The short answer
Choose Skool if your group is the product, you want to start for $9 a month, and you do not need email or funnels. Choose Kajabi if email marketing, funnels and a website are how you sell, and a $179 a month starting price fits your revenue.
People search "Skool vs Kajabi" when deciding between a simple community with courses and a full marketing suite with email and funnels.
Price and fees at a glance
| Skool | Kajabi | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Paid group app with courses | All-in-one course and marketing suite |
| Price | Hobby $9 a month, Pro $99 a month. No free plan; 14-day free trial. | Basic $179, Growth $249, Pro $499 a month ($143, $199, $399 a month billed yearly). 14-day free trial. |
| Fees | 10% on Hobby, 2.9% on Pro. Skool processes payments itself and its fee covers card processing. | No platform fee on Kajabi Payments; card processing is 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic, 2.8% on Growth and 2.7% on Pro. |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
What it costs to sell $1,000, $5,000, $20,000 a month
Skool costs less at every level compared here ($1,000, $5,000 and $20,000 a month in sales): $109 against $214, $244 against $354, $679 against $879. These are all-in monthly costs on each platform's cheapest plan for that revenue.
| Sales per month | Skool | Kajabi | Allied Tribes |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $109 on Hobby | $214 on Basic | $96 on Pro |
| $5,000 | $244 on Pro | $354 on Basic | $436 on Pro |
| $20,000 | $679 on Pro | $879 on Basic | $1,411 on Leader |
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 Skool wins
- A far lower starting price: Hobby is $9 a month against Kajabi Basic at $179.
- Gamification at the core: levels, a leaderboard and content that unlocks by level.
- An established discovery directory that already sends people to groups.
- Simplicity. Skool does fewer things, so there is less to set up.
Where Kajabi wins
- Email marketing, sales funnels and a website builder are built in. Skool has none of them.
- Affiliate tools for paying partners who refer buyers.
- More in one suite: coaching, memberships and podcasts sit beside courses and the community.
- No platform fee on Kajabi Payments, only card processing.
A third option: Allied Tribes
Allied Tribes keeps a paid group, Lessons (courses), events, live video and paid one-to-one sessions in one place, with Freya, a built-in AI guide, to set it up. It has a Free plan and Pro at $11 a month. At $1,000 a month, Allied Tribes costs about $96, less than both. At $5,000 a month, Allied Tribes costs about $436, more than both. At $20,000 a month, Allied Tribes costs about $1,411, more than both. Its fee is a percentage of sales, so it suits groups that are starting out more than groups already selling thousands a month. See Allied Tribes vs Skool and Allied Tribes vs Kajabi.
Frequently asked questions
Is Skool cheaper than Kajabi?
Skool costs less at every level compared here ($1,000, $5,000 and $20,000 a month in sales): $109 against $214, $244 against $354, $679 against $879. Figures are all-in monthly costs, including card processing, on each platform's cheapest plan for that revenue.
How much does Skool cost in 2026?
As of October 2026: Hobby $9 a month, Pro $99 a month. No free plan; 14-day free trial. 10% on Hobby, 2.9% on Pro. Skool processes payments itself and its fee covers card processing.
How much does Kajabi cost in 2026?
As of October 2026: Basic $179, Growth $249, Pro $499 a month ($143, $199, $399 a month billed yearly). 14-day free trial. No platform fee on Kajabi Payments; card processing is 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic, 2.8% on Growth and 2.7% on Pro.
Do Skool or Kajabi have a free plan?
No. Neither has a free plan; Skool's trial is 14 days and Kajabi's is 14 days. Allied Tribes has a Free plan with no monthly fee and no card.
Sources
Or start your Tribe free
No card, no trial clock. Upgrade to Pro or Leader only when the lower fees pay for themselves.