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Tutorial · course platforms · updated October 8, 2026
How to set up Kajabi: from account to first course
Kajabi bundles course hosting, website and marketing in one platform. Setting it up means creating the account, defining a product, building the first course, and connecting payments so a student can actually enrol.
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TL;DR
- Kajabi is an all-in-one: courses, site and marketing in one account.
- Create the product before the course so pricing and access are defined.
- Build one small course end to end rather than a sprawling curriculum.
- Connect payments and test enrolment before you announce anything.
- Confirm current plan limits and pricing on Kajabi’s own pricing page.
On this page: What setting up Kajabi means · Before you start · Create your account · Add a product · Build the first course · Payments and enrolment · Test before launch · Common setup mistakes · Where this fits
What setting up Kajabi actually means
Kajabi is positioned as an all-in-one platform: it hosts your courses, gives you pages and email, and takes payments. Setup is therefore broader than a single-purpose tool, but the path is still short.
The milestones are: account, product, course content, then payments. Do them in order and you can launch a first course without touching every feature.
Before you start
- A clear outcome for the course: what a student can do at the end.
- A rough outline of modules and lessons.
- The price you intend to charge and the access you will grant.
- Payment details and, if relevant, a company name for receipts.
Step 1 — Create your account
Sign up, name your site, and complete the onboarding. Pick the plan that matches the number of products and contacts you expect; changing tier later is possible but messy mid-launch.
If you are unsure, start smaller than you think you need. You can grow a plan; you cannot get back the time spent configuring features you never use.
Step 2 — Add a product
Create a product and give it a price and access rules. The product is the container that decides who gets in and what they pay, so define it before you build the content.
Keep the first product simple: one price, one access level. Bundles and upsells can come after the first launch.
Step 3 — Build the first course
Add modules, then lessons inside them. Publish one lesson fully — video or text, plus any resource — before building the next, so you always have a complete path.
Resist building ten lessons before testing one. A short, finished course beats a long, unfinished one, and you will rewrite it after the first students anyway.
Step 4 — Payments and enrolment
Connect a payment provider and set the product to sell. Then walk through enrolment as a student: land on the offer, pay, and reach the member area.
Set up the welcome email before launch so a new student knows exactly what happens next.
Test before you launch
- Buy your own product with a test card or discount code.
- Confirm the member area unlocks the right content.
- Check the welcome email arrives.
- Load the offer page on mobile.
- Only then tell your audience it is live.
Common setup mistakes
| Mistake Why it hurts Fix | ||
|---|---|---|
| Building content before the product | Pricing and access are undefined | Create the product first |
| Too many lessons at launch | You never ship | Ship one complete module |
| Skipping a test enrolment | Access bugs hit real buyers | Buy your own product first |
| No welcome email | Students feel lost | Set the welcome sequence before launch |
| Over-configuring features | Time lost for no benefit | Use only what the first course needs |
Where this fits in your wider stack
Read the independent Kajabi review and start from the course platforms hub. Comparing platforms? See Kajabi vs Thinkific and the course platform pricing comparison. For a shortlist, read best course platforms.
Frequently asked
Do I need a website before Kajabi?
No. Kajabi includes the pages you need, so you can launch a course without building a separate site first.
How many lessons should my first course have?
Enough to deliver the promised outcome, and no more. Three to five focused lessons ship faster and teach you what students need.
Can I sell without a payment provider?
You need a connected payment provider to charge. Connect it and run a test enrolment before launch.
Is Kajabi suitable for one small course?
It can be, if you also want the marketing and site features. If you only need course hosting, a lighter platform may fit better — see the comparison.
Launch your first course on one platform
Define the product, ship one complete module, and test enrolment before you announce.
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