GoHighLevel Review: Features & Value [2024]

HighLevel (or GoHighLevel as it's often called) is an all-in-one suite of marketing software that claims to be able to replace your current expensive stack of marketing tools. It's presented as an alternative to ClickFunnels, Kajabi, ActiveCampaign, Hubspot, Buffer, and more - saving you $800 a month. (The freelancer account is $97 which allows you host your own business plus two others). So does it live up to the hype?

The short answer is: yes, for the most part it does a more than good enough job at replacing those tools. In fact, a lot of the value comes from having one integrated system. Using Zapier to try to connect up your email marketing tool to send emails when a lead visits your sales page? Or tie together other parts of your marketing ops? Not with HighLevel! Having everything in one place opens up unlimited opportunities for automation that helps you make more sales with less effort.

Or in other words, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

I've been using HighLevel for over four years now, for example setting up a brand new solar company with an account and building solar lead generation, lead nurture email automations and other marketing automation systems that were the key drivers that got them to $3.7m in just under two years. In fact, you can clone my solar website templates into your account if you sign up for a free trial via this link.

Every time I've worked with a client that has Hubspot or another CRM, I've been shocked at how little they get for what they're paying.

If you're running an agency, you have the ability to have unlimited 'subaccounts' on the $297' agency starter account'. That means you can provide an entire marketing suite, including a landing page builder and hosting to your clients at a fixed cost to you, even if you have 200 clients.

Don't get me wrong - it's not without its flaws. I've had some frustrating conversations with support. But I've also submitted ideas for features and had them implemented by the developers.

You can get a free trial here to try it out for yourself. Or read on to get my in depth review.

Diving Into GoHighLevel: An In-Depth 2024 Review

Unveiling the Interface: Is It User-Friendly?

When you first dip your toes into GoHighLevel, you're met with what might feel like a double-edged sword. The interface doesn't immediately win beauty contests - I would describe it as a bit utilitarian. Yet, don't let looks deceive you. Once you get the hang of it, navigating through the various tools becomes second nature.

What it does do well is show you very clearly what matters: how much money you're making with your marketing efforts.

The design favors functionality over flashiness, a boon for those who prefer simplicity.

As for user-friendliness, there's a learning curve. Beginners may find themselves scaling a steep hill at first, but with perseverance, they'll reach a plateau where managing CRM, creating sales funnels, and setting up email campaigns becomes relatively straightforward, thanks to intuitive page-building tools and a drag-and-drop interface.

Analyzing Feature Set: Does It Deliver?

GoHighLevel doesn't skimp on features. It's akin to a Swiss Army knife for online marketing, offering an assortment of tools designed to tackle nearly every aspect of your digital presence. They promise a staggering 90% of what you need for marketing and sales wrapped in one package, but how does that translate to real-world usage?

From the CRM that maintains your pivotal customer interactions to automated marketing sequences that nurture leads, the features certainly deliver if you're looking for comprehensiveness. For those who enjoy detailed analytics, GoHighLevel offers a comprehensive overview of your marketing efforts, helping you pinpoint what works and what doesn't.

Email marketing, SMS, funnels, and websites all come under the GoHighLevel umbrella, presenting a unified platform to manage a plethora of tasks. However, the breadth of functionality means there's a steep learning curve involved. This isn't a 'plug and play' solution—expect to invest time in mastering GoHighLevel to truly reap its benefits.

Meat of the Matter: GoHighLevel's Core Features Analyzed

CRM Capabilities: More Than Just Contact Management

The CRM capabilities of GoHighLevel go well beyond the basics of contact management. Sure, you can store contact details, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

With GoHighLevel, you're looking at a multifaceted tool that allows you to visualize sales pipelines, which is a game-changer for tracking the customer journey. The platform doesn't just store information; it enables you to engage with leads through automated follow-ups, thus nurturing potential customers through the sales funnel.

The CRM's rich feature set allows you to better understand customer behavior and preferences, leading to data-driven decisions that can significantly boost your conversion rates. Additionally, you have the ability to segment lists meticulously, create customized messages for different stages of the buyer's journey, and track interactions across various channels – ensuring a personalized communication strategy that resonates with your audience.

What sets GoHighLevel’s CRM apart is its seamless integration with other marketing tools within the platform. It doesn’t reside in isolation but thrives in tandem with automated workflows, marketing campaigns, and even your booking systems.

Email Software

Email marketing campaign are one of HighLevel's key features. It's easy to use, and doesn't impose any limitations on you unlike many other email platforms. Used to paying per contact to host a limited email list? Those days are long gone with HighLevel.

