Skip to content
A funnel builder that only sort of handles subscriptionsA shopping cart that is fine for one-off purchases but terrible at rebillsA separate affiliate platform with its own quirksGoogle Sheets for MRR, churn and “who actually paid this month”Do you move everything into an all-in-one funnel platform like ClickFunnels 2.0, so you can build pages, funnels and courses under one roof?Or do you keep your existing front end and plug in a serious revenue engine like PayKickStart 2.0, built to handle payments, subscriptions, dunning, affiliates and reporting at a higher level?
PayKickStart 2.0 is a revenue engine. It focuses on payments, subscription billing, dunning, retention, affiliates, and deep revenue analytics, and connects to whatever front-end pages or app you already use.ClickFunnels 2.0 is an all-in-one funnel builder. It focuses on drag-and-drop funnels, websites, course hosting and built-in email, with a good but simpler checkout system.
You already have a way to build pages (WordPress, custom, Webflow, ClickFunnels, whatever)Subscriptions, memberships, SaaS or recurring billing are central to your businessYou care a lot about dunning, churn, affiliate payouts and “real” revenue metricsYou want one place to build funnels, host courses, run basic email and manage your marketing stackYou are still piecing together your tech and want something visual and self-contained
Cards, wallets, PayPal, bank transfers and local methodsBuy Now Pay Later options and even crypto135+ currencies with automatic multi-currency handlingFixed price subscriptionsUsage based and metered billingTrials (free or paid), payment plans and setup feesAdd ons, overages and hybrid billing models
40+ high converting checkout templatesEmbedded widgets and popup modalsOrder bumps and one click upsellsGlobal checkout with 20+ languages and 135+ currenciesCart recovery sequences, exit intent overlays and audience building tied into ad platforms
Pre dunning reminders for expiring cardsSmart retry logic for failed paymentsIn app and email notifications about billing issuesSelf serve billing portal so customers can update payment methodsCancellation saver flows where you can offer incentives or alternatives instead of losing the customer
Robust affiliate tracking with first tier and second tier optionsCustom commission rules, performance based rewards and automated affiliate wallet payoutsA public marketplace where 100k+ affiliates can discover offers, along with vendor profiles and metrics
Sales and transactionsMRR, ARR, churn and recovered revenueAffiliate performance and funnel metrics
Build funnels with a drag and drop editorLaunch sales pages, opt in pages, webinar funnels and high ticket application funnelsCreate entire websites and blogs inside the same systemUse templates and “funnel blueprints” to shortcut setup
Course and membership hostingCustomer center areasBasic CRM style featuresFollow up funnels, email broadcasts and automated workflows
PayKickStart 2.0 does not try to be your page builder. You plug it into whatever front end you already use.ClickFunnels 2.0 is one of the best known no code funnel builders in the world, with templates, training and a huge ecosystem behind it.
PayKickStart 2.0 was built specifically for advanced billing. It supports complex subscription models, usage based plans, add ons, trials, overages, coupons and more, plus multi gateway setups and global payment methods.ClickFunnels 2.0 has solid payment integrations and basic subscription options, but it is not as deep in dunning, retries, or billing scenarios as a dedicated revenue engine.
PayKickStart 2.0 concentrates on checkout and AOV. It offers many checkout templates, embedded and popup options, one click upsells, sophisticated cart recovery and audience sync for retargeting.ClickFunnels 2.0 lets you create upsell and downsell flows inside the funnel, but third party reviews often note that its checkout system is not as specialized as dedicated carts.
PayKickStart 2.0 includes a full affiliate center, marketplace and automated wallet payouts. It was built to be a serious affiliate management solution as well as a cart.ClickFunnels 2.0 has an affiliate center on higher plans that is very useful if you keep everything inside ClickFunnels, but it is more “funnel native” than platform neutral.
PayKickStart 2.0 goes deep on MRR, ARR, churn, recovered revenue and affiliate revenue. It is built to answer the question “Is this product line actually making money and where are we leaking?”ClickFunnels 2.0 shines on funnel step stats, opt in rates and average order values at the funnel level, rather than long term subscription metrics.
