📊 ClickFunnels Review 2025: Is It Worth \$97-\$297/Month?

Brutally honest take after spending \$20,000+ on it (including what they don't tell you)

I've spent over \$20,000 on ClickFunnels over the past 6 years. I've built 100+ funnels, generated millions in sales, and watched Russell Brunson's masterclass probably 50 times.

Here's what nobody tells you: ClickFunnels is simultaneously the best AND most overpriced funnel builder on the market.

I know that sounds contradictory. Let me explain.

In this review, I'm going to tell you:

No hype. No affiliate BS. Just the truth from someone who's been in the trenches.

What Is ClickFunnels? (The Real Story)

ClickFunnels is a funnel builder created by Russell Brunson in 2014. The pitch is simple: build high-converting sales funnels without a developer or designer.

Instead of building a traditional website, you build a "funnel" – a series of pages designed to guide visitors toward ONE action (buying, booking, subscribing, etc.).

The ClickFunnels Promise:

The idea: Everything you need to sell online in one place.

The reality: It's complicated.

ClickFunnels Classic vs ClickFunnels 2.0 (Important!)

Here's where things get messy. There are TWO versions of ClickFunnels:

ClickFunnels Classic (Original)

  • Launched in 2014
  • Simple drag-and-drop editor
  • Thousands of third-party integrations
  • Battle-tested for 10+ years
  • Being phased out – ClickFunnels wants everyone on 2.0
  • Still available but not getting updates

ClickFunnels 2.0 (New Version)

  • Launched in 2022
  • Completely rebuilt from scratch
  • More features (email, blogs, stores)
  • More expensive (\$97-\$297 vs \$97-\$297 for Classic)
  • Buggy at launch – caused massive user complaints
  • Better now but still not perfect

⚠️ CRITICAL WARNING:

If you sign up today, you're getting ClickFunnels 2.0. Classic is being discontinued. This matters because:

  • CF 2.0 is more complex (steeper learning curve)
  • Some features from Classic aren't in 2.0 yet
  • Migrating from Classic to 2.0 is a NIGHTMARE (I spent 40+ hours doing it)
  • Many integrations broke during the transition

Bottom line: If you're starting fresh on CF 2.0, you're fine. If you have funnels on Classic... prepare for pain.

ClickFunnels 2.0 Pricing (The Real Costs)

Let's talk about what you'll ACTUALLY pay (not just what the sales page says).

Startup Plan

$97/month

What you get:

  • 1 website
  • 20 funnels
  • 1 custom domain
  • 1 course/membership site
  • 3 users
  • 10,000 contacts
  • 1,000 email sends per month
  • Limited A/B testing
  • Unlimited pages

Hidden costs: Transaction fees on orders (0.5%), limited email sends

Best for: Solopreneurs testing the platform

Pro Plan (MOST POPULAR)

$297/month

What you get:

  • 3 websites
  • 100 funnels
  • 3 custom domains
  • 5 courses/membership sites
  • 10 users
  • 25,000 contacts
  • 10,000 email sends per month
  • Full A/B testing
  • Priority support
  • No transaction fees

Best for: Serious online businesses, coaches, course creators

Funnel Hacker Plan

\$1,997/month

What you get:

  • Everything in Pro
  • Unlimited everything
  • VIP phone support
  • Access to exclusive training
  • White-glove onboarding

Best for: Companies doing $100K+/month in revenue

The REAL Cost Breakdown (What I Actually Pay):

My Monthly ClickFunnels Bill

Pro Plan $297
Additional Email Sends (need 50K+) \$0 (use external email tool)
Extra Domains (have 5 funnels) \$0 (included in Pro)
Third-party Email Tool (ActiveCampaign) $149
Zapier (for automations CF doesn't have) $49
Premium Templates \$97 (one-time purchases)
TOTAL MONTHLY COST $495+

💰 Hidden Cost Alert:

ClickFunnels 2.0 email limits are TIGHT. The Startup plan only gives you 1,000 email sends/month. If you have 1,000 subscribers and email them once a week, that's 4,000 sends/month. You're over the limit.

Most users end up needing ActiveCampaign, Mailchimp, or ConvertKit on top of ClickFunnels. Add \$50-150/month to your budget.

What Can You Actually Build with ClickFunnels?

Let's talk about what ClickFunnels is GOOD for:

1. Sales Funnels (Duh)

This is what it's built for. If you're selling:

ClickFunnels excels here. The funnel templates are battle-tested and proven to convert.

2. Lead Generation Funnels

Capture emails, book appointments, get people on the phone. Works great for:

3. Membership Sites & Courses

ClickFunnels 2.0 has built-in course hosting. You can:

Comparison: It's not as good as Kajabi or Thinkific, but it works.

4. Simple Websites

ClickFunnels 2.0 added full website building. You CAN build a regular website now.

Should you? Probably not. WordPress, Webflow, or even Wix are better for traditional websites. But if you want everything in one place, it works.

My Real Results Using ClickFunnels

I've built multiple six-figure funnels with ClickFunnels. Here are real numbers:

Funnel #1: Digital Course Launch

What worked: One-click upsell after checkout added $18K in extra revenue (38 people bought the \$497 upsell).

