In 2024, as you look for cost-effective ways to manage your online presence, Systeme.io is also rapidly gaining traction as an all-in-one marketing platform.
One of its major claims to fame? A “free-forever” plan packed with features that many competitors charge for.
This leads you to ask: is it all free?
This article will examine Systeme.io’s offerings in detail, from its feature set and pricing tiers to its actual value.
I’m going to give you an honest look at whether this platform lives up to the hype and is worth using for your online business.
What is System.io?
Systeme.io is a marketing website that helps entrepreneurs and businesses easily manage their online presence without combining multiple tools.
It replaces many popular platforms by bringing all essential tools into one space.
It offers built-in email marketing, an intuitive website builder, and more, to guide your customers through their journey.
The free-forever plan is another major appeal. It means you can start without upfront costs, and even the paid plans are budget-friendly compared to managing separate tools.
In essence, Systeme.io provides a smooth, accessible option for growing your digital business, saving both time and money.
Key Features of Systeme.io
Below are some of the standout features of Systeme.io that make it an attractive option.
1. Sales Funnel Builder
The sales funnel builder in Systeme.io assists you in creating engaging and effective sales funnels that guide your customers through the buying journey.
You can also build funnels from scratch or use pre-made templates without any coding skills.
These funnels can be edited with elements like order bumps, upsells, downsells, and more to maximize conversions.
2. Email Marketing Suite
Systeme.io’s email marketing suite covers email lists and segment contacts for targeted messaging.
You can set up tags to organize and categorize subscribers based on their behaviors and interactions.
The suite can send one-time broadcasts, automated follow-up sequences, or newsletters to keep your audiences engaged.
Finally, it’s integrated smoothly with other parts of Systeme.io, like sales funnels and online courses.
3. Website Builder
Systeme.io powerful website builder allows you to create everything from simple landing pages to full-scale websites.
The builder has a drag-and-drop editor, which simplifies the process of designing and publishing pages even if you don’t have technical skills.
You can design branded pages, create opt-in forms, integrate payment gateways, and connect your domain.
4. Affiliate Management
A further feature is the ability to set up and manage your affiliate programs without needing additional software.
You just have to invite affiliates to promote your products, track performance, and handle commission payouts.
Don’t worry, you can still monitor each affiliate’s sales and payouts in real-time, making it easier to manage partnerships effectively.
5. Online Course and Membership Site Creation
This feature helps you create and host courses, build membership sites, and sell digital products directly from the platform.
Not only that, you can add course modules and lessons with ease, including text, video, and downloadable resources.
This capability replaces platforms like Teachable, Podia, or Thinkific.
Additionally, you can build exclusive communities within membership sites if you have a library of content you wish to monetize.
6. Marketing Automation
The focus here is to streamline repetitive tasks.
This tool will help you automate workflows based on customer behaviors and interactions with the business.
For example, you can set up an automation that sends a welcome email series to new subscribers, initiates follow-ups with customers who abandon their carts, or tags subscribers who complete specific actions.
The automation system is flexible and integrates with the sales funnel, email marketing, and course features.
7. Affiliate Marketplace
Beyond just managing affiliate programs, Systeme.io has an affiliate marketplace where you can list your products or promote other users’ products.
You get to find relevant products to promote as affiliates, creating an additional revenue stream.
Read Also: How to Create a Sales Funnel in Systeme.io
It’s obvious, this feature opens up new opportunities for monetization and cross-promotion without requiring a large advertising budget.
Is System.io Really Free?
Yes, Systeme.io has a genuinely free plan, which includes a surprising range of features that other platforms reserve for paid users.
This “Freemium” plan supports you to start building your online business without any initial investment.
The interesting part is that it provides enough tools to set up basic sales funnels, and websites, and even manage email marketing.
Here’s what you get:
Sales Funnels: Create up to three sales funnels with 15 funnel steps each.
Email Marketing: Send unlimited emails to your contacts, which is a rare feature in a free plan.
Contacts: Manage a list of up to 2,000 contacts, a generous limit that accommodates small to medium email lists.
Membership Sites: Create and host one online course with unlimited students.
File Storage: You have unlimited file storage space for files used in web pages.
