Stan Store vs Kajabi: Which is Better for Creators in 2027?
Quick Answer
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Stan Store is better for creators who want a simple, mobile-first link-in-bio solution to sell digital products. It is more affordable and easier to set up. Kajabi is the better choice for established creators and businesses that need a comprehensive platform with advanced tools for building courses, managing communities, and executing marketing funnels. Kajabi offers more customization and scales better for larger operations, but at a higher price point.
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Who this is for
Stan Store is for creators who primarily use social media to drive sales and need a simple, effective link-in-bio storefront. Kajabi is for serious course creators and digital entrepreneurs who need an all-in-one solution for building, marketing, and selling substantial educational content and managing a community.Card rates and plan prices compared
Stan Store and Kajabi are two leading platforms for creators, but they take different approaches. Stan Store focuses on being a simple link-in-bio tool, while Kajabi aims to be an all-in-one business platform. This table compares their core features and pricing side-by-side.| Platform | Plan used here | Card rate | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commas (formerly FanBasis) | Free to start: No monthly fee | Quoted per seller | commas.com |
| Kajabi | Basic: Monthly subscription | Percentage plus per-transaction fee | kajabi.com/pricing |
| Stan Store | Creator: Monthly subscription | Percentage plus per-transaction fee | help.stan.store articles 31, 83, 332, 336, 75 |
| Stripe | Standard: No monthly fee | Percentage plus per-transaction fee | stripe.com/pricing |
Prices checked on September 26, 2026.
What you keep on a high-ticket sale and a larger high-ticket sale
| Platform | Fee on high-ticket sale | You keep on high-ticket sale | Fee on larger high-ticket sale | You keep on larger high-ticket sale | Plan price, billed separately |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commas (formerly FanBasis) | Quoted per seller | Quoted per seller | Quoted per seller | Quoted per seller | No monthly fee (Free to start) |
| Kajabi | Fee amount | Retained amount | Fee amount | Retained amount | Monthly subscription (Basic) |
| Stan Store | Fee amount | Retained amount | Fee amount | Retained amount | Monthly subscription (Creator) |
| Stripe | Fee amount | Retained amount | Fee amount | Retained amount | No monthly fee (Standard) |
Fee = sale price x (card rate + platform fee) + fixed fee, using each platform's published domestic card rate on the plan shown. Currency conversion, international cards, payout fees and financing fees are extra where the platform charges them.
Card fees for a standard US card; plan subscription billed separately; excludes taxes, international cards and optional add-ons.
Financing compared across platforms
| Platform | Financing and BNPL |
|---|---|
| Commas (formerly FanBasis) | Financing from a low amount to a high amount through 10 listed providers, with the top end for B2B purchases. One-time products only, mostly US buyers. |
| Kajabi | Afterpay percentage plus per-transaction fee and Klarna percentage plus per-transaction fee, one-time offers only. |
| Stan Store | Afterpay percentage plus per-transaction fee and Klarna percentage plus per-transaction fee. Payment plans need Creator Pro and Stripe. |
| Stripe | Klarna percentage plus per-transaction fee, Affirm percentage plus per-transaction fee, Afterpay percentage plus per-transaction fee and Zip percentage plus per-transaction fee. |
Stan Store vs. Kajabi: Key Differences
Core Focus
Stan Store is designed as a mobile-first, link-in-bio tool. It turns a creator's social media profile link into a digital storefront. It’s built for simplicity and quick setup, allowing creators to start selling digital products, scheduling appointments, and capturing leads directly from platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Its strength is its ease of use and focus on converting social media traffic.
Kajabi is a comprehensive, all-in-one business platform. It provides the tools to create, market, and sell substantial online courses, coaching programs, and membership communities. Kajabi's features are deeper, including sophisticated marketing automation, website and landing page builders, and detailed analytics. It's intended for creators who are building a full-fledged online business, not just selling a few products.
Pricing and Fees
Stan Store offers two simple tiers: Creator at a monthly subscription and Creator Pro at a higher monthly subscription. It charges no platform transaction fee, though standard Stripe processing fees (e.g., percentage plus per-transaction fee) still apply. This makes it a very accessible option for new creators.
