GoHighLevel vs. Kartra: Which is Best For Your Business?

Torn between GoHighLevel and Kartra? I’ve been there.

When I first heard about GoHighLevel, it sounded like a dream, especially for agencies. But I’d already been using Kartra for over six years, and it had everything I thought I needed.

Then in 2023, I gave GoHighLevel a shot, and wow, the comparison got interesting fast.

If you’re stuck trying to figure out which one’s actually worth your money, whether you’re running a business, launching a course, or building an agency, I’ve got you.

I’ve used both platforms hands-on, not for just a few weeks, but for long enough to really know their strengths, weaknesses, and hidden limitations.

In this GoHighLevel vs Kartra article, I give you the real story. Let’s break it all down.

Kartra vs GoHighLevel: Table Comparison

Features	GoHighLevel	Kartra	Winner
Free Trial	14 days free here	30 days free here	Kartra
Starting Price	$97/month	$59/month	Kartra
Ease of Use	Powerful but has a learning curve	Clean, intuitive, beginner-friendly	Kartra
Sales Funnel & Campaign Builder	Advanced, highly customizable	Smooth, visual, beginner-friendly	GoHighLevel
Website & Page Builder	Flexible with full website capability	Easy drag-and-drop, but less customizable	GoHighLevel
Template Library	Templates + full Snapshots (blueprints)	Standard templates, a bit dated	GoHighLevel
In-Built CRM	Full pipeline CRM with automations	Tag-based system, good but basic	GoHighLevel
AI Tools	HighLevel AI Employee	Kartra AI (basic copy help)	GoHighLevel
Email Marketing & Automation	Multi-channel workflows (email, SMS, VM)	Solid, beginner-friendly automations	GoHighLevel
Funnel Mapper & Simulator	No true simulator	Visual funnel mapper built in	Kartra
Appointment Scheduling	Full scheduling suite with automation	Basic calendar booking	HighLevel
Membership Sites	Functional, less polished	Smooth, creator-focused	Kartra
Online Store	Flexible catalogs + payments	Clean cart system, limited	GoHighLevel
White-Label Abilities	Full SaaS white-label mode	Not available	GoHighLevel
Webinars	Works with Zoom & automations	Native with WebinarJam/EverWebinar	Kartra
Task Management	Built-in task assignments	Not available	GoHighLevel
Analytics	In-depth pipelines, ads, ROI reports	Clean funnel, sales, email analytics	GoHighLevel

Overview of HighLevel and Kartra

What is GoHighLevel?

GoHighLevel is an all-in-one marketing platform built for agencies, service providers, and small businesses that want to manage leads, build sales funnels, automate follow-ups, book appointments, and even resell the software under their own brand.

I first tried GoHighLevel in late 2023. Honestly? I bailed after a week. It felt clunky and didn’t click for me, so I moved on.

But a few months later, a friend casually mentioned that he’d made $21,000 using GoHighLevel and was earning $3,500/month in recurring revenue by reselling it as SaaS.

That stopped me in my tracks.

We hopped on a call, and I finally saw what GoHighLevel could really do: how far the platform had come, the features I’d overlooked entirely, and how it had quietly become a serious business-building machine.

Launched in 2018, GoHighLevel set out to replace your bloated tech stack, and not just compete with other funnel builders. CRM? Yep. Funnels? Covered. Booking, automation, email, and AI tools? All built-in.

And people noticed.

It’s now powering over 70,000 businesses across 140 countries, ranked #426 on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list, and has become the secret weapon for digital agencies.

What Makes GoHighLevel Stand Out

• All-in-one CRM with Smart Lists, pipelines, and Text2Pay invoicing
• Drag-and-drop funnel & website builder with ready-made templates
• Forms, surveys, and embeddable lead capture widgets
• Full calendar suite with round-robin, class, and service menu booking options
• Multi-channel automation with SMS, email, and AI triggers
• Analytics dashboard for sales pipelines and ad performance
• AI tools for content, chatbots, and review management
• Ability to resell it as your own branded SaaS platform

What I Love About HighLevel

• Consolidates your marketing stack into one platform
• White-label ready, and agencies can resell under their brand
• Robust automation and follow-up workflows
• Built-in calendar and booking tools
• AI features to speed up repetitive tasks

What I Don’t Like About HighLevel

• Learning curve for first-time users
• Some tools aren’t as refined as specialist software
• Email deliverability may require technical setup

Who Should Use GoHighLevel?

