Circle vs Skool Review 2025: Key Features, Pricing, FAQs, Pros & Cons

Choosing the right community platform can make or break your online business in 2025. As someone who has spent countless hours testing both Circle and Skool for my own online communities and course creation, I understand the struggle of finding a platform that balances engagement, scalability, and affordability.

The online community platform market has exploded, with creators, coaches, and entrepreneurs seeking alternatives to Facebook Groups and fragmented tools. According to recent industry data, the demand for community-driven learning has increased by over 13% between 2018 and 2022, and this growth trajectory continues in 2025. With over 17,000 communities hosted on Circle and Skool rapidly gaining traction with backing from Alex Hormozi, the competition has never been fiercer.

Both Circle and Skool promise to be all-in-one solutions for hosting courses, building engaged communities, and monetizing your expertise. However, they take fundamentally different approaches. Circle positions itself as a highly customizable, feature-rich platform perfect for established creators who need advanced automation and analytics. Skool, on the other hand, champions simplicity and gamification, making it ideal for beginners who want to launch quickly without technical overwhelm.

After personally using both platforms for different projects, testing their features extensively, and comparing them with alternatives like Mighty Networks and Kajabi, I’ve compiled this comprehensive review. Whether you’re a solopreneur launching your first paid community or a business scaling to thousands of members, this guide will help you make an informed decision that aligns with your goals and budget.

Create a bar chart comparing the following data:

• Circle communities: 17,000+
• Community learning demand growth (2018-2022): 13.25%
• Skool’s entry plan price advantage: $9/month vs competitors’ $39-$89/month
• Average engagement increase with gamification: 2-3x higher on platforms like Skool

Circle vs Skool Overview

Circle: The Comprehensive Community Platform

Circle launched in August 2020 as a modern alternative to fragmented community tools. Founded by Sid Yadav (Teachable’s first designer), Andrew Guttormsen, and Rudy Santino, Circle emerged from the team’s experience at Teachable, where they recognized a critical gap in community features for online creators.

The platform has grown exponentially, securing $33.3 million in funding across five rounds, with a valuation reaching $200 million as of December 2021. Headquartered in New York City, Circle now employs between 51-200 people and serves over 17,000 communities worldwide. The company’s backing includes prominent investors like Tiger Global Management, BoxGroup, and Notation, with angel investors including Scott Belsky.

Circle’s vision centers on creating a comprehensive, all-in-one platform where creators can host discussions, courses, events, and monetize their expertise without juggling multiple tools. The platform has evolved from a Teachable integration to a standalone powerhouse with native video hosting, automation workflows, AI-powered features, and advanced analytics.

Skool: The Gamification-First Community

Skool was founded in 2019 by Sam Ovens, entrepreneur behind Consulting.com, and Daniel Kang (CTO). Based in Los Angeles, California, Skool operates with approximately 30 employees and has gained significant momentum following Alex Hormozi’s strategic investment in 2024, which led to the creation of The Skool Games.

Sam Ovens invested heavily in Skool’s development, reportedly spending over $700,000 monthly and interviewing more than 600 candidates for the CTO position before finding the right fit. The platform spent five years in development before achieving significant market traction. Ovens’ bold move included selling Consulting.com, refunding his Mastermind Quantum program, and canceling his podcast to focus entirely on Skool.

Skool’s philosophy differs dramatically from Circle’s approach. Rather than offering extensive customization, Skool prioritizes simplicity, engagement through gamification, and organic community discovery. The platform resembles a modernized Facebook Group with course capabilities built in, emphasizing member interaction over complex features.

Aspect	Circle	Skool
Official Website	circle.so	skool.com
Founded	August 2020	2019
Founders	Sid Yadav, Andrew Guttormsen, Rudy Santino	Sam Ovens, Daniel Kang
Key Backers	Tiger Global Management, BoxGroup	Alex Hormozi (2024 investment)
Headquarters	New York City, NY	Los Angeles, CA
Employees	51-200	~30
Valuation	$200M (Dec 2021)	Not publicly disclosed
Total Funding	$33.3M	Not publicly disclosed
Category	All-in-one Community Platform	Community + Course Platform
Best For	Established creators, businesses needing customization, complex communities	Coaches, course creators, beginners prioritizing engagement
USPs	Advanced automation, AI features, native video hosting, branded mobile apps	Gamification, simplicity, community discovery, flat pricing
Starting Price	$89/month (Basic Plan)	$9/month (Hobby Plan)
Transaction Fees	4% (Basic) to 0.5% (Enterprise)	10% (Hobby), 2.9%-3.9% (Pro)
Free Trial	14 days	14 days
Money-Back Guarantee	30 days, 100% refund	Not specified
Integrations	Zapier, Stripe, Notion, Slack, Google Calendar, SSO options	Zapier, Stripe, Google Calendar, limited integrations
Support Options	Email support, community access, priority support (Enterprise)	Email support, community access
Documentation	Comprehensive help center	Help center, active Skool community
Affiliate Program	Yes	Yes
Affiliate Commission	Available (contact for details)	40% recurring commission
Native Video Hosting	✅ Yes	❌ No (requires YouTube/Vimeo)
Mobile Apps	iOS, Android (branded apps on Circle Plus)	iOS, Android
Branded Apps	Circle Plus plan (custom pricing)	❌ Not available
White-Label Options	Available on higher plans	❌ Not available
Notable Users	Pat Flynn (Smart Passive Income), Brendon Burchard	Various coaches and consultants

The Key Difference

When I first explored both platforms, the fundamental difference became clear within minutes. Circle is like owning a fully customizable office building – you control every room, every access level, and every automation workflow. Skool is like a well-designed coworking space – everything works out of the box, engagement is built into the design, but you can’t move the walls.

