Unbounce vs. ClickFunnels: Which Is Right for You?
Discover the key differences between Unbounce and ClickFunnels to find out which landing page builder suits your business needs best.
The right landing page builder can significantly impact your business success. Unbounce and ClickFunnels are among the most popular options, each offering unique features and capabilities.
Unbounce focuses on helping you build landing pages that are highly customizable and optimized for visitor conversion, while ClickFunnels specializes in building comprehensive sales funnels.
This article compares these two platforms across various aspects, including user-friendliness, conversion optimization tools, customization options, and pricing. We'll explore how each platform caters to different needs, from those of small startups to established enterprises.
By the end of the comparison, you'll understand which tool aligns best with your marketing goals and business requirements.
What is Unbounce?
The Unbounce landing page builder is designed to help businesses create high-converting web pages without requiring coding skills.
Key features and typical use cases for Unbounce include:
- Landing page creation. Build custom landing pages quickly using the drag-and-drop editor and predesigned templates.
- A/B testing. Optimize conversions by testing different page variations to determine which performs best.
- Integrations. Connect Unbounce to customer relationship management (CRM) systems, email marketing platforms, and analytics tools for seamless workflows.
What is ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is a popular all-in-one sales funnel builder that was created to help entrepreneurs create marketing funnels to guide potential customers through the buyer's journey.
Key features and typical use cases for ClickFunnels include:
- Funnel templates. Access prebuilt funnel templates for various marketing strategies, from lead generation to product launches.
- Membership sites. Create and manage subscription-based content or courses within the platform.
- Checkout process. Set up payment gateways and design optimized checkout pages for e-commerce businesses.
Comparison: Unbounce vs. ClickFunnels
Both Unbounce and ClickFunnels offer features to help businesses optimize their online marketing efforts. Let's examine how these platforms compare in various aspects.
Conversion rates
Unbounce and ClickFunnels both offer tools to optimize conversion rates, but their approaches differ:
- A/B testing. Unbounce offers more robust A/B testing capabilities, allowing testing of multiple elements. ClickFunnels also offers A/B testing, but it's more focused on comparing entire pages or funnels.
- AI optimization. Unbounce's Smart Traffic uses AI (artificial intelligence) to direct visitors to the most relevant landing page variant automatically. ClickFunnels doesn't offer an AI-powered feature equivalent to that.
- Funnel optimization. ClickFunnels excels in creating multi-step funnels, offering more comprehensive funnel-building tools. Unbounce focuses more on optimizing individual landing pages.
For example, an e-commerce store could use Unbounce's Smart Traffic to automatically optimize product page layouts, potentially increasing conversions over time through AI-driven insights.
The same store using ClickFunnels might not have access to AI-driven traffic optimization. Still, it could create a multi-step checkout process with one-click upsells, potentially increasing average order value through a more comprehensive sales funnel.
Templates and customization
Both platforms offer customizable templates, but with different strengths:
- Template variety. Unbounce provides over 100 templates optimized for various industries and campaign types. ClickFunnels offers more templates, but some are only for certain subscription price tiers.
- Customization depth. Unbounce allows for more granular design control, including custom CSS options. ClickFunnels focuses on rapid customization within its preset page layouts and funnel structures, potentially offering less flexibility in overall page design but faster setup for complete funnels.
- Mobile responsiveness. Both platforms offer mobile-responsive templates.
For instance, a SaaS company using Unbounce could create a highly customized landing page with precise control over every design element. Meanwhile, a digital marketer using ClickFunnels could quickly set up a complete sales funnel with consistent branding across multiple pages.
Integrations
While both platforms offer numerous integrations, they cater to slightly different needs:
- Email marketing. Both platforms integrate with major email marketing tools like Mailchimp and AWeber, but Unbounce's extensive use of Zapier provides greater flexibility for connecting with a broader range of email marketing platforms. ClickFunnels, on the other hand, offers strong direct integrations with a focus on automation and campaign management.
- CRM systems. Unbounce offers a broader range of direct CRM integrations and, through Zapier, can connect to thousands of other apps, making it highly versatile. ClickFunnels also provides a strong set of CRM integrations, particularly focused on sales and marketing automation, but relies more heavily on third-party tools for some integrations.
- Analytics. Both platforms offer strong integration with Google Analytics, but ClickFunnels provides a more diverse set of native analytics tools and integrations for funnel performance tracking. Unbounce, on the other hand, offers a more seamless integration with Google Analytics 4, allowing users to access GA4 data directly within its platform.
- Webinar platforms. ClickFunnels may have more robust and direct integrations with webinar platforms, making it potentially more suitable for businesses heavily focused on webinar marketing. Unbounce, while having fewer direct integrations, offers flexibility through Zapier connections, which could benefit users of less common webinar platforms.
- Marketing automation. Unbounce's Zapier integration is more robust than that of ClickFunnels, allowing for more complex automated workflows across platforms.
User-friendly features
Both Unbounce and ClickFunnels prioritize user-friendliness, but their approaches differ.
Unbounce's drag-and-drop editor offers more design flexibility, so users can place elements anywhere on the page. This can be advantageous for creating unique layouts but may require a bit more time to master.
