Skool vs Kajabi, and a third option.
Skool is a community platform with courses inside each group. Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for courses, coaching, communities and newsletters. Here they are on price, fees and features, with Sherpo next to them.
- Skool and Kajabi, side by side
- A year of platform cost
- Sherpo as a third option
- 0% of your sales on Sherpo
- Skool Hobby$2,238 a year
- Kajabi Basic$2,148 a year
- Sherpo Pro$588 a year
Only the part of Skool’s fee above a standard 2.9% + $0.30 card rate is counted. Paid through another processor, Kajabi Basic’s 2% fee adds $600, for $2,748 a year.
Skool Hobby is $9 a month and charges 10% + $0.30 a sale, card processing included. Kajabi Basic is $179 a month and takes 0% with Kajabi Payments, 2% through another processor. For a business earning $2,500 a month in $50 orders, Skool Hobby costs $2,238 a year and Kajabi Basic costs $2,148. Sherpo is a flat $19 or $49 a month and takes 0% of sales.
- Skool Hobby
- $9 a month, 10% + $0.30 a sale, card processing included
- Kajabi Basic
- $179 a month, 0% with Kajabi Payments, 2% through another processor
- Sherpo
- From $19 a month, 0% of sales
- At $2,500 a month
- $2,238 and $2,148 a year
Skool, Kajabi and Sherpo, side by side.
Each platform’s entry plan. Features that need a higher plan or another tool are marked.
| Feature | Skool | Kajabi | Sherpo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $9 a month | $179 a month | Lite $19 · Pro $49 |
| Fees on your sales | 10% + $0.30 a sale, card processing included | 0% with Kajabi Payments, 2% through another processor | 0% of your sales |
| Your brand | |||
| Your own domain | Not offered | Included | IncludedPro |
| Site builder | LimitedOne About page | Included | Included |
| Export your customer list | Included | Included | Included |
| What you can sell | |||
| Online courses | Included | Included | Included |
| Quizzes | Not offered | Included | IncludedPro |
| Certificates | Not offered | Included | IncludedPro |
| Blog with a paywall | Not offered | Included | Included |
| Files and downloads | LimitedAs course resources | Included | Included |
| Downloads tied to the buyer | Not offered | Not offered | IncludedPDF and XLSX |
| License keys | Not offered | Not offered | Included |
| Live portfolio | Not offered | Not offered | Included |
| Coaching and booking | Not offered | Included | IncludedWith Cal.com |
| Tips | Not offered | IncludedPay what you want | Included |
| Buyers’ AI access to every product (MCP) | Not offered | Not offered | Included |
| How you sell | |||
| Membership tiers | Included | Included | Included |
| Bundles | LimitedThrough tiers | Included | Included |
| Affiliates with commission | LimitedOn Skool Pro, group members only | LimitedOn Kajabi Growth and Pro | Included |
| Built in | |||
| Video hosting | Included | Included | IncludedNo bandwidth fees |
| AI subtitles | IncludedEnglish captions | LimitedOn Kajabi Growth and Pro | IncludedOn Sherpo Pro |
| For developers and AI | |||
| API for your own front-end | Not offered | LimitedKajabi Pro only, no checkouts | IncludedYour own codebase, on Pro |
| Webhooks | LimitedThrough Zapier, on Skool Pro | LimitedOn Kajabi Growth and Pro | IncludedEvery plan |
| Run your store from your AI | Not offered | Included | IncludedEvery plan |
| Included | 5 of 22plus 5 with a limit | 14 of 22plus 4 with a limit | 22 of 22 |
- Included
- Included with a limit, or through another tool
- Not offered
A year on Skool, on Kajabi, and on Sherpo.
For a business earning $2,500 a month in $50 orders, Skool Hobby costs $2,238 a year and Kajabi Basic costs $2,148. Sherpo Pro costs $588 and Sherpo Lite $228.
The Skool figure is $9 a month for Skool Hobby, plus the part of its 10% fee above a standard 2.9% + $0.30 card rate, since Skool’s fee includes card processing. The Kajabi figure is $179 a month for Kajabi Basic, with sales through Kajabi Payments. On Kajabi and Sherpo, card processing is charged separately by the payment provider. Sherpo prices here are billed monthly. Competitor prices are from each platform’s own pages and published price trackers, checked in October 2026.