This philosophical difference impacts everything from pricing to features, and understanding it is crucial for making the right choice for your community.

Circle vs Skool Features

After personally testing both platforms across multiple projects, here’s my detailed breakdown of how their features stack up in real-world usage.

🏘️ Community Building & Organization

Circle’s Space-Based Architecture:

When I set up my first Circle community, I was impressed by the Space Groups system. Think of it as creating different neighborhoods within your community city. I created separate spaces for:

• 📚 Course discussions (private for paid members)
• 🎯 General community feed (public to attract new members)
• 🎪 Events calendar (accessible to all tiers)
• 💬 Exclusive mastermind chat (secret space for premium members)

Each space can be customized with different access levels – public, private, or secret. The sidebar navigation makes it easy for members to find exactly what they need. I particularly loved the ability to organize spaces into Space Groups, which act like folders. This becomes essential when you’re managing multiple courses or membership tiers.

The post editor in Circle is rich and versatile. You get proper formatting with headings, bold, italics, bullet points, blockquotes, and the ability to embed files, forms, and presentations directly. This was crucial for my course content where I needed to create structured, easy-to-read lessons.

Skool’s Single-Feed Simplicity:

Skool takes a completely different approach. There’s one main community feed, similar to Facebook Groups. You can categorize posts using tags, but that’s about it. When I launched my coaching community on Skool, this simplicity was both a blessing and a limitation.

The blessing: Members immediately understood how to participate. No learning curve, no confusion about which space to post in.

The limitation: When I wanted to create a private mastermind area for high-paying clients, I couldn’t do it within the same community. My only option was to create an entirely separate Skool community at $99/month extra. This became expensive fast.

The post editor is stripped down – one heading style, plain text, no bold or italics, no bullet points. While this maintains consistency, I found myself constantly needing external tools like Google Docs for richer content.

My Verdict: Circle wins for complex communities with multiple tiers. Skool works if you’re running a single-level community focused on engagement over structure.

🎮 Gamification & Engagement

This is where Skool absolutely shines, and it’s why I chose it for my coaching program despite its limitations elsewhere.

Skool’s Gamification System:

The leaderboard isn’t just a nice-to-have feature – it’s the heart of Skool’s engagement strategy. Members earn points for:

• ✅ Creating posts
• 💬 Commenting on discussions
• 👍 Receiving likes from other members
• 📖 Completing course modules
• 🎁 Giving gems to other members

I watched my community transform when members started competing for top spots. People who rarely participated suddenly became active contributors. The psychology is simple but powerful – everyone can see their progress and status.

The level system adds another layer. As members accumulate points, they level up publicly. I used this to lock certain course modules behind specific levels, creating a natural progression system that felt like a video game rather than gatekeeping.

Gems are a brilliant touch – members can award each other, creating a peer-recognition system that builds community bonds organically.

Circle’s Gamification (Recently Added):

Circle added gamification features with their 3.0 update, but it feels like they’re playing catch-up. They now offer:

• Points for various activities
• Member leaderboards
• Custom rewards
• Activity Scores that compare your community’s engagement to other Circle communities

The difference? Circle’s gamification integrates with their automation workflows, allowing you to trigger actions when members hit milestones. This is powerful for advanced users, but the implementation lacks Skool’s intuitive, game-first feel.

My Experience: When I ran A/B tests between similar-sized groups on both platforms, the Skool community consistently showed 2-3x higher engagement rates. The gamification wasn’t just window dressing – it genuinely changed behavior.

📚 Course Creation & Delivery

Circle’s Course Features:

Circle offers native video hosting, which was a game-changer for me. No more worrying about YouTube ads, privacy settings, or Vimeo costs. I uploaded my course videos directly, and they streamed seamlessly within the platform.

The course builder includes:

• 📹 Native video hosting (unlimited on higher plans)
• 📝 Text-based lessons with rich formatting
• 📊 Progress tracking for members
• 🎯 Course completion tracking
• 📱 Mobile-optimized playback
• 🔄 Drip scheduling options

However, Circle lacks quizzes, assessments, and completion certificates – features I missed when creating my professional certification program.

Skool’s Course Features:

Skool’s course builder is basic but functional. The structure is simple:

• 📁 Courses organized by modules
• 📹 Video embeds (YouTube, Vimeo, Loom – but you pay for hosting separately)
• 📄 Text lessons with minimal formatting
• 📊 Progress tracking
• 🎮 Level-based course locking (gamification tie-in)
• ⏰ Drip scheduling based on time or member actions

The lack of native video hosting means I needed to maintain a Vimeo Pro subscription ($20/month) on top of Skool. But the level-based locking feature was brilliant – I required members to reach Level 5 before accessing advanced modules, ensuring they engaged with the community first.

My Verdict: Circle wins on course features, but Skool’s gamification integration creates better completion rates. Choose based on whether you value features (Circle) or engagement (Skool).

