Skool vs Whop
Skool and Whop are both community platforms tools. Skool is aimed at creators, while Whop is aimed at creators and E-commerce. Only Whop has a free plan.
Community + courses + gamification in one
Platform to sell memberships, courses, communities and software access
| Pricing | Paid · $9 | Free |
| Starting price | $9/mo | Not published |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 14 days | — |
| Built for | Creators | Creators, E-commerce, Small businesses |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2019 | US · 2021 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Skool if
Coaches and creators who want a simple, engaging paid community.
- Simple and fast to launch
- Gamification drives engagement
- Flat pricing on Pro
Look elsewhere if: Brands wanting custom design or complex learning features (Circle, Thinkific).
Choose Whop if
Creators, coaches and indie software sellers who want to monetize communities and digital products with no upfront cost.
- No monthly fee, so it costs nothing until you make sales
- Sells many product types from a single storefront
- Fast setup for Discord and Telegram paid communities
Look elsewhere if: Brands wanting a polished, premium course and email platform or a flat-fee community (Kajabi, Skool, Circle).
Skool vs Whop pricing
Skool
- Hobby$9/mo10% transaction fee; unlimited members and courses
- Pro$99/mo2.9% transaction fee, custom URL
Whop
- Free to start$0No monthly fee; you pay only when you sell
- Card processing2.7% + $0.30/transactionDomestic cards; +1.5% international, +1% currency conversion
- Payouts$2.50/payoutNext-day US ACH; bank wire $23, instant 4% + $2.50
Skool · Key features
- Community feed with categories
- Classroom for courses and lessons
- Calendar for events and calls
- Gamification with points and leaderboards
- Paid memberships via built-in payments
- Skool discovery network
Cons
- Limited branding and customization
- Basic course features
- No native email marketing
Whop · Key features
- Branded whop hubs bundling courses, chat, files and events
- Automatic Discord and Telegram role access for paying members
- Software license keys and app access for SaaS and tool sellers
- Checkout with cards, ACH, wallets and buy-now-pay-later
- Affiliate program and promo codes built in
- Content Rewards campaigns that pay creators per view
Cons
- Add-on, international and payout fees push effective rates higher
- Marketplace includes many low-quality hype offers
- Community and course tools are less refined than Skool or Kajabi
Skool vs Whop: FAQ
Do Skool and Whop have a free plan?
Skool has no free plan, a 14-day free trial. Whop has a free plan.
Which is better for small businesses, Skool or Whop?
Whop lists small businesses as a core audience, while Skool is aimed more at creators.