The Funnel Builder Decision That Shapes Our Business
Choosing the Best Funnel Builder Software for your online business is one of the most consequential decisions you’ll make as an entrepreneur. Your funnel builder isn’t just another tool in your software stack. It’s the foundation of how you attract prospects, convert them into customers and maximise the revenue you generate from each person who discovers your business. The right platform accelerates your growth, simplifies your operations and amplifies your marketing effectiveness. The wrong platform drains your budget, frustrates your team and ultimately limits your ability to scale profitably.
The challenge is that the funnel builder market has exploded over the past five years. Where once you had two or three legitimate options, you now face dozens of platforms all claiming to be the ultimate solution. Some are genuinely excellent. Others are mediocre tools with exceptional marketing. Many fall somewhere in between, perfectly suitable for certain businesses but completely wrong for others. Without objective comparison grounded in real-world usage rather than marketing promises, making an informed decision becomes nearly impossible.
I’ve spent months testing the leading funnel builder platforms, implementing actual campaigns that generated real revenue, comparing total costs beyond advertised pricing and analysing which features genuinely matter versus which are merely impressive-sounding additions to marketing materials. This comprehensive comparison examines the top platforms competing for your investment, evaluates them across the metrics that actually impact business success and provides clear recommendations based on specific business models and needs.
By the end of this analysis, you’ll know exactly which platform deserves your money and which ones waste it on features you’ll never use or limitations that will frustrate your growth.
What Actually Makes Funnel Builder Software “Best”
Before comparing specific platforms, we need to establish evaluation criteria that matter.
Criterion 1: Complete Funnel Capabilities
What It Means: Can you build complete multi-page customer journeys from awareness through purchase to post-sale engagement?
Why It Matters: Single landing page builders market themselves as funnel builders but can’t create actual funnels. True funnel software guides prospects through strategic sequences.
Requirements:
- Multiple pages linked in logical flows
- Ability to split traffic between paths
- Conditional logic based on behaviour
- Upsell and downsell sequencing
- Thank you and confirmation pages
Criterion 2: Conversion Optimisation Features
What It Means: Does the platform include tools specifically designed to improve conversion rates?
Why It Matters: A 1% improvement in conversion rate can double revenue. Features that facilitate testing and optimisation directly impact profitability.
Requirements:
- A/B testing capabilities
- Analytics and conversion tracking
- Mobile optimisation
- Speed optimisation
- Heatmaps or user behaviour tracking
Criterion 3: Integrated E-commerce
What It Means: Can you actually sell products through the platform without additional tools?
Why It Matters: Many “funnel builders” create the pages but can’t process payments or deliver products, requiring expensive additional software.
Requirements:
- Checkout pages and shopping cart
- Payment gateway integration
- Order bumps and one-click upsells
- Subscription and payment plan handling
- Digital product delivery
Criterion 4: Email Marketing Integration
What It Means: Does it include email marketing or integrate seamlessly with email platforms?
Why It Matters: Funnels without follow-up leave money on the table. Email integration is essential for nurturing prospects and remarketing.
Requirements:
- Native email marketing or seamless integration
- Automation capabilities
- Segmentation based on funnel behaviour
- Broadcast messaging to lists
Criterion 5: Realistic Pricing
What It Means: What do you actually pay when accounting for limits, overages and hidden costs?
Why It Matters: Advertised prices often don’t reflect what growing businesses actually spend. Total cost of ownership varies dramatically.
Requirements:
- Transparent pricing structure
- Reasonable limits that don’t punish success
- No surprise overage charges
- Clear upgrade paths
Criterion 6: Learning Curve and Usability
What It Means: How quickly can you become productive and actually launch funnels?
Why It Matters: Complex platforms that take months to master delay revenue generation. Simplicity accelerates time to market.
Requirements:
- Intuitive interface
- Quality templates as starting points
- Helpful documentation
- Reasonable support response times
Discover why ClickFunnels remains the gold standard for serious entrepreneurs building scalable online businesses
The Contenders: Platforms Being Compared
Let’s examine the leading funnel builder platforms competing for your investment.
