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Skool alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Skool: very little branding or layout customisation, and courses are basic compared with course platforms. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Skool, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Circle currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Circle logoCirclePaidNoWeb, macOS, Windows +24 of 466.5
2Mighty Networks logoMighty NetworksPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 462.6
3Kajabi logoKajabiPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 459.6
4Thinkific logoThinkificPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 453.6
5Discord logoDiscordFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +33 of 350.0
  1. Circle logo

    1. CircleTop pick

    Best for: Creators and brands running a paid or customer community with courses and events

    PaidWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Skool

    Far more customisation, branded apps and automation for a growing community business.

    Pros

    • Highly configurable spaces, access rules and branding
    • Courses, events, chat and payments in one community
    • Workflows and API for automation on higher plans

    Cons

    • Costs rise quickly for automation and branded apps
    • Takes time to configure well
    • Course tools are lighter than dedicated course platforms
    Visit Circle Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Circle a good Skool alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    14 days, no card
    Checked Oct 25, 2026circle.so(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $89/month (Professional)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026circle.so(opens source in a new tab)
    Business plan
    $199/month, adds workflows and API
    Checked Oct 25, 2026circle.so(opens source in a new tab)
    Scale plan
    $419/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026circle.so(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Mighty Networks logo

    2. Mighty Networks

    Best for: Membership businesses and coaches who want community, courses and events in one app

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Skool

    Community, courses and events with more structure and branded app options.

    Pros

    • Community, courses and events in one member space
    • Branded app service for your own store listing
    • Free trial with no card required

    Cons

    • Interface can feel cluttered for members
    • Integrations and APIs only on higher tiers
    • Branded apps are a separate, costly service
    Visit Mighty Networks Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mighty Networks a good Skool alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $79/month (Launch)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mightynetworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Scale plan
    $179/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mightynetworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days, no card
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mightynetworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    API access
    Scale plan and up
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mightynetworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Kajabi logo

    3. Kajabi

    Best for: Established coaches and course creators who want courses, email, funnels and community in one bill

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Skool

    Adds email marketing, funnels and a website to the community.

    Pros

    • Courses, email, funnels, website and community in one product
    • No revenue share taken by Kajabi on its plans
    • Polished checkout with upsells and order bumps

    Cons

    • One of the priciest creator platforms
    • Product and contact limits push you to higher tiers
    • Built-in email and site tools are less flexible than specialists
    Visit Kajabi Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Kajabi a good Skool alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $179/month monthly, $143/month billed annually (Basic)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kajabi.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Transaction fees
    No revenue sharing
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kajabi.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Money-back guarantee
    30 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kajabi.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Basic plan limits
    5 products, 2,500 contacts
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kajabi.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Thinkific logo

    4. Thinkific

    Best for: Course businesses that want solid learning tools and room to scale into communities and apps

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Skool

    Better course tools when the course, not the group, is the main product.

    Pros

    • Strong course features: quizzes, certificates, learning paths, SCORM
    • Communities and live sessions sit next to courses
    • Annual billing cuts the monthly price noticeably

    Cons

    • No longer offers a free plan
    • Branded mobile app costs extra
    • Marketing tools are lighter than all-in-one rivals
    Visit Thinkific Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Thinkific a good Skool alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $109/month monthly, $82/month billed annually (Start)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thinkific.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Grow plan price
    $219/month billed monthly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thinkific.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Branded mobile app
    Add-on, $199/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thinkific.com(opens source in a new tab)
    SCORM import
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thinkific.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Discord logo

    5. Discord

    Best for: Communities that want free voice and text chat

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    50.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from Skool

    Free community chat if you can handle payments and courses elsewhere.

    Pros

    • Free with unlimited history
    • Excellent voice channels
    • Rich roles, bots and moderation

    Cons

    • Not built for enterprise compliance
    • Consumer-style interface for work
    Visit Discord Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.338
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Discord a good Skool alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Price
    Free; optional Nitro subscription
    Checked Oct 24, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Voice channels
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Web, desktop, mobile
    Checked Oct 24, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Skool alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Circle logo

Best Skool alternative for most people

Circle

Far more customisation, branded apps and automation for a growing community business.

Discord logo

Best Skool alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Discord

Free community chat if you can handle payments and courses elsewhere.

Circle logo

Best Skool alternative for Mac

Circle

Far more customisation, branded apps and automation for a growing community business.

Circle logo

Best Skool alternative for Windows

Circle

Far more customisation, branded apps and automation for a growing community business.

Discord logo

Best Skool alternative for Linux

Discord

Free community chat if you can handle payments and courses elsewhere.

Mighty Networks logo

Best Skool alternative for iPhone and Android

Mighty Networks

Community, courses and events with more structure and branded app options.

Kajabi logo

Best Skool alternative for working in the browser

Kajabi

Adds email marketing, funnels and a website to the community.

Skool alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Skool?

Circle ranks first right now. Far more customisation, branded apps and automation for a growing community business. Mighty Networks and Kajabi follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Skool?

Yes. Discord (free plan + paid) has a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Skool?

None of the 6 alternatives in this list is open source.

Which Skool alternatives work on Linux?

Discord runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from Skool?

The complaints we hear most: very little branding or layout customisation; courses are basic compared with course platforms; hobby plan's transaction fee is high.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Skool, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.