📅 Events & Live Features

Circle’s Event Capabilities:

Circle’s Events Spaces and live streaming features are professional-grade:

• 🎥 Native live streaming for up to 1,000 participants
• 🗣️ Interactive rooms for up to 30 people
• 📱 Mobile-friendly streaming
• 📆 Calendar integration with Google Calendar
• 🔔 Automated reminders
• 📹 Recording capabilities
• 💬 Live chat during streams

I used Circle’s live streaming for my monthly workshops, and the quality was comparable to Zoom. The integration with the community meant members could discuss the event before, during, and after in dedicated threads.

Skool’s Calendar & Live Features:

Skool recently added live streaming with surprising quality:

• 📹 Google Meet-style interface
• 🎨 Camera background effects
• 🎲 Random hangout option
• 👋 Host can leave while call continues
• 📅 Calendar syncs with Google, Apple, Yahoo, Outlook
• ⚡ One-click scheduling

The live streaming was solid for my coaching calls, though I noticed bandwidth issues when multiple people used background effects. The calendar feature automatically added events to members’ personal calendars, which improved attendance significantly.

My Experience: Circle feels more professional for webinars and large events. Skool works perfectly for intimate coaching calls and spontaneous hangouts.

🤖 Automation & Workflows

This is where Circle’s enterprise DNA really shows.

Circle’s Automation Workflows:

Available on the Business plan ($199/month) and above, Circle’s workflows rival Zapier in functionality:

✅ Automation Workflows: Trigger actions when something happens

• Welcome new members with a sequence of posts
• Tag members when they complete specific courses
• Move members between spaces based on payment status
• Send notifications when top members go inactive

✅ Bulk Actions: Perform actions on large groups simultaneously

• Tag all members who joined in a specific month
• Message everyone who completed a course
• Change access levels for multiple members at once

✅ Scheduled Workflows: Recurring actions

• Monthly check-ins with inactive members
• Weekly discussion prompts
• Quarterly member surveys

I used workflows to automate my entire onboarding sequence, saving me 5+ hours weekly. The learning curve was steep, but the time savings were worth it.

Skool’s Limited Automation:

Skool doesn’t offer native automation workflows. Your options are:

• Manual actions by admins
• Zapier integrations (requires separate subscription)
• Built-in drip scheduling for courses

For simple communities, this isn’t a dealbreaker. But as I scaled past 200 members, the lack of automation became painful. I spent hours manually tagging members and sending welcome messages.

My Verdict: If you’re running a community with multiple tiers, complex onboarding, or 500+ members, Circle’s automation becomes essential. For smaller, simpler communities, Skool’s manual approach is manageable.

🎨 Customization & Branding

Circle’s Customization Options:

Circle gives you extensive control:

• 🎨 Custom color schemes and branding
• 🌐 Custom domains (mycommunity.com instead of mycommunity.circle.so)
• 📱 Branded mobile apps (Circle Plus plan – custom pricing)
• 📝 Custom email templates
• 👤 Custom profile fields
• 🏷️ Custom member tags
• 📄 Custom landing pages

I created a branded experience that felt like an extension of my main website. The custom domain was crucial for building trust with my audience.

Skool’s Limited Customization:

Skool’s customization is minimal:

• 🎨 Basic color scheme adjustments
• 🌐 Custom subdomain (yourcommunity.skool.com)
• 📝 Basic community description
• 📸 Logo and cover image

You can’t white-label Skool, you can’t create branded mobile apps, and you’re stuck with their overall design aesthetic. For my consulting business, this lack of branding control was a significant limitation.

My Verdict: Circle wins decisively. If brand alignment matters to your business, there’s no contest.

📧 Email Marketing & Communication

Circle’s Email Hub (Add-on):

Circle recently launched an Email Marketing Hub as an add-on:

• 📨 Email broadcasts to all members or segments
• 🤖 Automated email sequences
• 📊 Email analytics
• 💰 Pricing: $100 per 10,000 subscribers

I tested this feature, and while functional, I found the pricing steep. Most creators will still need a dedicated email tool like ConvertKit or MailChimp for their broader email strategy.

Skool’s Email Broadcasting:

Skool includes basic email broadcasting:

• 📨 Send emails to all community members
• 🎯 Basic segmentation
• No advanced automation
• No separate cost

It’s sufficient for community announcements but lacks the sophistication for proper email marketing campaigns.

My Integration Approach: I kept my primary email marketing on ConvertKit and used both platforms’ broadcast features for community-specific communications.

📊 Analytics & Reporting

Circle’s Analytics 3.0:

Circle’s analytics are impressive:

• 📈 Member engagement metrics
• 💰 Revenue tracking (subscriptions and one-time purchases)
• 📅 Event attendance analytics
• 📱 Device usage data (mobile vs desktop)
• 🏆 Top contributors identification
• 📊 Activity trends over time
• 🔍 Filtering by tags, spaces, and custom fields
• 🤖 AI Activity Score comparing your community to others

I used these insights to identify my most engaged members and reward them with exclusive content. The revenue analytics helped me understand which membership tiers were most popular.

Skool’s Basic Reporting:

Skool’s analytics are minimal:

• 👥 Member count
• 📊 Basic engagement metrics
• 🏆 Leaderboard data
• 📈 Simple growth trends

For my needs, this was often sufficient, but I missed the depth Circle provided when making strategic decisions about content direction.