Flexible subscription logicStrong dunning and retention toolsReal subscription metrics and recovery trackingDeep affiliate management for recurring offers
Sales pages, opt in funnels, webinar funnelsCourse hosting and membership areasBasic email and follow up in the same system
If you care more about design, speed and self contained funnels, ClickFunnels is fine.If you care more about maximizing AOV, retention and MRR from that product, PayKickStart will likely earn you more, even with a basic front end.
Use ClickFunnels 2.0 as the funnel and page builder that the marketing team lives inUse PayKickStart 2.0 as the billing and affiliate brain that runs payments, subscriptions, dunning and payouts behind the scenes
It treats payments, subscriptions, retention and affiliates as first class citizens, not afterthoughts.It plugs into any front end so you are not locked into one funnel builder forever.It gives you the metrics that actually matter when you move beyond “launch cash” and into real MRR and LTV.
Share
Explore
PayKickStart 2.0 vs ClickFunnels: The Better Option
You know the feeling.
You wake up to a Stripe payout that looks good on paper, but your real numbers are scattered between:
Refunds slip through, failed payments pile up, affiliates complain about tracking, and you are still not sure which funnel is actually making money.
At some point, you hit a crossroads:
Both tools are powerful. Both can grow a real business. But they are not built to solve the same problem.
This article breaks down PayKickStart 2.0 vs ClickFunnels in plain English, with a bias toward what actually grows revenue long term, not just what looks pretty on launch day.
The Core Difference In One Line
If you keep that difference in mind, the rest of the comparison becomes much easier.
Quick Verdict: Who Should Choose What
Before we get into the details, here is the short version.
You will usually be happier with PayKickStart 2.0 if:
You will usually be happier with ClickFunnels 2.0 if:
We will still give ClickFunnels its due, but from a revenue-first, subscription-first point of view, PayKickStart 2.0 is the stronger backbone for most growing digital businesses.
Deep Dive: What PayKickStart 2.0 Actually Does
PayKickStart started life as a “better cart”, then evolved into a full-blown subscription management and revenue platform. Today it is positioned as one of the most comprehensive solutions for complex billing, retention and affiliate management.
Payments and Billing Models
PayKickStart 2.0 is built to accept:
On top of that, it supports:
That mix makes it ideal for SaaS, membership sites, agencies and info businesses that have grown beyond simple “$997 one-time” offers.
Checkout and Conversion Boosters
Where a lot of tools stop at “basic checkout”, PayKickStart leans into optimization:
This is the stuff that quietly adds 10 to 30 percent to your revenue without more traffic.
Retention, Dunning and Churn Control
This is where PayKickStart really pulls away. Out of the box you get:
Vendors have used these tools to recover millions in otherwise lost revenue, and the platform tracks recovered revenue separately so you can see what dunning is really doing for you.
Affiliate Management and Marketplace
PayKickStart was also built with affiliates in mind:
If affiliates are a key growth channel for you, having billing and affiliate management living in the same brain is a big advantage.
Reporting and Pricing
On the analytics side, PayKickStart tracks:
Recent pricing changes have made it simpler. The latest PayKickStart update moved to a single “all features, no tiers” model where you get every feature from day one around the 79 dollars per month range, with no platform transaction fees on top.
For a serious subscription business, that is very competitive.
Deep Dive: What ClickFunnels 2.0 Brings To The Table
ClickFunnels 2.0 sits in a different category. It is not just a cart; it is a marketing and funnel platform.
Funnels, Pages and Sites
ClickFunnels 2.0 lets you:
If you want to move fast on the marketing side and do not have a developer on call, this is attractive.
Courses, Memberships and Email
ClickFunnels 2.0 also includes:
In other words, you can build your sales experience and deliver your product in the same place.
Pricing and The 3 Months For 99 Dollars Deal
Public pricing for ClickFunnels 2.0 typically starts around 97 dollars per month for the entry tier, with higher pricing for the Scale or Funnel Hacker flavoured plans and annual options that reduce the effective monthly spend.
