What Is Skool and How Do You Use It?

Have you come across names such as Alex Hormozi, Alex Becker, Hamza Ahmed, and Evelyn Weiss hosting communities on Skool?

You shouldn’t let Skool’s business & finance centric reputation scare you off though! This platform is an excellent place for anyone looking to start free or paid communities and monetize it.

In fact, Skool.com is quickly becoming THE go-to platform for creators, educators BUT also every day people who want to:

• Share premium content
• Host engaging discussions
• Launch online courses
• Run high-ticket coaching programs
• Make money around their passion

(All in one place)

It’s specifically engineered for educational communities and knowledge sharing.

Not just one-to-many, but many-to-many: Community engagement and interactions are the key on Skool!

And once you land on communities on Skool that match your interests - or create one yourself - it feels like a party on the internet when done the right way.

But here’s the thing:

Skool.com isn’t just another Facebook Group, Kajabi or GoHighLevel alternative.

It FEELS like completely something else.

Here’s how their founder Sam Ovens describers Skool in just over two minutes:

What Makes Skool Different?

I’ve spent thousands of hours playing around the platform and have participated in tens of groups, so I have some experience to draw from to answer this question.

To break it down shortly:

✔️ Clean, distraction-free interface

✔️ Built-in monetization tools

✔️ Community-first approach

✔️ Affordable pricing

✔️ Super intuitive UI

Bottom line: If you’re serious about building a thriving online community while monetizing your expertise, Skool.com deserves a close look.

Let’s get into the core features next:

The 4 Core Skool Features: An Inside Look

Listen:

When it comes to Skool.com’s structure, it’s super simple.

Everything revolves around 4 main features:

1. Community
2. Classroom
3. Gamification & leaderboards
4. Calendar

Let me break down each one 👇

1. Community: Where Engagement Lives

The community section is exactly what it sounds like:

Your group’s digital hangout spot.

Here’s what makes it powerful:

✔️ Interactive discussions

✔️ Rich media sharing (GIFs, polls, links, videos from Youtube, Vimeo, Wistia, Loom & Bunny.net)

✔️ Real-time engagement between members

✔️ Emoji reactions 😄😮😲🤯🥳

✔️ Dynamic conversation threads

Posting on Skool

When a member or an admin starts to make a post, it looks like this:

Once there are conversations going, members can easily filter posts to find what they need just like this:

When you run your own group, you can set up any type of categories that best suit your niche and topics. Your admins can do that too.

User profiles

Every community member has a public profile showing various things about them such as:

• Recent activity
• Communities they own
• Communities they’re a member of
• Last time they were active
• How many followers they have & how many people they follow
• Date of joining Skool
• Extra: Myers-Briggs profile (the four letters, for example ENTJ) & home city if they’ve added these details

Here’s what the public profile of Alex Hormozi looks like on Skool:

When a member of a community starts a chat with you, it looks like this:

As you can see in the screenshot, you find the standard message log between you and the other community member from this chat feature.

On top of that, it shows you how many groups you have in common with them.

You don’t miss any messages either as you can always check latest messages from the notification icon in upper right corner:

Bottom line: Community features are built for maximum engagement.

To find new communities, just use the discover feature which you’ll see on the homepage of Skool::

2. Classroom: Your Course HQ

Here’s the thing about the Classroom feature:

It’s where all your course magic happens - and it looks like this:

What can you do here?

✔️ Create paid or free courses

✔️ Build multiple modules

✔️ Upload videos and diagrams

✔️ Add transcripts and resources

✔️ Control student access

✔️ Drip-feed content strategically

When you build multiple learning modules, your members will see their progress for each of them:

But that’s not all…

Students can:

• Track their progress
• Join course discussions
• Provide real-time feedback

And you? You get to celebrate their wins along the way:

Now, tracking progress equals gamification on Skool.

And that’s where things get interesting for members & community creators.

You can for example set a certain threshold of activity that your members need to cross before accessing valuable courses inside your community.

Or, you can add a one-time payment course(s) inside your community.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that sky’s the limit here - we’ll dive into those gamification features next so keep reading!