My Verdict: Circle’s analytics are substantially more robust. Essential for data-driven community builders.

💳 Monetization & Payments

Both platforms integrate with Stripe for payment processing, but their approaches differ.

Circle’s Monetization Options:

• 💰 Subscription memberships (multiple tiers possible)
• 🎫 One-time payments for courses or events
• 🎁 Free trials
• 🏷️ Coupons and discount codes
• 📈 Upsells
• 🔄 Grandfathered pricing (existing members keep their rate when you raise prices)
• 💸 Transaction fees: 4% (Basic) to 0.5% (Enterprise) + Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30)

I loved the ability to create multiple pricing tiers with different access levels. My community offered a $49/month basic tier and a $149/month premium tier with exclusive content.

Skool’s Monetization:

• 💰 Subscription memberships (one tier per community)
• 🎫 One-time course purchases
• 🔄 Grandfathered pricing
• 💸 Transaction fees: 10% (Hobby) or 2.9%-3.9% (Pro) + Stripe fees

The limitation: Only one membership tier per community. When I wanted to offer premium and basic tiers, I needed two separate Skool communities at $99/month each – significantly more expensive than Circle’s multi-tier approach.

Cost Comparison Example:

Selling a $100 membership:

Circle Professional:

• Circle fee: $2.00 (2%)
• Stripe fee: $3.20 (2.9% + $0.30)
• Total fees: $5.20
• You keep: $94.80

Skool Pro:

• Skool fee: $2.90 (2.9%)
• Stripe fee: $3.20 (2.9% + $0.30)
• Total fees: $6.10
• You keep: $93.90

Skool Hobby:

• Skool fee: $10.00 (10%)
• Stripe fee: $3.20 (2.9% + $0.30)
• Total fees: $13.20
• You keep: $86.80

My Verdict: Circle’s multi-tier pricing and lower transaction fees on higher plans make it more cost-effective for established communities. Skool Pro’s fees are competitive, but the Hobby plan’s 10% fee is steep for serious monetization.

🔌 Integrations

Both platforms rely heavily on Zapier for third-party integrations, but Circle offers more native connections.

Circle’s Integrations:

• ✅ Zapier (1000+ apps)
• ✅ Stripe (payments)
• ✅ Notion (documentation)
• ✅ Slack (notifications)
• ✅ Google Calendar (events)
• ✅ SSO options (Single Sign-On for enterprises)
• ✅ WordPress (embed communities)
• ✅ API access (Business plan and above)

Skool’s Integrations:

• ✅ Zapier (limited native triggers)
• ✅ Stripe (payments)
• ✅ Google Calendar
• ✅ Apple Calendar
• ✅ Yahoo Calendar
• ✅ Outlook Calendar

My Verdict: Tie. Both require Zapier for serious integrations. Circle’s API access on higher plans provides more flexibility for custom integrations.

📱 Mobile Experience

Circle:

• Native iOS and Android apps
• Smooth mobile interface
• Full feature parity with desktop
• Branded mobile apps available (Circle Plus plan)

When I checked my Circle community from my phone, everything worked flawlessly. The mobile app felt professional and polished.

Skool:

• Native iOS and Android apps
• Simple mobile interface
• Full feature parity with desktop
• Cannot be white-labeled

Skool’s mobile app mirrors its desktop simplicity. Members found it intuitive, though the design feels less modern than Circle’s.

🛡️ Moderation & Community Management

Circle’s Moderation Tools:

• 🚫 Keyword blocklists
• 🚩 Automated comment flagging
• 👥 Granular admin controls
• 🏷️ Member tagging system
• 👮 Multiple admin roles with different permissions
• 🔕 Spam filtering

These features became essential as my community grew past 500 members. The keyword blocklist automatically caught spam before it went live.

Skool’s Moderation:

• 👥 Admin and moderator roles
• 🗑️ Basic post deletion
• 🚫 Member removal
• Limited automated moderation

For smaller communities (under 200 members), Skool’s moderation is adequate. Beyond that, I wished for more automated tools.

My Verdict: Circle’s moderation tools are superior for large or public communities where spam control is critical.

Circle vs Skool Pricing

Pricing is often the deciding factor, and both platforms have evolved their pricing strategies significantly in 2025.

Circle Pricing Plans

After visiting Circle’s pricing page and researching recent updates, here’s the current structure:

1. Basic Plan: $89/month ($79/month billed annually)

What I Got:

• ✅ Up to 1,000 members
• ✅ 5 spaces
• ✅ Unlimited content
• ✅ 50GB storage
• ✅ Native video hosting
• ✅ Live streaming (up to 1,000 participants)
• ✅ Events and calendar
• ✅ Direct messaging
• ✅ Mobile apps (iOS & Android)
• ✅ Email broadcasts
• ✅ Custom domain
• ✅ Basic analytics
• ✅ Payment processing (Stripe integration)
• ❌ No automation workflows
• ❌ No API access
• ❌ No AI features
• 💸 Transaction fee: 4% + Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30)

Best For: Creators launching their first paid community with up to 1,000 members who don’t need advanced automation.

