Updated September 30, 2026 · ForgeCue Editorial Team
Pocket vs Kartra
Higher score in this comparison
Kartra
Pocket vs Kartra: the differences
| Compare | PocketReviewVisitVisit | KartraReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $19.99Lower | $59 |
| Free plan | YesHas it | No |
| Usage limits | 2 Ask Pocket messages per day | 500 contacts |
| Free trial length | 30 daysHigher | 14 days |
| Tool type | Automation, Project management, SchedulingCovers more | Automation |
| Compliance certifications | SOC 2 Type 1, HIPPA, GDPR, SOC 2 Type II | Not confirmed |
| Templates | Not confirmed | 100 |
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Key differences
- Pocket scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.0.
- Price from is lower at Pocket: $19.99 vs $59.
- Free plan: only Pocket.
- Free trial length is higher at Pocket: 30 days vs 14 days.
- Support channels: only Kartra offers Chat.
- Audience: only Pocket offers Enterprise.
- Audience: only Kartra offers Beginners.
- Pricing model: only Pocket offers Free plan.
- Tool type: only Pocket offers Project management, Scheduling.
Our verdict on each
Pocket suits small businesses that want one assistant covering automation, project management and scheduling instead of three separate tools. Its entry price sits well below the automation median, with a free plan and a trial that outlasts the site median.
Kartra
Kartra suits beginners and small businesses who want a site, a store and a help desk in a single subscription, but its entry price sits above the middle of the field. Entry pricing runs from $59, and the only no-cost look before paying is a trial.
Score breakdown
| Area | Kartra | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.5HigherEntry price of $19.99 under the automation per user median of €21.92, with a free plan. | 8.7The cost part of the score is 3 against 5.2 overall, and entry price ranks 177 of 199. |
| Offer | 9.4One product covers automation, project management and scheduling, backed by a free plan and a 30 days trial. | 9.4A single subscription for site, store and landing, plus help desk and automation, with 100 templates to start from. |
| Trust | 9.5Named operator Open Vision Engineering Inc. in US plus published SOC 2 Type 1, HIPPA and GDPR. | Not confirmed |
Feature by feature
| Tool type | Kartra | |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | Yes | Yes |
| Project management | Yes | No |
| Scheduling | Yes | No |
Cost in a real example
A year on the entry plan
$239.88
12 × $19.99
Kartra
$708
12 × $59
Pocket costs $468.12 less.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 30, 2026.
Also worth a look
Wondershare has price from at $3.33, against $19.99 for Pocket and $59 for Kartra.
Wondershare reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Kartra | |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow automation tools | 5 of 231 | 15 of 231 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Kartra | |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Small business, Enterprise | Beginners, Small business |
| Pricing model | Free plan, Free trialCovers more | Free trial |
| Legal entity | Open Vision Engineering Inc. | Kartra Inc. |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
CRM and helpdesk
| Fact | Kartra | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per user from | Not confirmed | $59 |
| Plan tiers | Not confirmed | Essentials, Starter, Growth, Professional |
| Product | Not confirmed | Help desk |
Email marketing
| Fact | Kartra | |
|---|---|---|
| Price at 1,000 contacts | Not confirmed | $119 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Kartra | Median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | $19.99below the median | $59highest quarter | $22 |
| Free trial length | 30 dayshighest quarter | 14 daysat the median | 14 days |
| Templates | Not confirmed | 100below the median | 200 |
Median across 353 listed software products.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free plan and a 30 days trial, so the paid tier is not a forced first step
- Entry price of $19.99 sits under the automation per user median of €21.92
- Covers automation, project management and scheduling in one product rather than buying each separately
Cons
- Ask Pocket is capped at 2 Ask Pocket messages per day, which is tight for a team that leans on the assistant daily
- Support runs on email, help centre and community only, so no phone or live chat for urgent account issues
- The automation ranking puts price per user from at a median of €21.92, above Pocket's own entry price once seats multiply
Kartra
Pros
- A single subscription covers site, store and landing, so a site, a store and a landing page do not need separate tools.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, which covers most questions without a call.
- Automation and a help desk sit in the same bundle as the builder, widening what the subscription covers.
Cons
- No free plan, so every feature has to be judged inside the trial.
- Entry pricing of $59 asks for more than the group median of €7.89 for website builders.
- Transaction fees run 0% to 5% on store sales, where the group median is 0%.
Who each suits
Who it suits
- Small businesses that want automation, project management and scheduling handled by one assistant
- Owners who will start on the free plan or the trial and decide later
- Teams that need published SOC 2 Type 1, HIPPA and GDPR before letting an assistant touch business data
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers comparing the lowest entry price, where MailerLite at $12 sits lower
- Teams wanting per user project management at the ranking median of €21.05
- Buyers who need the full feature set of a dedicated automation suite rather than one assistant
Kartra
Who it suits
- Beginners and small businesses in beginners and small business who want one paid subscription for site, store and support.
- Solo sellers who also want a help desk and automation in the same place.
- Buyers who would rather test a full plan than stay on a limited free tier.
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers on a tight budget: Ko-fi starts at $12.
- Sellers comparing in a local currency: Mitienda Uruguay starts at UYU 400.
- Automation buyers shopping elsewhere: Shafrik starts at XOF 9,900.
Current offers
Kartra
Current offer
Free trial
14 days free on any plan: 14 days
Limited time offer; trial limited to one trial per person per product; payment information must be on file before the account is created; 30-day hold period before a trial rebill counts as a sale
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
30-Day risk-free money back guarantee: 30 days
Applies to new customers; refund request must be made within 30 days of the start of a subscription; trial payments non-refundable
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Kartra | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Austria | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| Czechia | Yes | No |
| Denmark | Yes | No |
| Finland | Yes | No |
| France | Yes | No |
8 of 30 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
How much does Pocket cost to start?+
The paid tier starts at $19.99. That is the entry price before any seat count is applied, and it sits below the per user starting median of €21.92 across automation tools. A free plan and a 30 days trial are available before you commit.
Is there a free plan or free trial?+
Both. A free plan is available alongside a free trial of 30 days, which is longer than the 14 day median in the automation ranking. You can size it up without paying anything up front.
Kartra
How much does Kartra cost to start?+
Entry pricing runs from $59, and the e-commerce plan price is $59. Both point at the same starting figure, so a shop and a plain site begin in the same place. Renewal is the number to watch once the trial ends.
Is there a free plan?+
No. There is no free plan, so the 14 day trial is the only no-cost way in. The builder, the store and the help desk can all be tried before anything is paid, which suits a buyer who wants to feel the templates out first.