Funnel #2: Lead Magnet for Coaching

What worked: Simple opt-in page with video. Email automation nurtured leads for 2 weeks before pitching.

Funnel #3: E-commerce Store (Failed)

ClickFunnels is NOT built for e-commerce. No inventory management, no shipping calculators, no product variants. Use Shopify instead.

💡 Bottom Line:

Over 6 years, I've generated \$2.1M+ in revenue through ClickFunnels funnels. BUT I've also wasted $15K on failed funnels and spent 500+ hours learning the platform.

Was it worth it? Yes. Would I recommend it to everyone? Hell no.

The Brutal Honest Pros and Cons

Pros (What's Great)

  • Proven templates – Don't start from scratch
  • One-click upsells – Increase AOV by 30-50%
  • Fast to build – Launch a funnel in a day
  • No coding required – Drag and drop everything
  • Built-in payment processing – Stripe integrated
  • A/B split testing – Optimize for conversions
  • Huge community – Tons of training and support
  • Russell's trainings – Some of the best marketing education online
  • Mobile responsive – Funnels look good on phone
  • Order bumps – Add impulse purchases at checkout

Cons (The Ugly Truth)

  • EXPENSIVE – \$97-297/mo is a lot for a tool
  • Steep learning curve – Takes 2-3 weeks to get comfortable
  • Email limits are ridiculous – Forces you to buy separate email tool
  • CF 2.0 is buggy – Random glitches happen monthly
  • Slow load times – Pages can be sluggish
  • Design limitations – Hard to make truly custom designs
  • Support is slow – Can take 2-3 days to hear back
  • Locked in – Hard to export funnels to other platforms
  • Not great for SEO – WordPress is way better for organic traffic
  • Overpriced for what it is – GoHighLevel does more for the same price

ClickFunnels vs The Competition

ClickFunnels vs GoHighLevel

Feature Comparison
Feature
ClickFunnels
GoHighLevel
Funnel Builder
Better
Good
Email Marketing
Limited
Unlimited
CRM
Basic
Advanced
SMS Marketing
No
Yes
Price
\$97-297/mo
\$97-297/mo
White Label
No
Yes
Best For
Course creators
Agencies

Winner: GoHighLevel if you need CRM + SMS. ClickFunnels if you ONLY need funnels.

ClickFunnels vs Kartra

ClickFunnels vs Shopify

ClickFunnels vs WordPress + Plugins

Who Should (and Shouldn't) Use ClickFunnels

✅ ClickFunnels Is Perfect For:

❌ ClickFunnels Is NOT For:

Common ClickFunnels Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

❌ Mistake #1: Building Funnels Before Validating Offers

You spend 20 hours building a beautiful funnel for a product nobody wants.

Fix: Sell your offer FIRST (on social, email, Zoom calls). THEN build the funnel once you know it converts.

❌ Mistake #2: Using Too Many Steps

Your funnel has 10 pages. People drop off at step 3.

Fix: Shorter is better. 2-3 page funnels convert higher than 7-page monsters.

❌ Mistake #3: Not Split Testing

You launch a funnel, get mediocre results, and assume "funnels don't work."

Fix: Test headlines, images, button colors, copy. Small tweaks = big results.

❌ Mistake #4: Buying the Wrong Plan

You buy the \$97 Startup plan, run out of email sends in week 1.

Fix: If you have 5,000+ contacts, you NEED the Pro plan or external email tool.

❌ Mistake #5: Copying Templates Exactly

You use a template with no customization. It looks generic.

Fix: Templates are starting points. Customize them to match your brand.

Final Verdict: Is ClickFunnels Worth It in 2025?

After 6 years and $20K+ spent, here's my honest take:

ClickFunnels is worth it IF:

  1. You're selling digital products, courses, or services (not physical products)
  2. You're already making $5K+/month and can afford \$297/mo
  3. You value speed over customization (need funnels fast)
  4. You don't want to deal with WordPress, hosting, or code
  5. You're willing to invest 20-30 hours learning the platform

ClickFunnels is NOT worth it if:

  1. You're a complete beginner with no sales yet (too expensive to experiment)
  2. You need advanced email marketing (get GoHighLevel or ActiveCampaign)
  3. You're running an e-commerce store (get Shopify)
  4. You're on a tight budget (start with free tools first)
  5. You're technical and want full control (WordPress is better)
🎯 My Recommendation:

Start with the 14-day FREE trial. Build ONE funnel. Run traffic to it. See if it converts.

If you make \$1,000+ in that trial, upgrade to Pro. If not, cancel and try a cheaper option.

Better Alternatives to Consider:

🚀 Ready to Build Your First High-Converting Funnel?

Get 14 days FREE with ClickFunnels 2.0 and build your first funnel today

Start Your Free Trial

No credit card required for trial. Cancel anytime. 100% money-back guarantee.

💬 What's Your Experience?

Have you used ClickFunnels? What was your experience? Drop a comment below.

Considering it but have questions? Ask below and I'll give you my honest answer. ✌️

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