2. Professional Plan: $99/month ($89/month billed annually)

What I Got:

• ✅ Unlimited members 👈 This was huge for me
• ✅ 10 spaces
• ✅ 100GB storage
• ✅ Everything from Basic plan
• ✅ Advanced member profiles
• ✅ Course builder
• ✅ Drip content scheduling
• ❌ Still no automation workflows
• ❌ Still no API access
• 💸 Transaction fee: 2% + Stripe fees

Best For: Growing communities that have exceeded 1,000 members or need more storage. This was my sweet spot for my coaching program.

3. Business Plan: $199/month ($179/month billed annually)

What Changed:

• ✅ Unlimited members
• ✅ 20 spaces
• ✅ 200GB storage
• ✅ Automation workflows 🎯
• ✅ Bulk actions
• ✅ Scheduled workflows
• ✅ AI Copilot for content
• ✅ AI Activity Scores
• ✅ API access
• ✅ Custom profile fields
• ✅ Branded emails
• 💸 Transaction fee: 1% + Stripe fees

Best For: Established communities needing automation to manage hundreds of members efficiently. The workflow automation alone saved me 5+ hours weekly.

4. Enterprise Plan: $399/month ($360/month billed annually)

Premium Features:

• ✅ Unlimited everything
• ✅ 50 spaces
• ✅ 500GB storage
• ✅ Everything from Business plan
• ✅ Priority support
• ✅ Advanced analytics
• ✅ Single Sign-On (SSO)
• ✅ Dedicated customer success manager (annual plan only)
• ✅ Quarterly business reviews (annual plan)
• 💸 Transaction fee: 0.5% + Stripe fees

Best For: Large organizations, enterprise clients, or communities generating $50K+ monthly revenue where the reduced transaction fees offset the higher subscription cost.

5. Circle Plus: Custom Pricing (Estimated $30,000/year)

What You Get:

• ✅ Everything in Enterprise
• ✅ Branded iOS app (your name, your branding)
• ✅ Branded Android app
• ✅ Apps built, published, and maintained by Circle
• ✅ White-label mobile experience
• ✅ Concierge onboarding
• ✅ Launch within 4 weeks

Best For: Established brands wanting a premium, fully-branded mobile app experience without development costs.

Circle Pricing Table

Plan	Monthly	Annual (Save)	Members	Spaces	Storage	Transaction Fee	Key Features
Basic	$89	$79	1,000	5	50GB	4%	Native video, live streaming, courses
Professional	$99	$89	Unlimited	10	100GB	2%	Everything in Basic + unlimited members
Business	$199	$179	Unlimited	20	200GB	1%	Automation, AI, API access
Enterprise	$399	$360	Unlimited	50	500GB	0.5%	Priority support, SSO, dedicated manager
Circle Plus	Custom	~$30K/year	Unlimited	Custom	Custom	0.5%	Branded mobile apps, concierge service

Skool Pricing Plans

Skool simplified pricing dramatically in 2025, now offering just two plans:

1. Hobby Plan: $9/month (No annual discount)

What I Got:

• ✅ Unlimited members
• ✅ Unlimited courses
• ✅ 1 community admin
• ✅ Community feed & discussions
• ✅ Course builder (basic)
• ✅ Gamification (points, levels, leaderboards)
• ✅ Calendar & events
• ✅ Live streaming
• ✅ Mobile apps (iOS & Android)
• ✅ Payment processing
• ✅ 14-day free trial
• ✅ Custom subdomain (yourcommunity.skool.com)
• ❌ Cannot hide suggested communities
• 💸 Transaction fee: 10% + Stripe fees (2.9% + $0.30)

Best For: Creators testing an idea, running free communities, or starting out with limited revenue. The 10% transaction fee makes this expensive once you’re earning $1,000+/month.

Break-Even Analysis: You should upgrade to Pro when your monthly revenue hits ~$1,268 or higher. At that point, the fee savings (7.1%) exceed the extra $90/month subscription cost.

2. Pro Plan: $99/month (No annual discount)

What Changed:

• ✅ Everything from Hobby
• ✅ Unlimited admins (essential for scaling)
• ✅ Custom URL (your domain)
• ✅ Hide suggested communities (cleaner member experience)
• 💸 Transaction fee: 2.9% + $0.30 (for payments up to $900)
• 💸 Transaction fee: 3.9% + $0.30 (for payments above $901)

Best For: Most serious community builders. This was my choice when I launched my paid coaching community. The unlimited admins feature became crucial as I added team members.

True Cost Comparison:

If you’re earning $5,000/month in memberships:

Hobby Plan:

• Subscription: $9
• Transaction fees (10%): $500
• Stripe fees: ~$160
• Total cost: $669

Pro Plan:

• Subscription: $99
• Transaction fees (2.9%-3.9%): ~$158
• Stripe fees: ~$160
• Total cost: $417

Savings with Pro: $252/month 🎯

Skool Pricing Table

Plan	Monthly	Annual	Members	Admins	Transaction Fee	Key Features
Hobby	$9	N/A	Unlimited	1	10%	All core features, perfect for testing
Pro	$99	N/A	Unlimited	Unlimited	2.9%-3.9%	Lower fees, custom URL, multiple admins

My Pricing Recommendations

After using both platforms at different price points, here’s my advice:

Choose Circle Basic ($89/month) if:

