SamCart vs ConvertKit – What’s The Difference?

Today, we are going to talk about SamCart and ConvertKit. The two platforms are widely used by online businesses of all scale and sizes.

While SamCart, is known for its powerful ecommerce features, ConvertKit focuses more on the marketing aspect.

In the following sections, we will review the two in detail, talk about their features, pros, cons, pricing and other things. This will help you figure out which platform offers what and when to use them.

Let’s get started.

ConvertKit is an email marketing software designed specifically for online creators, such as bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, and course creators.

It offers a range of features to help them grow and monetize their audience, automate their marketing, and sell digital products with ease.

Take a look at some benefits:

1. Subscribers: Manage subscribers and track their interactions with your emails.
2. Automations: Create automated email sequences based on subscriber actions, such as opening emails or clicking links. This feature is particularly useful for creating evergreen pitches and launch sequences.
3. Landing Pages and Forms: Customize landing pages and forms to increase email signups. These features are included in all pricing tiers and are easy to use.
4. Broadcasts: Send one-off emails to your list or specific segments of it, ideal for traditional newsletters.
5. Visual Automation Builder: A user-friendly interface for creating and managing automations without needing extensive technical knowledge.
6. Digital Product Sales: Sell digital products directly from the platform, with a 3.5% + $0.30 transaction fee.
7. Segmentation: Segment subscribers based on their actions and behaviors to target specific groups with tailored content.
8. Payouts: ConvertKit offers payouts for digital product sales, with a 3.5% + $0.30 transaction fee.

SamCart vs ConvertKit – Areas of Improvement

SamCart

Even though SamCart ticks all the right boxes, it has some limitations. Take a look.

• Not great for a large inventory as it doesn’t support a storefront format
• Costly shopping cart software for a business generating zero to low revenue
• Limited design options, although templates are customizable, they are limited in number and range.
• Fewer payment integrations than some other shopping cart/ecommerce applications
• Some of the best features like cart abandonment, A/B testing, affiliate center, and subscription saver are only available in the most expensive “Scale” plan.
• Only email support is available, no live chat
• SamCart Courses lacks interactive features like note-taking, clickable video hotspots, and doesn’t support live classes or have community-building features.
• Not an all-in-one solution, lacks a website builder to create an entire course website

ConvertKit

ConvertKit has certain cons too.

1. Limited Reporting Data: ConvertKit provides basic analytics with essential metrics like opens, clicks, and unsubscribes, but it doesn’t offer much more than that.
2. No Spam Testing: Unlike other email providers, ConvertKit doesn’t offer spam testing, which can be a significant drawback for some users.
3. High Cost: ConvertKit is more expensive compared to other email marketing tools, which can be a significant barrier for small businesses or those with low revenue.
4. Limited Design Options: The editor lacks flexibility, making it difficult to create visually appealing emails.
5. No Mobile App: ConvertKit does not have a mobile app, which can be inconvenient for users who need to manage their email marketing campaigns on-the-go.
6. Not Suitable for Non-Tech Users: The platform can be challenging for non-technical users due to its complex features and limited templates.
7. No All-in-One Solution: While ConvertKit is an excellent email marketing tool, it is not an all-in-one solution for managing an entire online business.
8. Limited Integrations: ConvertKit has fewer integrations compared to some other email marketing platforms, which can limit its functionality.
9. No Visual Email Creation: ConvertKit does not have an easy way to create visual emails, which can be a significant drawback for users who want to create design-heavy emails.
10. Pricing Not Justified: The pricing of ConvertKit is not easily justified, as other services offer more advanced features at a similar price.

Can You Integrate SamCart & ConvertKit?

Yes, you can integrate SamCart and ConvertKit.

Both platforms offer integration options to streamline workflow and enhance productivity. Here are the steps to integrate them:

Using Appy Pie Connect

1. Sign up for Appy Pie Connect: Create an account on Appy Pie Connect.
2. Choose ConvertKit and SamCart: Select ConvertKit and SamCart as your apps from the list of available apps.
3. Choose a Trigger and Action: Choose a trigger (e.g., new email received in ConvertKit) and an action (e.g., create a task in SamCart) for your integration.
4. Customize the Integration: Set up filters to exclude certain data and customize the integration to suit your specific needs.

Using SamCart’s Integration Engine

1. Gather API Information: Get your API Key and API Secret from your ConvertKit account.
2. Access SamCart Dashboard: Log in to your SamCart dashboard and navigate to Marketplace Settings > Integrations.
3. Add a New Integration: Click New Integration and select ConvertKit.
4. Name the Integration: Give the integration a name.
5. Paste API Secret: Copy and paste the API Secret from the other browser tab.
6. Save Integration: Hit Save Integration to complete the integration.