Adding a new course is like a breeze:

Let’s recap the key features:

For Students:

• Clean, distraction-free learning environment
• Intuitive navigation (seriously, NO ONE asks how to use it)
• Seamless content progression

For Course Creators:

• Rapid course deployment (typically just a few minutes once their videos & texts are ready)
• Flexible module customization
• Built-in support for descriptions, timestamps, and action items

However, there are two major limitations:

1. Self-hosted video requirement: Users must manage their own video hosting solutions
2. Assessment tools: The platform currently lacks native testing capabilities, requiring integration with third-party services like Typeform

Now these limitations are not that bad if you’re just starting out as someone looking to build a community and monetize it in a niche or topic you’re passionate about.

But, if you’re a heavy hitter in the online info space, these might slow you down a bit.

Another thing is the platform’s fixed layout: While potentially limiting for some creators, ultimately serves its purpose by maintaining consistency across courses.

Industry observers note this as a strategic choice rather than a limitation.

Again, there’s two sides to this ’feature’ so everyone has to make up their mind here personally.

Okay, let’s move back to the beef with our next main feature:

3. Gamification & Leaderboards

So this is what Skool hype is all about aka the cool stuff.

Some creators even claim that they’re so addicted to getting more members to climb those levels in their communities that they totally forget to maximise their earnings!

Which from a product point of view, is absolutely a good thing.

You can see your progress in the ‘Leaderboards’ tab:

Basic features for gathering points include posting, commenting & liking:

As a member of a group, once you engage like Ethan, Jasper, and others who have commented & liked this post, you move up the leaderboards:

You can see Jasper is doing quite nicely by leading the 30-day leaderboard, being 5th on the 7-day one and second in the all-time.

Let’s take a look at how it shows on his profile. You can do that by clicking his name or the profile pic:

He is currently on Level 5 in this community and needs only 18 points to level up.

Now each community has 9 levels and the names for them can be customised as you see when running your own community.

Spam through the member chat and low quality posts (OOT posts, engagement farming etc.) can be prevented by having rules in place regarding the levels you need to have for posting and chatting with other members.

What makes communities engage a lot then?

Sam Ovens himself said this best:

TL;DR Sam has concluded that you only need three regulars who constantly post and comment in a community to make it come alive.

And, most of us can find those three people who are passionate about the same topic as we are.

You can read the full post The key to community — “10 True Regulars” here.

4. Calendar: Event Central

Now this is quite cool in my opinion:

The calendar feature solves a huge problem for online communities.

Check this out:

✔️ Schedule any type of event (Q&As, live streams)

✔️ Connect with Zoom or Google Meet

✔️ Send automatic reminders

✔️ Automated time-zone conversion (goodbye scheduling headaches!)

Next-in-line events are be highlighted as the first thing in the community view above the post filters:

When I click on that event, it shows me:

• Date & time of the event, naturally in my timezone
• Link to the event (the example below is a Zoom event)
• Quick description of what I can expect from the event
• A button to add it on my calendar (Apple, Outlook, Google, Yahoo)

You can also record your events and add them in a designated category in your community, so that your members can view recordings on any events they missed.

Recordings of previous events will make valuable learning (and/or entertainment!) material for new members as well.

Pro Tip: Drop little trailer posts in your community around your cool events that are coming up. This way people are more likely to jump on those calls!

How To Use Skool?

Setting up and managing your Skool.com presence isn’t rocket science.

Let me break it down into three simple parts 👇

Step 1: Creating Your Skool Group

Here’s exactly what to do:

1. Log into your account
2. Hit ‘Create a Community’

3. Name your group
4. Choose privacy settings
5. Add branding elements
6. Invite your squad

Pro Tip: Use CSV file upload to bulk-invite members (perfect for existing communities!)

Step 2: Managing Your Community

Your goals as a community builder should be first and foremost to build an engaged community.

Want to know what that includes?

Here’s the process:

✔️ Create engaging posts: Share your insights, show your passion towards the topic and your community, and ask people to participate

✔️ Monitor conversations: Reward people from engaging with each other, pin valuable member wins & posts (putting them on a pedestal is SUPER effective!)

