GoHighLevel Pricing 2026: Real Costs, Break-Even Math, and Bonuses That Save Agencies Thousands

Updated October 2025

Let me tell you something nobody talks about when they’re pitching you the “next big CRM.”

They show you the shiny dashboard. They throw around words like “automation” and “white-label.” They make it sound like you’ll be printing money by Tuesday.

But they conveniently forget to mention the real costs.

The SMS overages that sneak up on you. The A2P registration fees nobody warned you about. The moment you realize your “unlimited” plan has some very limited fine print.

When I first tested GoHighLevel back in 2022, I thought I had it all figured out. I signed up for the $297 Unlimited plan, loaded up three client accounts, and started sending campaigns like a madman.

Two weeks later? My wallet got slapped with a $340 usage bill.

Nobody told me SMS segments work differently than I thought. Nobody explained that emojis in text messages cost double. And definitely nobody mentioned I’d need to budget for A2P 10DLC registration if I wanted my messages to actually deliver.

So yeah. I learned the hard way.

But here’s the good news: you don’t have to.

This guide is going to break down every single cost you’ll encounter with GoHighLevel in 2026. The base plans. The hidden fees. The sneaky add-ons. And most importantly, the break-even math that shows you exactly how many clients you need to make this profitable.

Because here’s the truth: GoHighLevel can save you thousands compared to duct-taping together ClickFunnels, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Calendly, and Twilio. But only if you know what you’re actually paying for.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

GoHighLevel Pricing Overview: The Three Plans (And What They Actually Cost)

GoHighLevel keeps it simple. Three plans. No weird tiers with names like “Platinum Unicorn Plus.”

Here’s the breakdown:

Starter Plan ($97/Month): Perfect for Testing the Waters

The Starter plan is like dipping your toe in the pool before diving in headfirst.

You get unlimited contacts (which is insane at this price), unlimited users (add your whole team if you want), and up to 3 sub-accounts (that’s 3 client businesses or locations).

Here’s what’s included:

• Full CRM with pipelines, deal tracking, and contact management
• Email and SMS campaigns (you pay usage costs separately)
• Landing pages and websites with drag-and-drop builder
• Calendar and scheduling (no more paying for Calendly)
• Workflow automation builder
• Forms, surveys, and widgets
• Reputation management tools
• Power dialer for outbound calling
• Basic support via email and chat

What’s missing? API access. White-label branding. Rebilling. And you’re capped at 3 client accounts, which is fine if you’re just getting started but becomes a problem fast once you land client #4.

When I first started with GHL, I used Starter for about 90 days. It was perfect for testing workflows, building out templates, and proving to myself that I could actually migrate clients off their existing tools without breaking everything.

But the second I hit 4 clients? Upgraded immediately.

Unlimited Plan ($297/Month): The Sweet Spot for Most Agencies

This is where most agencies live. And for good reason.

At $297 per month, you get everything in Starter plus:

• Unlimited sub-accounts (manage 5, 10, 50, 100 clients—doesn’t matter)
• API access (build custom integrations or connect third-party tools)
• White-label desktop app (remove GoHighLevel branding, add your own logo)
• Membership site functionality (host courses or gated content)
• Basic rebilling (pass through SMS and email costs to clients without markup)
• Priority chat support (faster responses when something breaks)

Here’s why this plan makes sense: unlimited sub-accounts with no per-client fees.

Let’s do some quick math. If you’re paying ClickFunnels $197 per workspace or HubSpot $50+ per client location, managing 10 clients gets expensive fast. With GoHighLevel Unlimited, you pay $297 total. That’s it. No per-seat nonsense.

And the basic rebilling? Game changer. You can set up client billing so that when they send 1,000 text messages, they get charged for it—not you. You’re just passing through the cost at break-even. No profit markup (that requires Agency Pro), but you’re also not eating hundreds of dollars in SMS fees every month.

When I upgraded to Unlimited, my monthly software costs dropped by about $840 because I killed my ClickFunnels, ActiveCampaign, and Calendly subscriptions. All replaced by one login.

Agency Pro ($497/Month): For Serious Agencies and SaaS Resellers

This is the plan you upgrade to when you’re ready to really scale.

