In the world of digital marketing and online sales, the tools you use can make a significant difference in your business’s success.
ThriveCart and ClickFunnels are two of the most popular platforms designed to help businesses optimize their sales processes – we might be biased (you are reading the ThriveCart blog, after all), we believe ThriveCart is the best all-rounder for increasing conversions and creating beautiful checkouts that make sales.
In this article, we’ll give you a comprehensive comparison of ThriveCart and ClickFunnels to help you decide which platform is best for you.
Overview of ThriveCart
What is ThriveCart?
ThriveCart is a powerful cart and checkout software designed to help businesses create high-converting checkout pages, manage subscriptions, and optimize their sales processes. That’s us – hi! We’re particularly known for our ease of use and robust features, including one-click upsells, order bumps, and affiliate management platform as well as our course builder, ThriveCart Learn (included with every purchase).
ThriveCart’s Key Features:
- High-Converting Checkout Pages: ThriveCart offers customizable, conversion-optimized checkout pages to reduce cart abandonment and increase sales.
- Subscription Management: Easily manage recurring payments and subscription products with automated billing and customer management tools.
- One-Click Upsells and Order Bumps: Increase average order value with seamless upsell and order bump features.
- Integrations: ThriveCart integrates with a wide range of third-party tools, including email marketing platforms, membership sites, and payment gateways.
- Affiliate Management: Built-in affiliate management tools to track and manage your affiliate partners.
Pricing
We operate on a one-time payment model, providing lifetime access to the platform with no recurring fees. When you get the Standard plan for $495, you get access to ThriveCart Learn, our checkout templates, integrations, and everything you need to start making sales. Upgrade to Pro for a one-time payment of $195 more, and you get access to advanced features such as affiliate management and JV contracts.
Our one-time lifetime license can be highly cost-effective in the long run compared to subscription-based services, so if cost is a factor for you, ThriveCart has the edge.
Overview of ClickFunnels
What is ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is an all-in-one marketing platform designed to build sales funnels, landing pages, and marketing automation sequences. It aims to simplify the process of creating and optimizing sales funnels, making it easier for businesses to generate leads and increase conversions.
Key Features of ClickFunnels
- Sales Funnel Builder: Drag-and-drop builder to create complete sales funnels, from landing pages to checkout and upsell pages.
- Membership Sites: Create and manage membership sites with ease, offering exclusive content to paying members.
- Email Marketing and Automation: Integrated email marketing and automation tools to nurture leads and engage customers.
- A/B Testing: Built-in A/B testing capabilities to optimize pages and funnels for maximum performance.
- Integrations: ClickFunnels integrates with various third-party services, including email providers, payment gateways, and webinar platforms.
Pricing
ClickFunnels offers a subscription-based pricing model with two main plans: the Standard plan at $127 per month (billed annually) and the Platinum plan at $157 per month. The Platinum plan includes more advanced features and higher usage limits.
It does not offer a lifetime license, however. This means you’ll be paying $1,524 for just one year of ClickFunnels’ basic plan, while ThriveCart Pro includes all advanced features and will only cost you $690 for life.
ThriveCart vs. ClickFunnels: Diving into the Details
“How easy is it to use?”
ThriveCart: ThriveCart is renowned for its user-friendly interface. We’ve made our platform straightforward to set up and use, making it accessible even for those with limited technical skills. The drag-and-drop builder for checkout pages and the intuitive dashboard streamline the setup process.
ClickFunnels: ClickFunnels also offers a user-friendly experience, especially for creating complex sales funnels. The drag-and-drop funnel builder simplifies the process of designing and customizing funnels. However, the breadth of features can sometimes be overwhelming for new users.
“Can I make sales funnels?”
ThriveCart: ThriveCart excels in creating high-converting checkout pages and managing the checkout process. While it offers basic funnel features like one-click upsells and order bumps, it is primarily focused on optimizing the point of sale and managing subscriptions.
ClickFunnels: ClickFunnels is a comprehensive sales funnel builder, providing end-to-end funnel creation capabilities. From landing pages and sales pages to order forms and upsell sequences, ClickFunnels covers every aspect of a sales funnel. This makes it ideal for businesses looking to build complex, multi-step funnels.
“Can I offer subscriptions?”