Platform 1: ClickFunnels
Company: Russell Brunson’s Etison LLC, launched in 2014
Market Position: Industry leader, most recognised funnel builder brand
Target User: Online course creators, coaches, consultants, digital product sellers
Starting Price: £127/month
Key Distinguishing Features:
- Complete funnel templates based on proven strategies
- Massive training library (FunnelFlix)
- Large community sharing funnels and strategies
- Native membership site hosting
- Integrated email marketing (top-tier plan)
Platform 2: Systeme.io
Company: Founded in 2018 by Aurelien Amacker
Market Position: Affordable all-in-one alternative
Target User: Beginners, bootstrapped entrepreneurs, cost-conscious businesses
Starting Price: £0/month (free plan)
Key Distinguishing Features:
- Genuinely free plan that actually works
- Unlimited email sending on all plans
- Native webinar functionality
- Dramatically lower pricing than competitors
- All features are included even on lower tiers
Platform 3: Kartra
Company: Genesis Digital (WebinarJam creators), launched in 2018
Market Position: Premium all-in-one platform
Target User: Established businesses with substantial budgets
Starting Price: £99/month
Key Distinguishing Features:
- Beautiful, polished templates
- Built-in helpdesk for customer support
- Sophisticated automation capabilities
- Video hosting with marketing features
- Agency-level features
Platform 4: Leadpages
Company: Launched in 2012, one of the earliest landing page builders
Market Position: Landing page specialist evolving toward funnels
Target User: Small businesses, coaches, local service providers
Starting Price: £37/month
Key Distinguishing Features:
- Large template library (200+ templates)
- Simple drag-and-drop builder
- Facebook ad integration
- Lead notifications and alerts
- More affordable than premium platforms
Platform 5: GetResponse
Company: An Email marketing platform that added funnel building
Market Position: Email-first platform with funnel capabilities
Target User: Businesses prioritising email marketing
Starting Price: £13/month (email only), £45/month (with funnels)
Key Distinguishing Features:
- Exceptional email marketing features
- Webinar functionality included
- Marketing automation workflows
- Strong deliverability reputation
- Affordable pricing
Platform 6: GrooveFunnels
Company: Launched in 2020, lifetime deal positioning
Market Position: All-in-one platform with aggressive pricing
Target User: Deal-seekers, businesses wanting lifetime access
Starting Price: £299 one-time (limited availability) or £99/month
Key Distinguishing Features:
- Lifetime deal offers (when available)
- Includes website builder
- Affiliate management platform
- Video hosting
- Multiple products in one suite
Discover why ClickFunnels remains the gold standard for serious entrepreneurs building scalable online businesses
Comprehensive Feature Comparison
Let’s examine how these platforms stack up across critical capabilities.
Funnel Building Capabilities
ClickFunnels:
- Pre-built funnel templates for 20+ business types
- Complete sequences from opt-in through upsells
- Drag-and-drop editor with sections
- Clone and customise existing funnels easily
- Funnel marketplace to buy/sell funnels
Rating: 5/5 (Industry standard for funnel building)
Systeme.io:
- Simple funnel builder with logical flow
- Essential templates covering common needs
- Fast creation without complexity
- Unlimited funnels on paid plans
- Straightforward customisation
Rating: 4/5 (Excellent for practical funnel needs without overwhelming features)
Kartra:
- Sophisticated funnel templates
- Beautiful design aesthetics
- Complex but powerful editor
- Membership funnel integration
- Video funnel capabilities
Rating: 4.5/5 (Powerful but with a steeper learning curve)
Leadpages:
- Primarily landing pages, limited funnel sequencing
- Can link pages manually, but not a true funnel builder
- Fast page creation
- Limited funnel logic and automation
Rating: 2.5/5 (Landing page builder marketed as a funnel tool)
GetResponse:
- Basic funnel building was added recently
- Email-centric approach to funnels
- Templates available, but limited variety
- Works well for simple sequences
Rating: 3/5 (Adequate for basic needs, not sophisticated)
GrooveFunnels:
- Comprehensive funnel builder
- Many templates available
- Still maturing (bugs reported)
- Can be glitchy at times
Rating: 3.5/5 (Good when working properly, reliability concerns)
E-commerce and Checkout
ClickFunnels:
- Complete checkout system built-in
- Order bumps at checkout
