6 products tested & ranked

We Tested 6 Checkout & Cart Software — Here's What's Actually Worth It

We tested the top checkout and cart platforms to help you maximize revenue at the most critical point of your sales funnel.

Featuring:

SamCart·

ThriveCart·

FunnelKit·

CartFlows·

PayKickstart+1 more

Helping 12,000+ professionals choose the right tools

Quick Answer

Our Top 3 Picks at a Glance

See all reviews

Best Overall

8.7

SamCart

From $79/mo (revenue-based). $59/mo billed annually. All features included.

A conversion-optimized checkout platform designed for digital product creators, offering one-click upsells, order bumps, subscription management, and embedded checkout with revenue-based pricing starting at $79/mo.

Try SamCart Free

Best for Small Teams

9.2

ThriveCart

$495 one-time lifetime. Pro: $690 one-time. No monthly fees ever.

A powerful shopping cart and checkout platform offering a unique lifetime deal at $495 one-time, with one-click upsells, bump offers, affiliate management, A/B testing, and a built-in course platform (Learn).

Get ThriveCart Lifetime

Best Value

8.9

FunnelKit

From $99.50/yr (Basic) to $399.50/yr (Elite). 14-day money-back guarantee.

The original WordPress funnel builder (formerly WooFunnels) that combines conversion-optimized checkout, one-click upsells, order bumps, A/B testing, marketing automation, and cart abandonment recovery for WooCommerce stores.

Get FunnelKit Now

Why Your Checkout Page Makes or Breaks Your Funnel

You can have the best landing page and email sequence in the world, but if your checkout page loses customers, none of it matters. Cart abandonment rates average 70% across industries, making checkout optimization one of the highest-ROI activities for any online business.

How We Evaluate Checkout Software

We test each platform by processing real transactions, evaluating checkout speed, upsell capabilities, payment gateway support, and conversion optimization features like A/B testing and order bumps.

Key Features to Look For

Prioritize platforms with one-click upsells, order bumps, subscription billing support, and strong analytics. The best checkout tools integrate seamlessly with your funnel builder and email marketing stack.

0Products Tested

0+Hours of Testing

0+Years Experience

0Expert Reviewers

Affiliate Disclosure: We may earn affiliate commissions when you purchase through links on this site. This never influences our ratings or recommendations. Our reviews are based on independent, hands-on testing. We believe in full transparency about how we make money. Read our full disclosure →

Our Top Picks

#1 Top Pick

SamCart

Best Overall

8.7

Very Good

Try SamCart Free

#2 Runner Up

ThriveCart

Best Lifetime Deal

9.2

Excellent

Get ThriveCart Lifetime

#3 Also Great

FunnelKit

Best for WordPress

8.9

Very Good

Get FunnelKit Now

#1 Our Top PickFrom $79/mo (revenue-based). $59/mo billed annually. All features included.

SamCart

Digital product creators and course sellers who want the highest-converting checkout platform with built-in upsells and revenue optimization tools.

Read Full Review →

Very Good

Features9.2

Ease of Use9.0

Integration8.5

Value for Money7.5

Head-to-Head Comparison

Feature	SamCart8.7/10	ThriveCart9.2/10	FunnelKit8.9/10	CartFlows8.2/10	PayKickstart8.0/10	Stripe Checkout8.5/10
Starting Price	From $79/mo (revenue-based). $59/mo billed annually. All features included.	$495 one-time lifetime. Pro: $690 one-time. No monthly fees ever.	From $99.50/yr (Basic) to $399.50/yr (Elite). 14-day money-back guarantee.	Free plan available. Plus: $189/yr. Pro: $299/yr. Lifetime: $999.	From $79/mo (revenue-based). All features included. 14-day free trial.	2.9% + 30c per transaction. No monthly fees. Pay only when you get paid.
Free Plan
Starting Price	$79/mo	$495 lifetime	$99.50/yr	$189/yr	$79/mo	2.9% + 30c/tx
One-Click Upsells
Order Bumps
Subscription Billing
A/B Testing
Payment Gateways	Stripe, PayPal, SamPay	Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net	All WooCommerce gateways	All WooCommerce gateways	Stripe, PayPal, BrainTree, Connect	Stripe (native)
Conversion Rate	8.7	9.2	8.9	8.2	8.0	8.5
	Try SamCart Free	Get ThriveCart Lifetime	Get FunnelKit Now	Try CartFlows Free	Try PayKickstart Free	Start With Stripe

Detailed Reviews

Excellent

ThriveCart

Editor's Choice

Best Lifetime DealCourse creators and digital entrepreneurs who want a powerful checkout platform with zero ongoing monthly costs thanks to lifetime pricing.

Features9.0

Ease of Use8.3

Integration8.5

Value for Money9.8

Pros

Unbeatable lifetime pricing at $495 one-time — saves thousands compared to monthly SaaS alternatives
Built-in course creation platform (Learn) included free with every account
Comprehensive affiliate management center with JV contracts and detailed analytics (Pro)
Excellent review scores (9.4-9.5/10) across major software review platforms
No transaction fees or hidden costs beyond standard payment processor charges

Cons

Backend interface can feel dated and clunky compared to more modern platforms
Embedded upsell pages may look off-brand if you have a highly styled design
Higher upfront cost ($495-$690) requires initial investment compared to monthly billing
No direct live chat support — ticket-based system only

Pricing: $495 one-time lifetime. Pro: $690 one-time. No monthly fees ever.

