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18 days ago
Compare ten Skool alternatives using current pricing, features, pros and cons. Find the best platform for creators, coaches, courses and paid communities.
Last updated: 6 August 2026
Written by: Arran Capri
SOOPER is the best Skool alternative for creators who need more than a course community. It combines memberships, public content, chat channels, direct messages, digital products, services and bookings without a fixed monthly platform subscription.
Circle is better for established professional communities. Mighty Networks is strong for relationship-led programmes. Kajabi is better for advanced funnels. Discord is better for live chat, but normally needs other software for payments and content.
Skool is deliberately simple. That is one of its strengths, but it can also become a limitation.
Creators commonly look elsewhere because they want:
A native digital-product shop
Paid services and booking calendars
More flexible membership structures
Better public pages and search visibility
Real-time topic-based chat alongside content
Deeper customer and purchase context
More control over branding, workflows or data
A lower fixed monthly cost while testing an idea
Skool's pricing also creates a clear trade-off. The $9 Hobby plan has a 10% transaction fee, while the $99 Pro plan lowers that fee to 2.9%.
We compared official pricing and product information on 6 August 2026. We assessed each platform against five different search intentions:
Running a complete creator business
Building a professional community
Selling courses and education
Monetising fans or newsletters
Running a real-time chat community
SOOPER owns and publishes this article. We rank it first for the complete creator-business use case, while showing its fee and limitations clearly.
Use this checklist before switching:
Membership and one-time payment options
Community feed, chat and direct messages
Courses or organised content
Digital products
Coaching services and bookings
Events and live sessions
Public landing pages
Custom branding and domain
Email automation
Affiliates and coupons
Member data and analytics
Migration support
Total cost at your expected revenue
Platform | Best for | Pricing snapshot | Main drawback |
SOOPER | Creators, coaches and businesses that want memberships, community, content, products and services in one place | No monthly platform subscription. SOOPER charges an 8% platform fee, with Stripe processing fees applying separately. | The 8% platform fee can cost more than fixed-price software at higher revenue |
Circle | Professional, structured and branded communities with courses, events and workflows | $89/month for Professional with a 2% transaction fee, $199/month for Business with a 1% fee, or custom pricing for Circle Plus. | Higher fixed monthly cost before revenue |
Mighty Networks | Relationship-led communities, programmes and events with a native member app | $350/year for Explore, $950/year for Launch and $4,250/year for Growth. Higher-end branded-app plans use custom pricing. | Annual commitment can be significant |
Patreon | Established creators who want recurring fan support and exclusive releases | No monthly platform subscription. New creators use Patreon's standard 10% platform fee, plus payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees where applicable. | A 10% platform fee before other payment-related fees for new creators |
Kajabi | Established experts and course businesses that need funnels, email and automation | Basic costs $179/month or $143/month when billed annually. Growth is $249/month or $199/month annually. Kajabi states there is no revenue sharing, although payment processing and some third-party payment fees apply. | High monthly cost for early-stage creators |
Podia | Creators selling courses, downloads, coaching and a simpler community | When billed annually, Mover is $42/month with a 5% transaction fee, Shaker is $84/month with no Podia transaction fee, and Earthquaker is $150/month with no Podia transaction fee. Payment processing still applies. |
Best for a complete creator business: SOOPER
Best for structured professional communities: Circle
Best for relationship-led programmes: Mighty Networks
Best for fan memberships: Patreon
Best for funnels and course marketing: Kajabi
Best for courses and downloads: Podia
Best for formal online education: Thinkific
Best for newsletters: Substack
Best for live chat: Discord
Best for an existing website: Memberful
Best for: Creators, coaches and businesses that want memberships, community, content, products and services in one place
Pricing checked 6 August 2026: No monthly platform subscription. SOOPER charges an 8% platform fee, with Stripe processing fees applying separately.
Key features
Flexible and add-on membership tiers
Community chat channels and direct messages
Protected video, articles and downloads
Digital products, services and bookings
Events, coupons, automated emails and affiliate tools
Co-creators with their own bookings and calendars
Public, conversion-focused pages designed to help offers get discovered and sold
Pros
No fixed monthly software cost before the creator earns
Combines community, commerce, content and coaching
Fast setup and clear public sales pages
Useful for businesses with several revenue streams
Cons
The 8% platform fee can cost more than fixed-price software at higher revenue
Newer platform with a smaller integration ecosystem than long-established competitors
Not the best fit for businesses that only need a basic newsletter or tip jar
Our view: The strongest choice in this list for creators who want to build a complete online business rather than only host a course or supporter page.
Compared with Skool, SOOPER is stronger when the creator needs a shop, service products, bookings, direct messages and public pages in the same environment. Skool remains stronger for built-in points, levels and leaderboards.
Official source: https://www.sooper.app/
Best for: Professional, structured and branded communities with courses, events and workflows
Pricing checked 6 August 2026: $89/month for Professional with a 2% transaction fee, $199/month for Business with a 1% fee, or custom pricing for Circle Plus.
