Tool profile
Skool: cost, fit and limits
Skool is a community and course platform made by Skool.com, Inc. that lets creators run a free or paid community with a classroom, a calendar and direct messages, plus an official mobile app. It is aimed at course sellers and membership hosts who want a simple setup and a short, flat price list.
What to know first
Skool keeps the price list short. The pricing page shows two plans, Hobby at $9 a month and Pro at $99, both with unlimited members, courses, videos and live calls, and the main difference is the transaction fee. The pages we opened described no AI features and no security details, so it is a simplicity pick rather than an AI-first one.
Skool at a glance
| Maker | Skool.com, Inc., United States |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Free trial only |
| Entry price | $9 per month (Hobby) |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Community Platform Software in 2026, rank 7 of 11 |
| Website | skool.com |
Who Skool is best for
Hosts who want the simplest setup
The about page promises setup in under 30 minutes and an all-in-one platform with no integrations needed for community, courses and events.
Early-stage course sellers
Hobby at $9 a month lets a new host test a paid community, accepting a 10% transaction fee until revenue justifies Pro.
Subscription or one-off sellers
Communities can be free or paid, with subscription memberships or one-time course purchases, so a host can sell either model.
Mobile-first members
The official app lists community posts and comments, video and text courses, a calendar and direct messages with push notifications.
Skool plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby | $9 per month | Unlimited members, courses, videos and live calls, a custom URL, affiliates and a 10% transaction fee. |
| Pro | $99 per month | The same unlimited feature list as Hobby with the transaction fee cut to 2.9% of payments, plus a custom URL and affiliates. |
| Community access price | Set by the host | Communities can be free or paid by subscription, and courses can be sold as one-time purchases, according to the about page. |
Checked November 2026.
What Skool does
- Community feed
- Group discussions with posts and comments form the center of each community. The official app adds push notifications so members see replies away from a computer.
- Classroom
- Video and text-based courses sit inside the community. Both plans list unlimited courses and videos, so content volume does not change the price. Lessons live in the same space as discussions, so members do not switch tools.
- Calendar and live calls
- A calendar shows community events, and both plans list unlimited live calls, and the official app lists the calendar of events among its main features. The pages did not state attendee caps, .
- Direct messages
- Members can message each other from the web or the app, which the App Store listing names as one of four main features. That makes private conversation possible between members of one community.
- Affiliates and custom URL
- Both plans list affiliates and a custom URL, which lets a host reward members for referrals and keep a branded address. Hobby already includes both at $9 a month, so neither is held back for Pro.
How Skool handles your data
We could not open Skool's privacy policy or terms in this task, because the policy path returned an error and the legal page we reached was the community rules. The App Store listing names Skool.com, Inc. with an address in El Segundo, California, and the policy link there points to the legal page. Hosting regions, AI training, retention, sub-processors and certifications were therefore not checked. The vendor's policy was not checked for this.
Where Skool falls short in practice
- . Neither the pricing page nor the about page described AI moderation, search or an assistant, so Skool is unproven on AI. The app listing describes posts, courses, a calendar and direct messages only.
- . Hobby keeps 10% of payments, higher than Circle's 2%, Heartbeat's 5% on Build or Podia's 5% on Mover. Pro cuts the fee to 2.9% for $99 a month.
- . The page has a monthly and yearly toggle but displayed no yearly prices, and the 2 months free banner did not say which plan it applied to.
Works with
Alternatives to Skool
Skool: common questions
How much does Skool cost?
The pricing page lists Hobby at $9 a month and Pro at $99 a month. Both include unlimited members, courses, videos and live calls. A toggle for yearly billing appears with a 2 months free banner, but no yearly figures were shown on the page we read.
What fee does Skool take on payments?
Hobby carries a 10% transaction fee and Pro 2.9%. At $1,000 in monthly sales, Hobby costs $109 in total and Pro $128, so Pro starts to win once monthly sales pass roughly $1,270. Card processing fees are separate, and both plans list a custom URL and affiliates.
Does Skool have AI features?
None appeared on the pricing or about pages we opened. Skool describes community, classroom, calendar and messaging, with an official app that adds push notifications. The Hobby and Pro plans are the only two paid options shown, and neither lists AI. Circle and Discourse list AI features and credits on their own pages.
Does Skool have a mobile app?
Yes. The App Store lists an official Skool app that lists community discussions with posts and comments, video and text courses, a calendar of events and direct messages, with push notifications. It is the shared Skool app, not a branded app under your own name.
Can a Skool community be free?
Yes. The about page says communities can be free or paid, and paid ones can charge subscriptions or one-time course purchases. The Hobby plan still costs $9 a month for the host, so free for members is not free for the creator.