You know it can be challenging building a thriving online community where members stay engaged, learn, and even support your income.
Many platforms offer pieces of the puzzle (course hosting, community engagement, monetization tools) but few bring everything together.
It seems Skool will be doing that.
In this review, we’ll examine Skool’s features, pricing, pros, and cons, helping you decide if it’s the right platform for hosting your community or online courses.
So if you’re ready to explore a solution that simplifies community building and maximizes your earning potential, keep reading to see how Skool stacks up.
What is Skool?
Skool is a part social space, part business tool, that makes it easy to start a community or join one that sparks your interest.
Skool lets you set up a space where people can join, connect, and learn from each other. You can also host courses or events right within your community.
The best part? Skool has flexible ways to monetize. You can charge a monthly membership fee, offer one-time course purchases or both. Plus, you can set up everything in under 30 minutes.
Skool was founded in 2019 by Sam Ovens, the CEO, and Daniel Kang, the CTO. They’ve built a dedicated team based in Los Angeles, California, that’s passionate about empowering creators.
In 2024, they partnered with Alex Hormozi to bring more value to their users with “The Skool Games,” expanding what’s possible for community builders.
In short, Skool is a straightforward and flexible platform for people who want to turn their interests and expertise into a thriving community and maybe even a full-time income.
Key Features of Skool
1. A Community Hub That Drives Engagement
Skool’s community hub supports members to share posts, leave comments, and interact in real time using photos, videos, GIFs, polls, and mentions.
Take a photography community for instance, your members get to share shots, ask for tips, or even run weekly challenges with ease.
This feature is perfect for engagement and creating a space where your members feel connected.
2. Built-In Classroom for All Your Courses
Not only community, there’s also room for education in the same space where your community lives.
This feature allows you to create courses with videos, resources, and tracking tools so members can follow along with ease.
Your students can access lessons, mark their progress, and interact with each other, all in one space. You could even add searchable transcripts for deeper dives into specific topics.
3. Easy Event Scheduling with the Calendar
Skool’s calendar makes it simple to schedule group events and notify your members. Everyone sees events in their local timezone, and reminders are sent out automatically.
This means members won’t miss a thing with notifications and easy access to your upcoming events.
4. Gamification to Boost Participation
Yes, this is the most interesting feature of Skool. The gamification feature encourages participation by introducing points, levels, and rewards, to make your community more interactive.
Your members earn points for engaging with posts, which can unlock levels and even access new content.
This way, they stay motivated to participate, and you’re able to promote a lively, dedicated community.
5. Communication with Email Broadcasts
With just one click, the Skool’s email broadcast feature allows you to communicate with everyone.
Just write a post, click to broadcast, and it’s instantly emailed to all members. This is perfect for updates, announcements, or sharing valuable tips without setting up complex email lists.
PROS of SKOOL
1. All-in-One Platform
Every tool you need (community building, course hosting, event scheduling, and engagement features) is combined in a single platform.
2. Low Transaction Fees
The transaction fee is just 2.9%, which makes it a more affordable option to monetize through memberships or course sales.
This fee is significantly lower than competitors like Patreon and Gumroad, allowing creators to retain more of their earnings.
3. Engagement-Boosting Features
Gamification tools like points, levels, and leaderboards motivate members to participate actively in the community.
4. Responsive to User Feedback
Their development team listens to user feedback and actively incorporates suggestions. This responsiveness has led to regular improvements and new features that enhance the user experience.
5. Flexible Event Scheduling
The built-in calendar feature simplifies event scheduling, enabling creators to host live sessions, Q&As, and workshops directly on the platform.
CONS of SKOOL
1. Limited Customization Options
While Skool’s simplicity is one of its strengths, it can also be a limitation for users who want more control over customization and branding.
2. No Built-In Video Hosting
Skool requires you to use an external video hosting service (such as Loom, Vimeo, or YouTube) for course videos. This can be inconvenient if you prefer an all-in-one solution where video hosting is integrated.
3. Limited to One Group Per Subscription
Their current subscription model allows for only one group per account. While this is sufficient for many users, it may be restrictive if you want to run multiple communities under a single subscription.
Who is Skool Best Suited For?
1. Coaches and Mentors
You can host group discussions, share resources, and offer structured courses all in one place. Plus, the built-in calendar feature allows you to schedule group calls, workshops, or Q&A sessions easily.
2. Online Educators and Course Creators
The classroom feature allows you to upload course materials, videos, and resources, all while providing a community space for your students to discuss and support each other.
3. Entrepreneurs and Membership-Based Businesses
Unlike other platforms, Skool charges a flat monthly rate with a low 2.9% transaction fee, making it an affordable option to maximize revenue from memberships.
4. Community Builders and Hobbyist Groups
With features that support discussions, events, and resource sharing, you can create a dynamic space where your members can connect over common hobbies, interests, or goals.
