Our shortlist
- Systeme.io: budget consolidation across funnels, email, courses and automation.
- GetResponse: email/automation-led stack; at 1,000 contacts current monthly pricing starts $19 Starter, $59 Marketer and $69 Creator.
- Kartra: broad campaigns, pages, checkout, memberships and automation.
- HighLevel: agency/client operations with CRM, communications and sub-accounts.
- Kajabi: knowledge-business specialization with courses, community and marketing.
The TCO test
Write down what you pay for email, landing pages/funnels, CRM, checkout, courses, community, calendar, automation and affiliate software. Then mark which subscriptions a candidate can genuinely eliminate. Add usage charges, contact scaling and migration cost. The result is more meaningful than comparing five base prices.
Different centers of gravity
GetResponse starts from email; Kajabi from knowledge products; HighLevel from agencies; Systeme.io from low-cost consolidation. Kartra is a broader campaign/membership stack. Calling one universally best would erase the reason these products coexist.
Verdict
Systeme.io is our first comparison for a small operator trying to retire several subscriptions at low fixed cost. GetResponse is stronger when email is the center. HighLevel is the agency choice. Kajabi is the knowledge-business choice. The winning platform is the one that lets you cancel the most redundant tools without breaking the workflow that makes money.
Sources and verification
Facts checked September 10, 2026. We do not treat affiliate status as a ranking criterion and do not claim hands-on testing where none occurred.