In today’s digital marketplace, turning prospects into buyers is the ultimate goal for any online business. This is where customer journey software comes into play, and ClickFunnels remains one of the most recognized names in this niche.
Founded by Russell Brunson in 2014, ClickFunnels has transformed the way businesses and digital marketers approach online sales, working to simplify the buyer’s path from initial interest to final purchase.
But is ClickFunnels a good value? Does it meet its potential? Whether you’re a digital marketing veteran or launching your first venture, this in-depth review will provide you with the complete picture you need to make an informed decision about ClickFunnels.
Defining ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is an comprehensive marketing platform created to help businesses create optimized sales funnels without requiring technical expertise or a team of developers. At its foundation, ClickFunnels allows users to build landing pages, make email sequences, process payments, and supervise customer relationships-all within a integrated platform.
The Fundamentals of Sales Funnels
Ahead of diving deeper into ClickFunnels, it’s crucial to understand what a sales funnel is. A sales funnel depicts the process customers go through from initially discovering your product or service to finalizing a sale.
It typically includes steps like visibility, curiosity, decision, and transaction.
Typical web pages are often developed without a clear path for visitors to trace. This can produce high bounce rates and lost potential customers. Sales funnels, alternatively, are purposefully created to guide visitors through a defined path, boosting the likelihood of sales at each step.
ClickFunnels’ Philosophy
ClickFunnels has reduced complexity in the process of creating these funnels with its visual editor and pre-built templates. The platform’s methodology centers around not just developing web pages but creating effective conversion paths that transition visitors into customers and customers into brand ambassadors.
Core Functions of ClickFunnels
1. Funnel Designer
The core of ClickFunnels is its intuitive funnel builder. Users can pick a variety of funnel types, including:
- Opt-in funnels: Developed to collect email addresses
- Sales funnels: For retailing products or services
- Webinar funnels: To promote and register users for webinars
- Membership funnels: For recurring products
The user-friendly interface makes it simple to add features like text, images, videos, forms, and buttons without coding a single line of code.
2. Pre-designed Templates
ClickFunnels provides over 100 professionally created templates for various industries and purposes. These templates, developed by experienced designers, are optimized for performance and can be personalized to match your brand.
3. Experimental Testing
Understanding what works for your audience is vital for increasing conversions. ClickFunnels’ A/B testing tool allows you to create multiple versions of your pages and test different elements to see which works best.
4. Automated Emails
ClickFunnels combines email marketing capabilities, allowing you to establish automated email sequences initiated by specific actions. This feature helps cultivate leads and direct them further down the sales funnel.
5. Payment Integration
The platform seamlessly integrates with payment processors like various payment gateways, permitting you to accept payments instantly through your funnels without redirecting customers to external sites.
6. Membership Areas
For creators selling courses or subscription content, ClickFunnels provides the ability to create protected membership areas where users can access special content.
7. Results Monitoring
ClickFunnels delivers in-depth analytics on funnel success, including page views, conversions, and earnings. These data help users enhance their funnels for stronger results.
8. Partner Program Tools
If you have an affiliate program, ClickFunnels makes it easy to administer your affiliates, analyze their performance, and process commission payments.
ClickFunnels 2.0: The Evolution
In 2022, ClickFunnels released its most substantial update: ClickFunnels 2.0. This new version represents a complete redesign of the platform with expanded features and capabilities.
New Features in 2.0?
- Advanced Website Builder: A more robust website builder that allows for entire website creation, not just funnels
- Upgraded E-commerce Capabilities: Better product management, inventory tracking, and order fulfillment
- Blog Creation: The ability to build and maintain a blog directly within ClickFunnels
- Sophisticated Customization: More options in design and functionality
- Refined User Interface: A more streamlined dashboard and editor
- Technical Improvements: Faster page loading times and better mobile responsiveness
- Enhanced CRM Features: More capable customer relationship management tools
The upgrade to 2.0 solves many of the restrictions users experienced with the original version, making it a more thorough marketing solution.
