Skool is an online courses & LMS tool for Creators, offered as paid ($9/mo). Based in United States, founded in 2019. Popular alternatives include Disco, Kommunity, Whop.
About Skool
Skool is a community platform that combines a discussion feed, a classroom for courses, a calendar for events and a gamification system in one simple product. It was created by entrepreneur Sam Ovens, and investor and author Alex Hormozi became a co-owner in 2023, which helped make it a common choice among coaches and online business creators.
Each group has a community feed with categories, a classroom with modules and lessons that can unlock at certain levels, a shared calendar for calls and events, and member profiles with points, levels and leaderboards that reward participation. Payments are built in, so creators can charge monthly, annual or one-time fees, and groups can also be free. Skool's discovery page lists public groups and can bring in new members. There are two plans: Hobby with a low monthly fee and a 10 percent transaction fee, and Pro with a higher flat fee, a 2.9 percent transaction fee, unlimited courses and members, and a custom URL.
Skool's simplicity is deliberate: every group looks the same, customization and branding are minimal, courses are basic and there is no native email marketing. In exchange, setup takes minutes and the gamification keeps engagement high, so coaches running paid communities and masterminds get the most out of it. Circle and Mighty Networks offer more branding, spaces and integrations, Kajabi adds funnels and email for course businesses, and Thinkific or Teachable are stronger when the course itself is the product.
Key features of Skool
- 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
Pros and cons
Pros
- Simple and fast to launch
- Gamification drives engagement
- Flat pricing on Pro
- Discovery network
Cons
- Limited branding and customization
- Basic course features
- No native email marketing
- Locked into Skool's design
Skool pricing
Skool uses a paid model. A 14-day free trial is available.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby | $9 / mo | 10% transaction fee; unlimited members and courses |
| Pro | $99 / mo | 2.9% transaction fee, custom URL |
Source: www.skool.com · checked on Oct 20, 2026
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How Skool compares in Online courses & LMS
- Rank by votes
- #1 / 20
- Starting price
- $9
- Free alternatives
- 2
0 votes from members
83% below the category median ($52/mo)
Free or open-source tools in Online courses & LMS
Skool ranks #1 of 20 online courses & lms tools by community votes and is priced below most tools in the category.
Common use cases
- 1Coach running a paid community with courses
- 2Mastermind group with weekly calls
- 3Free community funneling to paid offers
- 4Course creator replacing Facebook groups
Best for
Coaches and creators who want a simple, engaging paid community.
Not ideal for
Brands wanting custom design or complex learning features (Circle, Thinkific).
Integrations
- Zapier
- Stripe (built in)
- Zoom
- Google Calendar
- Webhooks
Our take
Skool is the simplest way to run a paid community that people actually use.
FAQ
- What is Skool?
- Skool is an Online courses & LMS tool: Community + courses + gamification in one.
- How much does Skool cost?
- Skool uses a Paid model; paid plans start at $9 per month.
- What are the best alternatives to Skool?
- Community-listed alternatives to Skool include Disco, Kommunity, Whop, Circle.
- Does Skool have a free trial?
- Yes, Skool offers a 14-day free trial.
- What does Skool integrate with?
- Skool integrates with Zapier, Stripe (built in), Zoom, Google Calendar, Webhooks and more.
- Which platforms does Skool support?
- Skool is available on web, ios, android.
- Who is Skool for?
- Coaches and creators who want a simple, engaging paid community.
Alternatives to Skool
See all 10Disco
▲ 0AI-powered academy platform combining courses, cohorts and community
Paid · $499Enterprisechecked Oct 20
Kommunity
▲ 0Community and event platform for RSVPs, tickets and paid memberships
FreemiumCreatorschecked Oct 20
Whop
▲ 0Platform to sell memberships, courses, communities and software access
FreeCreatorschecked Oct 20
Circle
▲ 0All-in-one community platform for creators and brands
Paid · $89Creatorschecked Oct 20
Community, courses and events with branded apps
Paid · $79Creatorschecked Oct 20
Kajabi
▲ 0All-in-one knowledge commerce platform
Paid · $179Creatorschecked Oct 20
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