Skool is worth because it builds a strong and interactive community with your course content. Your memberships will turn into communities by combining:
The $99 monthly fee is budget-friendly for creators with a large audience. Community creators hosts unlimited members and courses in one community. Skool is great for community engagement and course delivery. However, it does not suit those selling physical products or needing advanced customization. Skool is a subscription-only model, with no one-time payment options. Still, its distraction-free and ad-free setup makes interacting with your members easy.
A Reddit user criticized Skool as complicated for community management. To track invites and members, you need tools like Zapier, ClickFunnels, and Canva. You may also need a separate domain which adds costs and effort. This complexity made them question whether Skool is worth it for managing communities.
A Reddit user joined 16 free communities since January. In their post, they stated that Skool offers more value and better vibes than Facebook groups. Some of the free groups included paid options. The price is reasonable considering the effort required to run them. They encouraged others to try a free Skool community to experience its benefits.
George Vlasyev likes gamification feature, a calendar, and a mobile app. At $99 per month per group, you can host unlimited members. It's a cheap choice for creators who starting out. George appreciates its simple design, which is easy for both admins and members to use. Skool has no live chat support but has email support to help platform user. However, George notes some drawbacks.
The problems in Skool according to George Vlasyev are:
A community on Skool can generate recurring income. But, you need an active engagement to keep your members involved. I run an online business that earns me over $52K a month. Dan and I manage a community of over 7400 members. In this article, I’ll discuss whether Skool is worth it in 2024. I’ll point out hidden challenges that make Skool less ideal for starting an online business. At the same time, I’ll explain why Skool might still be worth trying for certain people.
1. Skool Gives You Limited Control Over Your Community
Skool controls and restricts how you customize and manage it to fit your needs. These limitations affect your:
Skool only supports text and images. You can't upload videos or embed content with ease. Skool does not have a built-in video posting feature. You need to link YouTube, Vimeo, Loom, or Wistia. This limits interactive media.
You can have only one group per subscription. No sub-groups to organize members by topic or interest. Design choices are basic, with fixed layouts and limited branding, reducing customization. Member management tools are minimal. There's no option for many admins or detailed member analytics. So, it's hard to watch and grow your community.
2. Skool Requires Time to Build Your Audience on Skool
Building an audience on Skool takes time because it lacks built-in discovery features. The Community Professionals Survey says 42% of online communities are over five years old. CMX notes that 20% have existed for 3-4 years. Also, Community Roundtable reports that 21% of communities are 1-2 years old. So, successful communities often take years to grow. Unlike Facebook or LinkedIn, Skool lacks active users. They can't find your group through searches or recommendations. So, it is up to you to grow your community. To attract community members to Skool:
This process can be slow, especially if you’re starting from scratch or lack a strong following. Without internal traffic, you need time to build an engaged audience. You must interact on a regular basis.
3. Skool Risks Your Community Members of Losing to Other Skool
Skool’s platform allows users to join multiple communities. Your members can find and join other groups within Skool without difficulty. This creates constant competition for attention. If another Skool group has better content, your members can leave.
This risk is greater because Skool lacks strong retention tools. You can't control how members interact on the platform. If another community has more engaging discussions or events, members might shift focus. This competition can hurt participation and growth. It may reduce loyalty and engagement over time.
4. Skool Only Allows One Community per Subscription
Skool restricts you to managing one community per subscription. To create more topic-based communities, buy another $99/month subscription. This setup is costly in a short time if you need multiple communities.
For example, if your online business needs separate communities for beginners and advanced users, you'd pay $99 a month for each. This limits management, as each community has a separate subscription. It also increases your expenses.
5. Skool Needs Ongoing Effort to Maintain Your Community
Skool requires constant effort to keep your community active. It lacks built-in engagement tools like automated notifications, content recommendations, or discussion algorithms. Other platforms offer these features to maintain activity with little effort. But, Skool places this responsibility on you. To keep your community lively:
Without constant activity from you, members may lose interest or leave. Skool has no re-engagement tools. So, you can't rely on it to bring back inactive members.
6. Skool Only Allows One Community per Subscription
Skool restricts you to managing one community per subscription. To create more topic-based communities, buy another $99/month subscription. This setup becomes costly in a short time if you need multiple communities.
For example, if your online business needs separate communities for beginners and advanced users, you'd pay $99 a month for each. This limits management, as each community has a separate subscription. It also increases expenses.
7. Skool Has Few Marketing and Sales Tools
Marketing and sales tools on Skool are limited compared to other community platforms. The platform lacks key features, such as.
It is harder for creators to promote their communities and sell products. Basic tools like affiliate tracking, custom landing pages, or A/B testing are also missing.
Skool's basic marketing features restrict your ability to grow and monetize your community. You can't create sophisticated marketing campaigns or track member behavior. You must use external platforms. There are no built-in tools for upselling, cross-selling, or running promotions. This means extra work and costs to achieve your marketing goals. You need separate tools to manage email lists, track conversions, and analyze engagement.
Is Skool Worth It Per Reddit?
A Reddit user commends Skool for its effective approach to community building. The post says Skool is better than other platforms. It has courses, a calendar, group chats, and other community features. Skool's affiliate program and built-in tools make monetization easy.