Key features
Discussions, chat spaces and direct messages
Courses, events, live rooms and streams
Member profiles and directories
Website builder, custom domain and branding
Workflows, APIs and advanced reporting on higher plans
Pros
Deep community organisation
Professional branding and member profiles
Strong events and course tools
Useful APIs and workflows for larger teams
Cons
Higher fixed monthly cost before revenue
Transaction fees sit on top of plan costs
Some branding, workflow and email features require higher plans or add-ons
Our view: Excellent for established communities that need structure and control, but expensive for a creator testing a new offer.
Circle is the stronger alternative for larger teams that need deeper community structure, APIs and workflows. The drawback is the combination of monthly cost and transaction fees.
Official source: https://circle.so/pricing
Best for: Relationship-led communities, programmes and events with a native member app
Pricing checked 6 August 2026: $350/year for Explore, $950/year for Launch and $4,250/year for Growth. Higher-end branded-app plans use custom pricing.
Key features
Activity feeds and chat spaces
Courses and events
Member profiles and mobile apps
AI Cohost and community-design guidance
Automations and growth support on higher plans
Pros
Strong community-led product philosophy
Good mobile member experience
Courses and events are integrated
Useful for cohort and programme-based businesses
Cons
Annual commitment can be significant
The plan structure is more involved than simple creator tools
Advanced growth support is expensive
Our view: A strong choice for community-led programmes where relationships and mobile engagement are more important than a broad digital shop.
Official source: https://www.mightynetworks.com/pricing/explore
Best for: Established creators who want recurring fan support and exclusive releases
Pricing checked 6 August 2026: No monthly platform subscription. New creators use Patreon's standard 10% platform fee, plus payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees where applicable.
Key features
Paid membership tiers
Posts, video and collections
Community and direct communication features
One-time digital purchases
Creator discovery
Pros
Well-known among fans
Straightforward recurring support model
Suitable for artists, podcasters and entertainers
No fixed monthly platform subscription
Cons
A 10% platform fee before other payment-related fees for new creators
Less naturally suited to service bookings and complex coaching businesses
Creators may still need other tools for a broader community or business stack
Our view: Still strong for fan memberships, but less complete for creators building coaching, services and several product types.
Official source: https://www.patreon.com/en-GB/pricing
Best for: Established experts and course businesses that need funnels, email and automation
Pricing checked 6 August 2026: Basic costs $179/month or $143/month when billed annually. Growth is $249/month or $199/month annually. Kajabi states there is no revenue sharing, although payment processing and some third-party payment fees apply.
Key features
Courses, coaching, memberships and communities
Websites and landing pages
Marketing email and funnels
Checkout, automation and affiliates
Large contact and product allowances on higher plans
Pros
Broad marketing and sales toolkit
Strong course and funnel capabilities
No platform revenue share
Suitable for mature knowledge businesses
Cons
High monthly cost for early-stage creators
More setup and complexity than focused community tools
Community is one part of a much wider system rather than the sole focus
Our view: Best for businesses that already have revenue and need advanced marketing infrastructure, not creators looking for the lowest-risk launch.
Official source: https://www.kajabi.com/pricing
Best for: Creators selling courses, downloads, coaching and a simpler community
Pricing checked 6 August 2026: When billed annually, Mover is $42/month with a 5% transaction fee, Shaker is $84/month with no Podia transaction fee, and Earthquaker is $150/month with no Podia transaction fee. Payment processing still applies.
Key features
Courses and digital downloads
Coaching and events
Community spaces
Website, blog and landing pages
Email marketing, checkout and integrations
Pros
Broad set of creator tools
Straightforward product setup
Built-in website and email
Useful middle ground between a basic membership page and a large marketing suite
Cons
The entry plan combines a monthly cost with a 5% fee
Community is less central than on specialist community platforms
Product, video and space limits apply by plan
Our view: A practical option for a solo creator whose main business is courses and downloads with a supporting community.
Official source: https://www.podia.com/pricing
Best for: Formal online courses, learning products and structured education
Pricing checked 6 August 2026: From 13 August 2026, Basic is scheduled at $54/month, Start at $109/month and Grow at $219/month. Annual billing is lower.
Key features
Course and lesson builder
Communities and live events
Subscriptions and payment plans
Learner hub and mobile support
Analytics, integrations and administration tools
Pros
Strong structured learning experience
Suitable for formal education products
Flexible student payment options
Established course platform
Cons
Less focused on real-time creator community and commerce
Higher plans are needed as operational needs grow
Creators may need separate tools for a wider shop or coaching workflow
Our view: A good fit when the course is clearly the main product and community is secondary.
Official source: https://www.thinkific.com/pricing/
Best for: Writers, journalists and newsletter-first creators
Pricing checked 6 August 2026: No monthly platform subscription. Substack takes 10% of paid transactions, with Stripe processing and possible currency-conversion fees also applying.
