In today’s digital world, online communities have become essential hubs for learning, networking, and sharing ideas. Skool, an emerging online community-building platform, has gained attention for its unique combination of course management and community engagement features. This review will break down the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of Skool based on my experience growing a community to nearly 200 members within just four weeks.

If you’re considering Skool for your community-building needs, this in-depth review will help you make an informed decision by discussing the platform’s strengths and weaknesses, its key features, and areas where it could improve.

What Is Skool?

Skool is a platform designed for community building, content sharing, and education. Founded by entrepreneur Sam Ovens, Skool combines a learning management system (LMS) with a community-driven model. It aims to help coaches, educators, and entrepreneurs create engaging, organized spaces for their followers, allowing them to foster learning, networking, and discussions.

Skool differentiates itself from other platforms by being user-friendly, visually appealing, and offering powerful tools for community engagement. But, like any platform, it has its ups and downs.

The Good: Skool’s Strengths

1. Easy-to-Use Interface

The first thing you’ll notice about Skool is its simple and intuitive design. Skool’s layout is well-organized, and its interface is straightforward, allowing users to navigate the platform easily without feeling overwhelmed. It feels similar to platforms like Discord, with a clear division of categories and channels for various types of interactions.

This user-friendly interface makes Skool accessible for people of varying tech expertise, and the learning curve is minimal. This simplicity helps community managers and members alike focus on interaction and content instead of struggling to navigate the platform.

2. Engagement-Driven Community Setup

Skool’s platform is designed to promote engagement within a community. It allows community builders to create categories and topics that structure discussions in an organized way. You can pin posts, create announcements, and even set up discussion threads for new members to quickly get up to speed. The pinned posts feature is particularly useful for onboarding new members, ensuring they see important information when they join.

Additionally, Skool’s community structure is flexible, enabling you to customize the way your community functions. You can set up areas for Q&A sessions, discussions, and announcements, all of which promote active participation from members.

3. Monetization Through Course Creation

One of the standout features of Skool is its ability to offer courses to your community. You can create multiple courses and allow members to unlock them based on certain criteria—whether it’s a one-time payment or an achievement in community participation. This gives you an avenue to monetize your community, potentially covering the platform’s fees through course sales alone.

This feature is especially useful for coaches, educators, and consultants who want to monetize their knowledge. For example, if you run a free community, you can generate income through paid courses, with Skool acting as both the community platform and the LMS (Learning Management System).

4. Event Management and Calendar Integration

Another strength of Skool is the built-in event management system. You can easily schedule Q&A sessions, live meetings, or webinars through the platform’s calendar feature. The ability to upload event covers and provide detailed descriptions ensures that your community knows exactly what to expect from each session.

This feature is particularly valuable for educators and coaches who need to maintain a consistent schedule for teaching or mentoring their community. You can also limit event participation to certain members, based on their engagement or membership level, providing an exclusive and rewarding experience for those who actively contribute.

5. Member Filtering and Engagement Tracking

Skool also provides tools to help community builders manage their members effectively. You can see who is the most active, filter members by online status, and reward top participants. This level of transparency allows community leaders to acknowledge contributions, which helps maintain high levels of engagement and motivation among members.

In addition, Skool allows members to receive recognition for their participation. This feature fosters a more active and loyal community by promoting friendly competition and encouraging members to engage more frequently.

6. Easy Discovery of Other Communities

One of the unique aspects of Skool is that it’s designed to make community discovery easier. If you’re a member of one community, you can explore other communities within the platform based on your interests. Whether you’re looking to join groups focused on YouTube growth, Instagram marketing, or other topics, you can easily find and join those communities.

This feature is beneficial for users who want to expand their learning beyond their current community, while also helping Skool creators grow their groups by attracting new members from the larger Skool ecosystem.

The Bad: Where Skool Falls Short

1. High Price Point

While Skool offers a lot of great features, its pricing can be a deterrent for some users. Compared to other platforms, Skool’s pricing is on the higher side. The platform charges a monthly fee for community access, and while this can be offset by monetizing courses, it’s a significant upfront investment for small businesses or individuals just starting out.

For community builders who are new or haven’t yet developed a following, this price point can feel a bit high, especially when cheaper alternatives like Discord, Facebook Groups, or even Slack are available for free or at a lower cost.

2. Limited Payment Flexibility

Another downside is the lack of flexibility in payment options. Currently, Skool only supports a one-time payment model for unlocking courses. While this works well for many users, it can be limiting for community builders who want to offer alternative pricing structures, such as subscription payments or tiered access.

For example, you may want to offer a free course for your most engaged members or provide multiple pricing tiers based on access levels. Unfortunately, this flexibility is currently not available on Skool, which can be frustrating for those looking to provide a more dynamic pricing model.

3. Basic Chat Features

Although Skool offers chat functionality, the chat features are relatively basic compared to other platforms designed for real-time interaction. For example, while you can send direct messages and engage in group discussions, the platform lacks advanced chat features like video calls, rich media sharing, or threaded conversations that can be found on platforms like Slack or Discord.

For communities that rely heavily on real-time communication, these basic features may not be sufficient, and members may seek more dynamic platforms for ongoing discussions.

The Ugly: What Needs Serious Attention

1. Customer Support and Educational Resources

One of the most common complaints from Skool users is the lack of robust customer support and educational resources. While Skool’s interface is user-friendly, there is still a learning curve, particularly for users who are new to online community-building platforms.

Users have reported delays in receiving support when they encounter issues, and the knowledge base for solving problems could be more comprehensive. For a platform that charges a premium price, users expect quick and effective customer support, which is an area where Skool currently lags behind.

2. Lack of Customization Options

Another significant drawback is the platform’s limited customization options. While Skool’s design is visually appealing, users cannot make extensive changes to the look and feel of their community. For example, you can’t add your own branding elements, themes, or custom design features, which might be a dealbreaker for users looking to create a unique, branded experience for their members.

For community builders who want to differentiate their space and build a unique brand identity, this lack of customization is a major drawback.

3. Feature Development Is Slow

Skool is still a relatively new platform, and while it has great potential, the speed of feature development could be faster. Several features, such as advanced payment options, better chat functionality, and improved customization, are frequently requested by users but have yet to be implemented.

While Skool has made some strides in updating its platform, there’s a sense among users that it could do more to address these issues and provide a clearer roadmap for future development.

Final Thoughts: Is Skool Worth It?

Skool offers a strong combination of community-building and course management features that make it an appealing option for coaches, educators, and entrepreneurs. Its clean, easy-to-use interface, engagement-focused design, and ability to monetize courses make it a competitive platform in the online learning space.

However, it’s not without its drawbacks. The high price point, limited payment flexibility, and basic chat features are concerns, particularly for smaller community builders or those seeking more advanced functionality. The platform’s limited customization options and slow feature development may also be dealbreakers for some users.

Ultimately, if you are looking for a platform to host a learning-driven, engaged community and are willing to work within its limitations, Skool could be a great fit. If monetization through courses is part of your strategy, Skool’s features can help offset its cost. However, if you need a highly customizable, real-time chat-focused platform with lower costs, you might want to consider alternatives.

In conclusion, I would rate Skool a 7 out of 10 for its ease of use, monetization potential, and community engagement features. While it has some limitations, Skool remains a viable option for community builders seeking to foster an educational and interactive environment.