Read Full Review →

Very Good

FunnelKit

Best for WordPressWordPress and WooCommerce store owners who want a complete funnel, checkout, and marketing automation system in a single integrated solution.

Features9.5

Ease of Use8.5

Integration9.0

Value for Money8.5

Pros

Most complete WordPress funnel ecosystem with checkout, automation, CRM, and email marketing in one
Users report 30-45% increases in average order value after implementation
Exceptional customer support with 960+ five-star reviews and fast response times
Built-in marketing automation (Autonami) eliminates need for external email tools
Rule-based order bumps show personalized offers based on cart contents and customer behavior

Cons

WordPress and WooCommerce required — not available as a standalone hosted platform
Full feature set requires Professional or Elite plan ($249-$399/yr)
Introductory pricing — renewal rates are higher than initial purchase price
Learning curve for setting up complex automation workflows

Pricing: From $99.50/yr (Basic) to $399.50/yr (Elite). 14-day money-back guarantee.

Read Full Review →

Very Good

CartFlows

Best WooCommerceWooCommerce store owners who want funnel-style checkout optimization and upsells without leaving the WordPress ecosystem.

Features8.5

Ease of Use8.0

Integration9.0

Value for Money8.8

Pros

Native WooCommerce integration — works within your existing WordPress setup without migration
Free plan available with basic funnel functionality for unlimited funnels
Compatible with all major page builders (Elementor, Beaver Builder, Oxygen, Bricks)
Self-hosted solution gives you full data ownership with no vendor lock-in
Affordable annual pricing significantly cheaper than hosted SaaS checkout platforms

Cons

Requires WordPress and WooCommerce — not usable without the WordPress ecosystem
More technical setup and maintenance than cloud-based alternatives
A/B testing and advanced analytics only available in the Pro plan ($299/yr)
Additional plugins often needed for email marketing, CRM, and automation

Pricing: Free plan available. Plus: $189/yr. Pro: $299/yr. Lifetime: $999.

A WordPress plugin that adds funnel-style checkout flows, order bumps, one-click upsells, and A/B testing to WooCommerce stores, trusted by over 4.2 million websites worldwide.

Read Full Review →

Very Good

PayKickstart

SaaS companies and subscription businesses that need flexible billing models, automated dunning, and integrated affiliate management.

Features9.0

Ease of Use7.5

Integration8.5

Value for Money7.0

Pros

Most flexible billing platform with over 1 million pricing permutations for any business model
Comprehensive affiliate management center with tracking, commissions, and automated payouts
Advanced dunning and revenue recovery automation significantly reduces involuntary churn
Supports 135+ currencies with global tax compliance and multi-language checkout (25 languages)

Cons

No free plan — starting at $79/mo makes it one of the more expensive options
White-label and custom integrations require the Scale plan with custom pricing
Some integrations require Zapier rather than native connections
Interface can feel complex for simple checkout needs — overkill for basic digital product sales

Pricing: From $79/mo (revenue-based). All features included. 14-day free trial.

An all-in-one billing, checkout, and affiliate management platform for SaaS companies and digital entrepreneurs, featuring over 1 million pricing permutations, automated dunning, and a comprehensive affiliate center.

Read Full Review →

Very Good

Stripe Checkout

Developers and tech-savvy businesses that want a globally-recognized, pay-as-you-go payment processor with maximum flexibility and comprehensive API support.

Features9.0

Ease of Use7.0

Integration9.5

Value for Money8.5

Pros

No monthly fees — pure pay-as-you-go pricing means zero cost when you have no sales
100+ payment methods including cards, wallets, BNPL, and local payment methods worldwide
World-class API documentation and developer tools — the gold standard in payment integration
Radar ML-powered fraud detection trained on billions of global transactions
Part of the massive Stripe ecosystem (Billing, Connect, Atlas, Terminal) for future scalability

Cons

No built-in upsell funnels, order bumps, or sales funnel features
Requires technical knowledge for advanced customization — not ideal for non-developers
No affiliate management system — requires third-party tools
Customer support can be slow — priority support requires paid premium plans

Pricing: 2.9% + 30c per transaction. No monthly fees. Pay only when you get paid.

A developer-friendly, prebuilt payment form by Stripe optimized for conversion, supporting 100+ payment methods, Link accelerated checkout, subscription billing, and global payments in 135+ currencies with pay-as-you-go pricing at 2.9% + 30c per transaction.

Read Full Review →

Our Testing Methodology

Our team processes real transactions through each platform, measuring checkout conversion rates, page load speeds, upsell performance, and payment gateway reliability. We test subscription billing, refund handling, and reporting accuracy over a two-week period.

Written by

Marcus RiveraSaaS Integration Expert

Marcus has spent over a decade in SaaS integration and business automation. He specializes in evaluating API architectures, workflow automation tools, and sales funnel platforms. His reviews focus on implementation details, technical depth, and real-world integration scenarios.

API IntegrationBusiness AutomationSales FunnelsAI Tools

Our Top 3 Picks at a Glance

Why Your Checkout Page Makes or Breaks Your Funnel

How We Evaluate Checkout Software

Key Features to Look For

Our Top Picks

SamCart

Head-to-Head Comparison

Detailed Reviews

ThriveCart

Pros

Cons

FunnelKit

Pros

Cons

CartFlows

Pros

Cons

PayKickstart

Pros

Cons

Stripe Checkout

Pros

Cons

Our Testing Methodology

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