Put in your own numbers| Skool Hobby | Kajabi Basic | Sherpo Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price a month | $9 | $179 | $49 |
| Transaction fee | 7.1% | 0% | 0% |
| Plan price a year | $108 | $2,148 | $588 |
| Fees on $30,000 of sales | $2,130 | $0 | $0 |
| Total a year | $2,238 | $2,148 | $588 |
| Difference | Sherpo Pro costs $1,560 less | ||
What each is known for, and where Sherpo fits.
Skool is known for its community tools: a discussion feed, a calendar, live calls and gamification in one group. Kajabi is known for its marketing tools: funnels, landing pages and email on every plan, and a branded mobile app on the higher plans. Sherpo is the option for selling under your own brand, at a flat price.
One flat price
Sherpo is $19 or $49 a month and takes 0% of your sales, whatever you sell.
Your brand, your domain
On Pro your site runs on your own domain, with no Sherpo branding.
Every format in one account
Courses, paid blogs, files, live portfolios and memberships, with one login and one customer list.
Switching from Skool or Kajabi?
Contact us and tell us what you are moving. Our team handles the move with you, content and customers included.
Skool vs Kajabi: common questions.
Still curious? Talk to us
What is the difference between Skool and Kajabi?
Skool is a community platform with courses inside each group, known for its community tools: a discussion feed, a calendar, live calls and gamification in one group. Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for courses, coaching, communities and newsletters, known for its marketing tools: funnels, landing pages and email on every plan, and a branded mobile app on the higher plans.
Which is cheaper, Skool or Kajabi?
With Kajabi Payments, at $2,500 a month, Kajabi Basic is the cheaper of the two. For a business earning $2,500 a month in $50 orders, Skool Hobby costs $2,238 a year and Kajabi Basic costs $2,148. Sherpo costs less than both: $588 a year on Pro and $228 on Lite. Only the part of Skool’s fee above a standard 2.9% + $0.30 card rate is counted. If you pay through another processor, Kajabi Basic’s 2% fee adds $600, bringing it to $2,748 a year.
Does Skool take a cut of sales?
Skool Hobby charges 10% + $0.30 a sale, which includes card processing. Sherpo takes 0% on every plan.
Does Kajabi take a cut of sales?
On Kajabi Basic with Kajabi Payments, no. Where Kajabi Payments is offered, using another processor adds a Kajabi fee: 2% of every sale on Basic, 1% on Growth and 0.5% on Pro. That fee comes on top of the processor’s own card fees. Sherpo takes 0% on every plan.
Can I use my own domain on Skool, Kajabi and Sherpo?
On Sherpo Pro, your site runs on your own domain, with no Sherpo branding. Kajabi also supports custom domains. Skool does not support custom domains.
Can AI run my store on Skool, Kajabi or Sherpo?
On Sherpo, yes: the Merchant MCP is on every plan, so Claude and other assistants can create products, prices and coupons in your account. Kajabi also has an MCP server. Skool does not have an official MCP server.
Is there an alternative to Skool and Kajabi?
Yes, Sherpo. It charges a flat $19 or $49 a month and takes 0% of sales. It sells courses, paid blogs, files, live portfolios and memberships from one account. On Pro, it runs under your own brand and domain.
What does Sherpo offer that Skool and Kajabi do not?
Neither Skool nor Kajabi offers downloads tied to the buyer, license keys, live portfolios or buyers’ AI access to every product through MCP. Sherpo includes them.
Can I switch from Skool or Kajabi to Sherpo?
Yes. Contact us and tell us what you are moving. Our team handles the move with you, content and customers included.
Can I try Sherpo before I leave Skool or Kajabi?
Yes. Lite and Pro start with a 14-day free trial, and your Sherpo site can stay offline until you launch. You can set everything up while your current account keeps running.
See what you would keep.
Start your free trial, or put your own numbers into the fee calculator.
- 14-day free trial
- Sherpo takes 0% of your sales
- Help moving over