Choosing the best online checkout and sales funnel platform can make a big difference in conversions and overall revenue. Two of the top contenders in this space are ThriveCart and ClickFunnels.
ThriveCart focuses on providing powerful checkout and cart features, while ClickFunnels is known for its extensive funnel-building capabilities. Each has its advantages, but ThriveCart’s streamlined checkout process, robust affiliate program, and lifetime pricing model make it a strong choice for businesses focused on optimizing their cart experience.
Here, we’ll break down the unique features, benefits, and pricing of each platform to help you make an informed decision.
ThriveCart: A Closer Look
Best For: Digital product creators, course sellers, small businesses, and anyone focused on a streamlined, high-conversion checkout process.
Key Features:
- One-Time Fee: ThriveCart offers lifetime access with a one-time payment, which is a major plus for businesses looking to minimize ongoing expenses.
- Optimized Checkout Pages: ThriveCart’s checkout pages are highly customizable and optimized for conversions, featuring one-click upsells and downsells.
- Built-in Affiliate Management: ThriveCart includes a robust affiliate management system, enabling users to recruit, manage, and pay affiliates seamlessly.
- Subscription Billing: Supports recurring billing for subscription-based products and services.
- Integrations: ThriveCart works well with other payment processors like PayPal and Stripe and integrates with various third-party applications like MailChimp, Zapier, and ActiveCampaign.
- Sales Tax Calculation: ThriveCart automatically calculates sales tax based on customer location, simplifying tax compliance.
Benefits of ThriveCart
- Cost-Effective: ThriveCart’s one-time fee can save businesses money in the long term, especially when compared to platforms with monthly subscription fees.
- Optimized Checkout Experience: ThriveCart is designed to reduce cart abandonment and maximize conversions, thanks to a streamlined checkout experience and upsell/downsell options.
- Efficient Affiliate Management: ThriveCart’s affiliate system is built-in, so you don’t need additional plugins or services to manage affiliate sales and payouts.
- User-Friendly: ThriveCart is designed for ease of use, allowing users to set up products and checkout pages with minimal effort.
- Strong Customer Support: ThriveCart provides reliable customer support, ensuring you have help whenever you need it.
Pricing
ThriveCart charges a one-time fee of $495 for lifetime access. This includes access to all core features, with no ongoing monthly or annual fees, making it an affordable option for businesses in the long run.
ClickFunnels: A Closer Look
Best For: Businesses and entrepreneurs focused on building comprehensive sales funnels, especially those offering multiple upsells and cross-sells.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-Drop Funnel Builder: ClickFunnels offers an intuitive drag-and-drop builder, allowing users to create complex sales funnels with ease.
- Page Templates: With ClickFunnels, you get access to a large selection of customizable templates for landing pages, opt-ins, webinar pages, and more.
- Integrated Email Marketing: ClickFunnels includes basic email marketing features with its Actionetics tool, which allows users to follow up with leads automatically.
- Membership Site Creation: For those selling courses or membership sites, ClickFunnels has a built-in membership site feature, eliminating the need for a separate platform.
- Affiliate Management: ClickFunnels’ Etison Suite plan includes an affiliate management tool, allowing businesses to recruit and manage affiliates.
- One-Click Upsells and Downsells: Like ThriveCart, ClickFunnels also supports one-click upsells and downsells, enabling additional revenue from existing customers.
Benefits of ClickFunnels
- Comprehensive Funnel Building: ClickFunnels is designed to create entire sales funnels, making it ideal for businesses with multi-step processes or complex product offerings.
- All-in-One Platform: ClickFunnels integrates landing pages, email marketing, and membership features, which is great for users wanting an all-in-one solution.
- Easy to Use: With its drag-and-drop builder and ready-made templates, ClickFunnels simplifies the process of funnel creation.
- Membership Site Support: ClickFunnels makes it easy to create and manage membership sites, which is a plus for course creators.
- Active Community and Resources: ClickFunnels has a strong community of users, as well as numerous online resources and tutorials.
Pricing
ClickFunnels starts at $97/month for the basic plan, which includes core funnel-building features. The Etison Suite, which includes the affiliate management tool and other advanced features, costs $297/month.
ThriveCart vs. ClickFunnels: Key Differences
- Pricing: ThriveCart’s one-time payment of $495 is highly cost-effective compared to ClickFunnels’ monthly subscription. Over time, ThriveCart becomes more affordable, while ClickFunnels may prove costly, especially for small businesses.
- Checkout Experience: ThriveCart is dedicated to creating an optimized, streamlined checkout experience, which can significantly reduce cart abandonment rates. ClickFunnels, on the other hand, provides checkout options within its funnels but is not as focused on cart optimization.
- Sales Funnels: ClickFunnels is designed for businesses that need a comprehensive sales funnel, which includes landing pages, email follow-ups, and membership options. ThriveCart is better suited for a simpler checkout process without additional funnel steps.
- Affiliate Management: Both platforms offer affiliate management, but ThriveCart’s tool is built into all plans, while ClickFunnels requires an upgrade to the $297/month Etison Suite.
- Customization: ThriveCart’s checkout pages offer high levels of customization with pre-built templates and customization options. ClickFunnels offers more customization for landing and funnel pages but less focus on optimizing the checkout process itself.
Conclusion
Both ThriveCart and ClickFunnels are powerful platforms with unique benefits, but choosing between them largely depends on your business’s specific needs. If you’re primarily focused on checkout optimization, affiliate management, and cost savings, ThriveCart stands out as the better option. Its one-time fee and streamlined features for digital product sales make it ideal for creators and small businesses looking to reduce costs without compromising on conversion-boosting features.
ClickFunnels, however, excels as an all-in-one sales funnel platform. For businesses with complex funnels, multiple upsell steps, or membership sites, ClickFunnels is an ideal choice, offering all the necessary tools in one place. Keep in mind, though, that ClickFunnels comes with a higher ongoing cost, which may not be ideal for those on a tight budget.
In summary, ThriveCart is ideal for businesses that want a simple, powerful checkout and affiliate system without ongoing monthly fees. ClickFunnels, while more expensive, provides a complete suite for funnel creation, making it a strong choice for businesses needing comprehensive funnel management. Consider your budget, product type, and business goals to determine which platform is right for you.
Comparison Table of Features, Benefits, and Costs
