Circle Vs. Kajabi: Which Is Most Suitable for You? |

Oct 8, 2024

Circle was launched in 2020 from some Teachable employees who realized the need for a web-based community platform to supplement Teachable's courses. As time passed, the company added the option of a platform for courses on its own. Kajabi launched a decade earlier in the year 2010. Kenny Rueter wanted an online selling platform for his lawn-sprinkler he built, and over time it morphed into an incredibly popular learning platform.

Both Circle as well as Kajabi take up a lot of the real estate market in the economy of creation. Therefore, if you're searching for the perfect location for your business and you're wondering what is the best fit.


In this article, we'll compare Circle with Kajabi. There's plenty of similarities in the services they have to offer, we'll look at both on the basis of:


 

  • Courses        
  • Community and Memberships        
  • Business and Marketing Tools        
  • Apps        


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Circle vs. Kajabi: Comparison Chart


Circle

Kajabi

Asynchronous Course Platform

Live-streamed Courses

Only by mixing two platforms

Livestreaming Native

Advanced Marketing Features

Integrated Funnels

Page Building

Course + Community Together?

Support via email

Zapier Only

Built-In

Applications for all devices

Yes (2 separate apps to manage course & community)

Branded Apps

Basic

Branded Apps

Additional Cost

Additional Cost

Pricing From...

$29/mo + $5/course sale

$69/mo





What is the best way to determine


It's important to understand that these are platforms made for various things, such as classes vs. communities. Each one works better for the purpose they were designed. That means the primary concern will be always what you're building


 

  • Circle provides a superior platform for communities as well as memberships.        
  • Kajabi is a more efficient platform to use for Asynchronous classes and marketing.      


But if you're walking the line between these two, read on for more details on how each ranks for the various features.


Circle in contrast to. Kajabi


Courses


Kajabi


Kajabi is a well-known course building and its LMS provides you with a variety to do with. It can handle different types of content such as audio, video texts, quizzes, surveys, and downloads. The format table of contents works well and allows users to view lessons before launch. The LMS provides options for dripping content and the addition of questions and assessment.


Kajabi app


Kajabi is also a good choice (sort of) for live courses however there are some limitations. Livestreaming isn't a native feature of the Kajabi course platform, so you'd have to utilize a third-party program like YouTube. However, Kajabi does have a distinct application - Kajabi 2.0-that includes livestreaming as well as live-streamed meetings (we'll cover it below). It is possible to incorporate the option of livestreaming to your course (it opens in a new browser) The recording can be pinned onto your course's page. As Kajabi incorporates email notifications users will be notified when a livestream is starting and can join.


In the end, Kajabi was an early adopter with some AI tools to generate the content. The tool can be used to generate:


 

  • Lesson Content        
  • Descriptions of Course        
  • Sales Email Copy        
  • Copy of the Landing Page        
  • Social Media Content        
  • Sales Video Script        


Kajabi AI tools


But, they aren't integrated within the platform. This means they are visible to everyone (which is great) however, they can't actually do anything that you cannot accomplish with the ChatGPT account. ChatGPT account.


Another standout feature of Kajabi is its course pages, which Circle isn't able to offer. The ability to personalize your course pages using drag-and-drop, adding sections and building an entire course with your own brand. This is a bit like making a site for your course to live in (Circle makes use of course Spaces instead). This is what we'll discuss below.


Circle


circle Courses


In Circle, delivering the course is accomplished by creating the course area. The experience of the course is built around a table of contents (an Model of an LMS) It can also be connected to other spaces in the community. The platform for courses can accommodate audio text, video, as well as downloadable materials for various styles of learning. Course instructors can build out the course content in asynchronous fashion and then preview the content before launching it.


In addition, Circle can handle live classes with its integrated livestreaming and community function (more about this later). This provides a wide range of options for synchronous events as well as things such live classrooms, office hours and even Q&As.


Which is better?


As course platforms as platforms for teaching, both Circle and Kajabi have pros and cons. So the one that's best for a specific use probably is dependent on the kind of class you want to offer.


Kajabi is more suitable to... course developers that want to design simple courses (asynchronous) that include integrated marketing pages as well as website designs that are flexible. Kajabi isn't as effective in live-based courses or experience because of the gap between the course and community features (which we'll cover in a subsequent ).


Circle is best in the case of... course instructors who want live courses within a community, or live experiences. Basically, if you want live interaction with your students, Circle offers a more seamless integration of live capabilities and courses than Kajabi. If you're looking for an online community, it's even stronger.


One thing to keep in mind is that Circle is more limited in its storage and extra costs. As courses count towards the limit, you may pay extra for large course libraries.


Community & Memberships


Kajabi


Kajabi community - Circles


Kajabi offers communities as well as memberships, however they aren't its best feature. In the past, Kajabi's core community feature was restricted to the forum feature which was part of Kajabi's platform for courses. It was extremely basic and could even add a simple discussion forum to an existing course.


However, Kajabi recently purchased a company named Vibely to give it vital community features.