GoHighLevel is a perfect match for:

• Agencies wanting to package and sell a done-for-you marketing system
• Small businesses ready to manage leads, sales, and scheduling in one place
• Service providers who live by their calendar and client follow-up
• Coaches, consultants, and course creators who need both a CRM and a funnel builder

What is Kartra?

Kartra is an all-in-one platform built for entrepreneurs, course creators, and online businesses that want to launch, sell, and manage digital products, all from one place.

It gives you everything: landing pages, email marketing, memberships, checkouts, calendars, automations, affiliate management, and even video hosting.

I started using Kartra over six years ago. Back then, it felt like magic, clean UI, smooth funnel building, and everything just worked. I ran my business from it without needing five different logins.

It wasn’t flashy, but it was solid. And dependable.

Over the years, I’ve seen Kartra quietly power thousands of businesses behind the scenes. It may not dominate every YouTube ad or Facebook group, but those who use it tend to stick with it because it works.

What Makes Kartra Stand Out

• Built-in email marketing with behavioral automations
• Drag-and-drop page and funnel builder
• Native video hosting with in-video call-to-actions
• All-in-one cart system with upsells, downsells, and bump offers
• Affiliate management system baked right in
• Membership site builder with access levels and drip content
• Helpdesk system with ticketing and live chat
• Calendar booking system integrated with automation

What I Love About Kartra

• Super smooth funnel building with a clean UI
• Solid email automation that works
• Native video hosting (no need for Vimeo or Wistia)
• Easy to launch and sell digital products or memberships
• Rock-solid for solopreneurs or creators who want control

What I Don’t Like About Kartra

• Slower pace of updates and new features
• Limited third-party integrations compared to newer platforms
• Design flexibility can feel a bit restricted

Who Should Use Kartra?

Kartra is an excellent fit for:

• Course creators who want a single platform for delivery and sales
• Digital product sellers who need checkouts, emails, and funnels in one place
• Coaches and consultants who offer memberships or recurring programs
• Solopreneurs who want simplicity over endless customization

GoHighLevel vs Kartra: Ease of Use

Look, if you hate wasting hours figuring things out, this part matters a lot.

Kartra feels like that quiet coworker who gets the job done without making a fuss. Everything is clean, labeled, and intuitive, especially if you’re not super techy.

GoHighLevel? It’s powerful, but there’s a steeper learning curve. It can feel overwhelming at first, especially with all the white-label, SaaS, and automation options staring you in the face.

If you’re the kind of person who wants to hit the ground running without watching 20 tutorials, the difference is noticeable.

H2: Kartra vs GoHighLevel Features Comparison

Advanced Sales Funnel & Campaign Builder

Kartra’s funnel builder is clean, visual, and super beginner-friendly. You can map out an entire campaign, automate emails, tag leads, and connect checkouts without touching code.

It’s straightforward, but not super flexible when you want to get fancy.

GoHighLevel, on the other hand, gives you way more muscle.

The funnel builder feels a bit more raw, but it’s extremely powerful, especially when paired with workflows and multi-step automations. Once you know what you’re doing, it’s a beast.

Kartra is smooth. GoHighLevel is stacked.

Website & Page Builder

Kartra’s page builder is clean, drag-and-drop, and loaded with solid templates. It’s super easy to use, but a bit rigid if you like total creative control.

Customization is limited, think more “plug-and-play” than “pixel-perfect.”

GoHighLevel gives you more freedom. You can build full websites or single landing pages, drag-and-drop sections, and tweak every detail.