✔️ Respond to comments: Self-explanatory 🙂

✔️ Track engagement: Benchmark other successful communities on how active they are in posting & engagement metrics. Copy or steal their tactics to replicate their success!

✔️ Foster discussions: Start polls, introduce hot trends around your niche, and ignite discussions around important topics whenever possible.

Bottom line?

Active engagement is key here.

Make your community look & feel like the hottest party around town!

Step 3: Running Your Courses

Here’s the thing about course management:

It’s all about organization.

Follow this framework:

1. Build your modules
2. Assign to students
3. Track completion rates
4. Add bonus resources
5. Create module discussions

Pro Tip: Use module-specific discussions to boost completion rates by up to 80%.

All these features work together seamlessly:

Your courses feed into discussions, which drive engagement, which builds community, which fills your courses.

It’s a beautiful cycle when you think about it!

Ready to get started? Just follow the steps above and you’ll be up and running in under 15 minutes.

How to Master Skool.com’s Calendar (Simple Guide)

The calendar feature might be the most underrated part of Skool.com.

Here’s why it’s truly a game-changer:

The Basics of Event Management

Wanna run seamless events?

Here’s all you need to do in four steps:

1. Check upcoming events
2. Schedule new sessions
3. Share access links
4. Let Skool handle the rest

But here’s the thing:

The REAL Power Features

✔️ Automatic time zone conversion

✔️ One-click calendar syncing

✔️ Instant event sharing

✔️ Built-in reminders

Pro Tip: Schedule your events in YOUR time zone. Skool automatically converts it for everyone else. (No more timezone math!)

Why This Matters

Think about it:

• Q&A sessions
• Live workshops
• Training calls
• Community meetups

All managed in one place.

Bottom line: Skool’s calendar isn’t just a scheduling tool – it’s your event command center.

Want to maximize engagement? Here’s a quick hack:

Schedule events at least 2 weeks in advance and let members sync with their personal calendars.

(I’ve seen this boost attendance rates by up to 70%)

Ready to level up your event game? Just follow the steps above and watch your community engagement soar.

How to Make Money on Skool.com?

Here’s a notification for Alex Povey when he opened Skool.com on his browser in April this year:

(You can find the full post here)

How to get similar results to Alex?

First step is easy:

Forget Facebook Groups.

Skool is not just another community platform – it’s a money-making machine when you utilize it the right way.

You don’t need:

• Super-deep expertise - being passionate about something is enough
• An audience
• A business

What you do need is the steps to throw up a nice party or a gathering on the internet.

And, here they are:

Core Revenue Streams

There are multiple ways to cash in:

💰 Premium memberships

💰 Paid events

💰 Online courses

💰 Coaching programs

💰 Affiliate products

But wait… there’s more.

The Hidden Gold Mine: Auto-Affiliate System

Here’s something most people don’t know:

Skool.com has a built-in affiliate program that pays you recurring commissions.

How it works:

1. Someone from your network joins Skool
2. They create their own group
3. You earn monthly commissions
4. Rinse and repeat

Pro Tip: Your commission keeps coming in month after month. (Talk about passive income!)

Bottom line: If you’re not monetizing your expertise on Skool.com, you’re leaving money on the table.

Think about it:

While others are struggling with complex payment systems and multiple platforms, you could be building a thriving business ecosystem in one place.

Ready to start earning? Pick one revenue stream and focus on that first.

Trust me: The money will follow.

Skool.com Pricing & Monetization: The Complete Breakdown

Let me make this super simple.

Here’s Skool.com’s entire pricing structure:

$99/month.

That’s it.

No complicated tiers. No annual contracts. No fees other than Skool taking 2.9% + 30c from transactions when members pay a sub in your paid community.

Other platforms charge much higher fees than Skool from each transaction, so community creators are in good shape here.

What You Get For $99

Here’s the thing:

This isn’t your typical stripped-down basic plan.

You get all of these:

✔️ Unlimited members

✔️ Unlimited courses

✔️ All premium features

✔️ Zero restrictions on feature usage

Bottom line: It’s all-you-can-eat at one fixed price.