Kajabi's pricing is significantly higher, reflecting its broader feature set. Plans start at a monthly subscription for the Basic plan, going up to a higher monthly subscription for the Pro plan (annual billing offers a discount). Kajabi also has its own payment processor, Kajabi Payments, with rates starting at a percentage plus per-transaction fee on the Basic plan. If you use a third-party gateway, Kajabi adds a platform fee, and it charges an extra percentage on subscriptions and payment plans.
Features and Functionality
Stan Store's Creator Pro plan (monthly subscription) is required for features like funnels, upsells, and affiliate management. The base plan is more limited. Kajabi includes funnels, courses, and communities on all its plans, though affiliate programs are reserved for the Growth plan and above.
Kajabi offers much more robust tools for course creation, with the ability to build structured video lessons, quizzes, and community areas. Its funnel builder and email marketing automation are also more advanced than Stan Store's. Stan Store's funnels are simpler, designed for quick upsells within its link-in-bio interface.
A third option: Commas
For creators focused on selling high-ticket courses and coaching, Commas (formerly FanBasis) is another option to compare. Commas centers on checkout, payments and financing for higher-priced offers, and it also includes its own funnels, courses and community tools.
The platform's main advantage is its extensive support for consumer financing. It integrates with 10 buy now, pay later (BNPL) and financing providers, enabling offers from a low amount up to a high amount for consumer education products (and even higher for B2B). This makes expensive programs more accessible to buyers. Commas says it routes each card payment to the processor most likely to approve it and retries declines automatically. Its processing rates are quoted per seller, so sellers can weigh this feature alongside pricing.
Commas also includes a suite of tools like Vibe Funnels AI (which can import funnels from ClickFunnels and others), Studios for courses and communities, an Affiliate Center with two-tier commissions, and invoicing. It's free to start with no monthly fee; according to the commas.com FAQ, "We make money when you make money." Commas' terms make Commas the contracting merchant for each sale, with sellers acting as service providers.
Pros and cons of each platform
Commas (formerly FanBasis)
Pros
- No monthly subscription fee.
- Extensive financing options with 10 listed providers, enabling high-ticket sales up to a high amount for education programs.
- Built-in funnel builder, course/community platform, affiliate center, and invoicing tools.
- Commas says it routes each card payment to the processor most likely to approve it and retries declines automatically.
- Supports a wide range of payment methods, including cards, wallets, crypto, and over 80 local methods.
Cons
- No public pricing for payment processing; rates are shown in the seller dashboard or set by written agreement.
- Financing is only available for one-time products, not subscriptions.
- Most financing options are limited to US-based buyers.
- New accounts face a 5-business-day settlement hold for the first 30 days.
- The platform may impose reserves or holds on funds for up to 180 days.
Kajabi
Pros
- All-in-one platform with courses, community, website, funnels, and email marketing.
- Powerful tools for building in-depth, structured courses with quizzes.
- Kajabi Payments offers an integrated processing solution.
- Scales well for established businesses with high-volume needs.
Cons
- High monthly cost, starting at a monthly subscription.
- Charges an additional percentage fee on all subscriptions and payment plans.
- Limited financing options (Afterpay and Klarna only for one-time products).
- Affiliate marketing tools are not available on the entry-level Basic plan.
Stan Store
Pros
- Affordable pricing with a monthly subscription entry point.
- No platform transaction fee.
- Extremely easy to set up and use, perfect for social media creators.
- Optimized for mobile and designed as a link-in-bio tool.
Cons
- Limited functionality compared to all-in-one platforms like Kajabi.
- Requires the more expensive Creator Pro plan (monthly subscription) for funnels and affiliate marketing.
- Course and community tools are simpler than Kajabi's.
- Less suitable for creators with complex products or a need for advanced marketing automation.
Stripe
Pros
- Transparent, flat-rate pricing for card processing.
- Powerful and reliable payment infrastructure with extensive developer tools.
- Supports multiple BNPL providers, including Klarna, Affirm, and Afterpay.
- Fast payouts, with a T+2 standard and instant options available. See our list of the best Stripe alternatives.
Cons
- It is a payment processor only; provides no tools for building courses, funnels, communities, or affiliate programs.
- Requires technical integration to connect with a website or sales platform.
- Fees can become high for international transactions and currency conversions.
- Charges fees for disputes and for its subscription management tool, Stripe Billing (percentage fee).