It’s a bit more flexible than Kartra, but that also means a slightly steeper learning curve.

So if you want something fast and simple, Kartra nails it. But if you want more flexibility and control…

Extensive Template Library

Templates can save you hours or make you want to throw your laptop.

Kartra comes packed with pre-built templates for pages, emails, funnels, products, and memberships. They’re clean and valuable, especially for digital products.

However, the designs feel somewhat dated, and there isn’t a great deal of variety.

GoHighLevel? It offers extensive templates.

And takes it a step further by providing Snapshots.

GoHighLevel Snapshots are complete business setups you can import in seconds. You get funnels, automations, calendars, pipelines, all pre-built. You can even create and sell your own Snapshots to others.

That’s a whole different level of plug-and-play power.

In-Built CRM for Lead Capturing & Nurturing

This is where most tools fall short, but not these two.

Kartra uses a tag-based system, and its built-in form builder makes it easy to capture leads directly from any page or pop-up.

Once leads come in, you can segment them, trigger automations, and send targeted emails. It’s simple and works well for basic to mid-level nurturing.

GoHighLevel takes it up several notches.

You get a complete pipeline-based CRM with drag-and-drop stages, contact timelines, deal tracking, task assignments, and even Text2Pay invoicing.

Plus, every lead can be auto-assigned to automations, tags, and follow-ups across SMS, email, and voicemail drops.

Kartra lets you capture and email leads. GoHighLevel helps you close them.

Advanced Funnel Mapper & Simulator

Ever wish you could see your entire funnel laid out like a roadmap? That’s precisely what this feature is about.

Kartra features a built-in Campaigns tool that also serves as a funnel mapper. You can visually drag and connect pages, emails, and automations, then click Play to see how leads flow through.

It’s simple, visual, and makes planning a breeze, especially if you like seeing the “big picture” of your customer journey.

GoHighLevel doesn’t have a true funnel simulator. You can build advanced funnels, of course, but mapping and simulating them visually isn’t its strong suit. You’ll likely need to piece things together in the workflow builder instead.

Advanced Email Marketing & Automation

Emails can either be your silent salesperson or land straight in spam, so this feature really matters.

Kartra has a solid email system built right in. You get sequences, tagging, behavior-based triggers, and even analytics on opens and clicks.

The automation builder is visual and easy to follow. For most creators, it’s more than enough.

GoHighLevel, though, was built for power users. You get multi-channel automation (email, SMS, voicemail, even FB Messenger), advanced workflows, and AI triggers that adapt based on user behavior.

It’s not as beginner-friendly, but once you master it, the possibilities are endless.

Kartra keeps it simple. GoHighLevel goes beast mode.

In-Built SMS Marketing

This is where the two platforms really separate.

Kartra focuses heavily on email. While it excels in automation and campaigns, it lacks native SMS marketing capabilities. If you want to text leads, you’ll need to connect third-party tools, which adds extra cost and setup time.

GoHighLevel, on the other hand, bakes SMS right into the platform.

You can send one-off texts, automate follow-ups, trigger reminders, and even mix SMS with email and voicemail in the same workflow.

Built-In AI Tools

AI is the shiny new toy in every marketing tool, but how useful is it here?

Kartra recently introduced Kartra AI, which helps with copy suggestions, email subject lines, and content tweaks. It’s handy for speeding up small tasks, but it’s more of an assistant than a game-changer.

GoHighLevel takes it further with the HighLevel AI Employee. It can generate entire campaigns, respond to leads through chat, manage reviews, draft emails, and even act like a digital team member.

It feels less like a tool and more like an extra employee built into your account.

Fully Automated Appointment Scheduling & Calendar

Kartra includes a solid calendar app tied to automations. You can take bookings, trigger emails, and keep things tidy for 1:1 sessions or simple programs.

GoHighLevel goes broader and deeper, offering multiple calendars, round-robin scheduling for teams, class/group slots, service menus, buffer times, no-show tracking, two-way SMS/email reminders, and workflow triggers tied to every status change (booked, rescheduled, canceled, or no-show).

