Order bumps at checkout
- Subscription management with free trial support and setup fees
- Affiliate management built in
- A/B testing for checkout pages
SamCart offers these features across different SamCart pricing plans. SamCart also offers third-party integration options through Zapier.
SamCart Pricing
SamCart uses revenue-based pricing. The more you make, the more you pay.
- $79/mo if you’re under $3,000/mo in revenue
- $219/mo for up to $10,000/mo
- $849/mo for up to $100,000/mo
Live support costs an extra $19/mo and only runs Monday through Friday, 9-5 Central. SamCart doesn’t offer a free plan, though there is a free trial period.
Integrations
You can integrate with SamCart through direct connections with HighLevel, iContact, Shopify, Slack, and Digital Access Pass. SamCart supports thousands more apps through Zapier.
The catch
Your recurring payments don’t come with you if you leave. Even if you’ve connected your own Stripe or PayPal account, SamCart controls those subscriptions. SamCart doesn’t offer any way around this. This is the big trade-off that most reviews don’t emphasize enough.
SamCart allows you to build high-converting sales pages, and SamCart lets you customize your checkout flow. But SamCart provides no ownership of recurring revenue if you decide to move on.
Best for
Course creators who want checkout pages that convert and can afford the revenue-based pricing as they scale. SamCart is more affordable than Kajabi at lower revenue levels, but costs grow with your success.
This is the link for SamCart.
Kajabi
Kajabi is an all-in-one online course platform that handles course hosting, website building, email marketing, community features, and checkout. Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for those who want everything under one roof.
What you get
- Full learning management system with video hosting
- Website builder with templates
- Email marketing with automation
- Community features and membership site capabilities
- Sales funnels and landing pages
- Affiliate program through Kajabi Partner Program
- Mobile app for students
Kajabi offers a complete solution for selling online. Kajabi provides native course templates, and the platform includes everything you need to sell online courses. Kajabi allows you to build landing pages and use their pre-built templates to launch quickly.
Kajabi Pricing
Kajabi pricing is based on how many products you sell.
- $89/mo + 5% for 1 product
- $179/mo + 2% for 5 products
- $249/mo + 1% for 50 products
- $499/mo + 0.5% for unlimited products
Important note: Kajabi recently added transaction fees if you use third-party payment processors like Stripe or PayPal. These range from 0.5% to 5% depending on your pricing plan. You can avoid the fee by using Kajabi Payments instead.
Kajabi also charges more as you scale. But here’s the key difference: Kajabi doesn’t hold your recurring revenue hostage like SamCart does.
Integrations
Native connections with Stripe, PayPal, GA4, Segment, Zapier, and webhooks. What’s available on Kajabi includes Meta and Google tracking pixels for ads.
The good news
Unlike SamCart, Kajabi lets you keep your recurring payments if you leave. Your subscribers are actually yours. Since Kajabi respects revenue ownership, it’s a better option for those worried about platform lock-in.
The issues
Support can be slower for complex technical problems. The community features feel basic compared to dedicated community platforms. Kajabi might not be ideal if you need fast technical support. And the pricing adds up fast if you’re selling multiple products.
Best for
Established creators and coaches who want everything in one place and are comfortable paying premium prices for convenience. Kajabi is better for those who value the all-in-one online experience over cost savings.
This is the link for Kajabi.
Running the Numbers: Real Cost at Different Revenue Levels
Here’s what you’d actually pay at different stages of growth. Understanding this is key to finding what’s best for your online business.
| Monthly Revenue | SamCart | Kajabi (20 products) | CartMango |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000/mo | $79/mo ($948/yr) | $249/mo + 1% ($3,348/yr) | $0/yr |
| $10,000/mo | $219/mo ($2,628/yr) | $249/mo + 1% ($4,188/yr) | $0/yr |
| $50,000/mo | $849/mo ($10,188/yr) | $249/mo + 1% ($8,988/yr) | $0/yr |
At $3k/month revenue:
- SamCart costs you $948/year
- Kajabi costs you $4,188/year
- CartMango costs you $0
SamCart is more affordable than Kajabi at this level, but both SamCart and Kajabi provide similar core features.
At $50k/month revenue:
- SamCart costs you $10,188/year
- Kajabi costs you $8.988/year
- CartMango costs you $0
The math gets interesting as you scale. SamCart’s revenue-based pricing and Kajabi’s per transaction fee mean your platform costs grow with your success. At $100k/month, you’re paying over $10,000/year just for checkout.
CartMango’s $0 pricing (free until 2027) means you keep more of what you earn. The only fees are your payment processor’s standard rates (that all other platforms including Kajabi and SamCart also charges). For course sales at any level, this changes the economics completely.
Which Platform Fits Your Business?
Here’s a simple framework for deciding between Kajabi or SamCart or CartMango.
These are the links for each platform: SamCart, Kajabi, CartMango.
Choose SamCart if:
- You already have course hosting somewhere else
- Checkout optimization is your main priority
- You can afford revenue-based pricing that scales to $849/mo
- You’re okay with not owning your recurring subscriptions
Using SamCart with Kajabi integration is also possible if you want both platforms working together, but it’s an overkill.
Choose Kajabi if:
- You want everything in one platform for online course delivery
- You’re willing to pay premium prices for that convenience
- You need built-in email marketing
- You’re an established creator with multiple products
Using Kajabi to help manage everything in one place makes sense for some sellers. Kajabi might be right if you value simplicity over cost.
Choose CartMango if:
- You’re a solo digital creator who wants to keep 100% of your revenue
- You refuse to have your recurring payments held hostage
- You want human support, not chatbots
- You’d rather pay $0/month and invest that money back into your business
This choice is about what’s better for your business specifically.
None of these platforms is universally “better.” They’re built for different people with different priorities. When selling online, you need to pick what matches your situation.
If owning your customer relationships matters to you, and you’re tired of paying platform fees that grow as you grow, CartMango is free to try. No credit card, no commitment. Your subscriptions stay yours regardless of what you decide later.
Related Reading
- SamCart vs Sellfy: the customer cash hostage (2026)
- Payhip vs ThriveCart: losing what you built (2026)
- ThriveCart vs Gumroad: the recurring revenue trap (2026)
- Where to Buy Digital Products to Resell: 6 Top Places in 2026 (+ a glaring problem)
- SamCart vs Gumroad: who actually owns your customers? (2026)
- Is Gumroad Safe in 2026? Uncovering the Hidden Pros and Cons
- Payhip vs Podia: The Recurring Income Hostage (2026)
- Payhip vs SamCart: The Recurring Revenue Handcuffs (2026)
- SamCart vs ClickFunnels: The Recurring Revenue Hostage (2026)
- SendOwl vs ThriveCart: Which has a hidden trap in 2026?