Thrivecart Alternatives: Top Platforms for Digital Products

ThriveCart has built a reputation among online businesses for its checkout and shopping cart functionalities, effectively helping sellers manage transactions and boost conversion rates.

However, it's not ideal for every business's unique needs, especially if you're looking for specific features like online course delivery, a branded app, or alternative payment integration options.

As e-commerce becomes increasingly competitive, you need a shopping cart solution scales with your business and supports all your operational requirements.

If ThriveCart doesn’t tick all the boxes for you, there's no shortage of alternatives that could be a better fit for your digital products. 

Thrivecart Alternative Landscape

When you're on the hunt for a Thrivecart alternative, you'll find several strong contenders. SamCart and PayKickstart lead the pack, with both offering robust functionality tailored for digital product sales. We have identified several options for you to consider.

• SamCart
• PayKickstart
• Kajabi
• WooCommerce
• Systeme.io
• ClickFunnels

Each of these platforms brings something valuable to the table, whether it's Kajabi's all-in-one solution for digital products or WooCommerce's flexibility in creating an online store.

ClickFunnels isn’t just a shopping cart; it’s a sales funnel builder at heart, but it includes strong cart capabilities.

Comparing Features & Pricing

When evaluating Thrivecart alternatives, consider both the features they offer and how they're priced.

Features:

• SamCart shines with high-converting templates and a straightforward one-click upsell feature.
• PayKickstart challenges the norm with advanced affiliate management and extensive payment integrations.
• Kajabi simplifies your life by bundling course creation, email marketing, and a CRM into one.
• Systeme.io emerges as a notable mention with a freemium model, giving you basic services without denting your wallet.

Pricing:

Pricing models vary significantly among these solutions:

• SamCart: Offers multiple tiers; their basic plan usually starts at a point accessible for small businesses and scales up with more advanced features.
• PayKickstart: Has a tiered pricing strategy, which may include a monthly fee or a percentage of sales depending on the plan you choose.
• Kajabi: Known for premium pricing, but its all-inclusive platform can justify the cost if you leverage its full suite of tools.
• Systeme.io: Free to start, with gradual increases in pricing as you require more features or processing power.

It's a good idea to match each platform's pricing and features with your business goals and budget to find the right fit.

Below we're highlighting some of our favorite alternatives.

SamCart Pros and Cons

When you're looking into SamCart, it's clear that it has its share of advantages and drawbacks. Here's a breakdown to help you weigh your options:

Pros:

• Intuitive Interface: You'll find the platform user-friendly with a straightforward dashboard that makes setting up and managing products a breeze.
• Optimization for Conversions: SamCart's focus on conversion-optimized checkout pages can help boost your sales significantly.
• Advanced Features: You've got things like 1-click upsells, subscription saver features, and advanced analytics at your disposal.
• Strong Integration Options: Integration with many email marketing services, membership platforms, and webinar tools is seamless, often enhanced by Zapier support.

Cons:

• Cost: It may be a bit pricey if you're just starting out or if your sales volume doesn't justify the investment in such a comprehensive tool.
• Limited Customization: While the checkout templates are optimized, you might find the customization options somewhat lacking if you need a unique branding experience.
• No Native Payment Plan Options: Handling subscriptions or installment plans can be clunky without native support; you'd need to set up recurring products as a workaround.
• Potentially Unused Features: You might end up paying for features you don’t use, which can be frustrating if you're cost-conscious.

When selecting a cart solution like SamCart, consider these points in relation to your business needs and the value the features bring to your specific operations.

PayKickStart Pros and Cons

When considering PayKickStart, it's important to look at the strengths and potential drawbacks this platform offers you. Here's a straightforward breakdown:

Pros:

• User-Friendly: You'll find PayKickStart quite intuitive to navigate, which saves you time and hassle.
• Diverse Integrations: The platform is known for its wealth of integrations, allowing for seamless connection with other tools you may use.
• No Extra Fees: Unlike some competitors, PayKickStart doesn't tack on transaction fees, so your costs are upfront.
• Flexibility: It supports various payment models, including subscriptions and one-time payments, making it adaptable to your business needs.

Cons:

• Pricing: Costs can ramp up with the tiered pricing structure, especially if you're a small business or just starting out.
• Learning Curve: Although intuitive, the depth of features means there's still a learning curve to fully harness its capabilities.
• Customization Limitations: While it's highly functional, some users crave more customization options for checkout experiences.

