Complete Guide: Migrating from Kajabi to AccessAlly

Complete Guide: Migrating from Kajabi to AccessAlly

Why This Migration Is Complex

Migrating from Kajabi to AccessAlly is NOT like switching CRMs. This is a complete platform migration involving:

• Platform Change: Moving from all-in-one SaaS (Kajabi) to WordPress-based solution (AccessAlly)
• Infrastructure Setup: Setting up WordPress hosting, domain, SSL, email deliverability
• CRM Selection: Choosing and configuring a separate CRM (ActiveCampaign, Ontraport, Keap, Kit, etc.)
• Content Recreation: Manually rebuilding all courses, pages, and content in WordPress
• Member Data Migration: Moving member accounts, purchases, access levels, and progress
• Email Setup: Configuring transactional and marketing email systems
• Payment Gateway: Setting up Stripe/PayPal integration separately
• Automation Rebuild: Recreating all automations in your new CRM

Why Migrate from Kajabi to AccessAlly?

Common reasons for migrating despite the complexity:

• Cost Savings: Kajabi costs $149-$399/month. AccessAlly + hosting + CRM can cost $50-$150/month depending on your choices
• Ownership & Control: Own your WordPress site and data vs. being locked into Kajabi’s platform
• Flexibility: WordPress offers unlimited customization options vs. Kajabi’s templates
• Advanced Features: AccessAlly offers more sophisticated membership/course logic than Kajabi
• Integration Options: WordPress has 60,000+ plugins for any functionality you need
• No Artificial Limits: Kajabi limits products, pipelines, and features by plan tier
• Exit Strategy: Reduce dependency on a single SaaS vendor

What You’ll Lose (Kajabi Features Not in AccessAlly)

Be realistic about what you’re giving up:

• All-in-One Simplicity: Kajabi handles hosting, security, backups, updates automatically
• Mobile App: Kajabi offers native mobile apps for members – AccessAlly requires third-party solutions
• Community Features: Kajabi’s built-in community forums won’t transfer (use plugin like BuddyBoss)
• Live Chat: Kajabi’s member chat features (you’ll need separate plugin)
• Assessments/Quizzes: Kajabi’s quiz engine (use LearnDash Quiz or similar)
• Kajabi University: Built-in training on growing your business
• 24/7 Platform Support: Kajabi’s support team vs. managing your own WordPress site
• Kajabi Analytics: Built-in comprehensive analytics (you’ll piece together with plugins)

What You’ll Need Before Starting

✅ Required Services & Accounts

1. WordPress Hosting:
   • Managed WordPress host recommended: WP Engine, Kinsta, Flywheel, Cloudways
   • Minimum specs: 2GB RAM, SSD storage, PHP 8.0+, MySQL 5.7+
   • Budget: $30-$100/month depending on traffic
2. Domain Name:
   • Transfer from Kajabi or register new domain
   • SSL certificate (usually included with hosting)
3. AccessAlly License:
   • Professional or higher plan (supports full course features)
   • Price: Starting at $83/month annually
4. CRM Selection: Choose ONE of the following:
   • ActiveCampaign: $29-$149/month – Best for advanced automation
   • Ontraport: $79-$297/month – All-in-one CRM + automation
   • Keap (Infusionsoft): $159-$229/month – Full CRM/sales features
   • Kit (ConvertKit): $25-$259/month – Simple, creator-focused
   • Drip: $39-$1,899/month – E-commerce focused
   • AccessAlly Managed: $97-$497/month – Easiest setup (AccessAlly handles it)
5. Payment Gateway:
   • Stripe account (recommended) OR PayPal Business
   • Cannot transfer existing subscriptions from Kajabi’s payment system – see subscription migration section
6. Email Sending Service: Choose ONE of the following:
   • SendGrid: Transactional emails (free up to 100/day)
   • Mailgun: Transactional emails (pay-as-you-go)
   • Amazon SES: Very cheap, requires technical setup
   • OR use CRM for all emails (if your CRM supports transactional emails)

📋 Technical Requirements

• WordPress admin skills (creating pages, installing plugins, basic troubleshooting)
• Basic HTML/CSS knowledge (for styling content after migration)
• Spreadsheet skills (for CSV data transformation)
• Understanding of DNS (for domain switching)
• Familiarity with FTP or hosting control panel

📋 Complete the Pre-Migration Checklist

Before proceeding, work through the complete Pre-Migration Checklist. Key items include:

• Kajabi data export (members, products, content, analytics)
• Audit of current member count, products, and revenue
• Data mapping spreadsheet (Kajabi products → AccessAlly structure)
• WordPress hosting setup and testing
• Staging environment for migration testing
• Downtime plan and member communication strategy
• Backup plan in case migration fails

Phase 1: Planning & Infrastructure Setup (8-12 hours)

Step 1: Choose Your CRM

Unlike Kajabi (all-in-one), AccessAlly requires a separate CRM for member management and email marketing. This is a critical decision that affects your entire migration.