Membership Levels
ClickFunnels includes different pricing tiers to serve businesses of various sizes:
Basic Plan
The Basic plan (now called the “Standard” plan in ClickFunnels 2.0) comes in at $147 per month and includes:
- Up to 20 funnels
- Up to 100 pages
- 3 payment gateways
- 3 domains
- 1 admin user
- Email automation
- Basic analytics
Plus Plan
At $197 per month, the Pro plan includes:
- Unlimited funnels
- Unlimited pages
- 9 payment gateways
- 9 domains
- 3 admin users
- Advanced automation
- Enhanced analytics
Ultimate Plan
For $997 per month, the Funnel Hacker plan provides:
- All Pro features
- Unlimited funnels and pages
- 27 payment gateways
- 27 domains
- 15 admin users
- Priority support
- Advanced API access
- Advanced training
All plans typically offer a 14-day free trial, allowing users to experience the platform before subscribing financially.
The Strengths of Using ClickFunnels
1. Integrated Solution
Perhaps the main advantage of ClickFunnels is that it consolidates multiple tools into one platform. Instead of juggling different services for landing pages, email marketing, payment processing, and membership sites, users can handle all these aspects in one place.
2. No Technical Skills Required
The platform’s drag-and-drop interface negates the need for coding or design skills. This streamlines the funnel-building process, making it attainable to entrepreneurs without technical backgrounds.
3. Time Efficiency
With pre-built templates and a streamlined workflow, ClickFunnels significantly reduces the time needed to launch a marketing campaign. What might take weeks with custom development can be done in days or even hours.
4. Community and Support
ClickFunnels has fostered a dynamic community of users who contribute strategies, successes, and advice. The official ClickFunnels Facebook group has over 250,000 members, creating a beneficial resource for marketers at all levels. Additionally, the platform offers comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and responsive customer support.
5. Verified Conversion Frameworks
The templates and funnel structures within ClickFunnels are derived from proven marketing principles and tested conversion strategies. This means users employ established best practices rather than creating from nothing.
6. Knowledge Base
Beyond the software itself, ClickFunnels offers a variety of educational resources. Russell Brunson’s books, such as “DotCom Secrets” and “Expert Secrets,” provide beneficial marketing insights, while the ClickFunnels training programs offer formal learning opportunities.
Weaknesses and Drawbacks
Despite its many strengths, ClickFunnels isn’t without limitations:
1. Pricing
Starting at $147 per month, ClickFunnels represents a substantial investment, especially for solopreneurs or startups with limited budgets. Many competitors offer more inexpensive entry-level options.
2. Learning Process
While designed to be straightforward, mastering all of ClickFunnels’ features and understanding funnel strategy requires time and dedication. New users might feel overwhelmed by the platform’s capabilities.
3. Limited Design Flexibility
Though the drag-and-drop editor is effective, designers accustomed to more advanced tools might find it restrictive. The balance between simplicity and flexibility sometimes favors the former.
4. Page Loading Speed
Prior to 2.0, some users reported problems with page loading speed, which can harm SEO and user experience. While ClickFunnels 2.0 has improved performance, optimizing for speed calls for attention.
5. Email Marketing Constraints
While ClickFunnels includes email marketing features, they’re not as powerful as dedicated email marketing platforms. Power users might still need additional tools for high-level email campaigns.
ClickFunnels Rivals: How They Compare
The sales funnel and landing page builder market has become increasingly populated. Here’s how ClickFunnels measures against its main competitors:
1. Kartra
Benefits relative to ClickFunnels:
- More all-encompassing marketing automation
- Built-in video hosting and advanced video marketing features
- More advanced email marketing capabilities
- Helpdesk and ticket system included
Shortcomings:
- Steeper learning curve
- Fewer templates specifically optimized for sales funnels
- Less active community
2. Leadpages
Benefits:
- More inexpensive entry point ($37/month)
- Strong focus on lead generation
- Excellent mobile-responsive designs
- Solid WordPress integration
Weaknesses:
- Less comprehensive than ClickFunnels (primarily focuses on landing pages)
- Limited checkout and payment processing options
- No built-in email marketing
3. Unbounce
Strong points:
- Advanced A/B testing capabilities
- Highly adjustable design options
- Strong analytics and conversion intelligence
- More affordable starting point
Limitations:
- Primarily focused on landing pages rather than complete funnels
- No built-in payment processing
- Less straightforward for non-technical users
4. Systeme.io
Strengths:
- Significantly more affordable (starting at $27/month, with a free plan available)
- All-in-one solution similar to ClickFunnels
- Simple, intuitive interface
Drawbacks:
- Fewer templates and design options
- Less advanced feature set
- Smaller community and fewer educational resources
5. Instapage
Strengths:
- Superior design flexibility and customization
- Advanced collaboration features
- Excellent analytics and heatmaps
- Strong AdWords and Facebook Ads integration
Weaknesses:
- Higher price point (starting at $149/month)
- Focus on landing pages rather than complete funnels
- No built-in payment processing
6. WordPress + Plugins (DIY Approach)
Strong points:
- Most budget-friendly option if you already have WordPress
- Ultimate flexibility and customization
- Complete ownership and control
- One-time purchases versus subscription model
Drawbacks:
- Requires technical knowledge to set up and maintain
- Multiple plugins may cause compatibility issues
- No unified support system
- Time-intensive to implement and manage
Who Would Benefit From ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is particularly beneficial for:
1. Course Developers and Coaches
The platform is perfect for creating sales funnels for digital products like courses, coaching programs, and membership sites. The built-in membership functionality makes it easy to deliver content to paying customers.
