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Software · head to head

Canvas vs Kajabi

Canvas logo

Canvas

Software

Open-source LMS for engaging learning experiences

From
$5/student-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: Canvas basic analytics lack predictive intelligence or advanced student success insights; Kajabi starter plan limited to 1 product, 1 community, and 1 website; requires upgrade for scaling
  • They diverge on capability: Canvas covers Course management, Kajabi covers Course builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Canvas and Kajabi actually diverge.

Attributes where Canvas and Kajabi differ
AttributeCanvasKajabi
Starting price$5/student-year$179/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Founded20082010

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Canvas

  • Course management
  • Assignment submission
  • Gradebook
  • Discussion forums
  • Quizzes
  • Video conferencing
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams

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.

Canvas

  • Online coursesnot Kajabi
  • Blended learningnot Kajabi
  • Course managementnot Kajabi
  • Student assessmentnot Kajabi

Kajabi

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

Where each one falls short

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

Canvas

  • Basic analytics lack predictive intelligence or advanced student success insights
  • Course structure is traditional and may not support competency-based or adaptive learning paths without supplementary tools

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

Canvas

$5/student-year

No published plan breakdown. See the Canvas review.

Kajabi

$179/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Kajabi review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Canvas if

  • You need course management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want assignment submission.
Canvas 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 Canvas or Kajabi better?
Neither clearly leads. Canvas starts at $5/student-year and Kajabi at $179/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Canvas or Kajabi?
Canvas starts at $5/student-year and Kajabi at $179/month.
Does Canvas or Kajabi run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Canvas best used for?
Canvas is most often used for online courses, blended learning, course management, student assessment. Of those, online courses and blended learning are not what Kajabi is typically brought in for.
What can Canvas do that Kajabi cannot?
Canvas covers Course management, Assignment submission, Gradebook, Discussion forums. 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

Canvas: Does Canvas work offline?

Canvas has launched offline access for its student mobile app, allowing students to view pre-selected course content without internet. However, offline access is view-only and submissions require reconnecting to the internet.

Source
Canvas: What integrations does Canvas support?

Canvas supports hundreds of external applications through its App Center using LTI standards, including video platforms, plagiarism detection tools, and digital textbooks through a standardized integration framework.

Source
Canvas: How does Canvas handle course analytics?

Canvas provides built-in reporting that covers grades and student engagement, but lacks predictive analytics or advanced student success insights that some institutions require.

Source
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Related pages

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