Circle vs Skool: fees & take-home (2026-07)
At $3,000/month over 60 sales, Circle leaves you $160/month more than Skool. Here's the full breakdown — and where that flips.
| Circle | Skool | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Community platforms | Community platforms |
| Entry price | from $89/mo | from $7.5/mo |
| Platform fee | Professional 2%; Business 1%; Plus 0.5%. Separate from Stripe. | Skool Payments fee: Hobby 10%; Pro 2.9%. Separate from Stripe. |
| Take-home on $3k/60 sales | $2,746 | $2,586 |
| Effective take rate | 8.5% | 13.8% |
| Affiliate payout | 20% recurring | 40% recurring |
| Best for | Professional, branded communities and cohort/course businesses wanting a polished platform | Creators wanting a simple all-in-one community + courses + gamification at low entry cost |
Who keeps you more?
Modeled on each platform's entry tier, Circle wins at $3k/month. But the Circle/Skool gap depends on your revenue and sales volume — platforms with a monthly fee but 0% cut pull ahead as you scale, while free/percentage platforms win at low volume. Run your exact numbers →
Choose Circle if…
Professional, branded communities and cohort/course businesses wanting a polished platform.
Choose Skool if…
Creators wanting a simple all-in-one community + courses + gamification at low entry cost.