A Skool alternative with courses, payments and no cut of every sale
Skool made community simple and viral. But for creators who need structured courses, Stripe payments and automations, MemberArea is the more complete platform.
Quick summary
MemberArea vs. Skool
Skool built a strong community product around gamification and simple pricing ($99/month Pro plus 2.9 % + $0.30 on every sale, or $9/month Hobby with 10 % + $0.30), but it does not include structured courses with drip content, email marketing or automations. MemberArea covers all of those use cases, and its flat pricing scales better for communities with larger paying member bases.
Structured courses
MemberArea ships a full course builder with modules, drip content, quizzes and completion certificates.
Native payments and checkout
Skool takes 2.9 % + $0.30 of every sale on Pro and 10 % + $0.30 on Hobby. MemberArea has Stripe checkout, subscriptions and coupons built in with 0 % platform fee.
Email and automations
MemberArea ships broadcast emails, sequences and automation triggers. Skool has no native email marketing system.
Switching from Skool? The migration is included.
Send your export and your courses, members and orders are set up for you in MemberArea, at no extra cost. Most creators are live within a day.
Feature comparison
Side by side
The features that matter most for running a membership business.
| Feature | MemberArea | Skool |
|---|---|---|
| Community spaces | Yes | Yes |
| Gamification and leaderboards | Yes | Yes |
| Structured courses | Yes | Basic |
| Drip content | Yes | No |
| Native Stripe payments | Yes | Limited |
| Email marketing | Yes | No |
| Automations | Yes | No |
| Affiliate program | Yes | Pro plan only |
| Custom domain | Yes | Pro plan only |
| White-label branding | Yes | No |
| Webhooks and REST API | Yes | No |
| Hubs and portals | Yes | No |
| EU hosting and GDPR-ready | Yes | No |
| Migration service included | Yes | No |
Pricing
What you pay
Skool Pro is $99/month plus 2.9 % + $0.30 of every sale. That is fine for pure community, but if you also need courses, email and payments, MemberArea is the better value.
MemberArea
From €89 per month
Professional plan, billed annually
Community, courses, email, payments
- Full course builder included
- Stripe checkout native
- Email marketing and automations
- 0 % platform transaction fee
Skool
From $7.50 per month
Billed annually; $9 month-to-month
Hobby: no custom URL, no affiliates; Pro is $99/month
- Only basic course features
- 10 % + $0.30 (Hobby) or 2.9 % + $0.30 (Pro) on every sale
- No email marketing
- No automations or webhooks
Prices checked on Sep 6, 2026, source: Skool pricing page. Net prices unless stated otherwise. Competitor pricing and features reflect publicly listed plans and may have changed. Check the provider for current details.
Guides
In-depth comparisons
Long-form guides with checked prices, use cases and a clear recommendation.
FAQ
Common questions
Is MemberArea's community as engaging as Skool?
MemberArea includes leaderboards, gamification points, polls, reactions and discussion feeds, the core engagement features Skool is known for.
Can I run paid memberships on MemberArea like Skool?
Yes. MemberArea handles subscription billing, one-time payments and free tiers natively via Stripe.
Can I migrate my Skool community to MemberArea?
Yes. Export your member list and content from Skool and send it over: the migration service is included on every plan, so your community and courses are set up for you at no extra cost.
Ready to make the switch?
Import your content from Skool and go live quickly. Free to start, no credit card required.
Migration included. No per-member fees. Cancel anytime.