Skool vs Kajabi (2026): Pricing, Fees and Which to Pick
Skool starts at $9 a month, Kajabi at $179. They solve different problems: Kajabi is a marketing platform with funnels, email and landing pages that added a community, while Skool is a community platform that added courses. Transaction fees are near-identical at 2.9% + $0.30, so the decision is about the fixed cost and what you actually sell with.
Prices taken from skool.com and kajabi’s own pricing page on 16 August 2026.
Kajabi vs Skool: the short answer
Pick Skool if…
Your selling happens inside the community — posts, calls, word of mouth — and you do not want to pay $179 a month for a funnel builder you will not open.
Pick Kajabi if…
Launches, email sequences and funnels are how you sell. Kajabi replaces four or five tools, which is what justifies the price; buying it for the community alone does not.
Pricing and fees compared
| Skool | Kajabi | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan, billed monthly | $9/mo (Hobby) | $179/mo (Basic) |
| Entry plan, billed yearly | $7.50/mo | $143/mo |
| Next tier up | $99/mo (Pro) | $249/mo (Growth) |
| Transaction fee, native payments | 10% Hobby / 2.9% Pro | 2.9% + $0.30 (Basic) |
| Fee on third-party processors | Not applicable | 2% on Basic, on top |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Free plan | No | No |
Headline prices tell you less than the fee structure does. Work your own numbers through the Skool fee calculator before you commit either way.
Features compared
| Skool | Kajabi | |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited members | Yes | Yes |
| Courses / products | Unlimited | 5 on Basic |
| Communities per account | 1 | 1 on Basic, 3 on Pro |
| Admin seats | Unlimited | 2 on Basic |
| Contacts limit | None | 2,500 on Basic |
| Gamification (points, levels) | Yes | No |
| Public discovery directory | Yes | No |
| Email marketing | No | Yes |
| Sales funnels | No | Yes |
| Landing pages / website | No | Yes |
| Branded mobile app | No | Pro plan |
Where Skool loses
Every comparison you will read is written by someone with a preference. Here is the case against Skool, stated plainly:
- No email marketing, funnels or landing pages — if launches are your model, this is disqualifying.
- No brand customisation at all.
- One community per account.
- Course structure is deliberately simple; no drip scheduling or advanced pathways.
Where Kajabi loses
- Basic caps you at 5 products, 2,500 contacts and 2 admin users — easy to outgrow, and the next tier is $249.
- Using a processor other than Kajabi Payments adds a further 2% on Basic.
- The community feature is a late addition rather than the core of the product.
- No public directory, so every member is one you recruited.
- Twenty times Skool's entry price before you have a single paying member.
Skool vs Kajabi FAQ
- Is Skool cheaper than Kajabi?
- Substantially. Skool starts at $9 a month against Kajabi's $179, and the transaction fees are close to identical at 2.9% + $0.30. The saving is in the fixed cost, not the fee.
- Can Skool replace Kajabi?
- Only if you do not rely on email marketing, funnels or landing pages. Skool has none of them. Creators who move from Kajabi to Skool usually keep a separate email tool, which narrows the real saving.
- Which is better for selling online courses?
- Kajabi, if selling means launches and email sequences. Skool, if selling means people joining a community and buying because they are already inside it. Skool's course builder is simpler by design.
- Does Kajabi charge transaction fees?
- Yes. Kajabi Payments takes 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic, falling to 2.8% on Growth and 2.7% on Pro. Using a third-party processor instead adds 2% on Basic, 1% on Growth and 0.5% on Pro.
Other Skool comparisons
Try Skool before you decide
Fourteen days, both plans, and you can switch tiers at any time. Cheaper than being wrong about Kajabi for a year.
Start your free Skool trial (opens in a new tab)