What you'll have
A Skool group with a feed, a classroom of lessons, a calendar of live calls and a monthly or yearly price.
Who pays for it: Members who want ongoing access to you and to each other around one clear goal.
The stack and what it costs
| Tool | Month 1 | Ongoing (per month) | Notes and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skool Community, classroom, billing | Hobby $9 | Pro $99 | Hobby: 10% + 30¢ per transaction; Pro: 2.9% + 30¢ · Pricing page, read 17 October 2026 |
| Total | $9 | $99/mo Estimate | Sum of the rows. Excludes tax, per-sale fees and anything marked "–" (not verified or usage-based). |
Plan prices are list prices in USD from each tool's pricing page; plan choices for month 1 and ongoing are our estimate for one person doing this part time.
Step by step
4 of 5 steps are checked against official docs, 1 is our advice. Menu names are quoted from the linked docs as of the date shown; apps change, so follow the doc if what you see differs.
Choose a pricing model
Skool supports free, subscription (monthly or annual, with an optional 7-day free trial), freemium, tiers and one-time payment.
Source: Skool Help: How to set up pricing for the group, read 20 October 2026
Connect payouts
Click your profile picture, then Settings, then the group's admin settings. Open the Payouts tab, click the gear, select your bank's country and complete the Stripe Express setup, including identity verification. An existing Stripe account can't be used.
Source: Skool Help: How to set up payouts, read 20 October 2026
Add your price
With the bank connected, click ADD PRICE and enter the monthly, annual or lifetime amount. Open the group's About page in an incognito window to see what buyers see.
Source: Skool Help: How to set up payouts, read 20 October 2026
Pick the plan that fits your revenue
Pro charges 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction up to $899; Hobby charges 10% + 30¢. When you raise the price, existing members keep theirs.
Source: Skool Help: Payments FAQs, read 20 October 2026
Seed the classroom and calendar before launch
Add a starter course and schedule the first live call so new members have something to do on day one.
Our advice. No specific menus involved.
Common mistakes
- Launching an empty group.
- Underpricing to fill it. Members are grandfathered at the price they joined at, so raising it later only affects new members.
- Staying on Hobby as revenue grows, when 10% costs more than Pro's fixed fee.
Rights and terms check
Skool is a platform; you own your content. Make sure everything in your classroom is yours or licensed.
A summary of public terms, not legal advice. Commercial-rights matrix
Alternatives and when to pick them
| Tool | When to choose it | Free plan | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle | Pick it if you want more design control and a separate course tool. | Trial only | Paid plans only |
| Discord | Pick it if you want free community chat and will handle payments elsewhere. | Yes | Free |
| Patreon | Pick it if you publish for supporters rather than run a course or community. | Yes | Free to join, fee per sale |
Prices for tools without an in-depth profile aren't verified by us; we show the pricing model only.
Still choosing? What's the best paid communities tool? · All paid communities tools compared
How to get your first customer
- Invite your existing audience first, with a founding-member price.
- Run one free live workshop and invite attendees to join.
Our suggestions, not guarantees. Earnings vary.
FAQ
How much does Skool cost?
Hobby is $9/month with a 10% transaction fee; Pro is $99/month with 2.9% (pricing page read 17 Oct 2026; fees per Skool Help, read 20 Oct 2026).
Can I offer a free trial?
Yes. Subscription groups can offer a 7-day free trial.
Sources
- Skool Help: Payments FAQs (read 20 October 2026)
- Skool Help: How to set up payouts (read 20 October 2026)
- Skool Help: How to set up pricing for the group (read 20 October 2026)
- Skool pricing (read 17 October 2026)
Steps checked 20 October 2026; prices checked 17 October 2026. Corrections: hello@agenthustles.com.