You can even collect payments or deposits at booking and automatically push leads through pipeline stages.

In-Built Split Testing Capabilities

Testing your pages and emails is how you figure out what actually works, and both platforms approach it differently.

Kartra offers native split testing for landing pages and emails.

You can run simple A/B tests on subject lines, page designs, and copy, then let the system automatically push the winning version. It’s straightforward and effective.

GoHighLevel also includes split testing for funnels and emails, but it feels less polished.

You can compare versions and track performance, but it doesn’t have the same smooth, automated “pick a winner” function Kartra does.

Blogging Functionalities

Kartra doesn’t really have a proper blogging tool.

Sure, you can technically create pages and make them “look” like blog posts, but it’s clunky. No categories, no SEO optimization features, no smooth publishing flow. It’s not built for content creators.

GoHighLevel, on the other hand, has a complete blogging system baked in.

You can publish posts, optimize them for SEO, and manage everything right inside your dashboard. If organic traffic and content marketing are part of your strategy, you’ll feel right at home.

Membership Site Creation

If you’re planning to launch a course, a paid community, or a digital product, this feature is where the rubber meets the road.

Kartra shines here. Its membership builder is smooth, structured, and lets you drip content, set multiple access levels, and track progress.

You can create sleek course portals without duct-taping extra tools. It feels like it was built for creators first.

GoHighLevel also offers membership sites, but they feel more functional than polished.

You can build and deliver content, lock it behind paywalls, and automate access, but the design options and user experience aren’t as refined.

Stunning Online Store

Kartra gives you a clean cart system with upsells, downsells, and order bumps. It’s perfect for digital products, memberships, and services.

However, if you want a full-blown online store with numerous product options and design flair, it feels somewhat limited.

GoHighLevel steps up with a more flexible store setup.

You can create product catalogs, sell services or digital goods, and tie everything directly into automations, invoices, and even Text2Pay.

It’s not Shopify, but it’s far more versatile than Kartra for businesses wanting more than just a cart.

Sell Courses & Digital Products

Kartra was built with creators in mind. You can package your course, drip lessons, set up memberships, and plug in a checkout, all without touching another tool.

Selling digital products feels seamless, and the delivery is polished.

GoHighLevel can also sell courses, but it leans more toward functionality than finesse.

You’ll get the job done. You can host content, restrict access, and automate sales, but the user experience for students isn’t as sleek as Kartra’s.

In-Depth Analytics

Numbers don’t lie, but they can be useless if your platform doesn’t track the right ones.

Kartra gives you solid analytics for funnels, sales, email campaigns, and memberships.

You’ll see who’s opening, clicking, buying, and where they drop off. It’s clean and easy to understand, but it sticks to the basics.

GoHighLevel goes further. You get full pipeline analytics, ad tracking, ROI reports, lead source tracking, call reporting, and even attribution for offline conversions.

Pair that with customizable dashboards for clients, and it feels more like an agency-grade analytics hub.

If you’re a data nerd who wants every metric tied to revenue, you’ll love what GoHighLevel offers.

In-Built Affiliate Management

Kartra provides a comprehensive affiliate center out of the box.

You can set commissions (flat or %), approve/deny affiliates, create promo assets, track clicks → leads → sales, and manage payouts with clean reporting. It’s simple, stable, and creator-friendly.

GoHighLevel also has a built-in affiliate management system. You can spin up programs, generate unique links, track referred leads and sales, and automate commission tracking and payments.

Set campaigns, define commission structures, assign affiliates, and tie everything into workflows so onboarding, tagging, and follow-ups happen on autopilot.

Reputation Management

Kartra doesn’t have native reputation management. If you want to request, track, or showcase customer reviews, you’ll need third-party tools. It’s built more for creators and digital sellers, not local businesses managing Google reviews.

GoHighLevel, on the other hand, has reputation management baked in.

