Choosing between GoHighLevel and Keap is not just a feature comparison – it is a decision between two fundamentally different platforms built for different audiences. GoHighLevel has evolved into a full AI-powered operating system for marketing agencies, while Keap – now part of Thryv Holdings following a $80 million acquisition – remains one of the most established CRM and automation platforms for small service-based businesses.
Both platforms have seen significant changes recently. GoHighLevel shipped over 200 features in 2025 alone, with AI now at the core of the platform. Keap has been restructured under new ownership and simplified its pricing model. If you are evaluating either tool today, the landscape looks different from even 12 months ago.
In this guide, we compare GoHighLevel vs Keap across current pricing, AI capabilities, automation, ease of use, integrations, and long-term platform outlook – so you can make the right call for your business.
What Is GoHighLevel and What Is Keap?
GoHighLevel (HighLevel)
GoHighLevel – now officially branded as HighLevel – launched in 2018 as a white-label SaaS platform for marketing agencies. It combines CRM, email and SMS marketing, sales pipelines, funnel building, landing pages, appointment scheduling, website hosting, and a growing suite of AI tools under one roof. Agencies can rebrand and resell the platform to their clients, making it a popular choice for digital marketing businesses looking to create their own software product.
As of late 2025, GoHighLevel has repositioned itself as an AI Operating System for business – a significant shift from its origins as a pure CRM. Tools like Workflow AI, Voice AI, Conversation AI, Agent Studio, and the recently launched Ask AI mobile assistant reflect a platform in aggressive expansion mode.
Keap (Now Part of Thryv)
Keap, originally founded as Infusionsoft in 2001, rebranded in 2019 and was acquired by Thryv Holdings in October 2024 for $80 million. The acquisition brought Keap into a larger SMB SaaS portfolio alongside Thryv’s own business management tools. Keap continues to operate as its own product under the Thryv umbrella, serving small businesses, coaches, consultants, and service-based entrepreneurs.
Keap has also simplified its pricing structure, moving away from tiered feature plans toward a single all-inclusive subscription that scales based on contact count and users. It now includes AI-powered automation features as part of its core offering.
In short: GoHighLevel is the agency and marketer’s all-in-one AI platform. Keap is the established CRM for small businesses that want reliable automation without building on a platform designed for agencies.
GoHighLevel vs Keap Pricing: What You’ll Actually Pay
GoHighLevel Pricing
- Starter: $97/month – covers 3 sub-accounts, full CRM, pipelines, funnels, email and SMS, calendar, and automation. Annual billing reduces this to around $77/month.
- Unlimited: $297/month – unlimited sub-accounts, white-label desktop app, advanced API access, and enhanced workflow tools. Ideal for agencies managing multiple clients.
- Agency Pro (SaaS Mode): $497/month – adds full SaaS reselling capabilities, white-label mobile app, automated client billing via Stripe, and priority support.
All plans include unlimited contacts and unlimited users – a notable advantage over contact-based pricing. However, actual costs go beyond the base plan. SMS and phone calls are billed via usage (approximately $0.0079 per SMS segment, $0.014/min for outbound calls). Email sending costs $0.675 per 1,000 messages. AI tools like the AI Employee add-on are $97/month per sub-account or pay-as-you-go. A standard 14-day free trial is available, with some promotions extending this to 30 days.
Keap Pricing
Keap has restructured its pricing into a single all-inclusive plan rather than separate feature tiers. All subscribers access the same full platform, with pricing scaling based on contact count and user seats.
- Base plan: $249/month (billed annually) or $299/month (billed monthly) – covers up to 1,500 contacts and 2 users. This includes CRM, automation, email marketing, pipeline management, payments, and appointment scheduling.
- Additional users: $39/month per extra user.
- Contact scaling: Pricing increases as your contact list grows beyond 1,500.
- Mandatory implementation package: $500 one-time fee for new accounts, covering data migration, onboarding strategy sessions, and done-for-you setup. This cannot be skipped.
A 14-day free trial is available with limited features. There is no free plan and no low-cost starter tier.
[UK NOTE] Both platforms price in USD. UK users should factor in currency conversion and any applicable VAT. Keap’s phone and SMS features are currently limited to the US and Canada – UK and AU users should verify availability before committing.