If you have more than 5,000 contacts in your email list, you'll almost certainly save money by moving to HighLevel. For example, for an email list of 100k contacts, Mailchimp charges over $1,000 per month.

You can easily set up segmented lists, send broadcast campaigns, and automated sequences that fire based on events that happen in your business, such as someone purchasing from you for the first time.

As with everything else, it's seamlessly integrated into every other part of the software, so you can for example send an email when one of your existing customers look at a landing page that you created in the sales funnel builder.

From a technical perspective it does email very well. Deliverablity of your email marketing campaigns is critical, so having options here is important. Most businesses will be just fine with the built in 'LC Email' sending system. That's set up by default and ready to go once you've verified your email.

Or you request a dedicated IP or even connect up your own email sending provider. I personally recommend Amazon Web Services but you can use Twilio Sendgrid, any SMTP server, Gmail or Mailgun.

Calendar Tool

If you or your clients live or die by getting appointments booked in to your sales team's calendar, you're going to love the calendar tool built in to HighLevel.

Automation Tools: Streamlining Your Marketing Efforts

Automation is where GoHighLevel really flexes its muscles. By allowing users to set up intricate, yet user-friendly workflows, GoHighLevel aims to streamline your marketing efforts dramatically. Imagine the relief of watching repetitive tasks handle themselves, like clockwork.

GoHighLevel's automation tools extend from simple review request emails, or email drip sequences to complex multi-step processes involving email marketing, SMS, and social campaign tasks. With triggers based on customer behavior, these automated sequences ensure timely and relevant engagement, freeing you up to focus on more strategic aspects of your business.

Scheduling appointments, sending out routine reminders, and launching targeted nurture campaigns are just a few examples of tasks GoHighLevel can automate. The result? Improved efficiency, reduction in human error, and potentially, a significant uptick in conversion rates as leads are constantly engaged and moved through the sales funnel without manual intervention.

For marketing professionals who dread the monotony of repetitive tasks, GoHighLevel's automation tools prove to be a sigh of relief—a smart assistant at your beck and call 24/7.

Funnel Builder

The built in website builder in HighLevel has two modes: funnel builder and website builder (it can also host your Wordpress Site too but let's not overcomplicate things).

The funnel builder is a replacement for Clickfunnels / Dropfunnels / Unbounce. It allows you to create unlimited marketing funnels that are designed to either collect leads or sell products.

I've used the funnel builder extensively. I'm a huge fan of the 'ladder funnel' strategy, which enables you to essentially run ads without paying for them.

The way it works is that you create a low priced 'intro' product, with upsells available on the next page of the funnel once someone's purchased. This low priced product (in my case a $7 course for solar installers) pays for the ads that you use to get traffic. Anything that they buy afterwards is then profit.

The funnel builder in HighLevel enables you to quickly build funnels that convert very well.

They provide a large library of templates, however I've found that these tend to be a bit basic. They can be a good starting point for you to build more on top of.

There are also a large number of professional funnel builders who have expertise in HighLevel, and you can also easily import HighLevel snapshots into your account from another user who shares them with you. These snapshots include funnels, websites, workflow automations and any customization. There are also premium marketplaces to purchase them from designers.

I do find that the funnel builder editor can run a bit slow when editing a very long landing page (on my 5 year old MacBook pro), but that's only been when the landing page is unusually long and full of graphics and screenshots.

If you're a fan of extremely long sales letter style landing pages, you will need a fast computer or a fair bit of patience. Although this is true with most website builders. For example I've found Webflow to be slower.

Domain Tools

Managing domain names for your business can be a headache, and doing it for clients can be an even bigger frustration. HighLevel does well in this area, providing direct integrations with Cloudflare and other registrars and DNS providers, so that adding your domains is a one click process. They provide some additional domain tools, including simple and advanced redirects (using regex).

Comparing Pricing and Value for Money

Breaking Down the Cost: Is GoHighLevel Worth It?

Breaking down the cost is crucial to understanding whether GoHighLevel aligns with your budget and your business needs. GoHighLevel offers different plan tiers, but let's zero in on the trade-off between cost and value. After all, it's not just about the price tag—it’s the bang for the buck that matters.

Users often find GoHighLevel's pricing to be justified given the breadth of its features. Think of GoHighLevel as a multi-tool; instead of purchasing individual tools for email marketing, funnels, CRM, and automation, you're getting an all-in-one solution. This consolidation can lead to cost savings in the long run, even if the initial price seems steep compared to singular solutions.