- One-click upsells and downsells
- Subscription management
- Physical and digital product delivery
- Payment plans and instalment options
Rating: 5/5 (Complete e-commerce for digital and physical products)
Systeme.io:
- Native checkout and payment processing
- Stripe and PayPal integration
- Order bumps available
- One-click upsells supported
- Digital product delivery included
- Subscription handling
Rating: 4.5/5 (Excellent e-commerce for most needs)
Kartra:
- Sophisticated checkout pages
- Multiple payment gateways
- Dunning for failed payments
- Complex product structures supported
- Subscription management
Rating: 4.5/5 (Robust but sometimes overcomplicated)
Leadpages:
- No native checkout capability
- Integrates with external checkout platforms
- Requires a separate e-commerce solution
- Can capture leads but not process sales
Rating: 1/5 (Not designed for e-commerce)
GetResponse:
- Basic checkout available
- Limited payment gateway options
- Works for simple sales
- Not sophisticated for complex products
Rating: 3/5 (Adequate for straightforward sales)
GrooveFunnels:
- GrooveSell handles e-commerce
- Checkout pages included
- Upsell functionality
- Still developing features
Rating: 3.5/5 (Functional but less proven)
Email Marketing
ClickFunnels:
- Follow-Up Funnels included on Funnel Hacker plan (£208/month)
- Basic automation on lower plans via integration
- Tag-based segmentation
- Behavioural triggers
- Requires a top tier or external tool
Rating: 3.5/5 (Good on top plan, requires integration on lower plans)
Systeme.io:
- Built-in email marketing on all plans
- Unlimited email sending (massive advantage)
- Automation workflows
- Tag-based organisation
- Simple but effective
Rating: 4.5/5 (Unlimited sending is an exceptional value)
Kartra:
- Built-in email marketing
- Sophisticated automation
- Behavioural triggers and lead scoring
- Email limits can be restrictive
Rating: 4/5 (Powerful but email limits are frustrating)
Leadpages:
- No native email marketing
- Integrates with major email platforms
- Requires a separate email subscription
Rating: 2/5 (Integration only, requires additional cost)
GetResponse:
- Best-in-class email marketing (core product)
- Exceptional automation
- Marketing workflows
- Strong deliverability
Rating: 5/5 (Email marketing is what they do best)
GrooveFunnels:
- GrooveMail handles email marketing
- Basic automation available
- Still developing features
- Deliverability being established
Rating: 3/5 (Functional but not exceptional)
Membership Sites and Course Hosting
ClickFunnels:
- Full membership site builder included
- Video hosting unlimited
- Content dripping and scheduling
- Student management
- Progress tracking
- Certificates and gamification
Rating: 5/5 (Complete course and membership hosting)
- Unlimited courses included (even on the free plan)
- Video hosting unlimited
- Simple course builder
- Content dripping supported
- Student management included
Rating: 4.5/5 (Excellent value, simpler than ClickFunnels)
Kartra:
- Beautiful membership templates
- Video hosting with marketing features
- Sophisticated member management
- Progress tracking and certificates
Rating: 4.5/5 (Polished and feature-rich)
Leadpages:
- No membership or course hosting
- Would require a separate platform
Rating: 0/5 (Not designed for this)
GetResponse:
- Basic course hosting available
- Limited compared to dedicated platforms
- Works for simple courses
Rating: 2.5/5 (Minimal functionality)
GrooveFunnels:
- GrooveMember handles memberships
- Video hosting via GrooveVideo
- Developing feature set
Rating: 3.5/5 (Functional but less mature)
Discover why ClickFunnels remains the gold standard for serious entrepreneurs building scalable online businesses
According to research from Optimizely, companies that implement regular A/B testing in their funnels see average conversion improvements of 20-40%. The platforms with the strongest testing capabilities enable this optimisation.
Detailed Pricing Analysis
Understanding real costs beyond marketing prices is essential.
ClickFunnels Pricing Reality
Basic Plan: £127/month (£1,524/year)
- 20 funnels
- Unlimited pages, contacts, courses
- 3 payment gateways
- 3 domains
- Support included
Pro Plan: £157/month (£1,884/year)
- 100 funnels
- 3 workspaces
- Everything from Basic
Funnel Hacker: £208/month (£2,496/year)
- Unlimited funnels
- Follow-Up Funnels (email marketing)
- FunnelFlix training library
- Priority support
Total Cost for Typical User: £1,524-2,496/year
Hidden Costs: Minimal. Email marketing requires a top plan or an external tool.
