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Kajabi vs Substack fees
How Kajabi and Substack fees compare, using each vendor's public pricing. Best plan = highest net at that size.
50 members at $19.00/month
| Platform (best plan) | Gross | Platform plan + fees | Processing | Net / month | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kajabi (Basic) | $950.00 | $143.00 | $42.55 | $764.45 | ✓ verified |
| Substack (Paid subscriptions) | $950.00 | $95.00 | $49.20 | $805.80 | ✓ verified |
200 members at $29.00/month
| Platform (best plan) | Gross | Platform plan + fees | Processing | Net / month | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kajabi (Basic) | $5,800.00 | $143.00 | $228.20 | $5,428.80 | ✓ verified |
| Substack (Paid subscriptions) | $5,800.00 | $580.00 | $268.80 | $4,951.20 | ✓ verified |
1,000 members at $29.00/month
| Platform (best plan) | Gross | Platform plan + fees | Processing | Net / month | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kajabi (Basic) | $29,000.00 | $143.00 | $1,141.00 | $27,716.00 | ✓ verified |
| Substack (Paid subscriptions) | $29,000.00 | $2,900.00 | $1,344.00 | $24,756.00 | ✓ verified |
Try your own numbers in the calculator → · Full details: Kajabi pricing, Substack pricing.
Kajabi plans
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Platform fee | Payment processing | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $143.00/mo ✓ verified | $179.00/mo ✓ verified | 0% ✓ verified | 2.9% + $0.30 ✓ verified | 2,500 contacts |
| Growth | $199.00/mo ✓ verified | $249.00/mo ✓ verified | 0% ✓ verified | 2.8% + $0.30 ✓ verified | 25,000 contacts |
| Pro | $399.00/mo ✓ verified | $499.00/mo ✓ verified | 0% ✓ verified | 2.7% + $0.30 ✓ verified | 100,000 contacts |
Sources and notes
Notes
- Plan limits are 2,500, 25,000 and 100,000 contacts. The calculator warns when your member count exceeds the contact limit (members are a subset of contacts, so this is cautious).
- Kajabi runs promotions, such as time-limited free trials. Only standard prices are used here.
- Payment processing: Kajabi Payments, US cards. Fees differ by country. Using a third-party processor adds a Kajabi fee of 2%, 1% or 0.5% depending on plan.
Sources
- https://kajabi.com/pricing · verified 2026-10-18 · ✓ verified
Substack plans
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Platform fee | Payment processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid subscriptions | $0.00/mo ✓ verified | $0.00/mo ✓ verified | 10% ✓ verified | 3.6% + $0.30 ✓ verified |
Sources and notes
Notes
- Processing is Stripe's card fee (2.9% + $0.30) plus Stripe Billing (0.7%), or 3.6% + $0.30 per payment on US cards.
- Subscriptions bought in the iOS app may cost readers more to cover Apple's fees. This is not included.
- Payment processing: Stripe card fee of 2.9% + $0.30 plus 0.7% for Stripe Billing.
Sources
- https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037607131-How-much-does-Substack-cost · verified 2026-10-18 · ✓ verified
Frequently asked questions
Which keeps more at 50 members paying $19.00/month, Kajabi or Substack?
Substack (Paid subscriptions) keeps about $805.80 per month, versus about $764.45 for Kajabi (Basic), using the best plan of each. This follows the assumptions on the method page.
Which keeps more at 200 members paying $29.00/month, Kajabi or Substack?
Kajabi (Basic) keeps about $5,428.80 per month, versus about $4,951.20 for Substack (Paid subscriptions), using the best plan of each. This follows the assumptions on the method page.
Which keeps more at 1,000 members paying $29.00/month, Kajabi or Substack?
Kajabi (Basic) keeps about $27,716.00 per month, versus about $24,756.00 for Substack (Paid subscriptions), using the best plan of each. This follows the assumptions on the method page.