Right now there is also a widely promoted 3 months for 99 dollars offer. Multiple independent sources confirm that this deal gives new users 3 months of the Scale plan, which normally runs 197 dollars per month, for a one time 99 dollar payment. That works out to about 83 percent off for that 90 day period.
If you want to test ClickFunnels 2.0 in a serious way, that is one of the best entry paths you are going to see.
Head To Head: Where Each Tool Wins
Now let us put them side by side where it matters.
Funnel And Page Building
If you need a visual funnel builder from scratch, ClickFunnels wins this category.
Payments And Subscription Management
If recurring billing and retention are central to your model, PayKickStart is clearly stronger.
Checkout Experience And Conversion Boosting
Both platforms can handle upsells and bumps. The nuance is in depth and focus.
For squeezing more from each visitor, PayKickStart usually has the edge.
Affiliate Management
If you want your billing engine and affiliate engine tightly linked and platform agnostic, PayKickStart is hard to beat.
Reporting And Analytics
If you run or plan to run a subscription heavy business, PayKickStart’s analytics are more useful over time.
Pricing And Value For Money
PayKickStart 2.0
Recent updates show PayKickStart consolidating into a single “all features included” plan starting around 79 dollars per month, with no platform transaction fees and full access to every feature, from dunning to affiliates to analytics.
For a business that processes serious volume, that can replace multiple tools at once and pay for itself quite quickly.
ClickFunnels 2.0
Standard pricing usually starts around 97 dollars per month for the lower tier, then moves up for Scale or similar plans, which sit closer to the 197 dollars per month range. There are annual discounts and a 14 day free trial.
The 3 months for 99 dollars promotion is currently the best way to test the platform at depth on the Scale plan without paying full price up front.
From a pure billing perspective, PayKickStart gives you more specialized power for less ongoing cost. ClickFunnels gives you more all in one convenience if you treat it as your main marketing hub.
Which One Is The Better Option For Your Business Model
SaaS, Memberships And Subscription Heavy Businesses
If you run SaaS, memberships or any model where most of your revenue is recurring, PayKickStart 2.0 is usually the better foundation.
You get:
You can pair it with whatever front end stack you like and let PayKickStart be the single source of truth for billing.
Course Creators, Coaches And Info Marketers
If you do not have a funnel builder yet and you want:
then ClickFunnels 2.0 may be the easier first move. It helps you get to “offer live and selling” quickly without hiring a developer or chasing multiple tools.
You can still add PayKickStart later when your subscription and affiliate needs get more advanced.
Agencies And Funnel Pros
For agencies building funnels for clients, ClickFunnels 2.0 offers a friendly environment clients recognize, plus an ecosystem full of training and templates.
For agencies who specialize in revenue optimization, upsells and recurring billing, PayKickStart can become a secret weapon that plugs into whatever front end the client already uses.
Simple One Or Two Product Sellers
If you sell one flagship product and only need a single funnel, you can win with either tool. The difference is mindset:
Can You Use Both Together
At scale, a lot of businesses do exactly that:
This “best of both worlds” setup is more advanced and not necessary for everyone, but it underlines the main point of this article: these tools are not direct clones of each other. They solve different parts of the same revenue problem.
Final Verdict: The Better Option For Most Growing Businesses
If you forced a choice and asked which platform gives the most leverage for long term revenue growth, the answer for most serious digital businesses is:
PayKickStart 2.0.
Why:
ClickFunnels 2.0 is still an excellent platform and can be the right choice if you primarily need an all in one funnel and course system, especially if you grab the 3 months for 99 dollars deal while it is live.
But if your priority is to build a resilient, scalable revenue engine that works no matter which pages or apps sit on top of it, PayKickStart 2.0 is the better option to bet on first.
Want to print your doc?
This is not the way.
This is not the way.
Try clicking the ⋯ next to your doc name or using a keyboard shortcut (
CtrlP
) instead.