Systeme.io Pricing Reality
Free Plan: £0/month
- 2,000 contacts
- Unlimited emails
- 3 funnels
- 1 course
- Everything is included to start
Startup: £27/month (£324/year)
- 5,000 contacts
- 10 funnels
- 5 courses
- Remove branding
Webinar: £47/month (£564/year)
- 10,000 contacts
- 50 funnels
- Webinar functionality
Unlimited: £97/month (£1,164/year)
- Unlimited everything
- Priority support
Total Cost for Typical User: £0-564/year
Hidden Costs: None
Kartra Pricing Reality
Starter: £99/month (£1,188/year)
- 2,500 leads
- 15,000 emails/month
- 50 GB bandwidth
- Team member limitations
Silver: £199/month (£2,388/year)
- 12,500 leads
- 125,000 emails/month
- More features unlocked
Gold: £299/month (£3,588/year)
- 25,000 leads
- 250,000 emails/month
- Unlimited products
Platinum: £499/month (£5,988/year)
- 50,000 leads
- 500,000 emails/month
- 20 team members
Total Cost for Typical User: £1,188-3,588/year
Hidden Costs: Email limits trigger upgrades, bandwidth limits, and setup fees for complex implementations
Leadpages Pricing Reality
Standard: £37/month (£444/year)
- Unlimited landing pages
- Unlimited traffic
- 1 custom domain
Pro: £74/month (£888/year)
- 3 custom domains
- Online sales and payments
- 10 opt-in text campaigns
Advanced: £239/month (£2,868/year)
- 50 custom domains
- 50 opt-in text campaigns
- Advanced integrations
Total Cost for Typical User: £444-888/year
Hidden Costs: Email marketing required separately (£240-600+/year), true funnel building is limited
GetResponse Pricing Reality
Email Marketing: £13/month (£156/year)
- Email marketing only
- 1,000 contacts
Marketing Automation: £45/month (£540/year)
- Includes funnels
- 1,000 contacts
- Webinars
E-commerce Marketing: £90/month (£1,080/year)
- Advanced e-commerce features
- 1,000 contacts
Total Cost for Typical User: £540-1,080/year
Hidden Costs: Price increases with contact list growth
GrooveFunnels Pricing Reality
Lifetime Deal: £299-1,397 one-time (when available)
- Lifetime access to core features
- Various tier levels
Monthly: £99/month (£1,188/year)
- All features included
- No lifetime option
Total Cost for Typical User: £299-1,397 one-time OR £1,188/year
Hidden Costs: Lifetime deals have limited availability, and potential feature limitations on lower tiers
If you’re building your online business from scratch and need strategic guidance beyond just choosing funnel software, I’ve created a comprehensive roadmap covering everything from business model selection through profitable implementation on how to make money from home online.
Real-World Use Case Scenarios
Which platform suits specific business models?
Use Case 1: Brand New Course Creator
Profile:
- Creating the first online course
- Zero revenue currently
- Budget: £0-50/month initially
- Technical skills: Basic
- Need: Validate idea before investing heavily
Platform Analysis:
Systeme.io:
- Cost: £0 (free plan)
- Capabilities: Can build a funnel, host a course, and email students
- Verdict: Perfect fit. Zero risk validation.
ClickFunnels:
- Cost: £127/month minimum
- Capabilities: Full-featured but expensive before validation
- Verdict: Too expensive for complete beginners
Kartra:
- Cost: £99/month minimum
- Capabilities: Overkill for a beginner
- Verdict: Not recommended
Recommendation: Systeme.io decisively. Start free, upgrade when generating revenue.
Use Case 2: Established Coach Selling High-Ticket Programme
Profile:
- Current revenue: £10,000/month
- Selling coaching at £3,000-10,000
- Large email list: 15,000 subscribers
- Need: Sophisticated funnels, webinars, and email automation
- Budget: £200/month acceptable
Platform Analysis:
ClickFunnels:
- Cost: £208/month (Funnel Hacker for email)
- Capabilities: Everything needed, proven templates, massive training
- Verdict: Excellent fit
Systeme.io:
- Cost: £97/month (Unlimited plan)
- Capabilities: Handles everything at a fraction of the cost
- Verdict: Also excellent fit, significant savings
GetResponse:
- Cost: £90+/month
- Capabilities: Strong email, basic funnels, and webinars included
- Verdict: Good option if email is a priority
Recommendation: ClickFunnels or Systeme.io, depending on preference for sophistication versus cost savings. Both serve this need excellently.
