This page explains why I used Kajabi to host my coaching library and why I eventually stopped using it.
It is not a comparison roundup and it is not a list of the best course platforms. It is simply a record of the platform decision I made while building the Weekend Golfers Coaching Library.
Kajabi is often marketed as an all-in-one platform for creators. It promises to handle courses, memberships, email marketing, landing pages, and payments in one place.
For some creators that approach makes sense.
In my case, the platform worked technically, but the economics of the project and the reality of building demand eventually led to a different decision.
Quick Summary
Kajabi is a powerful hosted platform designed for course creators and coaching businesses.
It allows you to host courses, manage memberships, process payments, and build landing pages without running your own website infrastructure.
I used Kajabi to host the Weekend Golfers Coaching Library and the platform itself worked well.
The problem was not the software.
The problem was that we never generated meaningful sales from the product, which made the monthly platform cost increasingly difficult to justify.
For creators running profitable courses, Kajabi can be an excellent solution.
For smaller projects or early experiments, the fixed monthly cost can quickly become a constraint.
Why I Chose Kajabi for My Coaching Library
When I first built the Weekend Golfers Coaching Library, my goal was simple.
I wanted a platform where I could:
- host coaching material
- organise lessons into a structured library
- allow members to log in and access the content
Kajabi looked attractive because it promised to handle everything in one place.
Instead of assembling a system myself using hosting, plugins, and payment tools, Kajabi offered a fully hosted environment where the infrastructure was already in place.
That meant the core components:
- hosting
- course delivery
- membership access
- payments
could all run inside a single platform.
At the time, that seemed like the fastest way to launch the project.
What Kajabi Is and How It Works
Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for hosting online courses and digital products.
It provides tools for:
- course hosting
- membership management
- landing pages
- payment processing
- email marketing
- marketing automation
The main appeal is convenience.
Instead of assembling multiple tools yourself, Kajabi bundles everything into one system.
For creators who want to avoid technical setup, that simplicity is a major advantage.
Why I Originally Chose Kajabi
When I first evaluated platforms for the coaching library, Kajabi solved several immediate problems.
It allowed me to:
- upload video lessons
- organise content into modules
- create a member login area
- manage subscriptions
The coaching library itself consisted of three products built with a PGA professional:
- Drive For Show
- Putt For Dough
- How To Fix A Slice
These were structured as video-based coaching resources organised into a member library.
Most importantly, Kajabi allowed the entire system to run without building custom infrastructure.
After watching tutorials and reading setup guides, the platform was fairly straightforward to configure.
At the time that convenience made Kajabi an attractive starting point.
What Kajabi Does Well as a Course Platform
Kajabi is designed to remove technical complexity from course creation.
Several aspects of the platform work well.
Structured course delivery
Lessons can be organised into modules and delivered through a clean member interface.
Built-in payments
Kajabi integrates payment processing so creators can sell access without configuring separate systems.
All-in-one environment
Instead of managing multiple tools, the platform combines course hosting, marketing, and payments into a single system.
For creators who want everything managed in one place, this can be very convenient.
The Real Problem: Marketing and Cost
I used Kajabi for the Weekend Golfers Coaching Library around 2013–2015.
The pricing structure was different at the time, but from memory the plan I was using cost roughly $100 per month.
The platform itself worked.
The real issue was that we never generated meaningful sales from the coaching products.
At that stage in my career I was still learning how online marketing actually works. Like many creators building their first digital product, I focused heavily on creating the platform and the content while assuming the sales would follow.
They didn’t.
Looking back, the issue was not Kajabi.
It was my understanding of marketing at the time.
When a product isn’t selling, a fixed platform cost quickly becomes difficult to justify.
Eventually we simply ran out of money to keep paying for the platform, which forced the decision to stop using Kajabi and look for alternatives.
The Cost of Running a Digital Product
When building digital products, the platform cost is only one part of the equation.
Running a course or coaching library usually involves:
- platform or hosting fees
- payment processing fees
- marketing costs
- time spent creating and maintaining content
If a product is generating consistent revenue, these costs are part of the business.
But when sales are uncertain or still developing, fixed platform fees can become a risk.
In my case, the coaching library never generated enough sales to support the ongoing Kajabi subscription. That forced the decision to stop paying for the platform and rethink the infrastructure.
This is one reason many creators eventually move toward systems where the base cost of running the platform is lower, such as WordPress-based setups. I have written about the cost of running a digital product
Why I Eventually Stopped Using Kajabi
Over time it became clear that the coaching library was not generating enough demand to support the ongoing platform cost.
Kajabi continued charging every month whether the product sold or not.
The platform itself remained technically capable, but the economics of the project didn’t support it.
At that point the logical decision was to stop paying for the platform and rethink the infrastructure.
What I Used Instead of Kajabi
After leaving Kajabi, I eventually moved toward building course and membership systems using WordPress and WishList Member.
This approach required more setup initially, but it gave much greater control over the infrastructure and removed the fixed platform cost associated with hosted course platforms.
Over time that model proved easier to maintain, particularly for projects where revenue is uncertain or still developing.
Kajabi Pricing Today
Kajabi’s pricing structure has changed since I originally used the platform.
Current plans and pricing can be viewed here:
→ https://www.kajabi.com/pricing
Today the platform typically starts at a few hundred dollars per month depending on the plan and features required.
For creators running successful courses this cost can make sense.
For smaller projects or early experiments, however, the fixed monthly price is still something that needs to be considered carefully.
Who Kajabi Is Best For
Kajabi works best for creators who:
- sell structured courses or coaching programs
- generate reliable recurring revenue
- want an all-in-one hosted platform
- prefer simplicity over technical control
If a course or membership program already has strong demand, the platform can simplify many aspects of running it.
When Kajabi May Not Be the Right Choice
Kajabi may not be the best option if you:
- are experimenting with a new product idea
- have unpredictable sales
- want full control over your website infrastructure
- prefer building systems using WordPress
In these situations the fixed monthly platform cost can become a constraint.
Kajabi Alternatives to Consider
Creators evaluating Kajabi often look at other hosted platforms such as:
- Podia
- Teachable
- Skool
Another approach is to build a course or membership system using WordPress, where hosting and plugins can be chosen individually.
Each approach involves trade-offs between simplicity and control.
Kajabi Pros
- fully hosted course platform
- integrated payments and membership tools
- structured course delivery
- minimal technical setup
Kajabi Cons
- relatively high monthly cost
- less control compared with self-hosted systems
- fixed platform cost regardless of revenue
Final Thoughts on Kajabi
Kajabi is a capable platform and works well for many creators.
In my case, the platform itself was not the problem.
The real issue was that the coaching library never generated enough sales to justify the ongoing platform cost.
For creators running profitable courses, Kajabi can be a powerful all-in-one solution.
For smaller projects or early experiments, the economics of a fixed monthly platform fee can make the decision more complicated.
Stopping Kajabi was simply a business decision based on that balance.