Kajabi live rooms


The good:


 

  • This adds an upgraded chat feature to Kajabi plus a number of tools synchronous and asynchronous for connecting. It included newsfeeds, events as well as chat, DM Live rooms. The link to your online community can be added on a course landing page.      
  • Kajabi uses a space function to organize content. They call circles (not to be mistaken for Circle.so). Circles are distinctive spaces that can hold different types of information.      
  • Kajabi 2.0 provides better member directories with custom profiles that highlight the interests of members and achievements.        


The negative:


 

  • This is a distinct platform (not part of Kajabi). Kajabi 2.0 has a distinct sign-in and distinct app. Yes, users need two distinct applications to be able to access an online course and community.      


Circle


Circle Livestreaming


Circle's communities are built on a feature known as Spaces. The course was discussed in Space above. Creators on Circle can also create an event space along with community, post and chat Spaces. You can post content like audio, videos, podcasts, files, and content from other platforms with Circle's embed options. Every community-generated content is searchable.


Circle Spaces


Unlike Kajabi, Circle has embedded AI tools for writing into its course platform, meaning that it will improve communication and writing. Circle comes with members' profiles that can be toggled on or off; member lists can be either for the entire community or for a particular area.


Additionally, a Circle community is equipped with personal home feeds and automatically scheduled weekly digests to inform members know what's happening in the community. In addition, Circle has moderation and administrative tools to assist in the expansion of communities.


Which one is more effective?


Circle is a more community-oriented platform. It was built for community and memberships. Kajabi is trying to catch the latest features however, using two different applications for the same thing that Circle does with one can be a problem for many developers.


Marketing & Business


Kajabi


Kajabi has some great marketing tools for hosting courses as well as making sales. It includes a page builder that supports drag-and-drop construction (we discussed earlier) and pages that can be used for various purposes: opt-in pages downloading pages, sale page, etc.


Kajabi integrated marketing


Kajabi also has integrated marketing and emails for selling courses. It also has built sales funnels. They also connect the funnels to an email system that handles the segmentation of audiences, automated processes, and subscriber management. Kajabi is a platform for sales, Kajabi offers bundles, free trials, coupons, and subscriptions. The platform also comes with options to increase revenue such as the possibility of upselling, abandon cart recovery, and support for multi-currency currencies.


Circle


Circle doesn't have a ton of marketing features built-in however it isn't as powerful than Kajabi in this regard. You can add the possibility of a landing page in the course, with some modification of the design and copy and can even include a preview of the content. But Circle does not intend to make a website as Kajabi did.


After a person is inside, Circle has some integrated emails and digests which keeps people up to date on what's happening in a community-these emails could be white-labeled to certain of the Circle's top tiers. Apart from that, Circle doesn't have a built-in email software, therefore it's necessary to connect an email software through Zapier.


Similar to Kajabi, Circle can manage the bundles of payments and payment in various currencies. You can connect classes and community (end event) in order to increase sales.


Price


    Kajabi Price


 

  • $69/mo - Kickstarter (1 product, 1 funnel + 250 contacts)        
  • $149/month for Basis (3 products, 3 funnels + 10,000 people)        
  • $199/mo - Growth (15 products, 15 funnels, + 25,000 contacts)        
  • $399/mo - Pro (100 products, 100 funnels + 100,000 contacts)        


    Circle


 

  • $49/month plus 4transaction charges Basic Plan (Community only)        
  • $99/mo plus 2.2% fee - Pro Plan (add courses, livestreaming and brand)        
  • $29/month + 1 percent fees Business Plans (add workflows including custom fields, email white-labels, and AI helper)        
  • $399 per month + .5% fees - Enterprise (add SSO and analytics, 10 admin plus 100 mods)        


Which one is more effective?


Kajabi is unquestionably superior to Kajabi for course marketing features. It has integrated marketing funnels which are set up for various purposes. The platform has basic email software embedded that allows you to tag and market to subscribers in a way you can't on Circle. Additionally, it comes with more selling features integrated in the platform that make it easier for creators to earn.


However, Kajabi is also more costly. If you're planning to purchase Kajabi, ensure that you need the additional features it offers.


Apps


Kajabi


Kajabi really has two major apps: The Course app, and The Community app. However, it requires another app to provide community analysis. Here are the app offerings:


Courses: It is Kajabi's main app which contains the course's infrastructure that includes video, text, as well as the LMS. It also has the legacy Kajabi community features. It works well for asynchronous courses.


Kajabi main app


Community: It was the Vibely app. It's been rebranded as Kajabi 2.0. It offers the community features such as chat, conferencing and real-time engagement.


Kajabi 2.0 - app screens


Kajabi Creator  It software is for running the operations of a Kajabi company, that includes analytics and statistics to let you know what's happening in a business and admin.


Kajabi Branded Apps The feature is a new feature for Kajabi which offers apps with a branded logo in the App Store and Google Play Store. It also includes push notifications with a branded logo. Also, it's important to remember that these apps with branding provide the sole way to get courses and communities in a single app.