Use Case 3: Digital Product Business with Multiple Products
Profile:
- Selling ebooks, templates, and software
- Revenue: £5,000/month
- Multiple products at various price points
- Need: Upsells, email sequences, product delivery
- Budget: Flexible but value-conscious
Platform Analysis:
ClickFunnels:
- Cost: £127-157/month
- Capabilities: Perfect for product funnels with upsells
- Verdict: Strong fit
Systeme.io:
- Cost: £27-47/month
- Capabilities: All needed features at 1/4 the cost
- Verdict: Exceptional value
Kartra:
- Cost: £199+/month
- Capabilities: Robust but expensive for this scenario
- Verdict: Over-priced for value received
Recommendation: Systeme.io for best value or ClickFunnels for most proven templates and training.
Use Case 4: Marketing Agency Managing Client Campaigns
Profile:
- 10-20 clients needing funnels
- Various industries and needs
- Team of 5-8 people
- Need: White label options, team collaboration
- Budget: Per-client billing model
Platform Analysis:
ClickFunnels:
- Cost: £208+/month
- Capabilities: Can manage multiple funnels, clients appreciate brand recognition
- Verdict: Industry standard for agencies
Kartra:
- Cost: £299-499/month
- Capabilities: Agency features, sophisticated
- Verdict: Expensive but comprehensive
Leadpages:
- Cost: £239/month (Advanced)
- Capabilities: Multiple domains, simpler for clients
- Verdict: Good for landing page focus
Recommendation: ClickFunnels for full-service funnel agencies. Leadpages if focusing on simple landing page creation.
Discover why ClickFunnels remains the gold standard for serious entrepreneurs building scalable online businesses
Use Case 5: Local Business Lead Generation
Profile:
- Service business (plumber, lawyer, dentist)
- Need: Simple lead capture
- Budget: Minimal
- Technical skills: Limited
- No need for sophisticated funnels
Platform Analysis:
Leadpages:
- Cost: £37/month
- Capabilities: Perfect for simple lead capture pages
- Verdict: Good fit
Systeme.io:
- Cost: £0-27/month
- Capabilities: More than needed, but costs less
- Verdict: Excellent value
ClickFunnels:
- Cost: £127/month
- Capabilities: Overkill for simple needs
- Verdict: Too expensive
Recommendation: Systeme.io free plan or Leadpages Standard. Both are sufficiently simple and affordable.
The Pros and Cons: Honest Assessment
Let’s address reality beyond marketing materials.
ClickFunnels: The Industry Standard
Strengths:
✓ Most proven platform with a decade of results ✓ Massive training library (FunnelFlix worth hundreds alone) ✓ Largest community sharing strategies and funnels ✓ Complete funnel templates based on tested strategies ✓ Strong brand recognition (clients know it) ✓ Excellent membership site capabilities ✓ Regular updates and improvements
Weaknesses:
✗ Higher base price (£127/month minimum) ✗ Email marketing only on top tier (£208/month) ✗ Some templates feel dated ✗ Learning curve for complete beginners ✗ No free plan to test before committing
Best For: Serious online businesses, course creators and coaches selling to high-ticket, established entrepreneurs
Systeme.io: The Value Champion
Strengths:
✓ Genuinely free plan that actually works ✓ Unlimited email sending on all plans (huge advantage) ✓ Native webinar functionality included ✓ Dramatically lower cost (£0-97/month vs £127-499/month elsewhere) ✓ Simple, intuitive interface ✓ No conversion limits or hidden costs ✓ Excellent value for money
Weaknesses:
✗ Less polished interface than premium platforms ✗ Fewer template options ✗ Smaller community than ClickFunnels ✗ Less sophisticated automation than Kartra
Best For: Beginners, bootstrapped businesses, cost-conscious entrepreneurs and anyone wanting excellent value
Kartra: The Premium Option
Strengths:
✓ Beautiful, polished templates ✓ Sophisticated automation capabilities ✓ Built-in helpdesk for customer support ✓ Video hosting with marketing features ✓ Agency-level features
Weaknesses:
✗ Expensive (£99-499/month) ✗ Email sending limits frustrating ✗ Complex interface overwhelming for beginners ✗ Many features most users never need
Best For: Established businesses with substantial budgets, agencies and those valuing sophisticated features over cost
Leadpages: The Landing Page Specialist
Strengths:
✓ Fast landing page creation ✓ Large template library (200+ options) ✓ Simple drag-and-drop builder ✓ More affordable than premium platforms ✓ Facebook ad integration
Weaknesses:
✗ Limited true funnel building ✗ No native email marketing ✗ No e-commerce capability without integration ✗ Marketed as a funnel builder but really a landing page tool
Best For: Simple lead generation, businesses needing landing pages, not complete funnels, and budget-conscious local businesses
GetResponse: The Email-First Platform
Strengths:
✓ Exceptional email marketing capabilities ✓ Strong deliverability reputation ✓ Webinar functionality included ✓ Affordable pricing tiers ✓ Marketing automation workflows
Weaknesses:
✗ Funnel building is a secondary feature (added recently) ✗ Limited template variety for funnels ✗ E-commerce capabilities are basic ✗ Better suited for email than funnels
Best For: Email marketing priority businesses, webinar hosts, businesses wanting strong automation at a lower cost
GrooveFunnels: The Lifetime Deal Platform
Strengths:
✓ Lifetime deal potential (when available) ✓ Comprehensive suite of tools ✓ Ambitious feature roadmap ✓ All-in-one approach
Weaknesses:
✗ Reliability concerns (bugs reported) ✗ Still maturing as a platform ✗ Lifetime deals are increasingly rare ✗ Support can be inconsistent
Best For: Deal-seekers willing to accept less polish, lifetime access preference, patient early adopters
Discover why ClickFunnels remains the gold standard for serious entrepreneurs building scalable online businesses
The Technical Performance Factor
Speed, reliability and usability impact conversions.
