ClickFunnels occupies a unique space in the online business world. The software itself is a legitimate, widely-used funnel-building tool. The marketing ecosystem surrounding it — the income claims, the “Two Comma Club” showcases, the $2,000+ workshops — reads like a pitch for a get-rich-quick scheme.
This creates genuine confusion. Is ClickFunnels a scam? Or is it a real tool wrapped in aggressive marketing?
The answer requires separating three things: the software (what it does), the culture (how it’s marketed), and the cost (whether it’s worth it for your specific situation).
I’ve spent 15+ years evaluating online business tools and methods. Here’s the balanced assessment.
First – A Quick Note
Hey, my name is Mark.
ClickFunnels is a tool — not a business model. The tool is legitimate. Whether you need it depends entirely on what you’re building. Most beginners don’t.
The best method I’ve found for building recurring income is local lead generation. I build simple 2-page websites that show up in Google and generate leads for local businesses. Each site pays $500–$1,200 monthly, recurring, with 92–97% margins.
Go here to see the exact system I use to do this.
But first — the full ClickFunnels review.
What ClickFunnels Is
ClickFunnels is a SaaS (software as a service) platform that helps you build sales funnels — sequences of web pages designed to guide visitors toward a purchase or action. Think: landing page → opt-in form → sales page → checkout page → thank-you page.
The software includes: drag-and-drop page builder, email marketing automation, membership site hosting, course creation tools, affiliate management, and analytics.
Founded by Russell Brunson in 2014, ClickFunnels has become the most recognised brand in the funnel-building space. The company generates hundreds of millions in annual revenue and has a passionate, sometimes cult-like, user community.
ClickFunnels Pricing Breakdown
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch (Startup) | $97/month | $81/month (billed annually) | 20 funnels, 100 pages, 3 domains, 10K contacts |
| Scale | $197/month | $164/month (billed annually) | Unlimited funnels, 75K contacts, priority support |
| Optimize | $297/month | ~$248/month (billed annually) | 150K contacts, 10 workspaces, affiliate management |
| Dominate | Annual only | ~$500/month | Enterprise features, private coaching |
Free trial: 14 days (sometimes 30 days through promotional links) Money-back guarantee: 30 days after trial ends
At $97–$297/month, ClickFunnels is significantly more expensive than alternatives like Systeme.io (free plan available), Carrd ($19/year for basic landing pages), or WordPress + a page builder ($50–$150/year total).
Why People Think ClickFunnels Is a Scam
The Marketing Hype
ClickFunnels’ marketing — particularly through Russell Brunson’s personal brand — leans heavily on income success stories, “Two Comma Club” awards (for sellers who generate $1M+ through a funnel), and high-energy, aspirational content.
This creates an impression that buying ClickFunnels = making money. In reality, ClickFunnels is a tool. It doesn’t generate revenue any more than a hammer builds a house. You need a business, an offer, a product, and marketing skills. The software just builds the pages.
The Ecosystem Pressure
ClickFunnels users are encouraged to buy additional products: books ($20–$30), workshops ($500–$2,000), coaching programmes ($2,497–$25,000/year), and certifications. The upsell sequence is sophisticated and persistent.
None of these additional purchases are required to use the software. But the marketing creates pressure that feels like ClickFunnels “only works” if you also invest in the broader ecosystem.
The Affiliate Culture
ClickFunnels has one of the most aggressive affiliate programmes in SaaS — paying 30–40% recurring commissions. This means thousands of affiliate marketers promote ClickFunnels with glowing reviews, not because it’s the best tool for every situation, but because it pays them well to recommend it.
Many “Is ClickFunnels worth it?” articles online are written by affiliates earning commissions from their recommendations. This creates a biased information environment that makes objective assessment difficult.
What ClickFunnels Actually Does Well
Funnel building is genuinely easy. The drag-and-drop editor and pre-built templates make creating multi-step funnels accessible to non-technical users. For someone who needs a landing page → email capture → sales page without coding knowledge, ClickFunnels delivers.
All-in-one convenience. Instead of stitching together a website builder + email platform + checkout system + course host, ClickFunnels provides everything in one dashboard. This convenience has real value for solopreneurs who don’t want to manage multiple tools.
Templates and training. The funnel template library and training materials help beginners understand funnel strategy — not just the software mechanics.
For deciding whether to build a high-ticket or low-ticket business, ClickFunnels is most commonly used in high-ticket sales models — coaching, consulting, and premium digital products.
What ClickFunnels Does Poorly (or Overcharges For)
Price-to-value at the basic tier. $97/month for a landing page builder is expensive when Carrd costs $49/year, Systeme.io has a free tier, and WordPress + Elementor costs $60–$100/year.
Email marketing is basic. ClickFunnels’ built-in email features are functional but limited compared to dedicated platforms like ConvertKit ($29/month), Mailchimp (free tier available), or ActiveCampaign ($15/month).
SEO capabilities are weak. ClickFunnels pages are not optimised for search engine rankings. If organic traffic is your strategy, a WordPress site significantly outperforms ClickFunnels.
Lock-in concern. Moving away from ClickFunnels means rebuilding all your funnels from scratch on another platform. The deeper you build in ClickFunnels, the harder (and more expensive) it is to leave.
Verdict: Is ClickFunnels a Scam?
No. ClickFunnels is a legitimate software product used by hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide. It does what it says — helps you build sales funnels without coding.
But: It’s overpriced for most beginners, surrounded by aggressive marketing that conflates buying the software with making money, and promoted disproportionately by affiliates who earn commissions from recommendations.
ClickFunnels is worth it if: You have an existing business with products/services to sell, you need multi-step funnels, you value all-in-one convenience over cost optimisation, and you’re generating enough revenue to justify $97–$297/month in software costs.
