Skool Pricing 2026: What It Really Costs

Skool pricing used to be simple. One plan. $99/month. Take it or leave it.

Then in July 2025, Skool dropped a $9/month Hobby plan and changed everything. Now there are two tiers, different transaction fees, and a break-even point that most people get wrong.

Here’s the thing. I run multiple Skool communities and promote them through Google Ads. I’ve done the math on both plans more times than I can count. So let me break this down for you — the full Skool cost breakdown so you pick the right plan and stop overpaying.

TL;DR: Skool has two plans — Hobby at $9/month (10% transaction fee) and Pro at $99/month (2.9% fee). The break-even point is around $1,300/month in revenue. Below that, Hobby saves money. Above it, Pro pays for itself in fee savings. Both include a 14-day free trial.

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How Much Does Skool Cost?

Two plans. Hobby at $9/month. Pro at $99/month. Both include unlimited members, unlimited courses, unlimited video hosting, live events, and a community feed. The real difference is transaction fees and advanced features.

Here’s the Skool pricing comparison side by side:

Feature	Hobby ($9/mo)	Pro ($99/mo)
Transaction fee	10% + $0.30	2.9% + $0.30
Annual price	$7.50/mo	$82/mo
Unlimited members	Yes	Yes
Courses + video hosting	Yes	Yes
Auto-affiliate tracking	No	Yes
Pro plugins	No	Yes
Advanced analytics	No	Yes
Pixel tracking	No	Yes

Annual billing saves roughly 17% on both tiers. That’s $7.50/month for Hobby and $82/month for Pro, according to Skool’s pricing page.

The Hobby plan launched on July 8, 2025. Before that, every Skool community paid $99/month with no cheaper option. The new tier removed the barrier for creators who wanted to test the platform without risking a hundred bucks upfront.

For a deeper look at the platform itself, read my full Skool review.

When Should You Upgrade from Hobby to Pro?

When your community revenue crosses roughly $1,300 per month. That’s the break-even point where Pro’s lower transaction fee saves you more than the $90 price difference.

Do the math. Here it is at six different revenue levels (costs include monthly subscription plus transaction fees on all revenue):

Monthly Revenue	Hobby Total Cost	Pro Total Cost	Winner
$500	$59	$113.50	Hobby
$1,000	$109	$128	Hobby
$1,300	$139	$136.70	Pro (crossover)
$2,000	$209	$157	Pro saves $52
$5,000	$509	$244	Pro saves $265
$10,000	$1,009	$389	Pro saves $620

Look at those numbers at scale. A community doing $10,000/month saves $620 every single month on Pro versus Hobby. That’s $7,440 per year you’re throwing away by staying on the wrong plan.

Now, here’s something almost nobody mentions: Pro’s transaction fee jumps to 3.9% + $0.30 on individual payments above $900. If you charge high-ticket memberships, that surcharge eats into your margins. Check the Skool Payments FAQ for the full fee schedule.

One more thing. Each Skool community requires its own subscription. Running three communities means three separate Hobby or Pro subscriptions. That cost stacks up fast.

Does Skool Offer a Free Trial?

Yes. The Skool free trial runs 14 days on both the Hobby and Pro plans. You get full access to every feature during that period — no gates, no limitations, no feature lockouts.

A credit card is required at signup. If you don’t cancel before day 14, Skool automatically converts your account to the paid plan you selected.

Members joining your paid community also get a 7-day free trial before they’re charged. This is separate from the creator-side trial and applies to anyone entering a paid group for the first time.

How Does Skool Pricing Compare to Competitors?

The Skool price starts lower than almost every competitor. The $9/month Hobby plan undercuts Circle, Kajabi, and Mighty Networks by a wide margin. Only Whop is cheaper with its $0/month model.

Here’s how Skool pricing stacks up:

Platform	Entry Price	Mid Tier	Transaction Fee
Skool	$9/mo	$99/mo	2.9-10%
Whop	$0/mo	—	2.7% + $0.30
Teachable	$29/mo	$69/mo	0-7.5%
Mighty Networks	$79/mo	$179/mo	0.5-3%
Circle	$89/mo	$199/mo	0.5-2%
Kajabi	$143/mo	$199/mo	2.7-2.9%

Whop looks cheapest on paper. But their 3% platform commission on automated deliveries and 1.5% additional fee on international cards closes the gap fast.

Kajabi’s entry plan at $143/month on annual billing also caps you at 2,500 contacts and 5 products. Skool gives you unlimited everything on both tiers. That flat-rate Skool pricing structure means your cost per member drops to nearly zero as you scale — and that’s the real advantage when you’re building a community with hundreds or thousands of paying members.

With over 170,000 communities now on the platform, Skool has become the default for creators who want community, courses, and payments in one tool.

For a detailed feature comparison, see my Skool vs Mighty Networks breakdown or my roundup of Teachable alternatives.

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Is Skool Worth the Cost?

If you want one platform that handles community, courses, events, and payments without stitching together five different tools — yes. Worth it.

You get a community feed, threaded discussions, course hosting with unlimited video, live event scheduling, gamification with leaderboards, and built-in payment processing. All in one dashboard.

What you don’t get: quizzes, certificates, drip content scheduling, built-in email marketing, or CRM integration. If those are dealbreakers, a platform like Kajabi or Teachable might be a better fit.

Here’s what matters. An analysis of the top 1,000 Skool communities found the average paid membership charges $376.77 per month. At that price point, Pro pays for itself after just a handful of members. Communities like AI Video Bootcamp have built engaged audiences of hundreds of active members on the platform.

Skool works best for course creators, coaches, and community builders who value simplicity over feature depth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a free version of Skool?

No. There is no free plan for community creators. Skool pricing starts at $9/month on the Hobby tier. Both plans include a 14-day free trial with full feature access, but there is no permanently free option.

What is Skool’s transaction fee?

Hobby charges 10% + $0.30 per transaction. Pro charges 2.9% + $0.30. On individual payments above $900, the Pro fee jumps to 3.9% + $0.30. This higher rate catches most people off guard, so factor it in if you run a high-ticket community.

Can you make money on Skool?

Yes. You can charge monthly memberships, sell courses, and offer one-time products. Skool processes all payments through Stripe Express and sends payouts every Wednesday. Many creators are building full-time income streams through paid Skool communities.

Is Skool cheaper than Kajabi?

Yes. Skool pricing starts at $9/month versus Kajabi’s $143/month on annual billing. Even Skool’s Pro plan at $99/month costs less than Kajabi’s cheapest tier, and Skool has no limits on members or courses.

What’s the Bottom Line on Skool Pricing?

Start with Hobby at $9/month if you’re testing a new community or keeping things small. Switch to Pro the moment your revenue crosses $1,300/month. That’s where the lower transaction fee more than covers the $90 price jump.

Every month you stay on Hobby past that point, you’re handing Skool money that should be in your pocket. Don’t do that.

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