Page Load Speed Rankings
Fastest:
- Leadpages (consistently 1-2 seconds)
- Systeme.io (typically 2-3 seconds)
- GetResponse (2-3 seconds)
Mid-Range: 4. ClickFunnels (2-4 seconds, improving) 5. Kartra (3-4 seconds with video-heavy pages)
Slower: 6. GrooveFunnels (variable, 3-6 seconds reported)
Why It Matters: According to Google research, page speed directly impacts conversion rates. A 1-second delay can reduce conversions by 7%.
Reliability and Uptime
Most Reliable:
- ClickFunnels: 99.9%+ uptime, mature infrastructure
- Leadpages: 99.9%+ uptime, established platform
- GetResponse: 99.9%+ uptime, email deliverability critical
Good Reliability:
- Systeme.io: 99.8%+ uptime, improving continuously
- Kartra: 99%+ uptime, occasional reported issues
Developing:
- GrooveFunnels: Uptime improving, but historical issues reported
Mobile Experience
Best Mobile Optimisation:
- Leadpages: Mobile-first design approach
- Systeme.io: Clean mobile experience
- ClickFunnels: Good mobile responsiveness
Adequate:
- Kartra: Good but sometimes requires tweaking
- GetResponse: Mobile-responsive templates
- GrooveFunnels: Improving mobile experience
For businesses ready to implement sophisticated funnel strategies but wanting expert guidance on which platform truly delivers the best results, my detailed ClickFunnels review provides a comprehensive analysis of why it remains the industry standard.
The Support and Community Factor
Quality support accelerates success when you’re stuck.
ClickFunnels Support Ecosystem
Available Support:
- Email support (all plans)
- Live chat (Funnel Hacker plan)
- Extensive documentation
- FunnelFlix training library
- Weekly coaching calls
- Huge Facebook community (100,000+ members)
- Third-party courses and training
Response Quality: Generally helpful but sometimes generic
Community Value: Exceptional. Thousands of shared funnels, strategies and peer support.
Systeme.io Support Ecosystem
Available Support:
- Email support (all plans, including free)
- Live chat (Unlimited plan)
- Comprehensive documentation
- Video tutorials
- Growing Facebook community
Response Quality: Surprisingly good considering low/no cost. Users report helpful responses.
Community Value: Growing rapidly, international community.
Other Platforms
Kartra: Good support, active community, comprehensive training
Leadpages: Solid support, large knowledge base, active users
GetResponse: Excellent email support, strong documentation
GrooveFunnels: Support is inconsistent and the community is passionate but smaller
Discover why ClickFunnels remains the gold standard for serious entrepreneurs building scalable online businesses
Making the Decision: A Framework
Use this decision tree to choose correctly.
Question 1: What’s Your Primary Business Model?
Selling Online Courses or Digital Products: → ClickFunnels or Systeme.io (both excellent)
High-Ticket Coaching or Consulting: → ClickFunnels (proven templates for high-ticket)
Local Service Business Lead Generation: → Systeme.io free plan or Leadpages
E-commerce (Physical Products): → Consider Shopify + funnel builder or ClickFunnels
Membership Site: → ClickFunnels or Systeme.io (both handle memberships well)
Question 2: What’s Your Budget Reality?