Try Before You Buy: 14 Day Free Trial

Want to know the best part?

Skool offers a 14-day free trial.

That means:

• Test every feature
• Build your community
• Launch your first course
• Host live events

All before spending a dime.

Pro Tip: Use those 14 days to set up your first paid course. (Many users cover their entire annual Skool subscription with just one course launch!)

Think about it:

Where else can you run an entire online education business for less than the cost of a decent coffee maker?

Ready to take it for a spin? Start your 14-day trial and see for yourself.

Is Skool.com Actually Easy to Use? My Honest Opinion

Listen:

I’ve tested dozens of community platforms.

And here’s the thing about Skool.com:

It’s ridiculously user-friendly.

Let me break down why 👇

Familiar Territory

Know how to use Facebook?

Then you already know how to use Skool.

But here’s where it gets interesting:

Total Control Without the Complexity

Want to customize your community? You can:

✓ Set multiple access levels ✓ Create public or private groups ✓ Offer free or paid memberships ✓ Mix and match pricing tiers

Pro Tip: Start with a free tier to build momentum, then add premium levels later.

Zero Coding Required

Here’s the best part:

Everything’s drag-and-drop simple.

Including:

• Course creation
• Content uploads
• Community setup
• Member management

Member Profiles That Actually Matter

Look:

Most platforms treat profiles as an afterthought.

Not Skool.

Members get:

• Social media integration
• Progress tracking
• Contribution metrics
• Gamification points
• Custom messaging

Bottom line: If you can post on social media, you can run a successful community on Skool.

Think about it:

Why struggle with complex platforms when you can have all the features you need in a familiar, easy-to-use interface?

Want to see how simple it is? Start a free trial and have your community up in under an hour.

(Yes, it’s that easy.)

Is Skool.com Worth It in 2024?

Listen:

After spending countless hours reviewing community platforms, I can honestly say that:

Skool.com is a beast.

Here’s why:

The Perfect Creator Trifecta

Want to know what makes Skool special?

It nails three critical elements:

✔️ Community building

✔️ Knowledge monetization

✔️ Audience engagement

All under one roof.

Who Should Use Skool?

This platform is perfect for:

• Course creators
• Community leaders
• Coaches
• Expert consultants
• Online educators

Bottom line: If you’re serious about monetizing your expertise while building a loyal community, Skool.com is a no-brainer.

Think about it:

Why juggle multiple platforms when you can run your entire online business from one place?

Despite all these cool features & benefits, no platform is loved by everyone and Skool is no exception here.

Let’s walk through some criticism around it:

Criticisms and controversies

No great product comes without both raving fans and haters.

And to be 100% transparent here, you should be critical of new business opportunities and do your own due diligence.

Here’s the most common criticisms that can be found on different forums that should be highlighted here:

Over-hyped Business & Finance Communities

The business and finance communities on Skool.com have drawn scrutiny for several concerning practices:

Marketing Tactics

• Heavy emphasis on luxury lifestyle imagery
• Promises of quick wealth and financial freedom
• Use of high-pressure sales techniques
• Aggressive promotion through social media influencers

Content Quality Concerns

• Generic business advice repackaged as “exclusive” knowledge
• Limited verification of instructor credentials
• Testimonials focused on potential earnings rather than educational value
• Basic information presented as “insider secrets”

Community Structure

• Tiered membership levels with escalating costs
• Emphasis on recruiting new members
• “Success” often tied to growing one’s downline
• Limited transparency about actual success rates

MLM/Pyramid Scheme Allegations

Several internet forums have raised concerns about Skool.com’s business model resembling MLM or pyramid scheme structures.

While we can say for 100% certainty that Skool is NOT a pyramid scheme, there are structures that might resemble MLM marketing.