Keep in mind, the value GoHighLevel provides may depend on the size and nature of your business. For a small venture or individual just starting, GoHighLevel's robust feature set might be overkill. But for an agency or a growing business looking to streamline processes and scale up, the investment in GoHighLevel can pay off significantly.

On top of its comprehensive features, GoHighLevel promotes a decisive advantage: a 14-day free trial. This gives you two weeks to test the waters and gauge the platform’s impact on your operations, a valuable opportunity to see if it integrates well with your workflow without any financial commitment.

Alternative Platforms: Measuring Up the Competition

In the ever-growing forest of marketing platforms, GoHighLevel stands tall among many. But let's branch out and see how it measures up against its competitors. Other platforms like ClickFunnels 2.0, Vendasta, SamCart, and Kajabi blossomed with specialty features that target specific segments of online marketing.

ClickFunnels 2.0 makes funnel building its centerpiece, offering superior features for crafting high-converting sales funnels. Vendasta branches out into the realm of white-label solutions, providing numerous selling opportunities for agencies. SamCart focuses on the e-commerce ecosystem with enhanced capabilities for online sellers, while Kajabi blossoms in the online course creation and membership site market.

Each of these platforms offers a narrower but deeper feature set in their respective areas, while GoHighLevel presents as the all-encompassing digital marketing suite. If you're an agency that seeks an all-in-one solution, GoHighLevel might be the watering can that helps your business grow. However, suppose you’re firmly rooted in e-commerce, funnel creation, or online education. In that case, the specialized tools of the other platforms mentioned might be the better soil for your business to thrive.

When considering alternatives, it's not just about what each tool does; it’s also about how well they fit into your overall business ecosystem. The ideal choice will prune back on excess features you don’t need and fertilize the aspects that truly help your enterprise bloom.

Strengths and Weaknesses Put to Test

GoHighLevel Pros: Factors That Stand Out

GoHighLevel Pros: Factors That Stand Out

GoHighLevel shines brightly with its all-in-one marketing and sales platform designed to save you time and money. The robust CRM and sophisticated automation tools streamline complex processes with a few clicks, setting it apart in a sea of digital marketing tools.

• Comprehensive CRM: The CRM system houses more than mere contact details. It grants insights into customer behaviors and integrates with other marketing tools to maintain a cohesive workflow.
• Marketing Automation: GoHighLevel's automation capabilities are a standout feature, allowing for intricate workflows that seamlessly maintain engagement with prospects and customers.
• Unified Platform: The convenience of having CRM, email marketing, funnels, and more in one place can't be overstated. It simplifies operations and could potentially lower overall software costs.
• Customization and Flexibility: Crafting personalized experiences for customers is straightforward, thanks to GoHighLevel’s customizable funnels and responsive support for unique business needs.
• Educational Resources: Abundant resources, including a welcome course, priority support, and a resourceful community, ensure you're well-equipped to make the most of the platform.

Despite these shining attributes, users might need some time to climb the learning curve. Also, businesses that require only a specific set of marketing tools might find GoHighLevel’s expansive suite more than they bargained for. Yet, for marketing agencies and businesses ready to scale, GoHighLevel is the swiss army knife that could very well be the key to unlocking their full potential.

GoHighLevel Cons: Areas Needing Improvement

GoHighLevel Cons: Areas Needing Improvement

While GoHighLevel offers substantial benefits, it's not without its drawbacks which users should consider:

• Ecommerce: HighLevel does have an online store feature, but it isn't nearly as developed as something like Shopify. It works well if you have a handful of high value products that you build sales funnels for - in fact it can integrate with Shopify to do the order fulfilment. But if you have a large store with lots of items, HighLevel isn't the best fit.
• Community: While HighLevel does a good job at hosting online courses, the community feature is in the early stages of development and it has a lot of room for improvement. If an active community is a core part of your offer, I'd reccomend going with Skool - which is designed from the ground up to be focused on community. It's still better to use HighLevel to build a funnel to sell access to your community however.
• Occasional Sluggishness: No one likes to wait, especially in the fast-paced environment of digital marketing. Users have reported that some features can be slow to respond, which, while not a deal-breaker, can be a thorn in your side.

GoHighLevel is an impressively feature-rich platform, but it comes with a significant learning curve that could be daunting for newcomers. Additionally, while new features are regularly rolled out – which is great – some may appear undercooked and in need of further refinement.

Considering these factors is important, particularly if efficiency and seamless integration with other tools are top priorities for your business. GoHighLevel is definitely a powerhouse, but like any complex machine, it occasionally needs tuning.