CRM Selection Guide:

Recommendation for Kajabi users:

• If you value simplicity: AccessAlly Managed Contacts (easiest transition)
• If you want power + affordability: ActiveCampaign (most popular choice)
• If you need full CRM: Ontraport or Keap
• If you’re a solo creator: Kit (simplest email marketing)

Step 2: Set Up WordPress Hosting & Install AccessAlly

1. Sign up for managed WordPress hosting (WP Engine, Kinsta, or similar)
2. Install WordPress (usually one-click installer in hosting control panel)
3. Install essential plugins:
   • AccessAlly (your license)
   • SSL certificate (usually included with hosting)
   • Backup plugin (UpdraftPlus, BackupBuddy, etc.)
   • Security plugin (Wordfence, Sucuri, etc.)
4. Choose a WordPress theme:
   • Use AccessAlly-compatible theme (Astra, GeneratePress, Kadence recommended)
   • Or use page builder (Elementor, Beaver Builder, Divi)
5. Configure basic WordPress settings:
   • Set permalinks to “Post name” (Settings → Permalinks)
   • Disable comments (if not needed)
   • Set timezone correctly
6. Test site performance and security before proceeding

Step 3: Set Up Your CRM and Connect to AccessAlly

1. Create CRM account (based on Step 1 choice)
2. Complete basic CRM setup:
   • Configure sender email and domain authentication
   • Set up email deliverability (SPF, DKIM, DMARC records)
   • Test email sending
3. Connect CRM to AccessAlly:
   • Go to AccessAlly → Settings → General
   • Select your CRM
   • Enter API credentials (varies by CRM)
   • Test connection
4. Verify connection works by creating a test contact

CRM setup resources:

• ActiveCampaign Setup Guide
• Ontraport Setup Guide
• Keap Setup Guide
• Kit Setup Guide

Step 4: Configure Payment Gateway (Stripe or PayPal)

1. Create or connect Stripe/PayPal account
2. In AccessAlly, go to Settings → Payment Integration
3. Choose payment processor (Stripe recommended)
4. Enter API credentials:
   • Stripe: API Keys from Stripe Dashboard → Developers → API Keys
   • PayPal: API credentials from PayPal Developer Dashboard
5. Configure webhook URLs (AccessAlly provides these)
6. Test mode first: Use test API keys to verify setup works
7. Complete test purchase to verify end-to-end payment flow
8. Switch to live mode when testing passes

Step 5: Export All Data from Kajabi

Kajabi’s export options are limited. You’ll need to export data from multiple places.

Member Data Export:

1. Go to Kajabi → People
2. Click Export
3. Select “All People” and “All Fields”
4. Download CSV
5. This includes: Email, Name, Join Date, Products purchased, Tags

Product/Offer Export:

1. Kajabi doesn’t have a single export for all products
2. Manually document each product/offer:
   • Product name
   • Price and billing frequency
   • What content it unlocks
   • Tags assigned on purchase
3. Create a spreadsheet mapping Kajabi products → AccessAlly products

Content Export:

1. Course Content: Kajabi doesn’t export course content – you’ll manually copy/paste or recreate
   • Take screenshots of course structure
   • Copy text content to Google Docs or Word
   • Download all course videos (Video Library → Download)
   • Download course PDFs and attachments
2. Pages/Funnels:
   • Screenshot each page layout
   • Copy text content
   • Download images
3. Email Campaigns:
   • Export email templates (copy/paste to doc)
   • Document automation sequences

Analytics/Reports Export:

1. Go to Kajabi → Analytics
2. Export key reports for reference:
   • Revenue reports
   • Member growth
   • Course completion rates
   • Email open/click rates
3. Save PDFs of reports for historical reference

Step 6: Map Kajabi Products to AccessAlly Structure

Kajabi’s product structure is different from AccessAlly. You need to map how Kajabi products translate to AccessAlly products and access rules.

Create a mapping spreadsheet using the Data Mapping Reference Guide.