Affiliate Programs: Set up and manage an affiliate program, integrating it with your sales funnels to drive growth.
Number of Funnels, Emails, and Contacts Allowed on the Free Plan
On the free plan, you can build three sales funnels, each with 15 steps.
The plan also allows for 2,000 contacts, which is competitive for a free tier, and you can send unlimited emails to these contacts.
What’s Not Included in the Free Plan?
While Systeme.io’s free plan covers the essentials, there are a few limitations:
1. Number of Sales Funnels: The free plan supports only three sales funnels.
2. Limited Automation: Automation is included but limited to one automation rule and one workflow.
3. Custom Domain: The free plan doesn’t support custom domains. For brand consistency, you would need to upgrade to a paid plan.
4. Assistant Accounts: If you need to collaborate with team members, the free plan doesn’t include assistant accounts.
What Happens When You Need to Scale Beyond the Free Plan?
The transition is easy. You can continue working with your existing content, settings, and data while gaining access to additional features.
Pricing Tiers and What Each Plan Offers
Systeme.io offers three paid plans that provide added functionality and allowances:
1. The Startup Plan: Priced at $27 per month, provides a solid foundation for a beginner in digital marketing.
This plan includes up to 10 sales funnels, each with a maximum of 50 steps, and supports up to 5,000 contacts.
You can set up 10 automation rules and five workflows. Additionally, the plan supports up to five blogs with unlimited posts, and it includes a single custom domain.
2. The Webinar Plan: Priced at $47 per month, it expands the capabilities significantly by allowing up to 50 sales funnels with 300 steps each and supporting up to 10,000 contacts.
You can create up to 100 automation rules with 20 workflows. The feature gives access to evergreen webinars. It also supports up to 10 custom domains.
3. The Unlimited Plan: At $97 per month, it removes nearly all restrictions. It gives unlimited sales funnels, contacts, and automation, which is crucial for businesses that require extensive resources and flexibility.
This plan also includes unlimited access to evergreen webinars, providing ongoing customer engagement options without constraints.
Additionally, you benefit from an unlimited number of custom domains, along with priority support and one-on-one coaching, ensuring top-tier service for complex or high-volume operations.
Each of these plans offers a 30% discount with annual billing.
System io Vs. Other Platforms
Systeme.io: It provides sales funnels, email marketing, website building, affiliate management, marketing automation, and online course creation within all plans, including the free tier.
ClickFunnels: It specializes in sales funnel creation with a focus on conversion optimization but may require additional integration.
Kajabi: It emphasizes course creation and membership sites and tools for content delivery but with higher pricing.
Kartra: It offers a comprehensive suite similar to Systeme.io, including sales funnels, email marketing, and membership sites, but at a higher starting price.
Mailchimp: It’s primarily an email marketing platform with basic landing page capabilities which lacks the comprehensive suite of tools found in System.io.
Pros and Cons of System io
PROS
1. Comprehensive Free Plan
Systeme.io has a truly free plan with access to core tools like sales funnels, email marketing, and basic membership capabilities.
Unlike most platforms, this free option is genuinely usable without forcing upgrades for basic needs.
2. Easy to Use
It’s intuitive and doesn’t require technical expertise. The drag-and-drop builder and straightforward layout mean that you can start building your business quickly and without a steep learning curve.
3. Unlimited Emails and File Storage
You can send unlimited emails and store unlimited files on all plans, including the free tier.
4. Built-In Affiliate Management
Systeme.io includes affiliate program management at no extra cost, which is useful for leveraging affiliate marketing. Many platforms charge for this as an add-on or require third-party tools.
5. Responsive Customer Support
The support team is available seven days a week and responds quickly, with an average wait time of around two hours.
CONS
1. Basic Customization and Design Options
It’s templates and design options are functional but may feel limiting if you want highly customized or visually intricate pages.
2. No Custom Domain on Free Plan
The free plan doesn’t allow you to connect a custom domain, which can make your site look less professional.
3. Lacks Advanced Features on Lower Plans
Features like evergreen webinars, additional automation, and more custom domains are only available on higher-tier plans.
Who should use System io?
