Kartra vs Systeme.io — Pricing, Features & Verdict (2026)
$119/mo vs FREE: where the gap actually opens up
Jump to Quick Verdict ↓VERDICT SUMMARY
Systeme.io's free plan is the better starting point for testing one product under 2,000 contacts, no card required. Also the stronger choice for Spanish-speaking markets — Systeme.io offers a fully translated platform, while Kartra's interface is English-only.
Kartra's Starter plan closes the gap for businesses needing video hosting, unlimited products and unlimited courses. It runs $119/mo billed monthly, or $99/mo billed annually. Webinars, surveys and quizzes require the Growth plan at $229/mo.
Pricing Comparison (June 2026)
| Feature | Systeme.io | Kartra |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Price | $0 (Free) | $59/mo (Essentials) |
| Mid Tier | $17/mo (Startup) | $119/mo (Starter), $99/mo annually |
| Top Tier COMPARED | $97/mo (Unlimited) | $229/mo (Growth) |
| Contacts (Entry) | 2,000 | 500 |
| Contacts (Mid) | 5,000 | 2,500 |
| Contacts (Top) | Unlimited | 12,500 |
| Courses (Entry) | 1 | 1 |
| Courses (Mid/Top) | Unlimited | Unlimited Growth adds quizzes, certificates & webinars |
| Sales Funnels / Pages | 3 (Free) → Unlimited (Webinar+) | Unlimited (all tiers) |
| Transaction Fee | 0% (all tiers) | 5% (Essentials only), 0% (Starter+) |
| Video Hosting | Not included (any tier) | Included (Starter+) |
| AI Tools | Not included | Included (all tiers) |
| Trial | No trial needed — Free plan has no time limit | 30 days, $1 charge, card required |
| Languages | English + full Spanish (website, help docs, community) | English-only interface (checkout supports 23 languages) |
Pricing verified against vendor pricing pages on July 20, 2026. Rates change — verify current pricing on each platform.
The Second Course Problem
Both Systeme.io's free plan and Kartra's Essentials plan limit you to one course. If you're testing a single offer, that's fine. But the moment you need a second course, the pricing diverges sharply:
Systeme.io
Upgrade to Startup ($17/mo) for 5 courses.
Total cost for 2 courses: $17/mo — $204/year
Kartra
Upgrade to Starter ($119/mo) for unlimited courses.
Total cost for 2 courses: $119/mo — $1,428/year
The gap is stark at the second-course stage: $102/mo, or over $1,200 a year. Annual billing on Kartra narrows it to $82/mo, still nearly 5x. Kartra closes the value gap if you need video hosting, unlimited products, or plan to scale past 5,000 contacts — but you're paying for those extras even if you don't use them yet.
Who Each Tool Fits
Kartra (Growth plan)
- Quizzes, certificates & webinars included
- Built-in video hosting & Kartra AI
- 12,500 contacts — room to scale
- Unlimited courses & pages
- $119/mo — over 6x the cost of Systeme.io Startup
- English-only interface — checkout pages support 23 languages
- Need webinars, surveys or quizzes? Those require the Growth plan at $229/mo.
Pricing verified July 20, 2026 — verify current rates on each platform before purchasing.
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