Skool Alternatives: Published Prices and Fees Compared
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Skool costs $9 a month on Hobby with a 10% transaction fee, or $99 on Pro with 2.9%. Alternatives: Circle from $89 a month billed annually with 2% fees, Mighty Networks Launch at $950 a year ($95 billed monthly) with 2%, Kajabi from $179 a month, Podia from $49, and Systeme.io, whose free plan includes a community with 0% fees.
The shortlist
- Circle: Communities that want many spaces, workflows and API access, with a branded app on higher plans
- Mighty Networks: Hosts who want community, courses and events with lower transaction fees on higher plans
- Kajabi: Course and coaching businesses that want a community alongside a website and branded app
- Systeme.io: Creators who want a free start with community, courses, funnels and email together
- Podia: Creators selling courses and downloads who want community spaces included
Last checked 26 Oct 2026 · Prices from skool.com/pricing, circle.so/pricing, mightynetworks.com/pricing, kajabi.com/pricing, systeme.io/pricing and podia.com/pricing. All prices are in USD.
Published prices and fees
| Tool | Entry plan | Other plans | Platform transaction fee | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skool | Hobby USD 9 a month | Pro USD 99 a month; yearly gives 2 months free | 10% on Hobby, 2.9% on Pro (processing included) | Free trial |
| Circle | Professional USD 89 a month billed annually | Business USD 199, Scale USD 419 | Professional 2%, Business 1%, Scale 1% | 14-day trial |
| Mighty Networks | Launch USD 79 a month billed annually (USD 950 a year) or USD 95 monthly | Scale USD 179, Growth USD 354 a month billed annually (USD 215, 425 monthly) | Launch 2%, Scale 1%, Growth and Mighty Pro 0.5% | Free trial |
| Kajabi | Basic USD 179 a month (USD 143 annually) | Growth USD 249, Pro USD 499 | Processor fees only | Not listed |
| Systeme.io | Free (1 community) | Startup USD 17, Webinar USD 47, Unlimited USD 97 | 0% | Free plan |
| Podia | Mover USD 49 a month (USD 42 annually) | Shaker USD 99, Earthquaker USD 179 | 5% on Mover; none on others | 14-day trial |
On Circle, Mighty Networks, Systeme.io and Podia, payment processor fees (such as Stripe’s) are charged on top of any platform fee.
Who each fits, based on published features and pricing
This is a reading of published features and prices, not a tested recommendation. None of these tools was tested hands-on for this page.
- Staying on Skool fits creators who want one simple community-plus-courses product with processing included in the fee.
- Circle fits communities that need many spaces, moderators, workflows and APIs.
- Mighty Networks fits hosts running community, courses and events who want lower fees as they grow.
- Kajabi fits course and coaching businesses that want a website and app alongside a community.
- Systeme.io fits creators who want a free start with community, courses, funnels and email together.
- Podia fits creators who mainly sell courses and downloads with community spaces included.
Skool alternatives for creators in India
Skool lists India as a supported payout country, with payouts in INR every Wednesday, but members pay in USD. If most of your buyers are in India and want to pay in rupees, compare it with a platform that can charge in INR.
| Option | Plan price | Fee on sales | Buyers in India pay in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skool Hobby | USD 9 a month | 10% + USD 0.30, processing included | USD |
| Skool Pro | USD 99 a month | 2.9% + USD 0.30, processing included | USD |
| Systeme.io Startup | USD 17 a month (INR price on its Hindi page) | 0% platform fee; Razorpay’s own fee applies | INR through an Indian Razorpay account |
Prices checked 27 Oct 2026 on skool.com/pricing and systeme.io/pricing.
- Skool’s published plans fit Indian creators selling to a global, USD-paying audience who want INR payouts without running a gateway.
- Systeme.io’s published plans fit creators selling mainly to Indian buyers who want rupee checkout and are fine connecting their own Razorpay account.
See Skool in India, Systeme.io pricing in India and Skool vs Systeme.io.
Related pricing and comparisons
What this page doesn’t cover
It doesn’t rate engagement features, apps or support, which need hands-on use. See Skool pricing, Circle pricing and Systeme.io alternatives.
See Skool plans (opens in new tab)
See Systeme.io plans (opens in new tab)
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest Skool alternative?
On published prices, Systeme.io: its free plan includes 1 community with unlimited members and 0% transaction fees. Skool Hobby at $9 a month is the cheapest paid option here, but takes a 10% transaction fee.
Which alternatives charge lower transaction fees than Skool?
Systeme.io lists 0%. Circle lists 2% on Professional and 1% on Business and Scale. Mighty Networks charges 2% on Launch, 1% on Scale and 0.5% on Growth and Mighty Pro. Skool charges 10% on Hobby and 2.9% on Pro.
Does Skool include payment processing in its fee?
Yes. Skool's fee includes card processing. On Circle, Mighty Networks, Systeme.io and Podia, Stripe or your processor charges its own fees on top.
Do these alternatives have free trials?
Skool, Circle, Mighty Networks and Podia offer free trials. Systeme.io has a free plan instead.
Which alternative includes courses?
All five include courses. Skool Hobby also includes unlimited courses and videos, so check whether you need more than community and courses before switching.
What is a good Skool alternative in India?
Skool pays Indian creators in INR, but members pay in USD. For rupee checkout, Systeme.io supports Razorpay with an India-registered account and takes 0% of sales; Razorpay charges its own fee. See the Skool in India guide for payout details.