Feature Comparison: GoHighLevel vs Keap
| Feature | GoHighLevel | Keap |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $97/month (base) | $299/month (monthly) |
| Free Plan | No (14–30 day trial) | No (14-day trial) |
| Contacts | Unlimited on all plans | Starts at 1,500; scales up |
| Users | Unlimited on all plans | 2 included; $39/extra user |
| CRM & Pipelines | ✅ Advanced | ✅ Solid |
| Email Marketing | ✅ Built-in (usage fees) | ✅ Built-in |
| SMS Marketing | ✅ Yes (usage fees) | ⚠️ US & Canada only |
| AI Tools | ✅ Full AI suite (Workflow AI, Voice AI, Conversation AI, Agent Studio) | ✅ AI-powered automation plays |
| Funnel / Landing Page Builder | ✅ Full builder | ⚠️ Basic |
| White Labelling | ✅ Agency feature | ❌ No |
| E-commerce | ⚠️ Basic | ✅ Native (payments, subscriptions) |
| Appointment Scheduling | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Built-in |
| Mobile App | ✅ Mobile v4.0 (redesigned) | ✅ Available (US, UK, AU, CA, NZ) |
| Integrations | ⚠️ Mostly native/limited | ✅ 5,000+ via Zapier + open API |
| Onboarding Cost | None required | $500 mandatory fee |
| Support | Community, chat, priority (Pro) | Phone + chat + Customer Success Manager |
| Ownership | Independent (HighLevel Inc.) | Owned by Thryv Holdings (NASDAQ: THRY) |
| Best For | Agencies, marketers, SaaS builders | Small businesses, coaches, service-based SMBs |
GoHighLevel leads on AI tools, funnel building, and unlimited users. Keap edges ahead on e-commerce, integrations, and contact support for businesses that need a human customer success manager included in the subscription.
AI Features: Where GoHighLevel Has Pulled Ahead
If there is one area where the gap between these two platforms has widened significantly, it is AI. GoHighLevel’s 2025 LevelUp Summit unveiled what the company is now calling an AI Operating System – and the feature releases that followed have been substantial.
GoHighLevel AI Tools
GoHighLevel now includes a full suite of AI tools across the platform. Workflow AI allows automations to interpret customer intent, analyse message tone, and make dynamic decisions without manual input – described by power users as automating judgment rather than just tasks. Voice AI handles inbound and outbound phone calls with natural conversation. Conversation AI manages chat and lead engagement across channels. Agent Studio provides a no-code builder for creating autonomous AI agents that can trigger CRM actions, book appointments, and update pipelines in real time.
The mobile app received a complete redesign (Mobile v4.0) in late 2025, and the Ask AI assistant – launched in April 2026 – lets agency admins perform CRM actions, generate content, and get platform support directly from their phone using natural language. Ad Manager is now free on all plans. Funnel and Website AI can build high-converting pages in minutes from a brief.
Keap AI Tools
Keap has added AI-powered automation features as part of its post-acquisition roadmap under Thryv. The platform includes 52+ pre-built automation templates and AI-powered automation ‘plays’ that allow businesses to launch multi-channel campaigns quickly. The when-then logic structure for simple sequences and drag-and-drop canvas for complex workflows remain core strengths.
However, Keap’s AI capabilities are more focused on surfacing pre-built workflows and smart recommendations rather than the autonomous, multi-modal AI agents that GoHighLevel is building. For businesses that primarily need reliable, guided automation rather than enterprise-grade AI, this distinction matters less in practice.
Verdict: GoHighLevel’s AI investment is significantly deeper and more rapid. If AI-powered workflows, voice agents, and autonomous lead handling are priorities, GoHighLevel is ahead. Keap’s AI is practical and accessible but less advanced.
Ease of Use: Which Platform Is Quicker to Learn?
GoHighLevel’s breadth is also its biggest challenge for new users. The platform is powerful enough to replace five or more separate tools, which means the configuration options are extensive. Most users report needing at least a week of focused onboarding before they can operate confidently – and agencies building client systems typically invest considerably more time. The good news is that the community is enormous: hundreds of YouTube tutorials, agency templates, and Workflow AI now scaffolds automation builds from plain-English descriptions, cutting setup time meaningfully.
Keap is more approachable by design. The guided onboarding, pre-built campaign templates, and the mandatory implementation package (while an upfront cost) mean most small business owners are running their first automations within days rather than weeks. Every paid subscriber is assigned a dedicated Customer Success Manager – a genuine differentiator for businesses that want a human guide rather than community forums.
The redesigned GoHighLevel Mobile v4.0 has improved the mobile experience considerably, and the new Ask AI assistant reduces the friction of performing common actions on the go. But for a non-technical solo operator, Keap’s overall simplicity still wins on first impressions.
Verdict: Keap is faster to get up and running, especially for non-technical users. GoHighLevel rewards the upfront investment with significantly more long-term capability.
What Keap’s Acquisition by Thryv Means for Buyers
This is an important consideration that many comparison articles overlook. In October 2024, Thryv Holdings (NASDAQ: THRY) acquired Keap for $80 million – a figure that was notably below Keap’s trailing twelve-month revenue of approximately $85 million at the time, which raised questions in the SMB software community.