Real-world Applications: Who Can Benefit from GoHighLevel?

Tailored for Agencies: A Strategic Fit?

Tailored for Agencies: A Strategic Fit?

GoHighLevel is particularly well-suited to agencies, almost like a custom suit that has been trimmed and tailored to fit just right. Agencies often juggle multiple clients across various marketing channels, and GoHighLevel's cohesive platform brings a sense of order to this hustle by centralizing tasks.

• Multi-Tenant Support: Agencies can manage multiple clients from a single account, making client monitoring and management efficient.
• White Labeling: A highly appealing feature for agencies is the option to white-label GoHighLevel’s platform, which allows them to present these powerful tools as their own.
• Robust Client Reporting: Agencies thrive on proving their value to clients. GoHighLevel facilitates this with in-depth reporting tools that display campaign performance transparently.
• GoHighLevel Snapshots: In one click you can start your new client onboarding and import all the email sequences, funnels, and more, ready to be quickly customized. You can store as many snapshots as you need for the different niches you work with. This tech stack enables you to get clients results fast, which can seriously help with retention.

For seasoned marketers and agency managers, the robust functionality GoHighLevel offers can transform how they operate, introducing efficiency and scalability. Nevertheless, smaller agencies or those just starting might find the platform's depth more than they need in the early stages.

When Versatility Meets Needs: Varied Business Use Cases

When Versatility Meets Needs: Varied Business Use Cases

GoHighLevel's versatility is its trump card—it has the potential to meet the eclectic needs of a wide variety of business models. From solo entrepreneurs to larger enterprises, its extensive toolkit offers something for everyone.

• For Solo Entrepreneurs: Small business owners get to wear multiple hats without the hassle of switching tools. They can execute campaigns, manage customer relationships, and track sales in one central location.
• For E-commerce Businesses: Online stores can benefit from the integrated CRM to personalize customer experiences, while automated marketing tools can drive up sales with targeted campaigns.
• For B2B Companies: The robust sales funnel and lead nurturing tools help create complex B2B pipelines, making the sales process more efficient and data-driven.
• For Coaches and Consultants: With features like booking and calendar integration, they can manage appointments efficiently, while automated follow-ups keep their clientele engaged.
• For Local Businesses: GoHighLevel can localize their marketing efforts and foster stronger community ties with tailored promotions and seamless customer communication.

The use cases for GoHighLevel are as diverse as the businesses that use it. While it offers a constellation of features, each business needs to weigh which ones will truly align with their unique goals and pain points.

Agency Revenue Stream Opportunity: GoHighLevel SaaS Mode

Are you interested in building up a stream of reccuring. revenue with a low churn rate, without having to hire an expensive software development team?

GoHighLevel offers a SaaS feature, where you have the abiility to fully whitelabel the platform and resell it under your own brand.

You may have seen other SaaS companies already, without knowing that they are using HighLevel SaaS mode under the hood.

To gain access to this set of features, you'll need to sign up for the agency unlimited plan and the upgrade to HighLevel Pro, which is priced at $497 / month.

HighLevel Integrations

Facebook

HighLevel integrates with Facebook Ads, as well as business pages. The main plus here is that you can take advantage of Facebook's conversions API for much more accurate tracking.

The the demise of third party cookies and iOS tracking blocking, the conversion API is a better way to optimise your Facebook ad campaigns. It's simple to set up inside HighLevel - not just for simple customer journies, but also where your customers may buy from you after a phone call, or after 6 months of being in an email nurture flow.

Google

Similar to the Facebook integration, HighLevel can connect up to your Google ads account for accurate pixel-less conversion tracking.

It also connects to your Google Business Profile, enabling you to turn on Google Business Chat, and also manage and respond to your Google reviews.

Wordpress

HighLevel provides a Wordpress plugin, which enables a number of features including the built in chat widget, which allows you to collect leads and start conversations from HighLevel's unified inbox.

HighLevel can also host your Wordpress website with faster speeds than standard Wordpress hosting. If you're an agency and you create Wordpress sites, this can be a helpful way to manage your clients and add value by providing them with the additional CRM and software features.

WhatsApp

GoHighLevel can become your Whatsapp inbox, send broadcasts to your Whatsapp list, and even automatically respond and book meetings via Whatsapp using the conversion AI feature (which is an optional add on).

The Verdict: Should You Invest in GoHighLevel in 2024?

Weighing Overall Efficiency Against Cost

Weighing Overall Efficiency Against Cost

Balancing the scales between efficiency and cost can sometimes feel like an acrobat’s act. GoHighLevel's comprehensive suite aims to tip this balance in favor of efficiency, but it's not without cost implications.