AccessAlly product structure concepts:

• Modules: AccessAlly’s course structure (like Kajabi courses)
• Posts: Individual course lessons (like Kajabi course posts)
• Access Rules: Tag-based (purchase assigns tag, tag grants access)
• Release Schedules: Time-based content unlocking (drip content)
• Membership Levels: Grouping of access rules (optional, simplifies management)

Step 7: Plan Content Recreation Strategy

You’ll manually recreate all courses and pages in WordPress. Plan your approach:

Option 1: Recreate Everything from Scratch (Cleanest)

• Start with blank WordPress site
• Recreate each course using AccessAlly modules
• Rebuild pages with your WordPress theme/page builder
• Pros: Clean, optimized, no Kajabi artifacts
• Cons: Most time-intensive (30-40 hours for content alone)

Option 2: Hybrid Approach (Recommended)

• Recreate critical pages from scratch (homepage, sales pages)
• Copy/paste course content (text, images) into WordPress posts
• Reformat using WordPress editor
• Pros: Faster than full recreation (20-30 hours)
• Cons: Some formatting cleanup needed

Option 3: Minimal Viable Migration (Fastest)

• Copy/paste all content as-is
• Minimal formatting cleanup
• Improve design iteratively after launch
• Pros: Fastest (15-20 hours)
• Cons: Site may look rough initially

Step 8: Create Tag Taxonomy in Your CRM

Plan your tag structure before importing members. AccessAlly uses tags to control access.

Recommended tag categories:

1. Product Tags: Assigned on purchase, grant access
   • Example: “Product: Course Name”, “Product: Membership”
2. Status Tags: Track member lifecycle
   • Example: “Status: Active”, “Status: Cancelled”, “Status: Refunded”
3. Progress Tags: Track course progress (optional)
   • Example: “Progress: Module 1 Complete”, “Progress: Course Complete”
4. Segmentation Tags: Marketing segments
   • Example: “Segment: Beginner”, “Interest: Marketing”

Create tags in your CRM before importing members. This ensures tags exist when you assign them during migration.

Phase 2: Content Migration & Setup (20-30 hours)

Step 9: Recreate Course Structure in AccessAlly

Build your course structure using AccessAlly modules before importing members.

1. Create an AccessAlly Module for each Kajabi course:
   • Go to AccessAlly → Modules → Add New
   • Name it matching your Kajabi course
   • Set access rule: “Has tag: Product: [Course Name]”
2. Create WordPress posts for each lesson:
   • Copy content from Kajabi lesson
   • Paste into WordPress post editor
   • Reformat using Gutenberg blocks or page builder
   • Upload and embed videos (host on Vimeo, Wistia, or YouTube)
   • Add lesson to AccessAlly Module
3. Configure lesson progression:
   • Set completion buttons (AccessAlly “Mark Complete” feature)
   • Configure drip schedule if applicable (release dates or intervals)
   • Set prerequisites (Lesson 2 requires Lesson 1 complete, etc.)
4. Create module navigation:
   • Use AccessAlly’s module navigation block
   • Show progress bar
   • Previous/Next lesson buttons
5. Test course flow:
   • Create test member with course tag
   • Navigate through lessons
   • Test completion tracking

Video hosting options:

• Vimeo Pro/Plus: $12-$75/month – privacy controls, no ads
• Wistia: $19-$99/month – marketing features, detailed analytics
• YouTube (Unlisted): Free – but no privacy, shows YT branding
• Self-host: Not recommended – huge bandwidth costs

Step 10: Recreate Sales Pages and Website Structure

1. Homepage: Recreate using your WordPress theme or page builder
2. Sales pages: Rebuild product sales pages
   • Copy sales copy from Kajabi
   • Recreate design in WordPress
   • Add AccessAlly order forms (see Step 11)
3. About/Contact pages: Standard WordPress pages
4. Member dashboard: Create landing page for logged-in members
   • Show available courses
   • Link to module pages
   • Use AccessAlly’s member dashboard widgets
5. Navigation menus:
   • Create WordPress menus (Appearance → Menus)
   • Different menus for logged-in vs. logged-out users

Step 11: Create Order Forms for Products

AccessAlly uses custom order forms that integrate with your payment gateway and CRM.

1. Go to AccessAlly → Order Forms → Add New
2. Configure product details:
   • Product name and description
   • Price and billing frequency (one-time, subscription, payment plan)
   • Payment gateway (Stripe or PayPal)
3. Set post-purchase actions:
   • Assign tag: “Product: [Course Name]” (this grants access)
   • Create WordPress user: If not already a member
   • Send welcome email: Configure in CRM automation
   • Redirect: Thank you page or course dashboard
4. Customize form fields:
   • Email (required)
   • Name (required)
   • Payment details
   • Optional: Phone, address, custom fields
5. Style form to match your site design
6. Embed form on sales page using shortcode
7. Test purchase flow end-to-end:
   • Complete test purchase
   • Verify payment processes
   • Verify tag assigned in CRM
   • Verify WordPress user created
   • Verify access to course

Map each Kajabi product to an AccessAlly order form.

Step 12: Set Up Email Deliverability

Unlike Kajabi (built-in email), you must configure email sending separately.