2. Online Retail Businesses
With ClickFunnels 2.0’s enhanced e-commerce features, online retailers can create effective product funnels that grow average order value through upsells, downsells, and order bumps.
3. Client Service Businesses
Advisors, agencies, and service providers can use ClickFunnels to generate leads, book appointments, and sell service packages without complex website development.
4. Referral Marketers
The platform’s optimization for conversions makes it excellent for affiliate marketers looking to improve their commissions from promotional campaigns.
5. Authors and Content Creators
ClickFunnels provides effective book funnel templates that help authors sell books while capturing reader information for long-term relationship building.
6. Non-Technical Entrepreneurs
Those without coding or design skills will benefit from ClickFunnels’ straightforward interface and pre-built templates.
Who Might Want to Look Elsewhere?
ClickFunnels may not be the perfect match for:
1. Micro Businesses with Limited Budgets
The monthly investment might be costly for businesses just starting out or with tight marketing budgets.
2. Publishing-Oriented Websites
Businesses that rely heavily on blog content and SEO might find traditional CMS platforms like WordPress more appropriate, though ClickFunnels 2.0 has made improvements in this area.
3. Professional Designers Seeking Complete Creative Control
Those who require precise designs and extensive customization might prefer platforms with more design flexibility.
4. Major Businesses with Complex Requirements
Very large organizations with complex integration needs and custom requirements might need more specialized solutions.
First Steps with ClickFunnels: Tips for Success
If you decide to try ClickFunnels, here are some tips to optimize your experience:
1. Start with the Right Funnel Type
Choose a funnel template that corresponds to your specific goal, whether it’s lead generation, product sales, or webinar registration.
2. Target One Funnel at a Time
Rather than trying to build multiple funnels simultaneously, focus on creating and optimizing one effective funnel before moving on to the next.
3. Leverage the Training Resources
Take advantage of the extensive training materials, including ClickFunnels’ onboarding sequence and the FunnelFlix training library.
4. Participate in the Community
The ClickFunnels Facebook group provides useful insights and support from fellow users who can help troubleshoot issues or suggest optimization strategies.
5. Analyze and Optimize
Use the A/B testing features to consistently refine your funnels based on actual user behavior and conversion data.
6. Start with Available Templates
Rather than building from scratch, alter existing high-converting templates to match your brand and offering.
Summary: Is ClickFunnels Worth It?
ClickFunnels represents a major investment, but for many businesses, the yield on that investment can be impressive. The platform’s strength lies in its ability to uncomplicate the complex process of creating effective sales funnels while providing the tools needed to foster leads and convert customers.
The decision ultimately comes down to your specific business needs, technical comfort level, and budget. If you’re dedicated to optimizing your online sales process and prefer an all-in-one solution that doesn’t require technical expertise, ClickFunnels offers a compelling package-especially with the upgraded capabilities of ClickFunnels 2.0.
For businesses that can manage the monthly subscription and are serious about implementing effective sales funnels, ClickFunnels provides both the tools and the strategic framework to excel in today’s competitive digital landscape. The platform consistently evolve, tackling previous limitations and enhancing its capabilities to serve a broader range of marketing needs.
Whether you’re selling e-products, merchandise, or expertise, ClickFunnels offers a efficient path from stranger to customer-and that, for many businesses, is worth the investment.