GoHighLevel vs Keap - Which Small-Business Automation CRM Is Worth It? (2026)

GoHighLevel and Keap are both CRM and marketing automation platforms for small businesses, but they are priced and packaged very differently. Keap lists one platform from $320 a month (or $3,195 a year) with 1,500 contacts and two users, plus required implementation services. GoHighLevel costs $97, $297 or $497 a month with unlimited users and contacts, plus usage, and adds two-way SMS, calling, booking, funnels and client sub-accounts.

The quick answer: choose GoHighLevel if you want more tools for less money, especially texting, calling and booking, or if you run an agency. Choose Keap if you want an established automation CRM with lead scoring and a vendor-led onboarding process, and the price fits your budget.

GoHighLevel vs Keap at a Glance

Prices from gohighlevel.com/pricing and keap.com/pricing, checked November 9, 2026.

What Is GoHighLevel?

GoHighLevel (HighLevel) is an all-in-one sales and marketing platform built around a CRM. One account includes contacts and pipelines, a conversations inbox for SMS, email, calls and social messages, funnels and websites, booking calendars, workflows, payments, reputation management, courses and AI tools.

Agencies run each client in its own sub-account and copy setups with snapshots. Our GoHighLevel review covers the full platform.

What Is Keap?

Keap, formerly known as Infusionsoft, is a CRM and marketing automation platform for small businesses. Its pricing page now sells one full platform instead of feature-based tiers, with CRM, lead scoring, landing pages, multi-page sales funnels, forms, email broadcasts, text marketing, payments through Keap Pay, a mobile app and AI assistants for content and automation. Keap's website also notes that Keap has been acquired by Thryv.

Pricing: Flat Platform vs Contact-Based Plan

GoHighLevel Pricing

Usage is billed on top: about $0.675 per 1,000 emails and $0.00747 per US SMS segment, plus phone numbers, calls and premium AI. See our GoHighLevel pricing guide.

Keap Pricing

Keap's page also says to ask about current promotional offers, and its search description mentions a lower "starting at $249" figure, so check the live checkout before you budget. On annual contracts, Keap charges a $299 early termination fee if you cancel before the year ends, and cancellations must be requested at least 10 days before the next invoice.

Worked Cost Example

Example only, using list prices for a business with 1,500 contacts, monthly billing, excluding usage and Keap's implementation fee:

GoHighLevel's bill grows with usage (texts, calls, emails), while Keap's grows with contacts and users. A business with a large list and a small team will feel Keap's contact tiers most.

Costs Beyond the Subscription

Neither list price is the full story, so budget for these extras.

GoHighLevel Extras

• Usage: SMS segments, call minutes, phone numbers and email sends are billed as you use them.
• Premium workflow steps: actions such as the custom outbound webhook and Google Sheets cost $0.01 per execution after 100 free executions per sub-account, or come in bundles from $10 a month.
• AI: AI Employee plans at $20, $50 or $97 per sub-account a month, if you want AI to answer chats and calls.

Keap Extras

• Implementation: a required services package at the start, with the price quoted by Keap.
• Growth: more contacts move you into higher contact tiers, and every user beyond two adds $39 a month.
• Texting: usage beyond the included 500 messages and 100 minutes means a higher tier or overages.
• Commitment: annual billing lowers the yearly total but adds the $299 early termination fee if you leave early.

Common Mistakes When Choosing

1. Comparing base prices only. Add Keap's implementation package and extra users, and GoHighLevel's expected usage, before deciding.
2. Forgetting the contact count. A list that grows past 1,500 contacts changes Keap's price; GoHighLevel's does not.
3. Assuming texting works the same everywhere. Keap's automated texts and broadcasts are US only.
4. Switching mid-contract. Leaving a Keap annual plan early triggers the termination fee, so plan the move around your renewal date.

Automation: Campaigns vs Workflows

Automation is the reason most people buy either platform.

Keap has a long history in small-business automation. Its platform includes lead scoring, automation history on every contact, proven automation templates and an AI Automation Assistant that Keap says can build a whole campaign from templates and AI.

GoHighLevel's workflow builder is a visual trigger-and-action editor that runs on every plan. A single workflow can text, email, call, move an opportunity, book an appointment, wait for a reply and request a review.

Email Marketing

Both handle broadcasts, templates and automated sequences. Keap includes email broadcasts, newsletters, 1:1 email synced with Gmail or Outlook and an AI Content Assistant. GoHighLevel includes email campaigns, templates and workflows, billed by usage. If email is your main channel, both will do the job; the difference is in price model and the other channels around it.

Texting, Calling and Booking

This is where GoHighLevel pulls ahead.

• GoHighLevel includes two-way SMS, calling, call tracking, missed-call text back and a unified inbox on every plan, billed by usage, plus booking calendars with text and email reminders.
• Keap sells text and voice in bundles from 500 messages and 100 minutes (included) up to 25,000 messages. One-to-one texts work in the US and Canada, while broadcasts, automated texts and reply handling are US only. Keap includes a business phone line and lets you send appointment links from its app.

For a business outside the US that relies on automated texts, that restriction alone can decide the comparison.

Funnels, Landing Pages and Payments

Keap includes landing pages, multi-page sales funnels and forms, plus Keap Pay for invoices and payments. GoHighLevel includes a fuller funnel and website builder with order forms, upsells, memberships, courses and communities, and connects to payment providers such as Stripe.

If you want websites, courses and communities in the same account, GoHighLevel covers more ground.

CRM and Pipelines

Both give you contacts, tags, custom fields, companies, notes, tasks and sales pipelines. Keap adds native lead scoring and a customizable dashboard. GoHighLevel adds smart lists and ties calls, texts, bookings, payments and reviews to every contact. Our GoHighLevel CRM guide goes deeper.

Agencies and White Label

Keap runs a certified partner program for consultants who implement it, but each client pays for its own Keap. See our GoHighLevel for agencies guide.

Ease of Use, Support and Onboarding

Keap makes implementation services required, covering strategy consulting, data import, migration and done-for-you setup. That adds cost but gives new users a guided start.

GoHighLevel leaves onboarding optional. It offers 24/7 chat and phone support, a help center and a free live bootcamp, and agencies can import ready-made snapshots. Its learning curve is steeper because there are more tools. Our how to use GoHighLevel guide walks through setup.

Pros and Cons

GoHighLevel

Keap

Moving From Keap to GoHighLevel

HighLevel's guide says tags, custom fields and deals must be recreated manually and that automations are rebuilt rather than imported. If you are on a Keap annual contract, time the switch to your renewal to avoid the early termination fee.

Which Should You Choose?

Our Verdict

GoHighLevel wins on price, users, texting and calling, funnels and agency tools. At list prices it starts at less than a third of Keap's entry price and does not charge for extra users or contacts.

Keap wins for businesses that value an established automation engine, native lead scoring and a guided implementation, and are comfortable with its contact-based pricing. For other options, see our GoHighLevel alternatives and GoHighLevel vs HubSpot.

Frequently Asked Questions