Two types of emails to configure:

1. Transactional Emails: Purchase receipts, password resets, system notifications
   • Option 1: Use SendGrid/Mailgun/Amazon SES + WP Mail SMTP plugin
   • Option 2: Use your CRM if it supports transactional emails
2. Marketing Emails: Newsletters, campaigns, sequences
   • Sent from your CRM (ActiveCampaign, Kit, Ontraport, etc.)

Configure WordPress transactional emails:

1. Install WP Mail SMTP plugin
2. Connect to SendGrid, Mailgun, or Amazon SES
3. Configure SMTP settings (provided by email service)
4. Test email sending (plugin has test feature)
5. Verify password reset and purchase receipt emails work

Configure CRM marketing emails:

1. Set up domain authentication in CRM (SPF, DKIM, DMARC records)
2. Verify sender email
3. Test broadcast email send
4. Check spam score and deliverability

Phase 3: Member Data Migration (8-12 hours)

Step 13: Handle Active Subscriptions

This is the most complex part of Kajabi → AccessAlly migration. Kajabi uses proprietary payment processing, so active subscriptions cannot automatically transfer.

Strategy 1: Grandfather Existing Subscriptions (Recommended)

1. Keep Kajabi active temporarily (downgrade to lowest plan if possible)
2. Existing subscribers stay on Kajabi payment system
3. Grant them access in AccessAlly site using their tags
4. Configure Zapier/Make to sync:
   • When subscription renews in Kajabi → update tag in CRM
   • When subscription cancels in Kajabi → remove tag in CRM
5. New purchases happen on AccessAlly site (Stripe/PayPal)
6. Over time, existing subscribers naturally churn/cancel
7. Eventually all members on AccessAlly payment system
8. Cancel Kajabi when last legacy subscriber cancels

Pros: No member disruption, no churn risk, clean member experience

Cons: Maintain Kajabi + AccessAlly simultaneously (6-18 months), ongoing sync complexity

Strategy 2: Request Member Re-Subscription (High Risk)

1. Email all active subscribers announcing migration
2. Offer incentive to re-subscribe (e.g., “Cancel Kajabi, get 2 free months on new site”)
3. Provide clear instructions:
   • Cancel Kajabi subscription
   • Sign up on new site (use unique URL with coupon)
4. Risk: 20-40% may not complete re-subscription (churn loss)
5. Mitigation: Generous incentive, excellent communication, personal outreach

Pros: Clean break from Kajabi, simplified system

Cons: High churn risk, member frustration, revenue loss

Strategy 3: One-Time Export + Manual Subscription Recreation (Most Work)

1. Export list of active subscribers from Kajabi
2. Manually create subscriptions in Stripe for each member (VERY tedious)
3. You pay for their subscriptions, they stay subscribed
4. Kajabi continues to charge them → you profit the difference
5. Risk: Kajabi cancellations won’t sync automatically
6. Not recommended except for very small lists (< 50 members)

Step 14: Prepare Member Import CSV

Transform your Kajabi member export into AccessAlly import format.

Required columns for AccessAlly import:

• email – Email address (required)
• first_name – First name
• last_name – Last name
• tags – Comma-separated list of CRM tag names
• Any custom fields you created in CRM

CSV transformation steps:

1. Open Kajabi People export in Excel or Google Sheets
2. Map Kajabi products to AccessAlly tags:
   • If member has “Kajabi Course A” → add “Product: Course A” to tags column
   • If member has active subscription → add “Status: Active” to tags column
   • If member has cancelled → add “Status: Cancelled” to tags column
3. Create tag conversion formulas:

   // Example: If "Products" column contains "Course Name", append "Product: Course Name" to tags
   =IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("Course Name", D2)), "Product: Course Name, ", "") & E2
   

4. Consolidate tags into single comma-separated column
5. Remove sensitive data (Kajabi subscription IDs, payment info)
6. Validate email addresses (remove invalid/test emails)
7. Save as new CSV: “kajabi-to-accessally-import.csv”

Step 15: Import Members via Migration Wizard

1. On staging site first, go to AccessAlly → Migration Wizard
2. If you don’t see Migration Wizard, download and activate the plugin (instructions)
3. Click “Import from CSV”
4. Upload your prepared CSV file
5. Map CSV columns:
   • email → Email
   • first_name → First Name
   • last_name → Last Name
   • tags → Tags (comma-separated)
6. Choose import options:
   • Create users in WordPress: Check (creates WP accounts)
   • Create users in CRM: Check (creates CRM contacts)
   • Add tags: Check (applies product/access tags)
   • Send confirmation email: UNCHECK (members already opted in)
7. Start import
8. Monitor progress: ~100-200 members per minute
9. Review import log for any errors

What happens during import:

• WordPress user account created for each member
• Contact created in CRM with email, name, tags
• CRM Subscriber ID stored in WordPress user meta (critical for linking)
• Tags applied in CRM (grants access to courses)

Step 16: Verify Member Access

Test that imported members can access their purchased content.