You can automatically request reviews by SMS or email, track star ratings, respond to feedback, and showcase positive testimonials. For agencies serving local businesses, this is gold. You can run review campaigns for clients and prove ROI with hard data.

White-Label Abilities

Kartra doesn’t offer white-labeling. You can use your custom domain, sure, but at the end of the day, your clients still know it’s Kartra. It’s more of a personal business platform than a resale opportunity.

GoHighLevel flips the script. With full white-label capabilities, you can brand the platform with your logo, colors, and even your custom GoHighLevel app name, and sell it as your own SaaS.

You set pricing, create packages, and generate recurring revenue by reselling GHL under your brand.

Hosting Webinars

Kartra has a clear edge because it natively integrates with WebinarJam and EverWebinar (their sister platforms).

That means you can run live webinars, evergreen webinars, capture leads, and tie it all back into Kartra’s funnels and automations without any duct tape.

It’s the go-to setup for thousands of high-ticket course creators and coaches who rely on webinars to sell programs.

GoHighLevel doesn’t have native webinar tools. You can connect Zoom or other apps and automate reminders and follow-ups inside GHL, but it’s more of a workaround than a built-in solution.

Video Hosting

Kartra still gives you native video hosting with in-video CTAs, tagging based on viewer behavior, and deep integration into funnels and automations.

GoHighLevel also supports native video hosting. You can upload, host, and serve videos directly within GHL, complete with tracking and embedding.

That means fewer third-party tools, tighter analytics, and smoother student or audience experience.

Task Management

Kartra lacks a comprehensive task management system. You can automate emails and actions, but when it comes to assigning tasks, tracking progress, or collaborating with a team, you’ll need another tool.

GoHighLevel steps in with built-in task management tied directly to your CRM and pipelines.

You can assign tasks to team members, track what’s pending, set deadlines, and get notified when things move forward. For agencies, this is huge because it keeps sales and service delivery under one roof.

Extensive Integrations

Kartra integrates seamlessly with essential services, including Stripe, PayPal, SMTP providers, WebinarJam/EverWebinar, and Zapier, for all other needs. For most creators and digital businesses, that’s more than enough to keep things running smoothly.

GoHighLevel also checks the boxes, offering native connections with Stripe, Twilio (for SMS/voice), Mailgun, Google My Business, Facebook Ads, and more. Add Zapier and webhooks into the mix, and you can integrate almost anything imaginable.

Helpful Support

Kartra offers ticket-based support with a knowledge base and community. The team is responsive, but replies sometimes feel slow.

For most issues, you’ll find yourself digging through documents or waiting for a response via email.

GoHighLevel goes heavier on support. You get live chat inside the app, a big Facebook community, video tutorials, and even 24/7 support for specific plans.

Plus, their onboarding calls and agency-focused training help shorten the learning curve. It feels more hands-on, especially if you’re managing multiple clients.

Knowledge Base & Tutorials

Kartra has a clean, searchable knowledge base with step-by-step guides and walkthroughs. You’ll also find plenty of tutorials inside the dashboard, along with a supportive Facebook group where users share helpful tips. It’s straightforward and beginner-friendly.

GoHighLevel’s knowledge base is extensive, but they also offer video tutorials, live training sessions, community calls, and an active Facebook group where agencies share strategies. You won’t run out of learning material anytime soon.

GHL vs Kartra: Pricing Comparison

GoHighLevel Pricing (What You Actually Get for Your Money)

GoHighLevel gives you a 14-day free trial to test-drive the platform before you commit. That’s enough time to build a funnel, run a few automations, maybe even land a client, and see if it clicks for you.

Now, once the trial ends, here’s what each plan actually looks like in real life:

Starter Plan — $97 / month

The Starter plan provides all the essentials, including CRM, funnels, booking, websites, automations, email marketing, and SMS marketing. It’s perfect if you’re running your own business or managing a small number of clients.

With up to three sub-accounts included, you can test campaigns for yourself or handle a handful of projects without feeling limited.

