Hotmart vs. Kiwify: what to know before choosing your platform

Hotmart and Kiwify are two well-known platforms in the digital market.

So if you're planning to start selling a digital product or want to boost your sales, you'll probably consider both platforms as options. In this article, we'll help you decide which way to go by explaining:

• What a payment gateway is
• How Kiwify works
• How Hotmart works
• Differences between Kiwify and Hotmart
• Pros and cons of a free member area

What is a payment gateway

In short, both Hotmart and Kiwify are payment gateways.

This means they're companies that act as intermediaries in the communication between you, your bank and the bank your customers use, to make sure the transaction is secure for both sides.

In other words, they play the role of the card machine in a brick-and-mortar business. The difference is that, besides credit and debit cards, they also process payments via:

• PayPal;
• Boleto (Brazilian bank slip);
• Pix.

To sell your digital product, you need a payment gateway. There are several options on the market, and you can check them all out by clicking here. But the most popular ones are Hotmart and Kiwify, so let's take a closer look at them.

How Kiwify works

Like other payment gateways, Kiwify charges based on each creator's sales. The fee (as of July 2024) is 8.99% of the product price, plus R$ 2.49 per sale.

For a R$ 997 product, for example, you'll receive R$ 904 per sale after fees. For credit card payments, the creator gets paid in 15 days. For boleto and Pix, the money is available in 2 days.

How Hotmart works

Founded in 2011, Hotmart is one of the pioneers in selling online courses. That's why it works much like Kiwify.

There, the fee is 9.90% + R$ 1 per sale.

In this case, selling a R$ 997 product would get you R$ 897.

Differences between Kiwify and Hotmart

If you're already drawing conclusions based on the price difference, keep in mind that there are other differences between Kiwify and Hotmart.

That's why we recommend understanding how mature your business is and which platform offers the best features for where you are right now. But one of the biggest differences between them is how they work with affiliates.

Kiwify doesn't have an affiliate marketplace. In other words, if you want to bring that sales force into your business, you'll have to find and invite affiliates yourself. Hotmart, on the other hand, lets you make your product available for affiliates to sell, with basic criteria or even prior approval.

Pros and cons of a free member area

Both Hotmart and Kiwify also let you create your own member area.

This is what the market calls a free member area. After all, you don't pay to create it. But you do pay for the number of students you have. Plus, you lose the chance to try other payment gateways you might think are better at that point.

With an independent member area, on the other hand, you can test different options and strategies. Not to mention things like:

• Full control over your students;
• 100% personalized communication;
• Exclusive strategies;
• More advanced, up-to-date features.

At Cademí, for example, the price is the same no matter how many students you have in your member area. That lets you apply the exclusive diamond funnel and start selling much more.

The possibilities are endless. Highlights include being able to sell to lead magnet students, promoting new products in an environment where 100% of your student's attention is on your business, and closing sales faster.

That's the magic of independent member areas.

If you want to get started but still have questions, Cademí's experts are here to help. Just click here to book a strategy call and learn in detail how to turn your digital business around.