1. Pick 5-10 test members from different product tiers
2. For each member:
   • Verify WordPress user exists
   • Verify CRM contact exists with correct tags
   • Verify Subscriber ID stored in WP user meta
   • Test login (use password reset to set password)
   • Verify they can access their courses
   • Verify they CANNOT access courses they didn’t purchase
3. Fix any access issues before proceeding

Step 17: Rebuild Automations in CRM

Kajabi automations cannot be exported. Rebuild them in your new CRM.

Common automations to recreate:

Steps to rebuild automations:

1. Document each Kajabi automation (screenshot workflows)
2. Identify triggers: What starts the automation? (purchase, tag, date, etc.)
3. Identify actions: What happens? (send email, assign tag, wait, etc.)
4. Recreate in CRM using your CRM’s automation builder
5. Test each automation:
   • Trigger the automation with a test contact
   • Verify emails send
   • Verify tags apply
   • Verify timing is correct

Step 18: Migrate Email Campaigns and Broadcasts

1. Export email templates from Kajabi (copy text + screenshots)
2. Recreate email templates in your CRM
3. Import email list to CRM (already done in Step 15)
4. Set up any scheduled campaigns
5. Configure broadcast settings (from name, reply-to, etc.)

Phase 4: Testing & Go-Live (6-8 hours)

Step 19: Comprehensive Testing on Staging

Test EVERYTHING before touching live Kajabi site:

✅ Member Access Testing

• Test login for 5-10 members (different product tiers)
• Verify correct course access for each tier
• Verify restricted content blocks non-members
• Test password reset flow
• Test member dashboard navigation

✅ Purchase Flow Testing

• Complete test purchase for each product
• Verify payment processes (Stripe/PayPal)
• Verify WordPress user created
• Verify CRM contact created with tag
• Verify access granted immediately
• Verify purchase receipt email sent
• Verify welcome automation triggers

✅ Course Functionality Testing

• Navigate through course lessons
• Test video playback
• Test downloadable resources
• Test lesson completion tracking
• Test drip content release (if applicable)
• Test prerequisites (can’t skip ahead)

✅ Email Testing

• Test transactional emails (purchase receipt, password reset)
• Test welcome sequence triggers
• Test broadcast email sending
• Check spam score (Mail-Tester.com)
• Verify unsubscribe links work

✅ Subscription Testing (If Applicable)

• Test subscription purchase
• Verify recurring billing set up in Stripe/PayPal
• Test subscription renewal webhook
• Test subscription cancellation
• Verify access removed on cancellation
• Test failed payment handling

✅ Performance & Security Testing

• Test site speed (GTmetrix, Google PageSpeed)
• Test mobile responsiveness
• Test SSL certificate (site loads over HTTPS)
• Test security (no admin username “admin”, strong passwords)
• Test backup system (restore from backup)

Step 20: Plan DNS and Domain Cutover

Switching from Kajabi domain to WordPress hosting requires DNS changes.

Option 1: Use Same Domain (Recommended)

1. Your domain currently points to Kajabi
2. Change DNS A record to point to WordPress hosting IP
3. DNS propagation takes 1-48 hours (usually < 6 hours)
4. During propagation, some users see old Kajabi site, some see new WordPress site
5. Coordinate go-live during low-traffic window

Option 2: Use New Domain (Safest but SEO Hit)

1. Launch AccessAlly site on new domain (e.g., members.yourdomain.com)
2. Keep Kajabi site running during transition
3. Add redirects from old Kajabi pages to new site
4. Eventually point main domain to WordPress
5. Pros: No downtime during transition
6. Cons: SEO impact, member confusion about URL change

DNS cutover steps (Option 1 – same domain):

1. Get WordPress site IP address from hosting provider
2. Access domain registrar DNS settings
3. Change A record:
   • Old: Points to Kajabi IP
   • New: Points to WordPress hosting IP
4. Lower TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) 24 hours before switch
5. Make DNS change during scheduled downtime window
6. Monitor DNS propagation: Use whatsmydns.net to check
7. Once propagated, test site on live domain

Step 21: Go Live

Launch day checklist:

1. 24-48 hours before:
   • Email members announcing migration and downtime window
   • Provide timeline and what to expect
   • Offer support contact in case of issues
2. Day of launch:
   • Put Kajabi site in maintenance mode (or make announcement banner)
   • Final Kajabi data export (capture any members added since last export)
   • Import any new members to AccessAlly
   • Make DNS change (point domain to WordPress)
   • Monitor DNS propagation
   • Once propagated, test live site thoroughly
   • Announce launch to members (site is live)
3. First 2 hours after launch:
   • Monitor support emails/tickets closely
   • Watch for login issues, access problems, payment errors
   • Have team ready to respond to member questions
   • Fix critical issues immediately