Everything in Unlimited, plus:

• SaaS Mode (full white-label capabilities—resell GHL as your own platform)
• Advanced rebilling with markup (add profit margins to all usage costs)
• Automated client billing (clients get invoiced automatically every month)
• White-label mobile apps (iOS and Android with your branding)
• Custom objects (advanced CRM data structures)
• Split testing (A/B test funnels, emails, pages)
• Advanced API access (full enterprise integrations)
• Domain purchasing for clients (buy domains, add markup, keep the profit)
• AI Employee rebilling (resell AI features with your own pricing)

The killer feature here? SaaS Mode.

You can literally rebrand GoHighLevel as “YourCompanyName CRM,” charge clients $197–$497 per month for “your” software, and pocket the difference. If you have 20 clients paying you $297/month for platform access, that’s $5,940 in revenue. Subtract your $497 base cost and ~$1,000 in usage (after rebilling), and you’re netting $4,443/month just from the platform.

That’s not even counting your service fees, setup charges, or management retainers.

The mobile apps? Huge win for local businesses. You can charge $99–$199/month for a “custom branded app,” pay GoHighLevel $49/month, and keep $50–$150 per client as pure profit.

When does it make sense to upgrade to Agency Pro? When you’re managing 10+ clients and ready to treat your agency like a SaaS company. Before that, Unlimited is probably fine.

Hidden Costs and Real Expenses (The Stuff Nobody Warns You About)

Okay. Deep breath.

This is where most reviews gloss over the details because it’s not sexy to talk about SMS segment fees and A2P compliance costs.

But this is exactly the stuff that matters when you’re trying to figure out if GoHighLevel is actually affordable or just another money pit.

SMS and MMS: The Segment Trap

Here’s where I got burned early on.

SMS costs are charged per segment, not per message. One segment = 160 characters of plain text. Sounds simple, right?

Wrong.

Use an emoji? That message switches to UCS-2 encoding, and now one segment is only 70 characters. Send a 200-character message with a smiley face? That’s three segments. You just paid $0.025 for one text.

Multiply that by 10,000 messages per month across all your clients, and you’re looking at $250 in SMS costs alone.

Add in carrier fees (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon each tack on $0.003 per message), and it adds up fast.

Pro tip: If you’re on Unlimited or Agency Pro, enable rebilling from Day 1. Pass those costs straight to your clients. Let them pay for their own text campaigns.

A2P 10DLC Registration: The Fee Nobody Mentions

If you’re sending business SMS in the United States, carriers require you to register your brand and campaigns through A2P 10DLC compliance.

Here’s what it costs:

• Brand registration (one-time): $23.95
• Campaign registration (monthly): $10 per campaign

So if you have 5 clients each running their own SMS campaign, that’s $23.95 upfront + $50/month ongoing. Not huge, but it’s another line item nobody warned you about.

And here’s the kicker: if you don’t register, carriers will filter or block your messages. Your open rates tank. Your clients complain. And you’re left scrambling to figure out why your “unlimited SMS plan” isn’t working.

Do yourself a favor: budget for A2P registration before you launch your first campaign.

AI Employee: Cool Feature, But It’s $97 Per Sub-Account

GoHighLevel’s AI Employee is legitimately cool. It handles conversations, answers questions, books appointments, and can even detect when it should hand off to a human.

But it’s $97 per month per sub-account if you want unlimited AI interactions.

Got 10 clients? That’s $970/month just for AI.

Now, you can rebill this (on Agency Pro), so if you charge clients $150/month for “AI receptionist services” and pay $97, you’re netting $53 per client. Across 10 clients, that’s $530/month profit.

But you’ve gotta sell it. And not every client needs or wants AI chat.

My take? Test it on 1-2 clients first. If it actually reduces their support load or books more appointments, then roll it out wider and charge for it. Don’t just turn it on for everyone and eat the cost.

What About Email Costs?

Email is cheap. Like, really cheap.

LC Email (GoHighLevel’s email system) charges $0.675 per 1,000 emails. That’s cheaper than Mailgun ($0.80/1,000) and way cheaper than most email platforms.

Sending 25,000 emails per month? That’s $16.88. Totally manageable.

Email verification (to clean your lists and avoid bounces) costs $2.50 per 1,000 verifications. Also reasonable.

So yeah, email won’t break the bank. SMS will. Keep that in mind.

Break-Even Math: How Many Clients Do You Need?

Let’s get real for a second.

You’re not signing up for GoHighLevel just to have a cool dashboard. You’re signing up to make money.

So the question is: how many clients do you need to break even? And when do you start actually profiting?