Thryv has stated that Keap will continue operating as its own product with unchanged features and pricing for existing customers. The intended benefit is an expanded product roadmap, cross-sell opportunities with Thryv’s own business management tools, and accelerated AI development using Keap’s marketing automation capabilities.
For prospective buyers, this raises a practical question: will Keap remain a standalone product or eventually be merged into Thryv’s broader platform? As of now, Keap operates independently. But businesses making a long-term CRM commitment should factor in the ownership change and monitor how the roadmap evolves. GoHighLevel, by contrast, is an independent company with its own aggressive growth trajectory and a clear SaaS reselling model.
GoHighLevel vs Keap: Which Should You Choose?
Choose GoHighLevel if you:
- Run a digital marketing agency or manage multiple client accounts
- Want to white-label and resell a CRM or SaaS platform under your own brand
- Need cutting-edge AI tools for call handling, lead nurturing, and workflow automation
- Want to consolidate funnels, SMS, email, websites, and CRM into one platform
- Are comfortable with a learning curve or have a team to support onboarding
- Want unlimited contacts and users at a fixed plan price
Choose Keap if you:
- Run a small service business, coaching practice, or consultancy
- Need a reliable CRM with automation that is genuinely accessible for non-technical users
- Rely on e-commerce features like subscriptions, recurring billing, and checkout forms
- Value a dedicated Customer Success Manager and direct phone support
- Already use tools like QuickBooks, Stripe, or Zapier-connected apps
- Want an established platform with a long track record in the SMB market
[AU NOTE] GoHighLevel has seen strong adoption across Australian marketing agencies. Keap’s mobile app is available in AU, but SMS and phone features are US/Canada only – a relevant limitation for AU businesses that rely on text-based customer communication. Confirm current regional support with Keap before signing up.
Frequently Asked Questions: GoHighLevel vs Keap
Is GoHighLevel better than Keap?
It depends entirely on your use case. GoHighLevel is the stronger platform for marketing agencies, SaaS builders, and businesses that need advanced AI tools and multi-channel automation. Keap is better suited to small businesses and solopreneurs who want a reliable, supported CRM without a steep learning curve. Neither is universally superior.
What is the main difference between GoHighLevel and Keap?
GoHighLevel is an all-in-one agency platform with white-labelling, AI agents, funnel building, and broad marketing automation built for scale. Keap is a CRM-first tool built for small businesses, with stronger e-commerce features, guided onboarding, and a dedicated customer success model. GoHighLevel replaces tools; Keap integrates with them.
Has Keap’s acquisition by Thryv changed the product?
As of early 2026, Keap continues to operate as its own product under Thryv Holdings. Pricing, features, and login details remain unchanged for existing subscribers. Thryv has indicated plans to expand Keap’s roadmap and integrate AI capabilities, but no major product changes have been announced yet. Prospective buyers should monitor updates from Keap directly.
Does GoHighLevel have a free plan?
No. GoHighLevel does not offer a free plan. A 14-day free trial is standard, with some promotions extending this to 30 days. Base pricing starts at $97/month for the Starter plan. Additional usage costs apply for SMS, phone calls, email sends, and optional AI tools.
Which platform has better AI features?
GoHighLevel has invested significantly more in AI, launching a full AI Operating System that includes Workflow AI, Voice AI, Conversation AI, Agent Studio, Funnel AI, and Ask AI. Keap includes AI-powered automation templates and campaign suggestions but does not yet match GoHighLevel’s depth of autonomous AI tooling.
Conclusion: GoHighLevel vs Keap
GoHighLevel and Keap serve genuinely different markets, and that distinction has become sharper as both platforms have evolved. GoHighLevel is in aggressive expansion mode, shipping new AI tools at pace and building toward a platform that agencies can run entire client businesses on. Keap, now backed by Thryv, offers a more focused and accessible CRM for small businesses that need a proven tool with hands-on support.
If you are an agency owner, digital marketer, or SaaS entrepreneur, GoHighLevel is the more powerful long-term platform. If you are a small business owner, coach, or consultant who wants to automate your own sales and follow-up processes without the overhead of learning an agency tool, Keap remains a strong choice – provided the post-acquisition roadmap aligns with your needs.
Both platforms offer free trials. The clearest way to decide is to run your own sales workflow through each one and see which fits how your team actually works.
| Our Top Pick for Agencies: GoHighLevelAfter reviewing the latest features, pricing, and AI capabilities, GoHighLevel is our recommended platform for marketing agencies and growth-focused businesses. The Starter plan at $97/month includes more than most standalone CRM tools, with unlimited contacts and users across all plans.TRY GOHIGHLEVEL FREE |
| Best for Small Businesses: KeapKeap’s mature automation engine, dedicated customer success support, and accessible onboarding make it our recommendation for small business owners who want results without the technical overhead of an agency platform.TRY KEAP FREE (14 DAYS) |
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