When evaluating GoHighLevel, consider the following to determine if the platform brings efficiency at a rational cost:

• Time Saved: Measure the hours GoHighLevel's automation and centralized features could save you each week. If they add up to more than the cost of the software, you're in the green.
• Software Consolidation: Factor in the potential savings from replacing multiple tools with GoHighLevel's all-in-one platform. Can the costs of several subscriptions be cut down to one?
• Revenue Growth: Assess whether the platform's advanced marketing tools could help increase your revenue through better campaigns and higher conversion rates.

GoHighLevel isn't just software; it's an investment. For businesses and agencies that can fully utilize its extensive set of tools, the cost-benefit analysis often favors GoHighLevel. However, for those who may only scratch the surface of its capabilities, the costs might outweigh the efficiency gains.

Before swinging towards GoHighLevel, perform a thorough audit of your current operations, your team’s adaptability to new software, and the potential for GoHighLevel to impact your bottom line.

Ready to put HighLevel through it's paces? Click here to get a free trial

FAQs - Answering Your Burning Questions on GoHighLevel

Is it called 'GoHighLevel' or 'HighLevel'?

The official brand name is 'HighLevel', however when they started the company, the domain name 'GoHighLevel' was available but 'HighLevel' was not. It's common for startups to use 'Go', 'Get', or 'App' in their domain name for this reason, and in HighLevel's case, most people who are new to the product know it as 'GoHighLevel', which is why this article is titled 'GoHighLevel' review.

Is GoHighLevel Easy Enough for Beginners?

Yes, GoHighLevel is designed to be user-friendly and is suitable for beginners. While it offers a comprehensive suite of tools that can cater to complex marketing needs, the platform has a relatively gentle learning curve. It provides various resources such as tutorials, documentation, and customer support to help new users navigate through its features effectively. However, due to the depth of functionality available, some beginners may require time to fully leverage all aspects of the software.

What Makes GoHighLevel Different from Other CRMs?

GoHighLevel stands out from other Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms in several ways:

1. All-in-One Solution: It combines multiple tools into one platform, including email marketing, SMS messaging, CRM functionalities, sales funnel creation, and more.

2. Agency-Focused Features: Designed with digital marketing agencies in mind, it allows users to manage multiple client accounts from a single dashboard.

3. Automation Capabilities: Offers robust automation options for marketing campaigns and workflows which can help businesses save time while increasing efficiency.

4. Customization: High flexibility in customizing funnels, communication sequences, and CRM fields to fit specific business needs.

5. Integrations: Despite being an all-in-one solution itself; GoHighLevel integrates well with various external tools and services enhancing its utility.

Is My Data and Privacy Secure with GoHighLevel?

GoHighLevel takes data security and privacy very seriously. The platform implements standard security measures such as encryption for data transmission & storage; regular security audits; compliance with legal standards like GDPR (for European customers) among others to safeguard user information adequately against unauthorized access or breaches. For those of us with clients in the medical space, it offers optional HIPAA compliance.

Can GoHighLevel Truly Scale with My Business?

Absolutely! One of the core strengths of GoHighLevel is its scalability – it's designed to grow alongside your business regardless of size or complexity increase over time. With its wide range of features and integrations plus customizability options; whether you're expanding your service offerings or managing an increasing number of clients/accounts - the platform adapts well ensuring that your evolving business requirements are met efficiently.

How Does GoHighLevel Handle Integrations and Ecosystems?

GoHighLevel offers extensive integration capabilities both natively within its ecosystem & through third-party applications:

• Native Integrations: The platform itself encompasses various functionalities reducing the need for numerous external apps, including an easily embedable chat widget that works with any website.
• Third-Party Integrations: For services not covered by its built-in features; Highlevel supports integration via APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) & connects seamlessly with popular software across categories like email providers; payment gateways etc., enhancing operational flexibility.
• Additionally utilizes Zapier which further extends integration possibilities massively by allowing connection between thousands more apps without needing direct API interactions.
• Marketplace: the recently added HighLevel marketplace gives you access to a growing number of prebuilt apps that you can easily add on to GoHighLevel

This integrated approach ensures businesses can have a comprehensive toolkit at their disposal without juggling between different software solutions – making processes more streamlined & efficient.

Need Help Setting Up HighLevel?

Once you've started a free trial, if you're looking to make the most of HighLevel, I'm able to work with a limited number of businesses to set up smart marketing automation. Send me an email at [email protected] and let me know what you're looking to get help with.