Kajabi Empowers Creators to Develop Their Own Branded Apps with New Online Course Platform Feature

Kajabi, the platform renowned for its video and web hosting services tailored to content creators seeking to monetize online courses, made a significant announcement on Thursday: the official launch of its no-code branded mobile app offering. This groundbreaking development empowers users to host their own personalized native app, accessible through both the App Store and Google Play.

While Kajabi already offers a mobile app for hosting online courses, this latest product introduces a new level of control and engagement for creators. With the ability to customize various aspects of the app, including its icon, login screen, layout, and content, creators can craft a unique user experience tailored to their brand identity.Notable features include customization options for the welcome screen, explore page, push notifications, custom links, carousels showcasing online courses, and additional in-app purchases such as bundle offers.

Moreover, the app boasts a dedicated AI chat assistant, seamlessly integrated to provide real-time assistance and answer user queries. This innovative feature further enhances user interaction and engagement, offering a holistic solution for creators looking to elevate their online presence and connect more effectively with their audience.Sean Kim, Kajabi's Chief Product Officer and former Head of Product at TikTok, emphasized the company's commitment to empowering creators to thrive in the digital marketplace. "Our North Star has always been to increase commerce for creators," Kim stated in an interview with TechCrunch. "Whether we're helping you make your first dollar, reach profitability, or achieve financial freedom, all of our resources are directed towards this goal.

The branded mobile app is the latest product we offer that helps our customers increase commerce, as well as reach their businesses."The introduction of branded apps has been eagerly anticipated by creators, reflecting a growing demand for customizable solutions in the digital content landscape. According to Kajabi user data, a significant 62% of creators consider a branded app essential for their businesses. Moreover, 55% expressed a willingness to invest up to $100 per month for a custom-branded app, underscoring the perceived value and importance of this offering in driving business growth and enhancing the creator experience.

Kajabi has rigorously tested the new product with an extensive group of over 800 beta users. Following this comprehensive testing phase, the branded mobile app offering is now officially available to all Kajabi users as of today. This widespread availability marks a significant milestone in Kajabi's mission to empower content creators with innovative tools and solutions to elevate their online businesses and engage with their audiences more effectively.Kajabi presents its branded mobile app offering as a cost-effective alternative to the traditional app development process. While traditional app development can often span six months and incur costs upwards of $60,000, Kajabi streamlines the process by providing pre-built apps that can be deployed in a matter of weeks. This accelerated timeline and reduced cost serve as compelling benefits for creators seeking efficient and budget-friendly solutions.

Moreover, Kajabi's approach is particularly reassuring for creators who have experienced previous disappointments with app development projects that failed to meet their expectations. By offering a streamlined and cost-effective alternative, Kajabi aims to instill confidence and provide creators with a reliable platform to showcase their content and engage with their audience effectively.Raquel Britzke, a nutritionist and Kajabi client, shared her experience of investing $10,000 in building an app that ultimately fell short of her expectations. Reflecting on her previous endeavor, Britzke expressed the challenges she faced in creating a functional and user-friendly app independently.

However, with Kajabi's branded app offering, Britzke now has the opportunity to swiftly transition her existing customer base to a platform optimized to deliver her instructional videos seamlessly.While Kajabi's branded app solution represents a more affordable option compared to traditional app development, it still entails an investment. This offering is exclusively available to creators with existing courses on the platform, with pricing ranging from $89 to $199 per month. The higher-tier plan includes a Community feature, enabling customers to engage with creators through live video calls, chats, meetups, and challenges.

Kajabi offers three subscription tiers: Basic ($149/month), Growth ($199/month), and Pro ($399/month), providing creators with varying levels of features and functionality to support their business objectives and engage with their audience effectively.Kajabi is poised to expand its offerings beyond one-time course purchases to include subscriptions, as well as community and coaching products available as in-app purchases. This move reflects the company's commitment to enhancing its platform and providing creators with additional revenue streams. It's worth noting that while Kajabi plans to introduce these new features, Apple and Google typically charge a 30% fee for all in-app purchases, with a reduced rate of 15% for companies generating less than $1 million annually.

Furthermore, Kajabi is dedicated to ongoing improvement and innovation, with automatic updates for all apps to ensure users have access to the latest features and enhancements. While Kajabi doesn't currently support coding customizations, it aims to introduce customizable widgets that users can integrate into their apps. Additionally, upcoming features in development include offline viewing, interactive quizzes, and personalized experiences, further enriching the user experience.

In the rapidly growing landscape of no-code app-building platforms, Kajabi faces competition from various players such as Wix (charging $200 per month for its branded app), Bubble (offering plans between $29 and $529 per month), Vidapp ($389), Passion.io ($297), and Thinkific ($199), among others. Despite the competitive market, Kajabi's focus on providing a comprehensive solution tailored to content creators' needs positions it as a formidable contender in the space.