5. Creators and Influencers Looking to Monetize Their Following
Skool’s design, which feels similar to popular social platforms, is easy for followers to adjust to. This means you can simply transition your fans into a paid community.
6. Small to Medium-Sized Organizations Focused on Internal Training and Development
The classroom and community features make it easy to upload training resources, host discussions, and keep employees connected.
Pricing and Subscription Plans
Skool operates on a simple plan at $99 per month, giving you full access to all features. With this single plan, you get:
• 1 group: Build and grow a dedicated community space.
• Unlimited courses: Host as many courses as you want without additional fees.
• Unlimited members: There’s no limit on the number of people who can join your group.
• All features included: Enjoy Skool’s full suite of tools—community hub, courses, event calendar, email broadcasts, gamification, and more.
There are no hidden fees or surprise charges, and you can cancel anytime if it’s not the right fit.
The 14-day Free Trial also gives you time to explore the platform, set up your community, and see if it aligns with your goals. And remember, you can cancel at any time without any penalties.
One standout feature of Skool is its 2.9% transaction fee, which is among the lowest for community platforms.
This fee applies to any payments you collect for courses, memberships, or subscriptions whenever you’re maximizing your earnings.
Skool is a solid choice. Take advantage of the 14-day free trial to explore its tools and start building a community that can grow with you.
Comparison: Skool vs. Other Online Course Platforms
Quickly, let’s see how Skool compares to popular online course and community platforms like Teachable, Kajabi, and Mighty Networks to help you decide which option best meets your needs.
1. Skool vs. Teachable
Teachable is primarily a course-building platform. It’s widely used by educators who want to create and sell courses with features like customizable course pages, quizzes, and course completion tracking.
However, if you want to build a community alongside your courses, you’ll need a separate platform, which means more tools to manage.
On the other hand, Skool combines courses, community, and engagement tools in one place, making it easy to create a more interactive, connected experience for your members without switching platforms.
2. Skool vs. Kajabi
Kajabi is another well-established platform for course creators.
It offers an all-in-one approach similar to Skool, with tools for building websites, email marketing, and funnels.
Kajabi is great for creating a branded course experience, excellent sales funnels, and strong customization options.
Meanwhile, its community features are more limited and feel secondary compared to its course and marketing capabilities.
Additionally, Kajabi’s pricing can be a bit higher, with a transaction fee of 4.9%.
In contrast, Skool focuses on simplicity and community engagement, with a lower transaction fee (2.9%), making it more affordable for creators.
3. Skool vs. Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is known for its focus on community-building and offers courses as an add-on feature.
It’s excellent for community tools, strong engagement features, and the flexibility to create groups within groups.
Mighty Network interface can feel cluttered, with a steeper learning curve, which may impact user experience and engagement.
It’s also slightly pricier, with additional fees on top of Stripe’s transaction fee.
On the other hand, Skool’s interface is simple to use. It focuses on providing an easy, combined community and courses effectively.
Users report that Skool is a Facebook-like setup that makes it easy for members to navigate and engage.
User Reviews and Feedback
Here’s what Skool users love about their experience with skool.
1. Simplicity and User Experience
Rafeh Qazi, a Skool user, shared how the platform’s simplicity made it easy for his girlfriend, unfamiliar with both Circle and Skool, to use Skool without confusion.
2. Integrated Features in One Platform
Ryan Booth, a community manager who previously used Discord and Mighty Networks, noted that Skool’s integrated features made it easier to manage his community.
3. Low Transaction Fees
Skool’s low transaction fee of 2.9% has also been a hit with users. Unlike Patreon or Gumroad, which take larger cuts, Skool’s fee structure allows you to keep more of your earnings.
4. Engagement and Community Building Tools
Users like Ted Carr and Samuel J Snead suggested that assigning incentives to the leaderboard (such as offering a one-on-one call for the highest points) would make the platform even more engaging.
Suggestions for Improvement
Here are a few of the most requested features:
1. Streamlined Event and Course Editing: Users have suggested that adding a quick “Add Event” button and easier editing options for course content would save time.
2. @Everyone Tagging Feature: Inspired by tools like Slack, users would like the ability to tag all community members with @everyone for important updates.
3. Mandatory Onboarding: For new members, a mandatory onboarding sequence such as watching specific videos before accessing the community would help set expectations and ensure that everyone starts with a solid foundation.
Our Verdict: Is Skool Worth It?
Considering its all-in-one platform integrates courses, community discussions, event scheduling, low fees ($99) and a 2.9% transaction feeSkool is cost-effective, especially compared to alternatives. Skool is worth it.
Conclusion
Skool is an excellent choice for creators, coaches, and educators who need to combine online course creation with an engaging community space.
Its gamification features encourage participation, while the straightforward pricing makes it accessible for many budgets.
If you’re ready to take your community or online course to the next level, explore Skool’s 14-day free trial to see if it meets your needs.