ThriveCart: ThriveCart offers robust subscription management features, including automated billing, recurring payments, and detailed reporting. It is an excellent choice for businesses with subscription-based models or those looking to add subscription options to their product lineup.
ClickFunnels: ClickFunnels also supports subscription products, but its subscription management features are not as advanced or specialized as those in ThriveCart. While it can handle recurring billing, it lacks some of the detailed management and reporting features that ThriveCart offers.
“Does it work with my existing tech stack?”
ThriveCart: ThriveCart integrates seamlessly with a wide range of third-party tools, including popular email marketing platforms (such as Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign), payment gateways (such as Stripe and PayPal), and membership site platforms (such as MemberPress and Teachable), even though ThriveCart Learn is included and can be used to build and host online courses and membership products. This makes it highly versatile and easy to incorporate into existing workflows.
ClickFunnels: ClickFunnels also offers a wide array of integrations, including email services (like GetResponse and Drip), payment processors (such as Stripe and PayPal), and webinar platforms (such as WebinarJam and EverWebinar).
“Can I start my own affiliate platform?”
ThriveCart: ThriveCart includes built-in affiliate management tools on the Pro plan, allowing you to create and manage your own affiliate programs. You can track affiliate performance, set commission structures, and manage payouts directly.
ClickFunnels: ClickFunnels offers affiliate management through its Backpack feature, available on the Platinum plan. Backpack allows you to manage affiliates, track performance, and automate payouts.
“Which is better value for money?”
ThriveCart: ThriveCart’s one-time payment model provides superior long-term value. For a single payment, you get lifetime access to the platform with no recurring fees, making it an economical choice for businesses looking to minimize ongoing costs.
ClickFunnels: ClickFunnels operates on a subscription basis, which can become expensive: for example, $690 will pay for lifetime access to ThriveCart Pro, but for the same money you’ll get less than six months of ClickFunnels.
“Is the support good?”
ThriveCart: ThriveCart offers robust customer support, including detailed documentation, tutorials, and a responsive support team. There is also an active user community on Facebook where you can find tips, share experiences, and get advice from other ThriveCart users.
ClickFunnels: ClickFunnels provides comprehensive customer support through various channels, including live chat, email support, and a vast knowledge base. Additionally, the ClickFunnels community is large and active, offering a wealth of resources, webinars, and events to help users get the most out of the platform.
Which Platform is Right for Me?
When to Choose ThriveCart:
- Subscription-Based Businesses: ThriveCart’s advanced subscription management features make it ideal for businesses that rely heavily on recurring revenue models.
- Simplicity and Cost-Effectiveness: If you need a straightforward solution for creating high-converting checkout pages and managing payments without the ongoing cost of subscriptions, ThriveCart is a great choice.
- Affiliate Management: ThriveCart’s built-in affiliate tools are perfect for businesses looking to launch and manage their own affiliate programs.
When to Choose ClickFunnels:
- Comprehensive Sales Funnels: If your primary need is to build detailed, multi-step sales funnels, ClickFunnels offers unmatched capabilities in this area.
- All-in-One Marketing Solution: For businesses seeking an all-encompassing platform that includes funnel building, email marketing, membership sites, and more, ClickFunnels is a powerful option.
- High-Ticket Products and Services: ClickFunnels is particularly effective for businesses selling high-ticket items, where complex sales funnels and advanced marketing strategies are required.
Psst – We Think ThriveCart is the Winner
This will come as no surprise, but we’re declaring ThriveCart the winner on our own blog – not just because we can, but because we legitimately think it’s the better platform for you.
However, ThriveCart and ClickFunnels are both powerful and can significantly enhance your online sales and marketing efforts. The best choice for your business will depend on your specific needs and goals.
Are you a beginner, not looking to spend a ton of time setting up complex funnels and have mid-ticket offers you want to sell online with affiliate features and in-built course hosting? ThriveCart is an excellent choice, because it takes care of the back end letting you focus on optimizing checkout processes and managing subscriptions, with a much cheaper one-time payment model.
If you’re an advanced marketer who needs a comprehensive suite of tools for building complex sales funnels and managing end-to-end marketing campaigns? ClickFunnels may be the right course of action – though it comes with a higher ongoing cost.
There’s no better way of finding out than trying ThriveCart for yourself today – click below to learn more.