Using ConvertKit’s Integration

1. Access ConvertKit Settings: Log in to your ConvertKit account and navigate to Settings > API Secret.
2. Show API Secret: Click Show under API Secret to access the API Key and API Secret.
3. Access SamCart Dashboard: Log in to your SamCart dashboard and navigate to Marketplace Settings > Integrations.
4. New Integration: Click New Integration and select ConvertKit.
5. Name the Integration: Give the integration a name.
6. Paste API Secret: Copy and paste the API Secret from the other browser tab.
7. Save Integration: Hit Save Integration to complete the integration.

Creating Integration Rules

1. Product Level: Head to your Product and click into the Integrations tab.
2. New Rule: Click New Rule.
3. Select Integration and Action: Choose the integration and action you want to perform.
4. Select Trigger: Choose the trigger event (e.g., product purchased).
5. Choose Tags/Purchases: Select the tags or purchases to apply to new customers.

These integrations allow you to automate tasks, streamline workflow, and enhance data visibility, ultimately improving productivity and efficiency in your business.

Pricing

SamCart

SamCart offers three pricing plans giving ample flexibility to ecommerce businesses.

Launch Plan

• $79 per month ($59 per month if billed annually)
• Includes:
  • Drag & Drop Template Builder
  • Full Template Library
  • Advanced Subscriptions
  • Full Email Customizations
  • Custom Domains
  • Digital Product Delivery
  • Coupons & Discounts
  • Pay What You Want feature
  • Unlimited courses, students, and downloads in SamCart Courses
• Limitations:
  • SamCart branding on checkout URLs
  • No custom checkout fields

Grow Plan

• $159 per month ($119 per month if billed annually)
• Includes everything in Launch plus:
  • Affiliate Center
  • Cart Abandonment
  • A/B Testing
  • Custom Checkout Fields
  • Subscription Saver
  • Dunning
  • Custom Domains
  • Zapier Integration
  • Webhooks
  • Bulk Coupon Creation
  • Subscription Trials
  • Subscription Quantity Pricing
  • Subscription Quantity Limits

Scale Plan

• $319 per month ($239 per month if billed annually)
• Includes everything in Grow plus:
  • Custom User Roles
  • Custom Integrations
  • API Access
  • Dedicated IP Address
  • Dedicated Support

SamCart also offers a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money back guarantee. Annual plans provide a 20% discount compared to monthly billing.

The Launch plan has all the core features most businesses need to create converting checkout pages, with unlimited courses and students in SamCart Courses.

The Grow and Scale plans unlock more advanced features like the Affiliate Center, A/B testing, and custom integrations for larger businesses.

ConvertKit

ConvertKit offers three pricing plans: Free, Creator, and Creator Pro. The pricing is based on the number of subscribers, with each plan offering different features and support levels.

Free Plan

• Free Forever: The free plan allows up to 1,000 subscribers and includes unlimited landing pages, forms, and broadcasts. It also includes basic features like automated email sequences and visual automation builders.
• No Credit Card Required: There is no credit card required to sign up for a ConvertKit Free account, and you can stay on the free plan as long as you manage fewer than 1,000 subscribers.

Creator Plan

• $9 per month for up to 300 subscribers: This plan includes everything in the free plan, plus advanced features like automated email sequences, visual automation builders, and third-party integrations.
• $29 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers: This plan includes all the features in the Creator plan, plus additional team members and advanced reporting.

Creator Pro Plan

• $25 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers: This plan includes all the features in the Creator plan, plus priority support, advanced features like subscriber scoring and deliverability reporting, and unlimited team members.

Pricing Scale

• Subscribers: The pricing scales based on the number of subscribers, with each plan offering different features and support levels. For example, the Creator plan costs $29 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers, while the Creator Pro plan costs $25 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers.

Features on offer

• Automated Email Sequences: All paid plans include automated email sequences, which help streamline marketing efforts.
• Visual Automation Builders: The Creator and Creator Pro plans include visual automation builders, which simplify the process of creating complex automation workflows.
• Third-Party Integrations: The Creator and Creator Pro plans include third-party integrations, which allow for seamless connections with other tools and services.
• Priority Support: The Creator Pro plan includes priority support, which provides faster and more personalized assistance.

Conclusion

SamCart and ConvertKit are two powerful tools that cater to different needs in the digital landscape.

While SamCart is ideal for businesses focused on ecommerce, ConvertKit excels in the realm of email marketing. When deciding between the two, it’s crucial to evaluate your specific requirements and aspirations.

If you want to streamline your ecommerce operations including customizable checkout forms and landing pages, SamCart may be the better fit.

Conversely, if you’re looking for an email marketing tool, along with advanced newsletter features and more, consider ConvertKit.