Step 22: Post-Migration Verification

Work through the complete Post-Migration Verification Checklist. Key items for Kajabi → AccessAlly:

✅ Member Data Integrity (First 24 Hours)

• Verify total member count matches Kajabi
• Spot-check 20 random members for correct access
• Verify Subscriber IDs properly stored in WordPress
• Check for duplicate accounts (merge if found)
• Verify member progress/completion data if migrated

✅ Access & Permissions (First 48 Hours)

• Test login for multiple member types
• Verify access to all purchased content
• Verify restricted content blocks non-members
• Test course navigation and lesson progression
• Verify drip content releases on schedule

✅ Purchase & Payment Flow (First Week)

• Monitor new purchases closely
• Verify payment processing (check Stripe/PayPal dashboard)
• Verify member creation on purchase
• Verify access granted immediately
• Verify purchase receipt emails send
• Test subscription renewal (wait for first renewal)
• 🚨 CRITICAL: Test failed payment handling

✅ Email Deliverability (First Week)

• Monitor email deliverability rates
• Check spam complaints (should be < 0.1%)
• Verify transactional emails (receipts, password resets)
• Verify marketing emails (broadcasts, sequences)
• Test email across multiple providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo)

✅ Automations & Sequences (First 2 Weeks)

• Verify welcome sequences trigger for new members
• Verify post-purchase automations fire correctly
• Verify course completion automations work
• Monitor automation errors in CRM
• Fix any automation issues immediately

Step 23: Monitor & Support (First 30 Days)

Day 1-7: High Alert Mode

• Monitor support tickets/emails constantly
• Respond to member issues within 2 hours
• Watch for patterns (same issue reported multiple times?)
• Fix critical bugs immediately
• Document workarounds for non-critical issues

Day 8-14: Stabilization

• Reduce monitoring to 2-3 times per day
• Start addressing non-critical issues
• Gather member feedback on new site
• Make minor improvements based on feedback

Day 15-30: Optimization

• Analyze member engagement (are they using the site?)
• Optimize slow-loading pages
• Improve course content formatting
• Refine automations based on data
• Plan content/feature improvements

After 30 days:

• If no major issues, consider canceling Kajabi (if using grandfathered subscriptions, keep for now)
• Export final Kajabi data for records
• Backup Kajabi site content (if possible)
• Celebrate successful migration!

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: Members Can’t Log In

Symptoms: Members report “Invalid username or password” errors

Causes:

• WordPress user not created during migration
• Email address doesn’t match (typo in import CSV)
• Password not set (first-time WordPress login requires password reset)
• User account exists but is disabled

Solution:

1. Search for user in WordPress → Users
2. If user doesn’t exist: Re-import that member via Migration Wizard
3. If user exists: Send password reset email (Users → hover over user → Send Password Reset)
4. If still failing: Check email address matches exactly (case-sensitive)
5. Verify user role is set (should be “Subscriber” or custom role)

Issue 2: Members Can’t Access Purchased Content

Symptoms: Logged-in member sees “You don’t have permission” on course pages

Causes:

• Access tag not assigned in CRM
• Subscriber ID not linked correctly
• Access rule misconfigured in AccessAlly
• Tag name mismatch (typo or wrong tag)

Solution:

1. Check CRM: Does member have correct product tag?
2. Check WordPress user meta: Is Subscriber ID stored correctly?
3. Check AccessAlly module settings: Is access rule correct?
4. Test: Manually add tag to member in CRM, see if access grants
5. If access grants with manual tag, issue is with tag assignment during purchase/import
6. If access still doesn’t grant, issue is with Subscriber ID linking

Issue 3: Purchase Completes But Access Not Granted

Symptoms: Member completes purchase, payment processes, but can’t access course

Causes:

• Order form not configured to assign tag
• Tag name in order form doesn’t match access rule
• CRM connection broken
• WordPress user created but tag not synced to CRM

Solution:

1. Check order form settings (AccessAlly → Order Forms → edit form)
2. Verify “Assign Tag” action is configured correctly
3. Verify tag name matches exactly (case-sensitive)
4. Test CRM connection (AccessAlly → Settings → Test Connection)
5. Check recent purchase in CRM – did contact get created with tag?
6. If not, re-configure order form and test purchase again

Issue 4: Videos Not Playing

Symptoms: Video embed shows error or black screen

Causes:

• Video not uploaded to video host (Vimeo, Wistia)
• Video set to private without proper embed settings
• Incorrect embed code
• Video host account expired or over quota

Solution:

