Why HighLevel Isn’t the Right Fit for Most Small Businesses
HighLevel looks like an easy, all-in-one fix for small businesses – but the reality is different. While it can help a solo operator get started, most growing businesses find it cluttered, restrictive, and costly. For teams that need clarity, flexibility, and long-term foundations, HighLevel creates more problems than it solves.
HighLevel promises to be the all-in-one platform every business owner needs. But for most small businesses, that promise doesn’t hold up. While it may look attractive to a solo operator trying to get something off the ground quickly, for a growing team it creates more headaches than solutions.
If we care about your long-term success, we’ll say it plainly: HighLevel isn’t the tool to build your business on.
Why It Sometimes Works for Solopreneurs
- All-in-one convenience. CRM, email, funnels, booking, courses — all in one place.
- Fast setup. You can spin up basic systems quickly.
- Entry-level cost. Attractive when you’re on a shoestring budget.
But speed without quality doesn’t help when you’re trying to grow.
Where Small Businesses Struggle with HighLevel
HighLevel’s “do everything” approach is exactly why it fails real businesses:
- Overstuffed and overwhelming. HighLevel tries to be everything – domain registrar, hosting, CDN, website builder, appointment scheduler, course platform, and SMTP provider (via Mailgun). The backend is cluttered and confusing, and most businesses won’t use even half of what’s included.
- Bloat, not focus. Most small businesses need a website, a CRM, and email marketing. HighLevel hands you 50 tools. Instead of clarity, you get noise.
- Bad design and weak UX. The website and funnel builder churn out sites that look dated, unprofessional, and often outright clunky. Responsiveness and usability feel more 2008 than 2025. For businesses that need to project trust and modern credibility, this is a liability.
- Rigid and restrictive. What seems simple at first quickly feels limiting. Integrations are thin, workflows inflexible, and the system forces you into its structure.
- Hidden costs. The sticker price is only the beginning. Many users end up paying for extras: Twilio for SMS, phone rentals, premium workflow actions, AI usage, dedicated IPs. And when “DIY” setup proves overwhelming, you’re hiring someone just to make it work.
- Team headaches. HighLevel was never designed for multi-user environments. The interface doesn’t adapt well to multiple roles, leading to confusion and inefficiency.
- No real ownership. You’re renting your entire business inside a platform you don’t control. Migrating off later is messy and expensive, often requiring a full rebuild.
The Bigger Picture: Build for Longevity, Not Shortcuts
At Alchemy + Aim, we view technology as part of a healthy ecosystem. The right systems give your business a strong foundation, help your team operate with clarity, and grow with you. The wrong ones — like HighLevel — pile on complexity, restrict flexibility, and cost you more in the long run.
HighLevel might suit a solopreneur who only needs a barebones setup. But for a real business with a team, a brand, and a vision, it’s not just unhelpful – it can actively hold you back.