Features	Pros	Cons
Interface	Intuitive	Varies based on user experience
Integrations	Numerous	N/A
Transaction Fees	None	N/A
Payment Flexibility	High	N/A
Pricing Model	Fixed	Can be high for smaller users
Customization	Adequate	Some limitations

The platform offers a robust set of features but weigh these against its pricing and customization capabilities to decide if it's the right fit for your e-commerce strategy.

Systeme.io Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Accessibility: With a no-cost entry plan, you get an extensive range of features without the need for a credit card, making it accessible for beginners.
• All-in-One Platform: Everything you need to manage your online business is in one place, from sales funnels and websites to email campaigns and affiliate management.
• Ease of Use: The platform is designed for convenience, with drag-and-drop builders and pre-made templates that simplify the creation of sales funnels and websites.
• Automation: The ability to automate processes such as email sequences and course access can save you time and enhance the customer experience.

Features	Free Plan	Paid Plans
Contacts	Up to 2,000	More available
Emails	Unlimited	Unlimited
Custom Domains	1	More available with higher plans
Payment Integration	Stripe and Paypal	Same, with additional functionality
Sales Funnels	3	More with paid plans
Online Course Capability	1	More with paid plans
Automation	Basic email sequences & access	Advanced features with paid plans

Cons:

• Feature Limitations: The free plan has limitations, such as the number of contacts, funnels, and domain integrations available.
• Scale Boundaries: As your business grows, you may need to upgrade to a paid plan to get higher limits and additional features.
• Learning Curve: New users might need time to familiarize themselves with the breadth of tools, though support resources are available.

While Systeme.io offers a comprehensive toolkit for online business management, evaluate the features against your specific business needs to determine if it is the best fit for you.

ClickFunnels Pros and Cons

When considering ClickFunnels as a potential alternative to ThriveCart, understand its strengths and weaknesses.

Pros:

• All-in-One Solution: ClickFunnels provides you with a comprehensive set of tools to build sales funnels from start to finish.
• User-Friendly Interface: The drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to create and customize funnels, even if you're not tech-savvy.
• Templates & Resources: A myriad of pre-built templates and extensive educational resources are at your disposal.
• Integration Options: It integrates with many third-party applications, including payment processors and email marketing services.

Feature	Benefit to You
A/B Testing	Optimize your pages for the highest conversion rates.
Affiliate Management	Recruit and manage affiliates directly through the platform.

Cons:

• Pricing: The monthly subscription can be costly, particularly for small businesses or solopreneurs.
• Overwhelming Options: The plentiful features can sometimes be overwhelming for new users.
• Customization Limits: While the drag-and-drop interface is user-friendly, it may limit your ability to make advanced customizations.

Limitation	Consideration for You
SEO Tools	ClickFunnels may require additional SEO plugins or custom development for advanced SEO needs.
Specific Design Needs	For more granular control over design elements, you may need additional tools.

It's important that you weigh these pros and cons against your business needs and budget before making a decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most common questions about ThriveCaart alternatives answered:

In terms of ease-of-use and features, how do Systeme.io and Podia stack up against ThriveCart?

Systeme.io offers a user-friendly interface and a suite of features similar to ThriveCart, including sales funnels, email marketing, and course hosting.

It's an all-in-one platform that integrates these tools seamlessly. Podia also presents an easy-to-use platform with strong emphasis on digital downloads and online courses, providing features like memberships and emailing directly within its service.

Which eCommerce platforms offer similar funnel-building capabilities as ThriveCart?

Several platforms offer funnel-building capabilities comparable to ThriveCart. ClickFunnels is highly focused on creating conversion-optimized sales funnels and is known for its ease of creating complex funnel sequences.

Similarly, Leadpages has robust tools for building landing pages and funnels equipped with integrated payment and checkout facilities.

What are some options for subscription management and digital sales other than ThriveCart?

For subscription management and digital sales, platforms like SamCart and PayKickstart provide robust alternatives.

SamCart focuses on increasing check-out page conversions and offers subscription management tools. PayKickstart comes with a comprehensive suite of features for managing subscriptions, affiliates and offers built-in payment processing solutions.

Both have gained favor for their focus on boosting revenue and simplifying the sales process.