1. Verify video exists in video host account
2. Check video privacy settings (should allow embed on your domain)
3. Re-copy embed code from video host
4. Test embed code on simple HTML page
5. If still failing, try different video host or different embed method

Issue 5: Emails Going to Spam

Symptoms: Members report not receiving purchase receipts or welcome emails

Causes:

• Email authentication not configured (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
• Sending from unverified domain
• Email content triggers spam filters
• Poor sender reputation (new domain/IP)

Solution:

1. Verify email authentication records in DNS (use MXToolbox to check)
2. Verify sender domain in CRM and email service
3. Test email with Mail-Tester.com (aim for 9/10 or 10/10 score)
4. Remove spam trigger words from email content
5. Ensure all emails have unsubscribe link
6. Warm up sender reputation (send to engaged list first, gradually increase volume)

Issue 6: Subscription Renewal Fails to Extend Access

Symptoms: Member’s subscription renews in Stripe/PayPal, but access expires in AccessAlly

Causes:

• Webhook not configured in Stripe/PayPal
• Webhook URL incorrect
• Webhook firing but AccessAlly not processing
• Subscription ID not linked to WordPress user

Solution:

1. Check Stripe/PayPal webhook settings
2. Verify webhook URL matches AccessAlly-provided URL (AccessAlly → Settings → Payment Integration)
3. Check webhook logs in Stripe/PayPal (recent events)
4. Test webhook by triggering subscription event
5. Check AccessAlly logs for webhook processing errors
6. Verify subscription ID stored in WordPress user meta
7. If webhook failing, contact AccessAlly support with error logs

Migration Timeline & Downtime

Total Time Estimate: 40-60 hours (professional help: 2-3 weeks)

Recommended Downtime Window: 4-6 hours during DNS propagation (choose weekend or low-traffic period)

Kajabi vs AccessAlly: What You’re Giving Up and Gaining

What You Lose (Kajabi Advantages)

• All-in-One Platform: Kajabi handles hosting, security, backups, updates automatically
• Zero Technical Maintenance: No WordPress updates, plugin conflicts, or server management
• Native Mobile Apps: Kajabi offers iOS/Android apps for members
• Built-in Community: Forum features integrated (AccessAlly requires plugin)
• Kajabi University: Business training and support resources
• Live Chat for Members: Real-time member chat features
• Compliance Handling: Kajabi manages GDPR, PCI, security compliance
• Kajabi Analytics: Comprehensive built-in analytics dashboard
• Kajabi Marketplace: Discovery platform for new students
• No CRM Learning Curve: Single platform to learn vs. WordPress + AccessAlly + CRM

What You Gain (AccessAlly Advantages)

• Cost Savings: $150-$300/month savings (Kajabi $149-$399/mo vs AccessAlly + hosting + CRM $50-$150/mo)
• Ownership & Control: You own your WordPress site, data, and content
• No Artificial Limits: Kajabi limits products, pipelines, emails by plan tier – AccessAlly doesn’t
• Unlimited Customization: WordPress + 60,000 plugins = any feature you can imagine
• Better SEO Control: WordPress SEO plugins are more powerful than Kajabi SEO
• Advanced Course Logic: AccessAlly’s access rules and prerequisites are more sophisticated
• CRM Flexibility: Choose the CRM that fits your needs (Kajabi’s CRM is limited)
• Theme Freedom: Any WordPress theme vs. Kajabi’s template limitations
• Integration Ecosystem: WordPress integrates with everything
• Exit Strategy: Not locked into a single vendor platform
• Community/Developer Support: Massive WordPress community for help and resources

Should You Migrate? Decision Framework

Stay with Kajabi if:

• You value all-in-one simplicity over cost savings
• You lack technical skills and don’t want to hire help
• Your business relies on Kajabi mobile apps
• You use Kajabi’s community features heavily
• You don’t want to manage WordPress hosting, updates, security
• Your membership is thriving and you don’t want to risk migration issues

Migrate to AccessAlly if:

• Cost savings of $150-$300/month matter to your bottom line
• You want ownership and control of your platform
• You’ve hit Kajabi’s limits (products, pipelines, features)
• You have WordPress skills OR budget to hire professional help
• You need more advanced course logic and access rules
• You want flexibility to use any CRM, not just Kajabi’s
• You need custom features that Kajabi doesn’t offer

Alternative: Consider other platforms:

• Teachable/Thinkific: Simpler than Kajabi, cheaper, but still all-in-one SaaS
• Kartra: Similar to Kajabi but different pricing model
• LearnDash/LifterLMS: WordPress course plugins (cheaper than AccessAlly but less powerful)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I keep Kajabi and AccessAlly running simultaneously during transition?