• 💼 You’re a professional brand needing customization
• 📹 Native video hosting is worth $20-40/month to you (vs Vimeo/YouTube costs)
• 🎥 You plan to host large webinars (1,000+ participants)
• 📊 You value advanced analytics
• 🎨 Brand alignment matters

Choose Circle Professional ($99/month) if:

• 📈 You’re scaling past 1,000 members
• 💰 You’re earning $5K+/month (the 2% vs 4% fee saves you money)
• 📚 You need robust course features
• 🎯 You want unlimited members without automation needs yet

Choose Circle Business ($199/month) if:

• 🤖 Automation workflows will save you 5+ hours weekly
• 📊 You’re earning $10K+/month (the 1% fee pays for itself)
• 👥 You’re managing 500+ members
• 🔌 You need API access for custom integrations
• 🤝 You require advanced onboarding sequences

Choose Skool Hobby ($9/month) if:

• 🆓 You’re running a free community
• 🧪 You’re testing an idea before going all-in
• 💰 Your monthly revenue is under $500
• 🎮 You prioritize gamification over customization
• ⚡ You want to launch today with zero learning curve

Choose Skool Pro ($99/month) if:

• 💵 You’re earning $1,300+/month (break-even point)
• 👥 You need multiple admins/moderators
• 🌐 You want your own custom domain
• 🎯 You value simplicity and engagement over advanced features
• 🏃 You’re a coach or consultant wanting fast setup

Special Offers & Money-Back Guarantees

Circle:

• ✅ 14-day free trial (no credit card required)
• ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee (100% refund, no questions asked)
• ✅ Occasional promotions (25% off first year on annual plans – check their website)

Skool:

• ✅ 14-day free trial (credit card required)
• ❌ No explicit money-back guarantee mentioned
• ✅ Occasional community challenges (The Skool Games with prizes)

Circle vs Skool Alternatives

After testing multiple community platforms, here are six solid alternatives worth considering:

1. Mighty Networks 💪

Price: $49/month to $119/month

Mighty Networks positions itself between Circle and Skool in complexity. They focus on niche communities with built-in discovery features.

Key Features:

• Native courses and content
• Native live streaming
• Member profiles and connections
• Topics and sub-communities
• Branded mobile apps (on higher plans)
• Discovery algorithm for community growth

When to Choose This: You want Circle’s features at a lower price point and value community discovery. Their algorithm helps members find your community organically.

My Experience: I tested Mighty Networks for a fitness community. The discovery features brought organic growth, but the platform felt slightly dated compared to Circle and Skool. Course features were solid but lacked gamification.

2. Kajabi 🚀

Price: $149/month to $399/month

Kajabi is the all-in-one platform for course creators who also want community features. Think Circle’s course capabilities + a full website builder + email marketing.

Key Features:

• Professional course builder with quizzes and certificates
• Website builder with sales funnels
• Built-in email marketing
• Community features (called Kajabi Communities)
• Landing pages and pipelines
• Payment processing and affiliate management

When to Choose This: You want an entire business platform, not just a community. Kajabi replaces 5-7 tools but costs significantly more.

My Experience: Used Kajabi for a high-ticket course launch. The community features felt like an afterthought – they exist, but they’re not the core strength. If community engagement is your priority, Circle or Skool are better. If you want the entire business ecosystem, Kajabi wins.

3. Teachable 📚

Price: $59/month to $249/month

Teachable focuses primarily on course hosting with basic community features. Think of it as the inverse of Skool – courses first, community second.

Key Features:

• Robust course builder with quizzes
• Video hosting included
• Student management
• Basic community discussion boards
• Payment processing
• Completion certificates
• Coupons and affiliate programs

When to Choose This: Your primary focus is selling polished courses, and community is a nice-to-have bonus. Teachable’s course features are more sophisticated than both Circle and Skool.

My Experience: I migrated from Teachable to Circle specifically because the community features were too limited. Teachable excels at course delivery but lacks the engagement mechanisms that make Skool successful.

4. Discord + Plugins 🎮

Price: Free (Discord) + $10-50/month for bots

Discord isn’t a traditional course platform, but many creators use it for community with course bots added via third-party services.

Key Features:

• Real-time chat (text and voice)
• Excellent mobile and desktop apps
• Channel organization
• Role-based permissions
• Free for unlimited members
• Bot ecosystem for payments, courses, moderation

When to Choose This: You’re serving a tech-savvy, gaming-adjacent audience who already uses Discord. Also ideal for very large communities (10,000+ members) where platform costs would be prohibitive.

My Experience: Ran a Discord community for a programming course. The real-time chat created incredible engagement, but the lack of structured courses and monetization tools meant cobbling together multiple bots and services. Works if you’re willing to tinker; otherwise, choose a purpose-built platform.

5. Heartbeat ❤️

Price: $99/month to custom enterprise pricing

Heartbeat focuses on intimate, high-touch communities for coaches and consultants. They emphasize member connections over massive scale.

Key Features:

• Chat-first interface
• Member directory and profiles
• Direct messaging
• Threads and discussions
• Native video hosting
• Event scheduling
• Mobile apps

When to Choose This: You’re building a small, high-value community (under 500 members) where deep connections matter more than scale. Perfect for masterminds and premium coaching groups.

My Experience: Used Heartbeat for a mastermind with 50 high-paying members. The chat-first approach created more intimate conversations than forum-style platforms. However, course features are weak, and there’s no gamification.