ClickFunnels' editor is more structured, using predesigned sections that users can easily customize. This approach simplifies the design process but may limit creative freedom.
For beginners, ClickFunnels might have a gentler learning curve due to its focus on prebuilt funnels and section-based editing. Unbounce, while still user-friendly, may take more time to fully utilize its extensive customization options.
ClickFunnels users might focus on understanding funnel strategy, while Unbounce users could benefit from experimenting with different design elements to optimize individual pages.
A/B testing and optimization
Unbounce offers more comprehensive A/B testing (also known as split testing) capabilities, allowing users to test multiple page elements simultaneously. This granular approach enables businesses to optimize specific components like headlines, images, or call-to-action buttons individually.
For instance, an online retailer could test different product image sizes, button colors, and pricing displays all in one experiment.
ClickFunnels' A/B testing is more focused on comparing entire pages or funnels. This approach is beneficial for testing broader strategies or complete user journeys.
A service-based business might use this to compare two different sales page layouts or test the effectiveness of adding an additional step to their funnel.
Both platforms provide analytics to help users interpret test results. Unbounce's more detailed testing capabilities might benefit businesses looking to fine-tune their pages, while ClickFunnels' approach could be more suitable for those focused on optimizing overall funnel performance.
Email marketing
Unbounce and ClickFunnels both offer email marketing capabilities, but their strengths lie in different areas.
Unbounce's extensive use of Zapier provides greater flexibility for connecting with various email marketing platforms. This allows users to integrate with their preferred email tools, even if they're not directly supported. For example, a business using a niche email marketing service can likely connect it to Unbounce through Zapier.
Unbounce users can also create custom forms to capture email list leads and automatically sync them with their email marketing tool of choice.
ClickFunnels offers strong direct integrations focusing on automation and campaign management within the context of the sales funnel. It's designed to seamlessly incorporate email marketing into the overall funnel strategy, which can be particularly useful for businesses that want to set up automated email sequences triggered by specific actions within their funnels.
ClickFunnels users can also leverage the platform's built-in email automation features to nurture leads through the sales process.
Sales funnels and marketing funnels
Unbounce and ClickFunnels approach funnel building differently.
Unbounce excels in creating high-converting landing pages that can be linked together to form funnels. It offers flexibility in designing individual stages but requires more manual setup for complex funnels. Unbounce's strength lies in its ability to create highly customized pages for each funnel stage, though connecting these pages into a cohesive funnel may require more effort.
ClickFunnels, true to its name, specializes in creating comprehensive sales funnels with prebuilt landing page templates for various industries and goals. It provides a wider range of funnel-specific templates, including opt-in funnels, webinar funnels, and product launch funnels. Its funnel builder allows users to easily visualize and modify the entire customer journey.
For example, a SaaS company using ClickFunnels might implement a webinar funnel template, guiding users from a registration page through a thank you page, webinar attendance, and finally, to a product offer.
The same company using Unbounce could create highly optimized individual pages for each of these stages, potentially achieving higher conversion rates at each step but requiring more setup time.
Lead generation and marketing automation
Both Unbounce and ClickFunnels offer lead generation tools, but their approaches differ:
- Pop-ups are overlay windows that appear on web pages. Unbounce offers more advanced targeting and design options for these, while ClickFunnels integrates pop-ups seamlessly within funnels.
- Sticky bars are persistent bars that stay visible as users scroll. Unbounce specializes in these and offers more customization options than ClickFunnels.
- Form builders are tools for creating lead capture forms. Unbounce provides a more flexible form design, while ClickFunnels focuses on funnel-optimized forms.
For marketing automation, ClickFunnels offers built-in email automation and follow-up funnels. Unbounce relies more on integrations with third-party tools through Zapier, providing flexibility but requiring more setup.
These tools enhance marketing campaigns by capturing leads across various touchpoints and nurturing them through automated sequences.
For instance, an Unbounce user might combine a sticky bar promotion with a targeted pop-up to boost email sign-ups. In contrast, a ClickFunnels user could create an automated webinar funnel with integrated email follow-ups.
Specialized features
Unbounce and ClickFunnels each offer unique features catering to different marketing needs:
- Smart Traffic. Unbounce's AI-powered tool automatically directs visitors to the most relevant landing page variant, potentially improving conversion rates.
- Dynamic text replacement. This Unbounce feature customizes page content based on search keywords or ad copy, enhancing relevance for visitors.
- Membership sites. ClickFunnels allows users to build and manage subscription-based content or courses within the platform.
- Webinar funnels. ClickFunnels provides complete funnel templates for webinar marketing, from registration to follow-up.
So, a SaaS company using Unbounce's dynamic text replacement could create landing pages that automatically adjust to match various ad keywords, potentially improving ad quality scores and conversion rates.
Meanwhile, an online course creator using ClickFunnels' membership site feature could easily set up a protected area for paid content, streamlining content delivery to subscribers.
E-commerce and payment gateways
Unbounce and ClickFunnels offer different approaches to e-commerce functionality:
Unbounce focuses on creating high-converting landing pages for e-commerce but relies on integrations for actual transactions. It supports various payment gateways through third-party integrations, allowing users to choose their preferred payment processor.