ClickFunnels is NOT worth it if: You don’t have a product or service to sell yet (the software doesn’t create business — it supports existing business), you’re on a tight budget (cheaper alternatives exist), you rely on SEO for traffic (ClickFunnels pages rank poorly), or you’re buying it because you think it will make you money by itself.
For choosing the right online business model, the model comes before the tools. Build a business first, then select tools that support it — not the other way around.
Alternatives to ClickFunnels
| Tool | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Systeme.io | Free – $97/month | Budget-friendly all-in-one |
| WordPress + Elementor | $50–$150/year | SEO-focused businesses |
| Carrd | $19–$49/year | Simple landing pages |
| Leadpages | $37–$74/month | Landing pages + lead gen |
| Kajabi | $149–$399/month | Course creators |
| GoHighLevel | $97–$297/month | Agencies and marketers |
Pros and Cons
What works: Easy funnel building without coding. All-in-one platform. Good training materials. Active community. Free trial and money-back guarantee.
What doesn’t: Expensive compared to alternatives. Aggressive upsell culture. Weak SEO. Basic email features. Affiliate-driven reviews create bias. No free tier.
Who ClickFunnels Is NOT For
If you don’t have a product or service to sell, you don’t need funnel software.
If you rely on organic search traffic, WordPress-based solutions significantly outperform ClickFunnels for SEO.
If $97/month stretches your budget, cheaper alternatives provide similar functionality.
If you’re a beginner with no online business yet, investing in ClickFunnels before building a business is premature.
For the best online business to start, choose the business model first, then select tools that serve it. For realistic online income expectations, no software — including ClickFunnels — generates income by itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ClickFunnels legitimate? Yes — it’s a real software company processing hundreds of millions in revenue, used by hundreds of thousands of businesses.
Why do people call ClickFunnels a scam? The aggressive marketing culture, income hype, expensive upsells, and affiliate-driven reviews create a perception of scamminess — even though the software itself is functional and legitimate.
How much does ClickFunnels cost? $97–$297/month depending on the plan. Annual billing reduces the per-month cost by approximately 16%.
Can ClickFunnels make me money? No — ClickFunnels is a tool, not a business model. It supports existing businesses by making funnel building easier. It doesn’t generate revenue on its own.
Are there cheaper alternatives? Yes — Systeme.io (free tier), WordPress + page builder ($50–$150/year), Carrd ($19–$49/year), and Leadpages ($37/month) all offer funnel/landing page capabilities at lower costs.
ClickFunnels is a tool, not a business. Local lead generation is the business — building simple 2-page websites that show up in Google and generate leads for local businesses, paying $500–$1,200/site monthly.
Click here to see how it works.
The Bottom Line
ClickFunnels is legitimate software wrapped in occasionally questionable marketing. The tool works for businesses that need funnels. The culture overpromises what the tool can deliver alone. Evaluate it as software — does it solve a specific problem for your existing business? If yes, it may be worth the premium price. If you’re buying it hoping it will create a business for you, save your $97/month and invest that time and money in building something first.
The ClickFunnels Affiliate Programme Problem
ClickFunnels pays affiliates 30–40% recurring commissions on referred subscriptions. On the $97/month plan, that’s roughly $29–$39/month per referred customer — recurring as long as the customer stays subscribed.
Why this matters for your research: When you search “ClickFunnels review” or “Is ClickFunnels worth it,” the vast majority of results are written by ClickFunnels affiliates who earn money when you sign up. This doesn’t mean their reviews are dishonest, but it does mean they have financial incentive to recommend ClickFunnels over cheaper alternatives.
How to identify affiliate reviews: Look for disclosure statements (legally required). Check if the reviewer compares ClickFunnels to cheaper alternatives honestly, or if every comparison conveniently concludes ClickFunnels is the best option. Note whether the review discusses limitations and disadvantages with the same depth as benefits.
Who Actually Needs ClickFunnels
You likely need ClickFunnels (or a similar tool) if:
- You sell a product or service priced at $500+ and need a multi-step sales funnel
- You run webinar-based sales processes
- You sell digital courses and need integrated checkout, delivery, and email follow-up
- You’re already generating $3,000+/month and need better conversion infrastructure
- You value having everything in one platform over cost optimisation
You likely don’t need ClickFunnels if:
- You don’t have a product or service to sell yet
- Your business relies on organic SEO traffic (WordPress is better)
- You need a simple landing page or website (Carrd at $19/year does this)
- You’re earning under $1,000/month online (the $97/month cost is disproportionate)
- You can build pages yourself with WordPress + a free page builder
The test: if ClickFunnels costs $97/month and your total online income is $200/month, you’re spending 48% of revenue on a single tool. That’s not sustainable. If your income is $5,000/month and ClickFunnels helps increase conversion by even 10%, the $97/month pays for itself many times over.
The Russell Brunson Factor
Russell Brunson, ClickFunnels’ co-founder, is one of the most visible figures in online marketing. His books (“DotCom Secrets,” “Expert Secrets,” “Traffic Secrets”) are widely read and generally well-regarded in the marketing community.
However, Brunson’s personal brand is inseparable from ClickFunnels’ marketing — and his high-energy, aspirational presentation style creates expectations that the software alone can transform your business. His success stories (featured prominently in ClickFunnels marketing) represent exceptional outcomes, not typical ones.
Understanding this helps calibrate expectations: ClickFunnels is good software promoted by an exceptional marketer. The marketing is more impressive than the software — which is fine, as long as you evaluate the software on its own merits rather than the marketing surrounding it.
Mark is the founder of MarksInsights and has spent 15+ years testing online business programs and tools. He focuses on honest, experience-based reviews that help people avoid scams and find real, sustainable ways to make money online.