Let me walk you through the math for each plan.

Starter Plan: Break-Even at 1-2 Clients

Your cost: $97/month base + ~$50-100 in usage (depending on volume) = ~$150-200/month total.

If you’re charging clients $500-1,000/month for marketing services, you’re profitable from Day 1. The platform cost is noise compared to your service fees.

But here’s the catch: you’re capped at 3 sub-accounts. So once you land client #4, you’re forced to upgrade or turn away business.

Recommendation: Use Starter for 60-90 days to validate your systems, then upgrade to Unlimited before you hit the cap.

Unlimited Plan: Break-Even at 3-5 Clients

Your cost: $297/month base + ~$300-500 in usage (before rebilling) = ~$600-800/month total.

If you charge $500/month per client for marketing services, you break even at 2 clients. By client #3, you’re profitable. By client #10, you’re very profitable.

With rebilling enabled: your net cost drops to ~$297-400/month because clients are covering their own SMS and email usage. Now you break even at just 1-2 clients.

Here’s a real-world example from my agency:

See how the platform cost barely moves as you add clients? That’s the power of unlimited sub-accounts.

Agency Pro: Break-Even at 5-7 Clients, Profit Explosion After 10

Your cost: $497/month base + usage (which you’re rebilling with markup) = ~$700-1,200/month depending on add-ons.

But here’s where it gets interesting.

With SaaS Mode, you can charge clients for platform access on top of your service fees:

• Platform access: $197-297/month per client
• Service retainer: $500-1,500/month per client
• Rebilling markup: 15-25% profit on SMS, email, AI usage

Let’s say you have 10 clients. Here’s what the math looks like:

Your costs:

• GHL Agency Pro base: $497/mo
• Net usage (after rebilling): ~$200-300/mo
• Optional add-ons (AI, mobile apps): ~$200-400/mo

Total cost: ~$900-1,200/mo

Net profit from 10 clients: $13,240 – $1,200 = $12,040/month

And that’s just revenue tied to the platform itself. If you’re also doing ads, content, SEO, or other services, your total agency revenue is way higher.

The point? Agency Pro pays for itself by client #2. By client #10, you’re printing money.

Which Plan Is Right for You? (Decision Tree)

Still not sure which plan to pick?

Here’s my recommendation based on where you are right now:

My recommendation for 90% of agencies: Start with Unlimited. It’s the sweet spot. You get unlimited clients, API access, white-label branding, and basic rebilling—all for $297/month.

Then, once you’re managing 10-15+ clients and you’ve proven your systems work, upgrade to Agency Pro to unlock rebilling markup and SaaS Mode.

Don’t make the mistake of jumping straight to Agency Pro if you only have 3 clients. You’re paying an extra $200/month for features you’re not using yet. Grow into it.

Why GoHighLevel Beats Stacking 5 Different Tools

Here’s what I used to pay before I consolidated everything into GoHighLevel:

GoHighLevel Unlimited: $297/month + ~$100-200 usage = ~$400-500/month total

Savings: $400-500 per month = $4,800-6,000 per year

And that’s not even counting the time saved by not having to log into 5 different platforms, troubleshoot broken Zapier connections, or deal with data syncing issues.

When I switched to GHL, I cut my tool stack from 7 logins to 1. My team onboarding time dropped from 2 weeks to 3 days. And my monthly software bill dropped by $450.

That’s real money back in your pocket.

But What About Feature Parity?

Okay, I’ll be honest. GoHighLevel isn’t perfect at everything.

ActiveCampaign’s email automation is more advanced. ClickFunnels has more funnel templates. HubSpot’s analytics are more sophisticated.

But here’s the thing: GoHighLevel is 85-90% as good at each individual feature, and it does all of them in one platform.

So unless you’re an email marketing agency that only does email (and nothing else), the convenience and cost savings of consolidating everything into GHL outweigh the minor feature gaps.

Plus, GoHighLevel’s team ships new features constantly. Just in October 2025, they added AI-powered business card scanning, bulk prospecting with Google Maps, and rental booking systems. The platform is getting better every month.

Exclusive Bonuses That Save You 10+ Hours of Setup Time

If you sign up for GoHighLevel through my affiliate link on this page, you’ll get instant access to three bonuses I’ve put together to help you hit the ground running.

These aren’t fluff. They’re actual resources I use in my own agency.