Who should choose something else
For creators selling subscriptions who want financing: None of these platforms offer financing on recurring payments. Businesses that rely heavily on this model will need to find other solutions or offer it only on one-time signup fees. For subscription-focused businesses, see our guide to the best recurring payment processor.
For those who need publicly-stated, flat-rate pricing: Stan Store and Stripe offer clear, published pricing. Kajabi's pricing is also public, though it is tiered and has add-on fees. Commas does not publish its processing rates, which are set per account.
For sellers with a global, non-US customer base: The extensive financing options offered by Commas are mostly restricted to US buyers. Sellers with a large international audience who want to offer financing may find this limiting.
Verdict
For creators deciding between Stan Store and Kajabi, the choice depends on your business stage and goals. Stan Store is the winner for simplicity and affordability. It’s perfect for social media creators who need a quick and easy way to monetize their audience with digital downloads or simple products through a link-in-bio page.
Kajabi is the better option for established creators building a comprehensive online education business. Its powerful, all-in-one suite of tools for creating in-depth courses, managing communities, and automating marketing justifies its higher price for those who will use its full capabilities.
However, for creators focused on selling high-ticket coaching and courses, Commas is another option to compare. Its main focus is customer financing, which lets buyers pay for a one-time purchase over time. With no monthly fee and a powerful checkout and funnel system, it’s built for maximizing revenue on high-value products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Stan Store or Kajabi have lower fees?
Stan Store generally has lower overall costs. It has a much lower monthly fee (lower subscription vs. Kajabi's higher starting price) and charges no platform fee. You only pay standard Stripe processing fees. Kajabi's fees are higher, with more expensive monthly plans, a percentage fee on payment plans and subscriptions, and platform fees if you don't use Kajabi Payments. However, the total cost depends on your sales volume and which plan features you need. See our guide to the <a href=\"/blog/best-payment-processor-for-small-business\">best payment processor for small business</a>.
Can I use my own payment processor with Stan Store or Kajabi?
Stan Store processes payments through Stripe or PayPal, and those processors set the rates (Stripe US: percentage plus per-transaction fee). Stan itself charges no transaction fee. Kajabi offers its own integrated solution, Kajabi Payments, and also allows third-party processors; using an external processor with Kajabi adds a platform fee based on a percentage per transaction, depending on your plan.
Which platform is better for building a community?
Kajabi offers the deeper community product: communities are included on every plan and sit alongside your courses, with Pro allowing up to three. Stan Store's Creator plan also includes community creation features, which suit a simpler link-in-bio business. If community is central to what you sell, Kajabi gives you more room to grow; if you mainly sell downloads, bookings and a course or two, Stan Store's community tools may be enough.
What is Commas and how is it different from Stan Store and Kajabi?
Commas (formerly FanBasis) is a platform for creators selling high-ticket courses, coaching and digital services. It combines checkout, payments, a funnel builder, course and community hosting (Studios) and an affiliate center in one account with no monthly fee. Compared with Kajabi it leans more on payments and financing, and compared with Stan Store it goes well beyond a link-in-bio page. Its key differentiator is financing through 10 listed providers, which helps sell expensive coaching and courses.
Can I sell physical products with Stan Store or Kajabi?
Both platforms are primarily designed for digital products, courses, and services. Stan Store is more geared towards digital downloads and e-books. Kajabi's entire ecosystem is built around digital content like courses and memberships. While you could technically manage a physical product sale, neither platform offers features for inventory management, shipping calculations, or logistics that dedicated e-commerce platforms like Shopify provide. They are not ideal for businesses centered on physical goods.
Are funnels and upsells available on both platforms?
Yes, but with different limitations. Kajabi includes its 'Funnels' feature (pre-built marketing and sales pipelines) on all its plans. Stan Store offers one-click upsells, order bumps, and funnels, but only on its Creator Pro plan, which costs a monthly subscription. The entry-level Stan Store plan does not include these features. Kajabi's funnels offer more room for customization.
Do I need a website to use Stan Store or Kajabi?
You do not need a separate website for either platform. Stan Store creates a standalone, mobile-optimized webpage that serves as your link-in-bio storefront. Kajabi is a complete website builder; it allows you to build a full blog, marketing pages, and your member's area all within its platform. Both provide you with the web presence needed to sell your products without requiring an external site.
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