The short answer
Choose Allied Tribes if you want to start free or for $11 a month and keep your group, courses, events, live video and paid one-to-one sessions in one place, guided by Freya. Choose Heartbeat if you want a branded app or the lowest percentage at high revenue, and a $49 to $849 monthly plan fits your budget.
People compare Heartbeat with Skool and Circle, and search for a "Heartbeat alternative" with a free plan.
Price and fees at a glance
| Allied Tribes | Heartbeat | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Paid Tribes, Lessons (courses), events, live video, digital products and paid expert sessions, with Freya, a built-in AI guide | Paid group platform for creators and coaches |
| Price | Free $0, Pro $11 a month, Leader $111 a month | Build $49 (up to 350 members), Grow $149 (up to 5,000), Scale $849 a month (unlimited, with a branded app). 14-day free trial, no card. |
| Platform fee on sales | 11% on Free, 5% on Pro, 3% on Leader | 5% on Build, 2.5% on Grow, 1.25% on Scale, plus Stripe processing. |
| Card processing | Stripe's fee, paid separately (2.9% + $0.30 for US cards) | See fee row |
| Free plan | Yes, no card needed | No |
| Free trial | Not needed: the Free plan does not expire | 14 days |
What it costs to sell $1,000, $5,000, $20,000 a month
At $1,000 a month in sales, Allied Tribes costs less: $96 against $134 on Heartbeat. At $5,000 a month in sales, Allied Tribes costs less: $436 against $449 on Heartbeat. At $20,000 a month in sales, Heartbeat costs less: $1,349 against $1,411 on Allied Tribes. These are all-in monthly costs on each platform's cheapest plan for that revenue.
| Sales per month | Allied Tribes | Heartbeat |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $96 on Pro | $134 on Build |
| $5,000 | $436 on Pro | $449 on Grow |
| $20,000 | $1,411 on Leader | $1,349 on Grow |
Assumes US card payments, an average sale of $50, and the cheapest plan on each platform at that revenue. Where a platform adds card processing on top of its own fee, Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 is used. Member limits, taxes, currency conversion, payout fees and add-ons are not included.
Where Heartbeat wins
- Lower platform fees on its higher plans (2.5% on Grow, 1.25% on Scale), which matters once sales are steady.
- A branded mobile app under your own name on Scale.
- Published migration guides for moving over from other platforms.
Where Allied Tribes wins
- A free plan with no monthly fee. Heartbeat's cheapest plan is $49 a month. Allied Tribes Pro is $11 a month for 11 Tribes.
- Freya, a built-in AI guide that sets up your Tribe, drafts posts and course content, and answers questions on every page.
- Adepts: sell paid one-to-one help as written answers or scheduled video calls, with payment held until you deliver.
- Child Tribes under a parent Tribe, so one organization can run a Tribe per team, cohort or office.
- Live video rooms built in, with no separate meeting tool.
- Tips on posts, messages and expert profiles.
- Pay-per-view posts that members unlock.
- A public creator page at alliedtribes.com/p/your-name with your offers in one place.
Moving from Heartbeat to Allied Tribes
There is no automatic import from Heartbeat today, so the move is a fresh setup. Freya does most of it with you:
- Create a free account and tell Freya what your Tribe is for.
- Freya sets up the Tribe and its first posts.
- Add your Lessons, events and paid membership tiers.
- Connect your own Stripe account so payouts go straight to you.
- Share your invite link with your Heartbeat members.
Frequently asked questions
Is Allied Tribes cheaper than Heartbeat?
It depends on how much you sell. At $1,000 a month in sales, Allied Tribes costs less: $96 against $134 on Heartbeat. At $5,000 a month in sales, Allied Tribes costs less: $436 against $449 on Heartbeat. At $20,000 a month in sales, Heartbeat costs less: $1,349 against $1,411 on Allied Tribes. These are all-in monthly costs on each platform's cheapest plan for that revenue.
How much does Heartbeat cost in 2026?
As of October 2026: Build $49 (up to 350 members), Grow $149 (up to 5,000), Scale $849 a month (unlimited, with a branded app). 14-day free trial, no card. 5% on Build, 2.5% on Grow, 1.25% on Scale, plus Stripe processing. Check heartbeat.chat for current prices.
Does Allied Tribes have a free plan?
Yes. Allied Tribes Free has no monthly fee and needs no card: 1 Tribe of up to 100 members, Lessons, events, live video rooms, digital products and Adepts, with an 11% platform fee on sales. Pro is $11 a month and Leader is $111 a month, with lower fees.
Can I move from Heartbeat to Allied Tribes?
Yes, though there is no automatic import from Heartbeat today. You create your Tribe, add your Lessons and paid tiers, connect Stripe for payouts, and invite members with a link. Freya, the built-in AI guide, walks you through each step.
Start your Tribe free
No card, no trial clock. Upgrade to Pro or Leader only when the lower fees pay for themselves.
Other comparisons
Allied Tribes vs Skool
Skool starts at $9 a month with a 10% transaction fee.
Allied Tribes vs Kajabi
Kajabi starts at $179 a month after its January 2026 price rise.
Allied Tribes vs Teachable
Teachable starts at $39 a month with a 7.5% fee on Starter.
Allied Tribes vs Circle
Circle starts at $89 a month billed yearly, plus a 2% transaction fee.
Allied Tribes vs Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks starts at $79 a month billed yearly, plus a 2% fee.
Allied Tribes vs Thinkific
Thinkific starts at $109 a month.
Allied Tribes vs Podia
Podia starts at $49 a month with a 5% fee on Mover.
Allied Tribes vs Whop
Whop has no monthly fee and charges 2.7% + $0.30 per card payment.
Allied Tribes vs Patreon
Patreon is free to start and takes 10% of earnings.
Allied Tribes vs Stan Store
Stan Store starts at $29 a month with no platform fee.
Allied Tribes vs Discord
Discord has no monthly fee and takes about 15.4% of each server subscription.