Circle vs Kajabi: fees & take-home (2026-07)
At $3,000/month over 60 sales, Kajabi leaves you $6/month more than Circle. Here's the full breakdown — and where that flips.
| Circle | Kajabi | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Community platforms | Course platforms |
| Entry price | from $89/mo | from $143/mo |
| Platform fee | Professional 2%; Business 1%; Plus 0.5%. Separate from Stripe. | 0% with Kajabi Payments on all tiers. External gateway adds 2% (Basic), 1% (Growth), 0.5% (Pro). |
| Take-home on $3k/60 sales | $2,746 | $2,752 |
| Effective take rate | 8.5% | 8.3% |
| Affiliate payout | 20% recurring | 30% recurring |
| Best for | Professional, branded communities and cohort/course businesses wanting a polished platform | Established creators wanting a premium all-in-one (courses + email + funnels + community) |
Who keeps you more?
Modeled on each platform's entry tier, Kajabi wins at $3k/month. But the Circle/Kajabi gap depends on your revenue and sales volume — platforms with a monthly fee but 0% cut pull ahead as you scale, while free/percentage platforms win at low volume. Run your exact numbers →
Choose Circle if…
Professional, branded communities and cohort/course businesses wanting a polished platform.
Choose Kajabi if…
Established creators wanting a premium all-in-one (courses + email + funnels + community).