The original funnel builder, now pivoting to an 'all-in-one' hub with version 2.0.
ClickFunnels launched in 2014, created by marketer Russell Brunson. It was the first tool to package the concept of a sales funnel into drag-and-drop software that non-developers could actually use. For several years, it had no real competition.
In 2022, they released ClickFunnels 2.0, adding courses, communities, a blog, email marketing, and a CRM on top of the original funnel builder. The pitch: one platform to run your entire online business. The reality has been messier than the pitch.
As of 2026, ClickFunnels sits at three pricing tiers: Basic at $147/mo, Pro at $197/mo, and Funnel Hacker at $297/mo. That pricing is the biggest story here.
The funnel builder works. You can build an opt-in page, a sales page, an order form, and an upsell in a single session. The logic is sound and the concept is solid. That part has always been true.
The problems start the moment you compare the experience to anything built after 2020. The page editor is slow. Noticeably slow. Dragging elements around, saving changes, previewing on mobile -- each action takes longer than it should. Competing tools feel like a different decade.
ClickFunnels 2.0 made things worse, not better. Features that were stable in 1.0 showed up broken or half-finished in 2.0. Support threads from 2023 and 2024 are full of users reporting bugs that took months to address. New users are funneled into 2.0 with no choice, which means they inherit all of that instability from day one.
You will also be marketed to constantly. Inside the product, inside the community, in your inbox. The upsell culture is relentless. Budget for that mentally before you sign up.
The core product. Build multi-step sequences with upsells, downsells, and order bumps. Templates cover the common funnel types: lead gen, webinar, product launch, tripwire. For someone who has never built a funnel before, the structure is genuinely educational.
The builder has not received a meaningful visual or performance upgrade in years. It shows.
One of the few genuinely clever features. Any ClickFunnels user can share an entire funnel, including pages and automation, via a single link. Import it and it is live in your account in seconds.
In practice, most shared funnels are templated with heavy branding from whoever built them. Expect to rebuild most of it. Still useful for structure and inspiration.
ClickFunnels 2.0 added the ability to host and sell online courses directly inside the platform. Drip content, progress tracking, and post-purchase enrollment all work in basic scenarios.
Dedicated platforms like Kajabi or even free options like Systeme.io handle course delivery with more polish and fewer bugs at a lower or zero price point.
The One Funnel Away Challenge, Russell Brunson's books (DotCom Secrets, Expert Secrets, Traffic Secrets), the 2 Comma Club content -- this ecosystem is genuinely useful for learning funnel strategy. The education is real.
The problem is that the best of this content does not require a $147/mo software subscription. The books are $20. The strategy works on any platform.
$147/mo
Grade: F on value
$197/mo
Still expensive
$297/mo
Hard to justify
A 14-day free trial is available. Annual billing saves roughly 16%. The best current deal is 3 months for $99 via our affiliate link below.
Kartra starts at $99/mo and includes video hosting with behavioral triggers, a built-in helpdesk, and more mature automation. It is a better-built all-in-one for established info-product businesses. Kartra does not have the community or training culture that ClickFunnels has, but the software itself is more reliable.
GoHighLevel at $97/mo is built for agencies and includes a full CRM, two-way SMS, reputation management, and white-labeling. For anyone managing client accounts or running a local service business, GoHighLevel wins on features and price by a wide margin. ClickFunnels cannot match it for that use case.
Systeme.io offers a free plan that includes funnels, email marketing, course hosting, and automation. Their paid plans start at $27/mo. Systeme.io does roughly 80% of what ClickFunnels does at zero to 18% of the cost. For solopreneurs and early-stage businesses, it is the obvious starting point. There is no honest argument for choosing ClickFunnels over Systeme.io based purely on features and price.
ClickFunnels earned its reputation. Russell Brunson built something meaningful in 2014 and the funnel builder category would not exist in its current form without him. That is a real accomplishment.
In 2026, the software does not justify its price. Systeme.io has a free plan that covers 80% of what ClickFunnels offers. GoHighLevel and Kartra both undercut ClickFunnels on price while offering more features and better stability. The 2.0 transition dragged on for years and users paid for it.
The brand and the training content still have value. The software does not earn the premium it charges. If you are determined to try it, use the link below to get 3 months for $99 instead of paying $147 for the first month alone. That is the only pricing that makes sense to start on.
Try ClickFunnels -- 3 Months for $99
Affiliate link. We earn a commission if you sign up. Our rating is not affected by this.
New users are forced into 2.0. Legacy users generally stay on 1.0 for stability because 2.0 still has bugs.
Honestly? Probably not. Systeme.io does almost everything ClickFunnels does for free or $27/month.
Russell Brunson's marketing education is genuinely good. But you can get his books for $20 without paying $147/month for software.
Yes, 2.0 has course hosting. But Teachable or Kajabi are better dedicated options, and Systeme.io includes it free.
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