Bonus #1: AI Email Storytelling Swipe Pack

50+ proven email frameworks you can plug into GoHighLevel’s email builder and start sending today. Includes welcome sequences, abandoned cart emails, re-engagement campaigns, and more.

Each template is written in a conversational, story-driven style (think Gary Halbert meets your favorite podcast host). No corporate jargon. No boring “Dear Valued Customer” nonsense.

You can also feed these templates into ChatGPT or GoHighLevel’s AI tools to generate custom variations for your clients. (Speaking of which, if you’re looking for more AI email automation strategies, check out this AI Email Funnels FAQ that breaks down how to use AI to write high-converting email sequences faster.)

Bonus #2: Agency Automation Blueprint PDF

Step-by-step workflows for the 7 most common automations agencies build in GoHighLevel:

1. New lead nurture sequence (capture to close)
2. Appointment reminder system (reduce no-shows by 40%+)
3. Review request automation (get more 5-star reviews on autopilot)
4. Abandoned cart recovery (for e-commerce clients)
5. Missed call text-back (never lose a lead again)
6. Birthday/anniversary campaigns (boost repeat business)
7. Pipeline stage automation (move deals automatically based on actions)

Each workflow includes screenshots, trigger logic, and copy templates. Just clone them into your GHL account and customize for your clients.

Bonus #3: AI Toolkit Vault Access

A collection of my best ChatGPT prompts for marketing tasks, including:

• Landing page headline generator
• Ad copy frameworks (Facebook, Google, LinkedIn)
• Email subject line ideas (tested for open rates)
• Blog post outlines (SEO-optimized)
• Client reporting summaries (turn data into insights)
• Workflow optimization prompts (troubleshoot automations)

These prompts save me 5-10 hours per week. They’ll do the same for you.

Get GoHighLevel + Instant AI Bonuses

Quick Competitor Snapshot: How GHL Stacks Up

Let’s put GoHighLevel head-to-head with the big players.

GoHighLevel vs. ClickFunnels

ClickFunnels wins on: Funnel templates, brand recognition, course/membership features.

GoHighLevel wins on: Full CRM, phone system, SMS marketing, white-label capabilities, unlimited clients, agency tools.

The verdict: If all you do is build sales funnels, ClickFunnels might be fine. But if you’re running a full-service agency, GoHighLevel destroys it on cost and features.

GoHighLevel vs. HubSpot

HubSpot wins on: Enterprise analytics, attribution reporting, brand reputation with Fortune 500 companies.

GoHighLevel wins on: Price (1/3 the cost), white-label capabilities, unlimited clients, phone system, reputation management.

The verdict: HubSpot is overkill for most agencies. Unless you’re managing multi-million dollar B2B sales cycles, GoHighLevel gives you 85% of the features at 30% of the cost.

GoHighLevel vs. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign wins on: Email automation depth, deliverability, advanced segmentation.

GoHighLevel wins on: All-in-one platform, funnels, phone system, calendar booking, reputation tools, predictable pricing.

The verdict: If you’re only doing email marketing, ActiveCampaign might edge out GHL. But if you need funnels, CRM, SMS, and calendar booking, GoHighLevel is the better choice.

GoHighLevel vs. Kartra

Kartra wins on: Webinar platform, course hosting, lower entry price.

GoHighLevel wins on: True white-label (no “Powered by” branding), unlimited clients, agency tools, phone system.

The verdict: Kartra is solid for solo course creators. But for agencies, the white-label limitations and per-client costs make GoHighLevel the smarter pick.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does GoHighLevel actually cost per month?

GoHighLevel has three pricing tiers: Starter at $97/month (up to 3 client accounts), Unlimited at $297/month (unlimited client accounts), and Agency Pro at $497/month (full white-label SaaS capabilities). On top of the base plan, you’ll pay usage costs for SMS, calls, and emails. But those can be rebilled to clients on Unlimited and Agency Pro plans.

Are there hidden costs I should know about?

Yes. Beyond the base plan, budget for:

• SMS/MMS costs (about $0.0083 per segment)
• Voice calls ($0.0126/min outbound, $0.00765/min inbound)
• LC Email ($0.675 per 1,000 emails)
• A2P 10DLC registration ($23.95 one-time + $10/month per campaign)
• Optional add-ons like AI Employee ($97/month per sub-account) or HIPAA compliance ($297/month)

The good news? All usage costs can be rebilled to clients if you’re on the Unlimited or Agency Pro plan. So you’re not stuck eating these fees yourself.