A: Yes, this is actually the recommended approach for subscription migration (Strategy 1 in Step 13). Keep Kajabi active for existing subscriptions while new purchases happen on AccessAlly. Use Zapier/Make to sync subscription status between platforms. Gradually phase out Kajabi as legacy subscriptions cancel naturally.

Q: What happens to member progress/completion data from Kajabi?

A: Kajabi does not export course progress data. Member completion tracking will start fresh in AccessAlly. You can manually mark courses as complete for returning members if needed, but there’s no automated way to transfer progress. Communicate this to members during migration announcement.

Q: Can I transfer Kajabi’s affiliate program to AccessAlly?

A: Kajabi’s affiliate data doesn’t export automatically. You’ll need to:

1. Set up affiliate program in AccessAlly or use plugin like AffiliateWP
2. Manually export affiliate list from Kajabi (if available)
3. Re-create affiliate accounts in new system
4. Notify affiliates of new tracking links
5. Grandfather any owed commissions from Kajabi

Q: How do I handle Kajabi’s community/forum features?

A: Kajabi’s community is proprietary and won’t transfer. Options:

• BuddyBoss: Premium WordPress community plugin (~$250/year) – most similar to Kajabi
• PeepSo: WordPress community plugin (free or $99-$299)
• External platform: Circle, Mighty Networks, Facebook Group
• Skip it: If community isn’t heavily used, consider not recreating it

Export any critical community discussions before migrating (screenshots or manual export).

Q: What about Kajabi’s assessment/quiz features?

A: AccessAlly has basic quiz features, but for advanced assessments use:

• LearnDash Quiz Addon: Advanced quizzes with AccessAlly integration
• Gravity Forms + Quiz Add-On: Custom quizzes with grading
• H5P: Interactive content plugin including quizzes

You’ll need to manually recreate quizzes – Kajabi quizzes don’t export.

Q: Can I migrate just one course first to test AccessAlly?

A: Yes, but not seamlessly. You’d need to:

1. Set up full WordPress + AccessAlly + CRM stack (can’t skip this)
2. Migrate one course content to AccessAlly
3. Import only members who own that course
4. Run both platforms simultaneously (Kajabi for other courses, AccessAlly for test course)
5. Use subdomain for AccessAlly test (e.g., members.yourdomain.com)

This approach is complex and only makes sense for large course libraries (10+ courses). For most businesses, full migration is simpler.

Q: How do I handle Kajabi’s checkout page templates?

A: Kajabi’s checkout page designs don’t transfer. You’ll recreate checkout experience using:

1. AccessAlly order forms (basic styling)
2. OR page builder (Elementor, Beaver Builder) + AccessAlly form embed for custom design
3. Match your brand colors/fonts to maintain consistency
4. Test checkout experience thoroughly – friction here costs sales

Q: What if I use Kajabi’s email broadcasts heavily?

A: Kajabi email campaigns need to be recreated in your new CRM. Process:

1. Export/screenshot all email templates from Kajabi
2. Recreate templates in your CRM (ActiveCampaign, Kit, etc.)
3. Your CRM likely has better email features than Kajabi anyway
4. Set up automations/sequences in CRM
5. Test deliverability (CRMs often have better deliverability than Kajabi)

Q: Can I keep my Kajabi subdomain or do I need my own domain?

A: You need your own domain for WordPress/AccessAlly. Options:

• Transfer existing domain: If using custom domain with Kajabi, transfer it to WordPress hosting
• Use Kajabi subdomain: Not possible – Kajabi subdomains (yoursite.kajabi.com) can’t point to external hosting
• Register new domain: If currently on Kajabi subdomain, register your own domain for WordPress

SEO recommendation: Use the same domain you use now (if custom domain) or choose a brandable domain that matches your business name.

Q: How do I handle Kajabi’s terms of service and privacy policy?

A: Copy your existing terms/privacy policy from Kajabi to WordPress pages. You may need to update them:

• Remove Kajabi-specific references
• Add WordPress + AccessAlly + CRM data handling language
• Ensure GDPR compliance (if applicable)
• Add cookie policy for WordPress plugins
• Consider hiring legal review if policies are critical to your business

Need Help?

Professional Migration Services:

• AccessAlly Migration Services: Full-service migration from Kajabi to AccessAlly – Contact AccessAlly
• Expected cost: $3,000-$8,000 depending on complexity (number of courses, members, custom features)
• Timeline: 2-3 weeks for professional migration
• What’s included: Complete setup, content migration, member import, testing, go-live support

DIY Migration Support:

• Review the Migration Support Policy
• For migration assistance: Contact AccessAlly support
• Note: DIY migrations receive limited support – professional help recommended for complex migrations

Related Guides:

• Pre-Migration Checklist
• Post-Migration Verification
• Data Mapping Reference
• AccessAlly Modules Overview
• AccessAlly Order Forms Setup