GoHighLevel is one of the most popular all-in-one business platforms. Their marketing says it starts at $97/month. That is technically true. But what you actually pay to run a business on GHL is a different number.
This is not a hit piece. GHL is a capable platform with a lot of features. But the pricing structure is confusing, and a lot of people sign up for the $97 plan only to realize they need the $297 plan within a month. Here is a straightforward breakdown of what each tier includes, what it does not, and what the real monthly cost looks like.
The Three Plans
Starter: $97/month
This is the entry point. Here is what you get:
- 1 business account (you can only manage one business)
- CRM and pipeline management
- Calendar booking
- Website/funnel builder (1 funnel, 1 website)
- Basic email and SMS (with external provider)
- Reputation management
What you do NOT get on Starter:
- No unlimited accounts (just 1)
- No API access
- No white-labeling
- No membership/course features
- No advanced reporting
- No workflow builder (the main automation tool)
That last one is the killer. The workflow builder is the core of what makes GHL powerful. Without it, you are basically using an expensive CRM with a funnel builder. Most businesses outgrow the Starter plan within their first month.
Unlimited: $297/month
This is where most businesses land. You get everything in Starter plus:
- Unlimited business accounts
- Full workflow automation builder
- API access
- Membership and course tools
- Advanced reporting
- White-label desktop app
At $297/month, you have a real platform. But the costs do not stop here.
SaaS Mode: $497/month
This tier is for agencies that want to resell GHL as their own branded software. You get everything in Unlimited plus:
- Full white-label (your brand, your domain, your login page)
- Built-in billing for your clients
- Client rebilling markup tools
- SaaS configurator
- Advanced permissions
At $497/month, you are running GHL as your own SaaS product. Some agencies charge their clients $297-497/month for rebranded GHL access, so the math can work. But only if you have enough clients to cover the cost.
The Hidden Costs
Here is where the real pricing picture emerges. GHL does not include phone, SMS, or email sending in any plan. You bring your own providers.
Twilio (Phone and SMS)
GHL connects to Twilio for calling and text messaging. Twilio charges per message and per minute:
- SMS: ~$0.0079 per message sent
- Phone calls: ~$0.013 per minute
- Phone number: ~$1.15/month per number
For a business sending 500 texts and making 200 minutes of calls per month, that is roughly $40-60/month. For agencies managing 10+ client accounts, Twilio costs can hit $200-500/month easily.
Mailgun (Email Sending)
GHL uses Mailgun (or SMTP) for email campaigns:
- Mailgun Flex: $0.80 per 1,000 emails
- Mailgun Foundation: $35/month for 50,000 emails
- Mailgun Scale: $90/month for 100,000 emails
A typical service business sending weekly campaigns to a 2,000-person list will use about 8,000-10,000 emails per month. That is $8-10/month on Flex or $35/month on Foundation.
Premium Features and Add-ons
Some features require additional monthly fees:
- LC Phone (GHL's built-in calling): additional per-minute charges
- Conversation AI: additional monthly fee
- Premium templates and content: varies
- Additional storage beyond limits: varies
What You Actually Pay: Real Scenarios
Solo service business
You want CRM, pipeline, automation, booking, and basic marketing.
- GHL Unlimited plan: $297
- Twilio (moderate use): $50
- Mailgun: $10
- Total: ~$357/month
Small agency (5 client accounts)
- GHL Unlimited plan: $297
- Twilio (5 accounts): $150
- Mailgun (5 accounts): $35
- Total: ~$482/month
Growing agency with white-label (15+ clients)
- GHL SaaS Mode: $497
- Twilio (15 accounts): $400
- Mailgun: $90
- Total: ~$987/month
How OneHub360 Compares
We built OneHub360 because we saw service businesses getting sticker shock after signing up for platforms that advertise low starting prices.
Here is the OneHub360 pricing:
- Starter: $97/month. Includes CRM, pipeline, unified inbox, live chat, forms, scheduling, invoicing, email campaigns, analytics, and session recordings. No Twilio or Mailgun setup required.
- Growth: $197/month. Everything in Starter plus multiple locations, advanced automation, and team management.
- Scale: $397/month. White-label, API access, unlimited businesses. Built for agencies.
The key difference: there are no hidden per-message or per-email charges at the Starter and Growth tiers. The price you see is the price you pay.
Which Should You Choose?
GoHighLevel is a solid platform if you are an agency that needs deep white-label capabilities and you are comfortable managing Twilio and Mailgun accounts. The ecosystem is mature, with a large community and tons of templates.
If you are a service business that wants a straightforward platform without external provider accounts and surprise charges, OneHub360 gives you more built-in features at a lower total cost. Try both. See which one fits how you work.