Unbounce offers highly customized designs for building effective checkout pages but requires more setup for full e-commerce functionality.
ClickFunnels provides more comprehensive e-commerce features, including built-in shopping cart functionality and order bump capabilities. It offers direct integrations with popular payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal, simplifying the process of setting up payment processing.
ClickFunnels also offers predesigned, optimized checkout templates that are easily integrated into sales funnels.
With its built-in order management system, ClickFunnels has an edge in handling transactions. On the other hand, Unbounce users typically need to integrate with external e-commerce platforms or CRM systems to manage orders effectively.
Customer support and resources
Both Unbounce and ClickFunnels offer customer support, but their approaches differ.
Unbounce provides email support across all plans, with phone support available for higher-tier plans. It also offers a comprehensive knowledge base, video tutorials, and a community forum. Unbounce's resources focus on landing page optimization and conversion rate improvement.
ClickFunnels offers email support for all users and priority support for higher-tier plans. They provide extensive training materials that deliver in-depth courses on funnel building and digital marketing strategies.
An Unbounce user might visit the community forum to get peer feedback on landing page designs, while a ClickFunnels user could take advantage of its training courses to master advanced funnel strategies.
SEO and analytics
Both platforms offer SEO features, but their focus differs.
Unbounce provides more granular SEO control for individual landing pages, allowing users to customize meta tags, headers, and URLs. Its AMPs (accelerated mobile pages) feature can significantly improve mobile page speed, potentially boosting search rankings.
ClickFunnels doesn't offer a comparable feature but provides SEO-friendly page structures. It also offers basic SEO settings within its page editor, focusing more on funnel-wide SEO strategies.
Both platforms integrate with Google Analytics, allowing users to track visitor behavior and campaign performance. However, Unbounce offers more advanced tracking options, including script management for third-party analytics tools. ClickFunnels instead provides built-in analytics focused on funnel performance.
Pricing plans
Unbounce offers four pricing tiers that scale based on features and traffic. They cater to businesses focusing on landing page optimization:
- Build Plan. $74 per month (annual billing) or $99 per month. It's best for businesses starting with landing page creation and seeking to improve conversion rates.
- Experiment Plan. $112 per month (annual billing) or $149 per month. It's ideal for marketers looking to optimize their pages through extensive A/B testing.
- Optimize Plan. $187 per month (annual billing) or $249 per month. It's suited for businesses ready to leverage AI-powered optimization to boost conversions.
- Concierge Plan. $649 per month. It's designed for large-scale operations requiring dedicated support and advanced features.
ClickFunnels' pricing is more straightforward, focusing on team size and advanced features. It offers two primary pricing tiers:
- Startup Plan. $81 per month (annual billing) or $97 per month. It's great for small businesses or entrepreneurs starting with sales funnels, offering essential features for up to three team members.
- Pro Plan. $248 per month (annual billing) or $297 per month. It's ideal for growing businesses needing more workspaces and team collaboration, supporting up to 10 team members.
For small businesses or solo entrepreneurs, Unbounce's Build Plan or ClickFunnels' Startup Plan might be suitable starting points. Bigger businesses or those with more complex marketing needs might find value in Unbounce's Optimize Plan or ClickFunnels' Pro Plan.
Additional considerations
When choosing between Unbounce and ClickFunnels, consider your specific business needs:
- Small businesses might appreciate ClickFunnels' all-in-one approach, especially if they're new to digital marketing. Unbounce could be more suitable for those focusing on specific landing pages or working with existing websites.
- SaaS companies often benefit from Unbounce's flexibility in creating product-specific landing pages and its integration capabilities with various tools. However, ClickFunnels could be advantageous for SaaS businesses looking to create comprehensive marketing funnels.
- Entrepreneurs might find ClickFunnels' funnel-centric approach and built-in features like membership sites appealing. Unbounce could be preferable for entrepreneurs who need highly customized landing pages or work with multiple marketing channels.
Consider your design needs when creating web pages and landing pages. Unbounce offers more design flexibility, while ClickFunnels provides quicker setup with predesigned templates.
Making the right choice for your business
Unbounce and ClickFunnels are powerful digital marketing tools that cater to different needs.
Unbounce excels in creating highly customized, conversion-optimized landing pages with robust A/B testing capabilities. It's ideal for businesses focusing on specific campaigns or working with existing websites.
ClickFunnels, on the other hand, shines in creating comprehensive sales funnels and offers an all-in-one solution for online businesses.
Consider your primary goals, technical expertise, and scalability needs when choosing. If you need flexible, highly optimized landing pages, Unbounce might be your best bet. If you want to create complete sales funnels with minimal setup, ClickFunnels could be the way to go.
If you need help implementing Unbounce strategies, consider hiring skilled Unbounce professionals on Upwork. If you’re leaning toward ClickFunnels, you can find experienced ClickFunnels freelancers to assist with your projects.
Professionals can also explore Unbounce jobs or ClickFunnels jobs on Upwork.
Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation. Prices are current at the time of writing and may change over time based on each service’s offerings.