Circle


Circle was a company that had an iOS application for a couple of years, however their Android application was released in 2023. That said, it's well-rated (4.5 stars in Google Play and 4.9 on the App Store). Also, unlike Kajabi it's all is in Circle happens in the same application (courses and communities ).


Circle App -


Circle has also recently launched the option of branded apps for its app, meaning you can get an app under your own branding. It brings Circle's classes and community in one place. Circle Plus comes with branded push notifications. The app is still in its early stages and it's not yet available, however Circle has developed an application for Exit Five (a B2B community for marketing). ).


Which one is more effective?


Both offer excellent apps. The issue that Kajabi requires multiple apps to accomplish what Circle can do with just one app is a snub. If you only wanted an online course that was synchronous, the Kajabi app is a great choice. But if you want courses and community together, Circle is probably a better choice. If you use Kajabi the users would have to install two separate apps. This seems like it would hurt participation.


For the branded app option, Circle gets the slight edge too. They've got a more successful performance record (Kajabi is just starting). Plus, Kajabi makes you pay for a brand-name app for your classes as well as a community-something Circle is already doing.


The verdict


So back to the place we left off. Which is the better option, Circle vs. Kajabi? Both platforms offer strengths. Both platforms, however, have some serious weaknesses.


 

  • Kajabi: Has awesome asynchronous course delivery and solid marketing expertise, but it makes it possible to deliver live events via a completely separate platform and app. What you gain in the sale, you forfeit on engagement. Kajabi's AI capabilities aren't much to write home about-basically a white-labeled ChatGPT.    
  • Circle: It doesn't have more marketing or course power as Kajabi, but offers a simpler community feature. However, Circle isn't the same as Kajabi. Circle requires hosting communities and courses in separate spaces (AKA distinct sections of your community). Users must navigate to locate the appropriate spaces.    


Want a better option?





is the most highly rated social network on G2's list of community platforms. It is home to communities and classes for celebrities and brands like Tony Robbins, Mel Robbins, Jim Kwik, Marie Forleo, Matthew Hussey, TED, nuun, and Mindbody.


Here's what is what sets Mighty apart from both Circle and Kajabi.


streamlined experiences


Both Kajabi and Circle have disjointed UX between community and courses. Kajabi since these are in different apps and platforms. Additionally, Circle because they happen across different Spaces. Members must click around to find the correct event or Space to go with the course.


With Mighty, Spaces are designed to hold any type of content you want. By turning off features like Activity Feed Chat, Activity Feed, Table of Contents (traditional LMS), People Explorer (Members), Recurring Events, One-time Events or a Page (an article) or highlighted hashtags.


This is what this appears to be:


MN - 2024 - Graphics - Space Templates


It's all happening all in one location. Events and courses. Chat and community.


This leads to more engagement and user experience, by allowing users not to navigate around to find the information they're looking for.


 - Graphics - 2024 - Livestreaming GIF


Software that is designed to be used for engagement


The year before We discovered that we could determine with a 93% accuracy, which communities would be successful and which ones would not.


It all came down to the members. Are they able to meet? Are they in contact with each other?


The connection of a Member can be a more reliable predictor of the success rate than the content Hosts produce.


Therefore, we created our application to improve connection between members.


This is the result:


 

  • The HTML0 is a People Explorer that helps members discover others with similar experiences and backgrounds as well as those who are in the same area.        
  • A welcome checklist and profile assist function to help members start right.        
  • A "Show Similarities" feature that makes use of AI to show you your similarities with fellow members. You can also start an online conversation by clicking.      


MN - Graphics - 2024 - Profiile + similarities


Helping hosts build better
The engagement features aren't just about members.


Mighty also comes with software that can help hosts increase participation, such as it's...


 

  • Infinite Question Generator that generates discussion questions, then automatically shares approved questions. The engagement continues even when you're not online.    
  • "Activity Assistance" to identify members who have disappeared and automatically re-engage them with a click.      


MN - Graphics - 2024 - Animation Conversation-Starter


A second awesome community as well as course highlights


 

  • A quick and easy way to build a community. Enter a few phrases into Mighty Co-Host(tm) and immediately get a Big Purpose, basic brand identity, and your first Space. (Try it for free)    
  • Writing prompts, as well as improvements by using"make-it-better" text editor "make-it-better" text editor.        
  • Quick course outline and hashtag suggestions.        
  • An native ConvertKit integration to integrate community/courses, email, and more than 2,000 integration embeds.        



MN - Graphics - 2024 - Apps


You can also get your courses and community on customized apps that are under your brand on the App Store as well as Google Play Store. Mighty Pro has built 400+ branded apps for several of the most prestigious makers and brands.


Receive branded notifications, livestreaming, design support and proactive enhancements by the top-ranked branded app team for communities: Learn more about it here .


If you're eager to launch courses and/or community with Mighty, give it a go! The trial is free during 14 days (no credit card needed). ).