Key features
Free and paid newsletters
Web publishing and archives
Podcast, video and live features
Notes and community discussion
Reader discovery and recommendations
Pros
Very fast publishing workflow
Email and paid subscriptions are tightly connected
Strong fit for writers and editorial creators
No fixed monthly software cost
Cons
10% platform fee before payment processing
Not built for service bookings or a broad digital shop
Less flexible for complex membership access and coaching
Our view: The best choice when the newsletter is the product, but not a full operating system for most creator businesses.
Official source: https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037607131-How-much-does-Substack-cost
Best for: Fast-moving text, voice and live-chat communities
Pricing checked 6 August 2026: Basic server creation is free. Native server monetisation is subject to eligibility and platform terms; subscriptions bought through iOS are priced higher to account for Apple fees.
Key features
Real-time text and voice channels
Roles and permissions
Bots and integrations
Live streams and events
Server subscriptions and products for eligible communities
Pros
Excellent real-time conversation
Familiar to gaming, technology and music audiences
Flexible roles and channels
Large integration ecosystem
Cons
Content, commerce and customer data often sit elsewhere
Can feel chaotic for education and structured resources
The creator brand and sales journey are limited
Our view: Excellent chat software, but usually incomplete as the only platform for a paid creator business.
Official source: https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/4415163187607-Server-Subscriptions-for-Members
Best for: Publishers and creators who want memberships attached to an existing website
Pricing checked 6 August 2026: $49/month plus a 4.9% transaction fee on the Standard plan. Enterprise pricing is custom.
Key features
Fast checkout and flexible subscription plans
Website and newsletter builder
Dynamic paywalls and custom domains
Retention discounts and cancellation surveys
Integrations with WordPress, Discord, Mailchimp and more
Pros
Works well with an existing website
Strong subscription and paywall controls
Useful retention and membership reporting
Flexible plans and payments
Cons
Monthly fee plus a 4.9% platform transaction fee
Community may depend on integrations
Less suitable for creators who want one native environment for chat, products and bookings
Our view: Best for an established publisher or site owner who wants to retain the existing front end.
Official source: https://memberful.com/pricing
Area | SOOPER | Skool |
Starting cost | No monthly platform subscription; 8% platform fee | $9/month plus 10%, or $99/month plus 2.9% |
Community | Topic-based chat channels, posts and DMs | Community feed, classroom and chat features |
Digital products | Native shop | Not the central product model |
Services and bookings | Built in | Usually handled elsewhere |
Membership structure | Flexible tiers and add-ons | Simple group plans |
Gamification | Not the main focus | Major strength |
Public conversion pages | Core focus | Closed community experience is the main focus |
Stay with Skool when:
Your offer is one clear course community
Members respond well to leaderboards and points
You value simplicity over wider commerce
You do not need service bookings or a broad shop
The $99 plan and transaction fee work for your economics
Switch or test an alternative when the platform is forcing important parts of the customer journey into separate tools.
Discord and Facebook Groups can host a community without a platform subscription, but payments, content access and customer management may require additional tools. A percentage-based platform can also reduce fixed risk while the community is small.
SOOPER is the strongest fit in this list for coaches who need memberships, private messages, paid services and bookings together. Kajabi is stronger for complex funnels, while Circle is stronger for highly structured professional communities.
Thinkific is strongest for formal course delivery. Kajabi is strongest for course marketing and funnels. Podia is simpler for courses and downloads. SOOPER is stronger when the course sits inside a wider community and coaching business.
The answer depends on revenue. The $9 plan is inexpensive as software but charges 10% per transaction. The $99 plan lowers the percentage fee. Calculate both fixed and percentage costs before deciding.
Skool is a strong product for a specific model. The best alternative depends on what is missing.
For creators building a complete online business around memberships, community, products and coaching, SOOPER is the clearest alternative.
Create your community at www.sooper.app.
The entry plan combines a monthly cost with a 5% fee |
Thinkific | Formal online courses, learning products and structured education | From 13 August 2026, Basic is scheduled at $54/month, Start at $109/month and Grow at $219/month. Annual billing is lower. | Less focused on real-time creator community and commerce |
Substack | Writers, journalists and newsletter-first creators | No monthly platform subscription. Substack takes 10% of paid transactions, with Stripe processing and possible currency-conversion fees also applying. | 10% platform fee before payment processing |
Discord | Fast-moving text, voice and live-chat communities | Basic server creation is free. Native server monetisation is subject to eligibility and platform terms; subscriptions bought through iOS are priced higher to account for Apple fees. | Content, commerce and customer data often sit elsewhere |
Memberful | Publishers and creators who want memberships attached to an existing website | $49/month plus a 4.9% transaction fee on the Standard plan. Enterprise pricing is custom. | Monthly fee plus a 4.9% platform transaction fee |
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