Which plan is right for my agency?

Here’s my rule of thumb:

• Managing 3 or fewer clients? Start with Starter ($97/month).
• Managing 4-10 clients? Upgrade to Unlimited ($297/month) for unlimited sub-accounts and API access.
• Managing 10+ clients or want to resell GHL as your own branded platform? Go with Agency Pro ($497/month) for rebilling capabilities and SaaS Mode.

Don’t make the mistake of overpaying for Agency Pro if you only have 3 clients. Grow into it.

Can I really white-label and resell GoHighLevel?

Yes, but only on the Agency Pro plan ($497/month). You get SaaS Mode with automated client billing, white-label mobile apps, custom branding, and the ability to markup usage costs.

You can charge clients $197-$497/month for your “platform” while your base cost is just $497 total. If you have 20 clients paying you $297/month, that’s $5,940 in revenue. Subtract your $497 base + ~$1,000 in usage (after rebilling), and you’re netting ~$4,443/month just from platform reselling.

How does GoHighLevel pricing compare to competitors?

GoHighLevel is dramatically cheaper for agencies:

• HubSpot Pro: Starts at $800/month (plus per-contact fees)
• ClickFunnels: $97-297/month per workspace (adds up fast with multiple clients)
• ActiveCampaign Pro: $379/month for 10,000 contacts (scales rapidly)
• Kartra: $229/month for white-label features, but branding can’t be fully removed

GoHighLevel offers unlimited client accounts at $297/month (Unlimited) with no per-client fees. That’s unbeatable for agencies managing 5+ clients.

What bonuses come with signing up through this review?

Sign up through my affiliate link and get three instant bonuses:

1. AI Email Storytelling Swipe Pack: 50+ proven email frameworks
2. Agency Automation Blueprint PDF: Plug-and-play workflow templates
3. AI Toolkit Vault Access: ChatGPT prompts for marketing tasks

These bonuses save you 10+ hours of setup time and give you battle-tested templates you can use with clients immediately.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. GoHighLevel offers a standard 14-day free trial on all plans. Extended 30-day trials are sometimes available through promotional links.

You’ll need a credit card upfront, but you can cancel anytime during the trial without being charged. Just note that usage costs (SMS, calls, emails) still apply during the trial.

Pro tip: Set a calendar reminder for 2 days before your trial ends. That way you can decide whether to continue, downgrade, or cancel before you’re charged.

Final Thoughts: Is GoHighLevel Worth It in 2026?

Let me be straight with you.

If you’re a solo entrepreneur who only needs a basic CRM and doesn’t care about white-labeling, GoHighLevel might be overkill. There are cheaper options like Systeme.io or even free tools like HubSpot’s basic CRM.

But if you’re an agency owner, a freelancer scaling to an agency, or a SaaS entrepreneur looking to resell marketing software under your own brand?

GoHighLevel is hands-down the best option in 2026.

Here’s why:

• Unlimited sub-accounts at one flat rate (no per-client fees)
• Full white-label capabilities (on Unlimited and Agency Pro)
• All-in-one platform (replaces 5-7 separate tools)
• Rebilling with markup (turn platform costs into profit)
• Constant innovation (new features ship monthly)

Yes, there are usage costs. Yes, you need to budget for SMS, A2P registration, and optional add-ons.

But compared to the alternative—duct-taping together ClickFunnels, ActiveCampaign, Twilio, Calendly, and Zapier—GoHighLevel saves you $400-600 per month and hours of admin headaches.

When I consolidated my agency stack into GHL back in 2022, it was one of the best business decisions I made. My team got more efficient. My clients got better results. And my profit margins improved because I wasn’t bleeding money on 7 different SaaS subscriptions.

So here’s my recommendation:

Start with the 14-day free trial (or snag a 30-day extended trial if available). Build out 1-2 workflows. Test the funnel builder. Set up a client sub-account. See if it clicks for you.

If it does? Lock in the Unlimited plan at $297/month. Use it for 6-12 months. Then, once you’re managing 10+ clients and ready to level up, upgrade to Agency Pro and start rebilling with markup.

That’s the path. That’s how you turn GoHighLevel from a cost center into a profit center.

Affiliate Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, Jay may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. He only recommends tools he’s personally tested or believes will help agencies grow.