Skool Review: Simplest Way for Creators to Run Courses and Challenges

If you’re a creator looking to host courses, run challenges, or build an engaged community (free or paid), Skool is worth considering. This Skool review, which breaks down pros and cons, is based on my personal experience using Skool to run a paid challenge.

When I wanted to host the Hit Submit Challenge, I needed a tool that was simple, fast to set up, and intuitive for both me and my mentees.

I didn’t want tech headaches.

I didn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars up front.

And I did not want to manage five different tools for payments, lessons, community, live calls, and messaging.

I looked at other platforms like Teachable and Circle, but ultimately, I wasn’t willing to part ways with so much cash for an untested offer.

For running a brand new challenge, Skool was the best option that combined simplicity and affordability.

If you’ve been sitting on an idea because the tech feels expensive or overwhelming, Skool removes that friction.

👉🏾 Start your 14-day free trial and see how quickly you can bring your ideas to life.

This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to try Skool through my links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What Is Skool?

Skool is a community-building platform designed to simplify the way creators run courses, programs, memberships, and challenges.

Skool brings everything into one simple, intuitive dashboard that takes minutes to figure out.

You can:

Host courses with video, audio, and text
Run discussions and community threads
Add events to a shared group calendar
Host (or link to) live calls
Track member progress
Accept payments (PayPal + Stripe) and onboard students

Skool’s advantage is its simplicity.

You’re not spending hours customizing layouts.

The design is intentionally minimal, reducing decision fatigue and let’s you focus on your content and community.

Want to see how simple Skool really is? Start a free trial today.

Why Skool Worked for My 5-Day Challenge

1. Quick Setup (About One Hour From Start to Finish)

Skool has one of the simplest setup workflows.

Within an hour, I had:

My challenge sales page complete
Payments connected
Course lessons drafted
Calendar events added

For a first-time challenge host, this level of ease was a relief.

On the other end, during the challenge, I received very few questions from mentees about where things were located, which told me the platform was intuitive for users, too.

2. Affordability That Makes Testing New Offers Easy

Skool pros and cons - Skool review for creators.

Skool’s Hobby plan starts at $9.99/month with a 10% transaction fee.

Compared to platforms like Circle or Teachable, it’s one of the most affordable ways to test a paid offer.

This mattered because Hit Submit was a brand-new offer, essentially an experiment.

I wasn’t ready to invest $50–$120/month for an offer I wasn’t sure would sell.

For creators testing their first challenge or community, this alone makes Skool a no-brainer.

3. Built-In Sales Page + Seamless Stripe Integration

Skool’s sales page isn’t the most customizable, but it works.

With strong copy and a warm audience, it can convert just fine.

Stripe integration is native and straightforward, so you can start collecting payments fast.

4. Courses + Community in One Place

Having everything centralized made it easier for my mentees to stay engaged.

Inside a Skool community, you can upload:

Videos (with auto-generated transcripts)
Audio files
Text lessons

Participants can track progress, leave comments, and interact with others, all without leaving the platform.

5. Built-In Calendar for Live Calls

I hosted two live calls during the weeklong challenge, and Skool’s calendar kept everything organized.

You can host calls:

Directly inside Skool
Or through video conferencing tools like Zoom

Either way, the schedule stays visible so everyone knows exactly what’s happening next.

6. Community Features That Feel Social (In a Good Way!)

Skool makes it easy to stay connected through:

DMs (direct messages)
Comments and likes
Seeing who’s online
Discussion threads

That really kept everyone engaged where people were chatting with me and each other, both in DMs and out in the open.

Want your lessons, discussions, and live calls all in one place? See how Skool works today – get started with a free trial.

How to Power Up Your Skool With Email Marketing

For challenges, especially, email matters.

Daily reminders, encouragement, and lessons dramatically increase completion rates.

Since Skool limits notifications to all members to one every 48 hours, email marketing fills the gap, ensuring your community stays engaged and informed.

That’s why I recommend pairing Skool with an email tool that makes it easy to:

Send automated onboarding sequences
Break down what to expect each day
Remind students about upcoming live calls
Celebrate wins or encourage catch-up
Replay links

Skool + email = the smoothest challenge experience.

More Resources to Power Up Your Skool Community

Skool is great on its own, but pairing it with a few external tools can elevate the experience, especially for challenges, courses, and coaching programs.

Here are a few more resources that work beautifully with Skool:

1. Loom for Walkthroughs and Quick Teaching

Loom is perfect for recording:

A welcome tour of your Skool community
Step-by-step instructions for first-time users
Lessons, audits, and behind-the-scenes content
Quick answers to common questions

Embed the Loom link directly into Skool lessons or community posts.

2. YouTube for Hosting Videos or Replays

While Skool lets you upload videos directly, YouTube can serve as:

A hosting backup
A place to store evergreen lesson videos
A private/unlisted library for replays

4. Zoom or Other Live Call Tools

Skool has built-in live rooms, but if you prefer:

Zoom
Google Meet
or any other meeting tool

Embed or link those inside calendar events.

5. Automation Tools (Zapier or Make)

For creators with larger ecosystems, automation tools can help:

Add new members to email segments
Apply tags when someone joins or completes a lesson
Send surveys or forms automatically
Trigger onboarding or offboarding workflows

Note: You cannot connect to Zapier or automation tools and features without upgrading to the Pro plan at $99 a month.

6. Canva for Community Assets

Use Canva to design:

Challenge workbooks
Community banners
Lesson thumbnails
Social share graphics

Skool Cons to Know Before Joining

Skool isn’t perfect.

Here are limitations worth noting:

1. Only USD Payments Are Supported

If you serve a global audience, this may be restrictive.

2. You Cannot Run Multiple Communities Under One Roof Yet

If you run multiple programs, you’ll need separate Skool communities for each.

Skool has mentioned plans to offer a “hub” or “tiered community” system in the future, but it’s not available yet.

3. Groups Archive When You Stop Paying

Keep in mind when you stop paying the subscription fee, your Skool community will get archived. You lose access until you resubscribe.

Who is Skool Best For?

Creators testing an idea before scaling.
Coaches who want simplicity over deep design customization.
Community-led programs, like masterminds, accountability groups, and cohorts.

Is Skool Worth It?

If you’ve been putting off launching a course, membership, community, or challenge because tech feels overwhelming, Skool might be the simplest way to get started.

You can set up your community, upload lessons, and accept payments in an hour.

While it doesn’t have many automations or integrations, Skool is great for those who want basic community, courses, and payments with little branding or customization required.

If you’re ready to bring your next big idea to life, Skool may be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

Get started with Skool with a 14-day free trial.

Skool Review: Simplest Way for Creators to Run Courses, Challenges, and Memberships