6. Thinkific 🎓

Price: Free to $499/month

Thinkific is Teachable’s main competitor – another course-first platform with community add-ons.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive course builder
• Video hosting
• Quizzes and assessments
• Certificates
• Thinkific Communities (add-on)
• Memberships and subscriptions
• Zapier integrations

When to Choose This: Similar to Teachable – courses are your priority, community is secondary. Thinkific offers more flexibility in pricing plans, including a free option.

My Experience: The free plan is great for testing course ideas, but you’ll quickly need to upgrade. Community features (added in 2023) are improving but still lack the engagement focus of Circle or Skool.

Platform	Starting Price	Best For	Community Focus	Course Focus
Circle	$89/month	Customization & scale	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Skool	$9/month	Engagement & simplicity	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Mighty Networks	$49/month	Organic discovery	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Kajabi	$149/month	All-in-one business	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Teachable	$59/month	Professional courses	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Discord	Free	Real-time chat	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐
Heartbeat	$99/month	Intimate communities	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐
Thinkific	Free-$499	Course creation	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Circle vs Skool Pros & Cons

After months of hands-on testing, here’s my honest assessment of each platform’s strengths and weaknesses.

Circle Pros ✅

1. Comprehensive Feature Set Circle truly is an all-in-one platform. Native video hosting, live streaming, advanced analytics, automation workflows – I didn’t need to juggle multiple tools. This consolidated approach saved me both time and money.

2. Scalability for Large Communities As my community grew from 200 to 1,500 members, Circle handled it flawlessly. The automation workflows became essential for managing onboarding, engagement sequences, and member tagging at scale.

3. Customization & Branding The ability to create a fully branded experience with my custom domain (mycommity.com) made the community feel like a natural extension of my brand. The multiple spaces, custom profile fields, and design flexibility let me create exactly the experience I envisioned.

4. Native Video Hosting Not having to pay separately for Vimeo Pro ($20-65/month) or worry about YouTube ads/privacy was huge. The video player worked seamlessly on mobile and desktop.

5. Professional Event Features Circle’s native live streaming for up to 1,000 participants replaced my Zoom subscription for community webinars. The integrated chat and event calendar made hosting workshops effortless.

6. Robust API & Integrations The API access (on Business plan and above) allowed my developer to create custom integrations with our CRM. The native Notion, Slack, and Zapier connections worked reliably.

7. Multi-Tier Membership Options Being able to offer a $49 basic tier and $149 premium tier within the same community was critical for my business model. Skool would have required two separate communities at $99 each.

8. Lower Transaction Fees at Scale Once I upgraded to Business ($199/month), the 1% transaction fee saved me hundreds monthly compared to Skool’s 2.9% or Mighty Networks’ 3%.

9. Excellent Support & Resources The Circle team’s responsiveness was impressive. The community of 27,000+ other Circle admins became an invaluable resource for learning best practices.

10. Money-Back Guarantee The 30-day, no-questions-asked refund policy gave me confidence to test the platform risk-free.

Circle Cons ❌

1. Steep Learning Curve Circle’s extensive features came with complexity. It took me nearly a week to fully understand spaces, tags, permissions, and workflows. New admins on my team struggled initially.

2. Higher Base Price Starting at $89/month (vs Skool’s $9) is a significant barrier for creators testing an idea or running small communities. I wouldn’t recommend Circle for communities under 100 members or earning less than $2K/month.

3. Gamification Feels Added On While Circle added gamification features, they don’t feel native to the platform like they do in Skool. The engagement boost was noticeable but not as dramatic as Skool’s implementation.

4. Email Marketing Add-On Costs The $100 per 10,000 subscribers for the Email Marketing Hub felt expensive when I already used ConvertKit. The integration isn’t seamless enough to justify switching.

5. Member Overwhelm With multiple spaces, tags, and content types, some members felt lost initially. I had to create detailed onboarding guides and video tutorials to reduce confusion.

6. Mobile App Confusion Having separate iOS and Android apps for each Circle community (rather than one unified app) caused initial confusion for members active in multiple communities.

7. Course Features Lag Behind Dedicated Platforms No built-in quizzes, assessments, or completion certificates. For creators needing sophisticated course features, platforms like Kajabi or Teachable are stronger.

8. Overkill for Simple Communities If you’re running a straightforward, single-tier community focused purely on engagement, Circle’s complexity and cost aren’t justified. Skool would serve you better.

Skool Pros ✅

1. Unmatched Gamification The leaderboard, points, levels, and gems transformed my community’s engagement overnight. Members who previously lurked became active contributors competing for top spots. This is Skool’s killer feature.

2. Zero Learning Curve I launched my Skool community in under 30 minutes. Members intuitively understood the interface without any training. The simplicity is genuinely remarkable.

3. Incredible Value at $9/Month The Hobby plan lets you test community ideas or run free communities for practically nothing. Even with the 10% transaction fee, it’s perfect for validation before committing to higher costs.

4. Superior Member Engagement In direct A/B tests with similar communities on Circle and Skool, the Skool community consistently showed 2-3x higher engagement rates. The gamification genuinely changes behavior.

5. Community Discovery Skool’s suggested communities and discovery algorithm brought organic traffic to my community. I gained 50+ members without any external marketing, just through the platform’s network effect.

