Kajabi Raised Prices. Here’s What I’m Telling Pre-Revenue Coaches Now.

About a month ago, Kajabi raised it's pricing.

If you’re already established, maybe that change registers as “annoying but manageable.” But if you’re pre-revenue or still building consistency, it doesn’t feel like a small adjustment. It feels like someone just moved the finish line while you’re still learning how to run.

I’m a Kajabi expert, but not in a Kajabi-only way.

I build ecosystems: funnels, course platforms, websites, email systems, and the full digital setup you need to sell online without your tech becoming the reason you stall. And over the past month, I’ve been seeing a trend that’s honestly kind of sad.

The exact people Kajabi used to be a strong fit for, new and early-stage coaches, are canceling subscriptions. Some are folding their websites. A few are even pausing their businesses entirely.

Not because their ideas were bad. Not because they weren’t capable. But because the platform cost is starting to feel like a commitment they can’t justify while they’re still building traction.

And that matters more than most people realise.

The Price Increase Isn’t “Just $30” If You’re Pre-Revenue

People love to downplay price changes when they’re already earning. But cost is not just cost. It’s pressure.

If you were on Kajabi’s entry tier and you’re moved to the new plan, that’s an automatic jump. Whether you like it or not, your baseline monthly burn increases.

From what I’ve been seeing:

• The entry plan effectively becomes a forced +$30 jump for many users.

• The Growth plan rises by about +$50.

• The top-tier jump is the one that makes people flinch: the Pro plan moving from $399 to $499.

That last one isn’t a “small increase.” That’s a full pricing tier in some other tools.

And it’s not only the subscription cost.

Kajabi is also tightening the structure around payments. If you’re using third-party processors like PayPal, there are now added platform charges layered on top. So instead of just paying the platform fee + normal processing fees, you’re paying:

1. higher monthly Kajabi pricing, and

2. additional fees connected to sales depending on your setup.

If you’re pre-revenue, that structure hits differently. Your fixed cost is already high before you’ve even proven your offer.

What I’m Watching Happen With New Coaches

Most of my clients are newer coaches and service providers. They’re launching their first offers, building their audience, trying to get clear on messaging, and creating momentum.

So when someone cancels Kajabi, it’s not a casual switch. It’s not like swapping Netflix subscriptions.

It disrupts momentum at the most sensitive stage of growth.

And personally, it hits because I don’t build “just a website” for clients. I build their ecosystem like it’s mine. I think about structure, the customer journey, sustainability, what happens six months from now, and what happens when your first offer finally lands.

So when someone feels forced to cancel because the platform suddenly feels too heavy, it’s not just “a subscription change.”

It’s a runway problem.

And the timing makes it worse. Early-stage founders are already stretching. You’re learning marketing. Finding your messaging. Building trust. Creating content. Setting up systems. And then platform cost spikes in the middle of that stage?

It can feel like the universe saying, “Not yet.”

I don’t agree with that.

My Theory: Kajabi Is Filtering Out Pre-Revenue Users

A client asked me: “Why do you think Kajabi is doing this?”

This is not proven. It’s my read based on what I’ve seen across platforms and service businesses.

I think Kajabi is intentionally filtering out pre-revenue users.

Because low-budget users create the highest support burden.

That’s uncomfortable to say out loud, but it mirrors what happens in service work all the time. The clients with the smallest budget often need the most hand-holding, the most back-and-forth, and the most emotional labour. Meanwhile, higher-budget clients tend to move faster. They pay the invoice. They make decisions. They’re self-led.

Kajabi has been flooded last year with complaints about support delays. Users are saying response times are slow and issues take too long to resolve.

If Kajabi wants to improve support, one of the fastest operational levers is reducing volume. Raise prices, reduce entry-level traffic, and shift the user base toward established creators who already understand the basics.

Also, look at Kajabi’s marketing.

Go to Kajabi’s homepage and look at who they feature. They’re not highlighting first-time creators building from zero. They’re showcasing established entrepreneurs who were already known before they created a course.

That tells you where Kajabi is going.

What I’m Recommending Instead for Pre-Revenue Coaches

This is where I surprise people.

I’ve been recommending Wix.

No affiliate link. No sponsorship. I’m recommending it because it makes sense.

Wix is not marketing itself aggressively as a course platform, and I genuinely don’t know why, because they already have a solid set of features for coaches and educators.

Here’s what most people don’t realise Wix can do:

• Wix Programs for structured program delivery

• Wix Groups for community functionality

• Wix Booking for coaching

• Paywalled blog content for membership-style access

• Blog publishing that prompts you to send posts as newsletters

• Built-in email marketing tools that are functional for many starters

And the price difference matters.

Instead of being pushed toward $179 per month just to start, Wix can sit around a more sustainable range annually, depending on plan and region. For many early businesses, this alone creates breathing room.

Lower fixed costs = longer runway.

More runway means more time to test your offer. More flexibility to iterate. Less panic. More stability while you build real traction.

Even Established Businesses Are Side-Eyeing the Price

This is not only a pre-revenue issue.

I have a client who earns six figures per year who is considering moving off Kajabi because the pricing is starting to feel excessive.

If someone already earning well is still flinching, that’s a signal.

But here’s what I tell established Kajabi businesses: migrating is not casual. It’s a rebuild.

You’re reconstructing:

• website pages

• course structure

• member experience

• email sequences and automations (or at least the logic)

• delivery systems and onboarding flow

If you move too fast without a plan, you risk broken sequences, lost data, and a messy student experience.

So no, my advice is not always “leave tomorrow.”

My advice is: decide deliberately.

If You’re Staying on Kajabi, Make It Worth the Price

If you’re staying, shift the mindset from “reduce cost” to “maximise value.”

If you’re paying premium pricing, you shouldn’t be using Kajabi like a basic website builder.

For example, higher tiers often include allowances that people ignore. If you get more capacity or unlimited products, use that strategically:

• add upsells and bundles

• increase customer lifetime value

• expand product ladder options

• tighten funnel performance so the platform cost becomes irrelevant

Yes, it can mean more work.

But if you’re “forced” into higher pricing, the move is not to shrink. The move is to expand intelligently so the platform fee stops feeling like a threat.

If You’re Leaving Kajabi, Stop Building New Infrastructure Inside It

This is important.

If you’re planning to migrate in the next few months, do not keep building deeper inside Kajabi.

Do not build a new funnel inside a platform you plan to leave. Do not build brand-new email automations in Kajabi if your long-term plan is to move to Kit, Klaviyo, or Mailchimp.

Because when you migrate, you will rebuild those systems anyway.

Instead, start an exit strategy:

• move email marketing to your long-term ESP first

• export what you can

• document what you can’t export

• rebuild intentionally, not emotionally

And before you cancel anything:

• export your content where possible

• take screenshots of key pages

• document your course structure and product setup

There is no one-click import from Kajabi to Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress. Migration is reconstruction. Documentation is what makes it clean.

The Bottom Line

If you’re pre-revenue, you don’t need the most expensive platform to build a real business.

Start with something sustainable. Build traction. Validate your offer. Then upgrade when it actually makes sense.

If you’re established on Kajabi, commit and use it properly, or start unplugging strategically. But don’t stay stuck in the middle paying premium pricing while running a starter setup.

Your platform should support your growth, not choke your runway.