Skool vs Circle
Verdict. Skool is cheaper at every volume we modeled, $57 against $134 at $300 a month and $304 against $439 at $5,000. Circle still wins for most communities that plan to last, because payments run through your own Stripe account and the customer data stays yours. Skool runs every payment on its own merchant account, charges members only in USD and pays out once a week. Circle also adds a branded mobile app on Business at $219 a month. If you just want a paid group live this week, start on Skool Hobby at $9.
Pick Skool if
you want the cheapest way to launch a paid community with a course inside, from $9 a month, and USD-only pricing doesn't bother you.
Pick Circle if
your community is the product and you want it under your own brand and Stripe account, with a branded app once you move to Business.
Side by side
| Compared | Skool | Circle |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 5.8 / 10 | 6.1 / 10 |
| Best for | Coaches running a paid community with courses inside | Brands and creators running a large paid community |
| What it costs | Hobby costs $9 a month plus 10% + 30¢ per sale, and Pro costs $99 a month plus 2.9% + 30¢, with card processing included in both. If Growth Boost brings you a member, Skool also takes 30% of that member's charges, renewals included, and Growth Boost is on by default. | Plans cost $99 to $419 a month billed monthly, Circle takes 2% of sales on Professional and 1% on Business and Scale, and Stripe charges from 2.9% + 30¢ on top. |
| Keep from $1,000 | $861 (Hobby) | $815 (Professional) |
| Plans from | $9/month | $99/month |
| Payouts | Skool pays your available balance to your bank every Wednesday, in your local currency. The first payout can take up to 14 days, then a 7-day cycle applies. US banks usually receive funds in 1 to 3 business days and international banks in 3 to 5. The minimum is about one unit of local currency. | Stripe pays you on your normal Stripe payout schedule, with Circle's fee already deducted. Refunds issued inside Circle return Circle's fee, but refunds made in the Stripe dashboard do not. |
| Who can join | Open to anyone with a bank account in one of more than 100 supported payout countries. You may need to verify your identity and submit documents to Stripe. | Open to anyone after a 14-day free trial with no card required. You need a standard Stripe account. Stripe Express and Custom accounts do not work with Circle paywalls. |
| Founded | 2019 | 2020 |
Scorecards
| Criterion | Possible | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Fees$139 on $1,000 a month | 3.0 | 1.50 |
| FeaturesDepth for its category | 2.0 | 1.20 |
| EaseSignup to first sale | 1.5 | 1.35 |
| OwnershipExport, domain, own payments | 2.0 | 0.80 |
| PayoutsSpeed, methods, countries | 1.5 | 0.90 |
| Total | 10.0 | 5.8 |
| Criterion | Possible | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Fees$185 on $1,000 a month | 3.0 | 0.84 |
| FeaturesDepth for its category | 2.0 | 1.60 |
| EaseSignup to first sale | 1.5 | 1.05 |
| OwnershipExport, domain, own payments | 2.0 | 1.60 |
| PayoutsSpeed, methods, countries | 1.5 | 1.05 |
| Total | 10.0 | 6.1 |
Where Skool falls short
- Hobby keeps 10% + 30¢ of every sale.
- Payments run only through Skool, and you cannot bring your own Stripe account.
- Members pay in USD only.
- Single charges above $900 on Pro cost 3.9% + 30¢.
- Payouts come once a week, and the first one can take 14 days.
- Growth Boost is on by default and takes 30% of every charge from members Skool refers, renewals included.
Where Circle falls short
- Circle takes 2% of sales on Professional on top of Stripe fees.
- Subscriptions on Professional cost about 5.6% + 30¢ once Stripe and Stripe Billing are added.
- Professional caps you at 3 admins and 20 spaces.
- Plan cards show annual rates, and monthly prices are not displayed.
- Extras like branded email notifications cost $40 a month on Professional.
Still deciding? See every option in course and community platforms.