Why I chose Kajabi - and why I'm still using it

🎯 One platform to rule them all? Here’s why I moved my business to Kajabi – and how it made things feel so much lighter.

When I first started building my online business, I did what many of us do – researched all the typical platforms and tested the ones that felt most promising at different stages. The ones I really spent time with were WordPress (for my website), MailerLite (for email), Heartbeat (for my first course), and LearnWorlds (which I migrated both my website and course to later). Each had strengths, but none felt like quite the right fit for where I wanted my business to grow – especially when it came to creating a truly integrated and intuitive experience for both myself and my community.

I’ve tried more platforms than I care to admit (and yes, I have the abandoned trial logins to prove it). Eventually, I landed on Kajabi – and over time, I fully moved everything there: my website, email, courses, community, and payments. Letting go of the patchwork of platforms I’d been holding onto felt like such a relief. I’d been juggling tools that didn’t quite fit, always trying to make them work together, and it was taking up more time and energy than I realised.

More than 18 months later, I’m still here – and I wouldn’t go back. Here’s why, and who I think it’s best suited for.

Tried-and-tested tools (and why I moved on)

Here’s what I used, what worked, and what didn’t – in case you’re trying to piece it all together too.

• WordPress: A self-hosted website platform. Super flexible and powerful, but way too technical – even for me as an ex-programmer and a techy at heart. It can seem low-cost at first, but once you start adding all the extras – hosting, plugins, payments, courses, community - both the complexity and the costs begin to grow. Plus, all the updates, backups, and fixes fall on you unless you outsource them.

• Heartbeat: A community-focused platform with some light course functionality. It was a lovely experience as a community host, but the connection between course content and community was confusing for participants. It just wasn’t as seamless as I needed it to be.

• LearnWorlds: An all-in-one course platform that also includes website building. It offers a gorgeous user interface for learners and an intuitive site builder, but setting up and editing course lessons felt fiddly and frustrating. Great for learners, not so much for course creators.

• MailerLite: An email marketing platform with landing page features. It’s focused on newsletters and campaigns, and is ideal when you're just starting out. It also has a great web page builder – but it lacked the ability to host courses and communities in one place.

And honestly, if you’re all about communities, you’ll know many of the options out there aren’t cheap – and the more affordable ones often feel like they’re still in beta mode, with buggy features or clunky workarounds.

🌿 I wanted something reliable, from a company that had been around for a while – and that consistently got both positive client and user feedback. Kajabi delivered.

What I love about Kajabi (especially for community and running everything in one place)

• All-in-one simplicity: My courses, community, website, checkout, and emails all live inside Kajabi. No separate hosting fees or juggling platforms – just one login for me, and one smooth experience for my members.

• Everything connects: Kajabi is built to make your tools talk to each other. Your courses, emails, community, and offers are all part of one cohesive flow. That was a game-changer for me and made everything feel more seamless for the people I work with.

• Built-in payments: People can pay directly through Kajabi, and with Kajabi Payments now available in more EU countries, you don’t even need Stripe if you don’t want to. It really is possible to run the full experience from one place.

• Gamification (if you want it): You can add community points, leaderboards, and challenges – or keep things calm and simple. I love that the choice is mine.

  Curious how I use Kajabi’s gamification tools in real life? This post gives you a peek inside. Want to bring some joy back into your business – with or without Kajabi? This post might inspire you.

• New member experience is smooth: As soon as someone joins, they land where they need to. No awkward tech handovers or email chases.

• Keeps improving: Kajabi keeps growing in ways that actually feel helpful. They’ve added features like better analytics, easier product setup, and more flexible options for digital business owners. What I love most is that it feels like they’re genuinely listening – building based on what their users ask for, not just adding bells and whistles.

🌱 My membership, Your Digital Garden, lives inside Kajabi – and it genuinely feels like home.

And while I only use Kajabi for my website, emails, courses, community, and payments, it can also host monetised newsletters, digital downloads, coaching offers, podcasts, and more – plenty of room to grow into if I ever need it.

One of the biggest advantages for me – and something I know a lot of folks overlook – is that Kajabi handles all the hosting, security, and regular updates. No plugins to update, no backups to manage, no sudden issues to fix. It’s one less thing to worry about, and that peace of mind matters more than I expected. I stopped thinking about my tech stack - and started focusing on my clients again. And if there’s a big platform change coming, Kajabi rolls it out with plenty of notice and testing.

Who I recommend Kajabi for

Kajabi isn’t the cheapest option out there – although their newer community-focused Kickstarter plan pricing has definitely made it more accessible. I’ve found it’s worth it if:

• You’re offering courses or memberships and want to keep things all in one place

• You don’t want to wrestle with a bunch of plugins or disconnected tech tools

• You want an intentional, Facebook-free alternative for community building

• You’re ready to grow into it – Kajabi makes it easy to scale and adapt

If you’re just starting and only need a basic website or email tool, it might be more than you need right now. But if you’re looking for a reliable, long-term home for your business – one that feels cohesive and supportive – it’s honestly a joy.

🌿Tech is incredibly personal

What I love might not be what you love – and vice versa. I always recommend testing things out before migrating everything over.

What you get when you sign up through me 🎁

I’m an official Kajabi Partner, which means if you decide to sign up through my affiliate link, you’ll get access to an extended 30-day free trial, instead of the usual 14 days.

Plus these bonuses to help get you up and running – and feeling confident about your setup:

🎯 Strategy session – to map out your Kajabi setup
📋 Custom templates and checklists – based on our strategy session and what you're building
💬 Ongoing support – in case you get stuck

Kajabi’s great – but having someone walk you through how to use it in a way that works for your unique business? Even better.

👉 Click here to start your free 30-day trial and see what Kajabi could make possible for your business. (That’s an affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission if you sign up – at no extra cost to you).

And just so you know – this is the first all-in-one tech platform I’ve ever promoted publicly. I believe in it that much. I’ve recommended tools before, but this is the only one that’s felt good enough, reliable enough, and aligned enough with how I work (and how my clients work) to put my name behind it.

About me
I’m Teresa, a business strategy coach and founder of Your Digital Garden – a supportive space for introverted and neurodivergent solopreneurs who want to grow their businesses in a way that feels aligned, sustainable, and authentic. I blend practical strategy with a values-first approach, and Kajabi is the only all-in-one platform I’ve chosen to partner with because it genuinely supports the kind of streamlined business I help my clients build.

🌿 Still curious?

If you’re curious about Kajabi or wondering whether it could be the right home for your courses or community, I’m always happy to chat. Reach out here and I’ll tell you honestly whether I think it’s the right fit – or if something else might serve you better right now.

👉 Click here to start your free 30-day trial and explore Kajabi for yourself. (This is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission if you decide to sign up – at no extra cost to you).

Whatever you decide, I hope this helped you feel more informed and confident about your tech choices.