Kartra and HighLevel both promise to replace a collection of marketing tools. That makes the decision sound like a feature comparison. In practice, the better question is what kind of business you are building and how much complexity you want to manage.
Kartra is designed around selling digital products, memberships and services through pages, email and automated campaigns. HighLevel combines websites, funnels, CRM, pipelines, calendars, automation, reputation tools and broader client communication. It began with agencies in mind, although many coaches and course creators now use it directly or through a supported white-label provider.
Kartra vs HighLevel pricing
| Entry plan | Monthly price | Annual price | Approximate GBP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kartra Essentials | $59 monthly | $624 yearly, billed annually | £43.54 monthly or £460.51 yearly |
| HighLevel Starter | $97 monthly | $970 yearly | £71.59 monthly or £715.86 yearly |
| Ready Made Marketer (HL/RMM) | £79 monthly, including VAT | £790 yearly, including VAT | About $107.05 monthly or $1,070.46 yearly |
Kartra Essentials is cheaper, but the limits matter. At the time of checking, it included 500 contacts, 10,000 emails per month, five pages, one product and one membership or course, plus a 5% transaction fee. Kartra Starter increased the allowance and removed the platform transaction fee at $119 monthly or $1,188 yearly.
HighLevel Starter costs more at entry level, but its value is tied to the breadth of the CRM, pipelines, calendars and automation. Usage-based communication and premium services can add to the bill. Ready Made Marketer is built on the same HighLevel core technology (HL/RMM) and offers unlimited everything in the system with no gatekeeping for £79 a month or £790 a year, including VAT. RMM includes 10,000 emails free every month; after that, additional email sends are around $10 (approximately £7.70) per 10,000 emails. Some advanced features such as AI carry a small usage-based charge. You can compare the RMM monthly and yearly options on our pricing page.
Where Kartra is stronger
Kartra is often easier to understand when the business revolves around a small number of digital products, courses or memberships. Its campaign-led approach keeps pages, email, checkout and delivery close together.
Choose Kartra if:
- you want a product-led platform with a relatively simple customer journey;
- your contact and page requirements fit the plan limits;
- you don’t need agency-style account management or a highly flexible CRM;
- you are comfortable implementing the system yourself.
Where HighLevel is stronger
HighLevel is usually the better fit when leads move through several stages before buying. Its CRM, opportunity pipelines, calendars, forms and workflows can track the journey from first enquiry to follow-up, sale and ongoing service.
Choose HighLevel if:
- appointments and sales conversations are central to the business;
- you need flexible pipelines and detailed automation;
- you want websites, funnels, CRM and client communication in one system;
- you are an agency or need room for a more complex setup.
The support question most comparisons miss
The same powerful system can feel very different depending on how it is supplied. A direct software subscription gives you the platform. A supported white-label service such as Ready Made Marketer combines the HighLevel technology with templates, training and practical help for UK coaches, consultants and course creators. You can explore RMM pricing to see how this fits into your budget. If you'd rather evaluate the underlying platform on your own first, you can start a 14-day HighLevel trial.
That doesn’t automatically make it the right choice. It does mean you should compare the complete buying experience, not only the feature list.
Verdict
Kartra is the stronger option for a relatively focused product, course or membership business that wants an established all-in-one platform at a lower entry price. HighLevel is stronger for CRM-led businesses that need deeper automation, appointments, pipelines and a joined-up customer journey.
If HighLevel appeals but the setup feels daunting, compare direct access with a supported provider before deciding.