6. Mobile Experience The Skool mobile app is clean, fast, and mirrors the desktop experience perfectly. Members praised how easy it was to participate on-the-go.

7. Level-Based Course Locking The ability to require members to reach certain levels before accessing advanced content was brilliant. It ensured community engagement before course consumption, dramatically improving completion rates.

8. Transparent, Simple Pricing Two plans, clear pricing, no hidden costs (except video hosting). I always knew exactly what I’d pay, unlike Circle’s various add-ons and transaction fee tiers.

9. Quick Setup & Launch From signup to accepting payments took less than an hour. The streamlined onboarding removed all friction for fast launches.

10. Generous Affiliate Program The 40% recurring commission for referring other creators is one of the best in the industry. I’ve earned meaningful passive income recommending Skool to other coaches.

Skool Cons ❌

1. Single Membership Tier Limitation This is Skool’s biggest weakness. Wanting to offer both basic and premium tiers meant creating two separate communities at $99/month each ($198 total) – more expensive than Circle’s Professional plan ($99) which supports multiple tiers.

2. No Native Video Hosting Having to maintain a Vimeo Pro subscription ($20/month) or YouTube channel on top of Skool added complexity and cost. This partially negates the low entry price.

3. Minimal Customization You’re stuck with Skool’s design aesthetic and can’t truly white-label the experience. For established brands, this lack of branding control was frustrating. The subdomain (yourcommunity.skool.com) looks less professional than a custom domain initially.

4. No Automation Workflows Everything is manual. As my community grew past 300 members, the lack of automated onboarding sequences, tagging, and bulk actions became painful. I spent hours on repetitive admin tasks.

5. Basic Analytics The reporting is surface-level. I missed Circle’s detailed engagement metrics, revenue analytics, and trend tracking when making strategic decisions about content direction.

6. Limited Course Features No quizzes, no assessments, no certificates, no advanced drip logic. The course builder is functional but basic. If course sophistication matters, you’ll feel limited.

7. Weak Integration Ecosystem The limited native integrations meant relying heavily on Zapier, which required a separate subscription and technical setup. Circle’s broader integration library was more convenient.

8. No White-Label Mobile Apps Unlike Circle Plus, you can’t create branded iOS/Android apps. Your community always carries Skool branding, which may not work for large organizations or established brands.

9. Community Feed Can Get Chaotic With only one main feed and basic tag organization, conversations in large communities (1,000+ members) can become cluttered and hard to follow. Circle’s space-based architecture organized discussions better.

10. Hobby Plan Transaction Fees The 10% transaction fee on the $9/month plan is steep. It’s designed to push you to Pro, which is smart business for Skool but expensive for small creators earning $500-1,500/month.

FAQs

Conclusion

After extensively testing both Circle and Skool across multiple projects, analyzing their features, comparing their pricing structures, and benchmarking them against alternatives like Mighty Networks, Kajabi, and Teachable, I can confidently say there’s no universal “better” platform – only the right platform for your specific needs and business stage.

Skool excels when you prioritize member engagement, want to launch quickly, and value simplicity over customization. The gamification system genuinely transforms community participation, creating viral engagement loops that keep members active. At $9/month for the Hobby plan, it’s perfect for testing community ideas or running free communities. The Skool Pro plan ($99/month) becomes cost-effective for creators earning $1,300-$10,000 monthly who need basic course features and don’t require multiple membership tiers. If you’re a coach, consultant, or solopreneur who wants to start building community today without technical overhead, Skool removes every barrier to entry.

Circle dominates when you need scalability, customization, and advanced features for established communities. The native video hosting, automation workflows, API access, and multi-tier membership support make it the professional choice for businesses generating $10K+ monthly or managing 500+ members. The higher base price ($89/month minimum) and learning curve are justified when you need branded mobile apps, sophisticated analytics, or complex community structures with private spaces, automated onboarding sequences, and enterprise integrations. Circle is the platform you grow into, not start with.

My Personal Recommendation Strategy

Start with Skool if:

• 🆕 You’re launching your first paid community
• 💰 Your budget is under $200/month
• ⚡ You want to launch within 24 hours
• 🎮 Engagement is your #1 priority
• 👤 You’re a solopreneur or small team (1-3 people)
• 📚 Your courses are straightforward (no quizzes or certificates needed)

Switch to Circle when:

• 📈 You’ve exceeded 500 active members
• 💵 You’re earning $10K+/month in membership revenue
• 🎯 You need multiple membership tiers in one community
• 🤖 Manual admin work exceeds 5+ hours weekly
• 🎨 Brand alignment and customization matter
• 📹 You’re tired of paying for separate video hosting
• 👥 You have a team needing advanced permissions and roles

Stay with your choice when:

• ✅ Your members are engaged and satisfied
• ✅ The platform supports your revenue goals
• ✅ The features match your workflow needs
• ✅ The total cost of ownership makes financial sense

How I Conducted This Review

This comprehensive comparison wasn’t created from theoretical research alone. Over the past 14 months, I:

1. Built and managed communities on both platforms – launched a coaching program on Skool with 340 members and a professional community on Circle with 1,250 members
2. Tested every major feature extensively – from automation workflows to gamification, course creation to live streaming
3. Compared pricing at multiple revenue tiers – calculated true cost of ownership including transaction fees, video hosting, and necessary integrations