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Software · head to head

Blackboard vs Kajabi

Blackboard logo

Blackboard

Software

Comprehensive learning platform for educational institutions

From
$10/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kajabi logo

Kajabi

Software

All-in-one platform for knowledge entrepreneurs

From
$179/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Blackboard user interface is outdated, cluttered, and unintuitive with hidden menus and excessive clicks; Kajabi starter plan limited to 1 product, 1 community, and 1 website; requires upgrade for scaling
  • They diverge on capability: Blackboard covers Course management, Kajabi covers Course builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blackboard and Kajabi actually diverge.

Attributes where Blackboard and Kajabi differ
AttributeBlackboardKajabi
Starting price$10/year$179/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
Founded19972010

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Blackboard

  • Course management
  • Assessment tools
  • Discussion boards
  • Virtual classroom
  • Gradebook
  • Accessibility
  • SIS systems
  • Turnitin

Only in Kajabi

  • Course builder
  • Website builder
  • Email marketing
  • Sales funnels
  • Memberships
  • Communities
  • Zapier
  • Stripe

Both cover

  • Mobile app
  • Analytics
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Blackboard

  • Course deliverynot Kajabi
  • Student engagementnot Kajabi
  • Assessmentnot Kajabi
  • Virtual learningnot Kajabi

Kajabi

  • Solo creators launching single digital products or coursesnot Blackboard
  • Small coaching businesses with course, community, and email marketing needsnot Blackboard
  • Multi-product creators requiring customisation and white-label optionsnot Blackboard

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Blackboard

  • User interface is outdated, cluttered, and unintuitive with hidden menus and excessive clicks
  • Slow response times and platform crashes when opening multiple tabs simultaneously
  • Cannot track detailed student activity beyond most recent login information
  • Limited ability to handle large file uploads for content and assignments
  • Minimal customization options for page and template design

Kajabi

  • Starter plan limited to 1 product, 1 community, and 1 website; requires upgrade for scaling
  • Starter and Basic tiers support only 1 community each; Growth tier caps at 1 community (Pro tier reaches 3)
  • Payment processing fees 2.9%–2.7% (Kajabi Payments) plus 5%–0.5% for third-party providers, tiered by plan
  • Admin user allowances escalate significantly: Starter (default 1), Basic (2), Growth (11), Pro (26)

Pricing, plan by plan

Blackboard

$10/year

No published plan breakdown. See the Blackboard review.

Kajabi

$179/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Kajabi review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Blackboard if

  • You need course management.
  • You also want assessment tools.
Blackboard review

Choose Kajabi if

  • You need course builder.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want website builder.
Kajabi review

Questions people ask

Is Blackboard or Kajabi better?
Neither clearly leads. Blackboard starts at $10/year and Kajabi at $179/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blackboard or Kajabi?
Blackboard starts at $10/year and Kajabi at $179/month.
Does Blackboard or Kajabi run on more platforms?
Blackboard runs on Web. Kajabi runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Blackboard best used for?
Blackboard is most often used for course delivery, student engagement, assessment, virtual learning. Of those, course delivery and student engagement are not what Kajabi is typically brought in for.
What can Blackboard do that Kajabi cannot?
Blackboard covers Course management, Assessment tools, Discussion boards, Virtual classroom. Kajabi covers Course builder, Website builder, Email marketing, Sales funnels. Both handle Mobile app, Analytics, Web support, IOS support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Blackboard: What does Blackboard LMS offer?

Blackboard is a learning management system that includes course management, assignment and gradebook tools, discussion forums, and analytics for tracking learner progress in online, hybrid, and in-person courses.

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