Unlimited Plan — $297 / month

This is where GoHighLevel starts flexing. The Unlimited plan takes the handcuffs off by giving you unlimited sub-accounts. That means no limit on how many clients or projects you can onboard, a lifesaver for agencies or freelancers scaling fast.

You also receive API access, which opens the door to custom integrations and the ability to white-label the desktop app, allowing your clients to see your brand, not GHL’s.

SaaS / Pro / White-Label Mode — $497+ / month

Now we’re in “build your own software company” territory. With SaaS Mode, you’re not just using GoHighLevel, you’re reselling it.

You can brand the platform as your own, set your own pricing, and create packages for your clients. Every subscription they pay goes into your pocket, not GHL’s.

This tier also unlocks deeper automation, re-billing for things like Twilio and Mailgun, and custom client dashboards. If you’ve ever dreamed of running your own SaaS without writing a single line of code, this is the ticket.

Kartra Pricing (Your Money, Which Plan Makes Sense)

Kartra offers a 30-day trial, allowing you to test the platform. It’s your window to explore everything before making a full commitment.

Once you’re past that trial, here are their core plans and what you actually get:

Essentials Plan — $59 / month

This is Kartra’s “starter entrepreneur” tier. It provides the basics for selling and marketing.

You get email marketing, funnel and page builder, single membership site, video hosting, and checkouts. It’s enough to launch your first product, generate leads, and get a feel for what Kartra can do. It’s the reliable foundation you start from.

Starter Plan — $119 / month

Stepping into Starter feels like unlocking the next map. You get more “handles” to grow — extra bandwidth, more leads, extra membership sites, and expanded limits on pages, emails, and automation usage.

It’s built for creators who’ve tested the waters and now want to scale just a bit further without blowing up their budget.

Growth Plan — $229 / month

This is the “go big or get off the bench” version. Everything from the Starter plan is included, but limits are significantly increased (more contacts, more emails, more bandwidth).

You also unlock advanced features, including more automations, increased cart volumes, and priority support.

If you’re running serious launches, high-ticket courses, or multiple funnels, this is the plan where Kartra starts showing its muscle.

Kartra Professional Plan — $549 / month

The Professional plan is Kartra’s “go big, go premium” tier for those building full-scale digital empires. If you’re juggling multiple high-ticket products, major launches, or dozens of funnels that need space to breathe, Pro is where Kartra shows its teeth.

You get everything in Growth, but with significantly higher limits across the board: more contacts, more bandwidth, more emails, more automations, and more of everything.

You also unlock VIP-level support, priority systems access, and extra flexibility that serious course creators, agencies, or high-growth businesses demand.

Can You Integrate GoHighLevel with Kartra?

When I first started using both platforms, I kept asking myself: “Do I really have to choose one and ditch the other?”

The truth is, you don’t.

Yes, GoHighLevel and Kartra can actually work together.

By using Zapier or webhooks, you can send leads collected in Kartra straight into GoHighLevel’s CRM, where you can tag them, drop them into workflows, and manage them through your pipelines.

Alternatively, use Kartra for product delivery, memberships, or webinars, while GoHighLevel handles the heavy lifting with SMS follow-ups, appointment scheduling, and review requests.

It’s kind of like pairing Kartra’s polish with GoHighLevel’s muscle. Instead of locking yourself into just one ecosystem, you can blend them and get the best of both worlds.

Final Thoughts

Both GoHighLevel and Kartra are powerful, but they shine in different ways.

If you’re a creator, coach, or course seller who values a polished membership system, video hosting, and easy-to-use funnels, Kartra is still the safer bet.

It’s smoother out of the box, less overwhelming, and built with digital products in mind.

But if you’re an agency owner or business builder who needs deep CRM features, automation that doesn’t quit, SMS marketing, review management, and even the chance to run your own white-label SaaS, GoHighLevel is in a different league.

It’s not just software, it’s a business model in disguise.

At the end of the day, it’s not about which platform is “better.” It’s about which one is better for you, right now.

So ask yourself: are you building a personal business or an agency-powered empire?

That answer decides your winner.