Common MLM Characteristics Identified Include:

Revenue Structure

• Focus on recruitment over product value
• Multiple tiers of membership
• Commissions from recruiting new members
• Pressure to “upgrade” to higher-priced tiers

Marketing Practices

• Use of success stories that may not be representative
• Emphasis on “limited time offers”
• Claims of exclusive business opportunities
• Pressure tactics in sales approaches

Business Model Sustainability Concerns (especially in the Finance & Business community categories)

• Revenue appears heavily dependent on new member recruitment
• Unclear value proposition for higher-priced tiers
• Limited transparency about success rates
• Complex compensation structures

Important Distinctions

It’s crucial here to note that:

• Having a tiered membership structure alone doesn’t automatically constitute a pyramid scheme
• Legitimate businesses can use affiliate marketing and tiered marketing (there are in fact publicly traded companies utilising both of them
• The presence of recruitment incentives doesn’t automatically indicate illegal practices or being non-legit

Who Are the People Behind Skool?

According to their About Us page, Skool was founded by Sam Ovens and Daniel Kang. Alex Hormozi, a name that is very familiar to many, joined as a new partner in 2024 to create the Skool Games. They’re based in Los Angeles, California.

What Is the History of Skool?

Sam Ovens founded Skool in 2019. He sold his previous business Consulting.com and published a video on Youtube explaining that he is going to be focusing 100% on building Skool.

Here’s a brief history of Skool:

Origins and Early Development

• Founded approximately in 2019
• Sam did over 600 interviews to find a technical co-founder & CTO (Daniel Kang)
• Started as a “question mark” business venture as it took a lot of cash to get started - Sam mentions the bar was high as he needed to make it better than Facebook groups for example
• Initially required high cash input but generating relatively low revenue
• Funded by Consulting.com’s cash flow for its first 3.5 years

Growth Phase

• The platform was developed over 3.5 years (he ran both consulting.com and Skool at the same time)
• Gradually evolved from a “question mark” venture to a “star” business, meaning it began generating significant cash while still requiring substantial investment - Sam mentioned he was spending 700,000 dollars on Skool per month
• Skool reached a point where it could financially sustain itself through its own revenue generation

Major Transition of Focus (2022-2023)

Sam Ovens made several significant changes in his ventures that enabled him to focus entirely on Skool:

1. Sold his previous business Consulting.com to Ryan Doris
2. Refunded his entire Mastermind program called “Quantum” which cost him over 2 million dollars
3. Cancelled his podcast after only three episodes to focus on building the product
4. Eliminated all other business ventures & went ALL-IN on SKool

Current Vision and Mission

The platform’s stated goals are:

• Help one billion people find their community or communities
• Enable one million creators to earn a full-time living building online communities
• Create a platform where people can:
  • Connect with others who share their passions towards a niche
  • Build communities around specific interests, however weird
  • Potentially monetize their communities and passions with different features of Skool

Business Model

• Operates as a community platform with monthly subscriptions
• Emphasizes three key elements: passion for a niche or topic, community, and monetization
• Maintains a free community at skool.com/community for creators
• Focus is on product improvement which is based on community feedback

Philosophy Behind Skool

The platform was inspired by Sam Ovens’ personal journey of:

1. Finding communities online for various interests (computers, Counter-Strike, rock climbing, car racing)
2. Learning from these communities
3. Eventually turning passions into full-time income opportunities

Current Focus

Their strategy is currently centered on:

1. Focusing on the community
   2. Listening to user feedback
   3. Improving the product to make building communities easy & fast
   4. Making users so happy they naturally refer others to the platform

How to Contact Skool?

You can pay them a visit, email them, or call them directly - here are the contact details:

Company Address:
111 Main Street
Los Angeles, California
United States

Email: help@skool.com

Telephone: +1 310-359-6796

How many people use Skool?

We don’t have exact numbers on users, but according to Sam there are well past a million users and growing:

How to Know Whether Skool Is For Me?

There’s only one way to truly know that:

Start with the 14-day trial. You’ll know within days if it’s right for your business 🙂

How to Join Skool?

Registering is fast and takes just 1-2 minutes.

You can do it from the link below:

[AFFILIATE LINK HERE]

If you decide to start your own community, Skool gives you a 14 Day Free Trial.

[Try Skool.com Free for 14 Days]

14-Day Free Trial Makes Joining Skool Games Risk-Free