Skool
Community-plus-courses platform founded by Sam Ovens, combining a forum-style feed, courses, events, and gamification.
Visit Skool → Get your launch kit →About Skool
Skool is a community platform for creators, coaches, and course sellers, pairing a Facebook-group-style feed with built-in courses, events, and points-based gamification. Two plans: Hobby at $9/mo plus a 10% + $0.30 Skool cut per transaction; Pro at $99/mo where Skool takes 0% — creators pay standard processor rates (2.9% + $0.30 for payments up to $899, 3.9% + $0.30 for $900+). Break-even between the two plans sits around $1,200-$1,400/mo in membership revenue. Weekly payouts via Stripe Express.
Our take
Skool is the community-first course platform Alex Hormozi made famous. Hobby at $9/mo + 10% transaction, Pro at $99/mo + 2.9% — highest transaction fees in the category, but in exchange you get a community engine that's genuinely excellent: gamified levels, live calls, unified discussion + courses. Best for: community-led creators (coaches, mastermind hosts) where the discussion is as important as the course content. Skip if: you just want to sell a course — Thinkific, Teachable, or Podia take less of your revenue and don't charge per transaction.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Pro plan takes ~0% (just Stripe) on transactions under $899
- Combines community, courses, and payments in one tool
- Gamification and levels drive engagement
Cons
- Hobby plan adds a 10% Skool cut on every transaction
- No permanent free plan; $9 or $99/mo required
- Pro adds a 1% surcharge on transactions over $899
Full breakdown
- Platform fee
- $9/mo + 10% or $99/mo · Hobby: 10% transaction. Pro: ~0%
- Payout speed
- weekly
- Minimum payout
- Stripe default
- Countries supported
- Stripe-supported countries
- Email list export
- Full access
- Custom domain
- Yes (subdomain)
- Community features
- Forum feed, events, gamified levels