£0-30/month: → Systeme.io exclusively (only one with a functional free plan)
£30-100/month: → Systeme.io, Leadpages or GetResponse
£100-200/month: → ClickFunnels, Systeme.io Unlimited or Kartra Starter
£200+/month: → Any platform, choose based on features, not price
Question 3: What’s Your Technical Comfort Level?
Complete Beginner: → Systeme.io or Leadpages (simplest interfaces)
Intermediate: → ClickFunnels or GetResponse
Advanced/Technical: → Kartra or GrooveFunnels (can handle complexity)
Question 4: What Features Are Absolutely Essential?
Must Have Email Marketing Included: → Systeme.io, GetResponse or ClickFunnels (Funnel Hacker)
Must Have Webinar Capability: → Systeme.io or GetResponse
Must Have Sophisticated Automation: → Kartra or GetResponse
Must Have Proven Funnel Templates: → ClickFunnels (industry leader for templates)
Must Have Affordable Pricing: → Systeme.io (best value by far)
The Final Recommendation: Best Funnel Builder Software
After a comprehensive analysis of the Best Funnel Builder Software options available in 2025, the clear winner for most online businesses is ClickFunnels. Despite higher pricing than some alternatives, ClickFunnels delivers the most proven, comprehensive and battle-tested funnel-building experience backed by a decade of refinement, the largest community in the industry and training resources worth thousands of pounds included with your subscription. The platform’s funnel templates are based on tested strategies that have generated billions in sales across virtually every niche imaginable, removing the guesswork from funnel design and dramatically accelerating your path to profitability.
However, this recommendation comes with important context and exceptions. For complete beginners with zero revenue and extremely tight budgets, Systeme.io represents extraordinary value and removes all financial barriers to starting your online business. The free plan is genuinely functional, not a gimmick trial. You can build complete funnels, host courses, send unlimited emails and validate your business idea without spending a penny. Once you’re generating revenue, Systeme.io’s paid plans remain dramatically more affordable than ClickFunnels, whilst providing all the essential functionality most businesses actually need.
For businesses where email marketing is the absolute priority and funnels are secondary, GetResponse offers the strongest email capabilities combined with adequate funnel building at reasonable pricing. Their deliverability rates are exceptional and the webinar functionality included at mid-tier pricing is compelling for businesses using webinars as their primary sales vehicle.
Kartra serves established businesses with substantial budgets who genuinely need sophisticated automation and don’t mind paying premium prices for polished aesthetics and advanced features. Most businesses don’t fall into this category, but for those that do, Kartra delivers.
Leadpages works perfectly for businesses that actually just need simple landing pages for lead generation rather than complete funnels. If you’re running straightforward PPC campaigns capturing leads that your sales team follows up with, Leadpages provides exactly what you need without the funnel complexity you won’t use.
Discover why ClickFunnels remains the gold standard for serious entrepreneurs building scalable online businesses
GrooveFunnels remains a developing platform that appeals to lifetime deal seekers. If you can access a lifetime deal and accept the platform’s current limitations while it matures, you might find excellent long-term value. However, the platform isn’t yet reliable enough to recommend over established alternatives for businesses that can’t tolerate bugs or downtime.
The honest truth is that for online course creators, coaches, consultants and digital product sellers, the choice realistically comes down to ClickFunnels versus Systeme.io. ClickFunnels if you value proven templates, extensive training and the confidence that comes from using the industry standard platform. Systeme.io if you want 80-90% of ClickFunnels’ functionality at 20-40% of the cost, freeing up capital for advertising, content creation or team building.
For businesses just starting their online journey and wanting comprehensive guidance beyond just platform selection, the strategic foundation matters more than any tool choice. I’ve created a complete roadmap on how to make money from home online that covers choosing business models, validating ideas and building sustainable revenue streams regardless of which funnel builder you ultimately select.
For those ready to commit to the platform that’s helped more online businesses succeed than any alternative and wanting to understand exactly how to leverage it for maximum results, discover why ClickFunnels remains the gold standard for serious entrepreneurs building scalable online businesses. The platform isn’t perfect and it’s not the cheapest, but for complete funnel building combined with world-class training and an unmatched community, it’s the Best Funnel Builder Software available in 2025. Choose your platform based on your actual needs, your genuine budget and your real business model rather than which tool has the flashiest marketing or the lowest price tag. Your funnel builder should serve your strategy, not constrain it.