1. Small to Medium-Sized Businesses
Its all-in-one approach reduces the need to combine multiple platforms. It makes it a great choice to save costs without sacrificing essential tools.
2. Entrepreneurs and Solopreneurs
It’s simplicity and the low learning curve will assist you in building and scaling without hiring additional help or developers.
3. Course Creators and Digital Product Sellers
Systeme.io includes tools for creating and selling online courses, making it a good fit to set up and sell memberships or digital products.
4. Affiliate Marketers
Systeme.io makes it easy for you to track and manage commissions, which is often a separate cost or add-on with other platforms.
This feature is valuable for you to expand your reach through affiliate marketing.
5. Businesses on a Tight Budget
If you want a range of marketing tools without breaking the bank, Systeme.io’s free and low-cost plans provide solid value.
Its generous free plan allows you to establish an online presence without an upfront investment, and the low-cost paid plans make it accessible.
Who May Not Find Systeme.io Suitable?
1. Larger Enterprises with Complex Needs
2. Users Needing Extensive Integrations
3. Those Requiring Multi-User Collaboration on the Free Plan
How to Get Started with Systeme.io (Step-by-Step)
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get started and make the most of its tools.
Step 1: Sign Up for Systeme.io
To begin, head to the Systeme.io website and click the “Get Started for Free” button.
Simply enter your email address, and you’ll receive a confirmation email to activate your account.
Follow the link in this email, create a password, and you’ll be redirected to your Systeme.io dashboard.
This dashboard is the control center for all your marketing activities, from building funnels to setting up automation.
Step 2: Set Up Your First Sales Funnel
In your dashboard, find the “Funnels” option in the left-hand menu and click “Create.”
Next, choose your funnel’s goal (selling a product, building an email list, or even hosting a webinar).
There are pre-made templates with essential steps like landing pages, sales pages, and thank-you pages.
Select a template, then customize it by editing text, adding images, or embedding videos to suit your brand and message.
Once you’re satisfied, save your changes, and your funnel is ready to start capturing leads or making sales.
Step 3: Build Your Email List with Campaigns
From the dashboard, click “Emails,” then “Campaigns,” and create a new campaign.
Give it a descriptive name. Now, start adding email sequences to your campaign by clicking “Create Email.”
Use Systeme.io’s editor to craft a subject line and message that resonates with your audience.
Once your emails are set up, use the automation feature to trigger specific emails based on user actions.
(optional)Step 4: Create a Membership Site
In the dashboard, select “Products,” then “Membership Sites.” Create a new membership site by choosing a name and selecting a design template.
Customize the layout, add your lessons or course modules, and upload any supporting files, like videos or PDFs.
You can define access levels (free or paid), making it easy to set up a membership site that meets your specific needs.
Integrate this membership site with your sales funnel, and you’ll be ready to start enrolling students and earning revenue.
Getting started with Systeme.io is straightforward. By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to mastering Systeme.io.
User Reviews and Testimonials
Systeme.io has received highly positive feedback from its user base.
Many users appreciate that it consolidates everything into a single platform.
One of the most celebrated aspects of Systeme.io is its pricing. People mention that it offers high-quality features at a fraction of the cost of other platforms.
They also praise the quality and responsiveness of Systeme.io’s customer support, noting that they receive helpful assistance promptly, even as free users.
While reviews are largely positive, some users note minor limitations in customization options and design flexibility.
They mentioned that it’s restrictive for those with advanced design needs. However, many still find these trade-offs worthwhile considering the price and functionality.
Conclusion: Is Systeme.io Worth It in 2024?
Systeme.io has proven itself as a valuable contender among marketing platforms.
The generous free plan which offers essential tools like sales funnels, email marketing, and basic course creation without hidden fees or forced upgrades, makes it an excellent starting point.
Also, if you need more advanced features or greater scalability, Systeme.io’s paid plans remain affordable compared to other options on the market.
If you’re still curious about whether Systeme.io is the right fit for your business, then try the free version and explore its core features.
It’s a risk-free way anyway. So give it a test run. You might find it’s exactly what you’ve been looking for.
[…] sales funnels, numerous platforms vie for attention, each promising unique features. However, Systeme.io stands out for several […]