Another Reddit user says Skool is simpler than Udemy. The user joined a graphic design group in Skool. Then, he receives valuable feedback from industry professionals. Skool is for deeper interaction, especially with design critiques. The user likes Skool's $50 monthly fee and its functions. However, Skool is now $99 per month. They don't mind the plain branding since it works well. Having worked with Sam Ovens, they say he’s trustworthy.
Is Skool Worth It Per YouTube?
Daniel from Tech and Data says Skool is worth it. It's a simple, all-in-one platform to build and monetize a community. Skool has course hosting, live chats, and community interaction. Daniel believes that it is easier to use than Udemy or Coursera. Focusing on community engagement is a big advantage for creators, coaches, and influencers. Skool lacks built-in video hosting and quizzes. But, at $99 a month, Daniel thinks it's a good deal. You can test all features before committing with its two-week free trial.
Channel Profits feels unimpressed with Skool because it lacks features. He almost stopped using it. However, he finds Skool's unique features valuable. They help creators build engaged communities. Channel Profits describes Skool as a business-focused Facebook. It boosts community engagement with gamification, points, and rewards. However, it has no native video hosting and live calls.
Is Skool Not Worth It? 3 Real-Life Struggle Stories
Romney shares that Skool’s main challenge is the constant effort needed to keep the community active. As a host, you must frequently update content, answer questions, and engage members. This is vital in paid groups, where members expect consistent interaction. He also notes that the $99 monthly fee is a strain. The cost stays the same, no matter the number of members. This creates pressure to expand the membership base. Romney sees potential for recurring revenue in Skool. But, it needs much time and effort to maintain a thriving community.
Courseology notes some downsides of Skool, compared to other platforms:
- Limited Pricing Flexibility: Skool’s $99/month plan includes all features. But, it may not suit smaller communities. In contrast, Kajabi offers multiple pricing options for different budgets. Yet, this can add complexity.
- Minimal Integration Options: Skool’s simple interface reduces distractions but limits external integrations. Users who want to link to other platforms or use tools for events and discussions.
- Limited Community Customization: Skool is easy to use. Its simplicity is a plus. But, it restricts those wanting more control over layout or group tiers.
The Ninja Guides review points out Skool’s limitations. The high monthly price may be a drawback for beginners. The "Classroom" feature only supports one-time payments. You can't offer free access for active members. The chat functionality is basic, which lacking interactive features that boost engagement. Skool is great for building communities, but customization is rigid.
Why Skool Is Still Worth to Try?
Is Skool The Best Platform to Start Your Community?
Skool is not the best platform to start your community, but it is good at engagement and learning. It has a clean, user-friendly interface that fosters connection and interaction. Gamification features as points and levels keep members active and engaged. Skool also simplifies course creation and sharing. The built-in calendar and event tools make organizing meetups easy.
However, Skool may not suit everyone. It's expensive for small groups or beginners. It also lacks advanced marketing features and offers limited customization for community design. Those needing these features or more control may want to explore other platforms like Kajabi or Circle.
What Are Subscription Business Model Ideas You Can Try on Skool?
Subscription business model ideas you can try on Skool include:
A popular option is a paid community focused on a skill. For example, a fitness group where members pay monthly for workout plans, nutrition tips, and live coaching. A photography online course that adds new lessons, critiques, and challenges each month. Additionally, tiered memberships allow for different access levels. A basic tier grants access to the community and its resources. Higher tiers has one-on-one coaching or exclusive content. Digital product subscriptions, like monthly e-books, templates, or software tools, are also effective.
Is Skool Legit?
Skool is a legit online platform for learning and building communities. It combines social media and course features. You will learn through courses while engaging with a peer community. Skool has forums, messaging, and notifications to connect learners. It's great for learning new skills, networking, and staying motivated. Creators and coaches teach courses and build communities in one place. Users follow lessons and join discussions easily with its clear layout.
Tom Youngs confirms that Skool is a legit platform to build a profitable online business. Skool has content posting, community interaction, and business tools. These attract and convert traffic to help you grow your communities. Youngs finds Skool’s setup simple and efficient. Creators and educators engage and monetize their communities. Youngs plans to build his own Skool community. He thinks it is better than complex setups like e-commerce or SMMA agencies. Skool's focus on one product and one marketing channel. It suits both beginners and experienced entrepreneurs.
Conclusion: Why Local Lead Gen Biz Is Worth More Than Creating Community in Skool?
Local lead generation is worth more than creating a community in Skool because it offers full control and steady passive income. Each lead generation website can earn $500 to $3,000 per month from local businesses renting them. You own the websites and set the prices and choose clients. You have full control over your business and income.
Building a community in Skool is harder. It depends on factors outside your control, like platform limits and member engagement. Skool helps create connections, but it limits ownership and scalability. You can't grow beyond the platform. Your income relies on keeping members engaged and renewing subscriptions. Lead generation websites rank and then produce leads with little effort. They provide you a stable income.
Lead generation also faces less competition. You usually compete with 10-15 local businesses in your niche. It's easier to dominate the market. Local businesses always need new leads. So, there is a constant demand for your services. To build a stable, controlled business, join a local lead gen community of over 7400 students.
