Skool vs Kajabi – Choosing the Right Platform for Your Online Business

With so many online course platforms available, choosing one that aligns well with your goals as a course creator is crucial. Today, we’ll look at Skool and Kajabi — two prominent options that offer powerful tools yet cater to different aspects of online learning.

In this guide, we’ll compare the key features, pricing, user experience, and more to help you decide which platform suits your vision. 

Skool vs Kajabi – Platform Overview

Skool

Skool was built with community in mind. It’s a gamified community platform that lets you build interactive course modules with discussion boards, leaderboards, and a level system to encourage participation. 

Skool founder Sam Ovens, later joined by entrepreneur Alex Hormozi, set out to create a collaborative space, almost like a more advanced version of Facebook groups but designed for learning communities.

The idea behind Skool is to help course creators foster genuine interaction and engagement among members, something Ovens felt was missing from most online course platforms.

When I first explored Skool, I admit the layout seemed a bit unusual. The homepage is filled with images of popular communities, which can feel slightly confusing if you’re new to the platform. But once you understand its purpose, Skool stands out for its simplicity.

Kajabi

Kajabi, in contrast, takes a comprehensive, all-in-one approach. This platform does far more than just host courses; it provides you with tools to market, sell, and grow your online business.

Known for its professional feel and rich feature set, Kajabi has built a reputation as a go-to for creators who want to manage everything from course creation to email marketing under one roof.

It’s ideal for users looking for a solution that can cover all aspects of their business, from website hosting to integrated sales funnels.

What I really like about Kajabi is how polished everything feels right from the start. The website is organized, so you know what you’re getting: tools for building courses, creating websites, email campaigns, analytics, and more.

For those interested in offering a premium experience, Kajabi has helped many creators earn substantial income, with users generating over $6 billion in revenue.

So, if you’re seeking a platform that will give you the power to scale, Kajabi might be just what you need.

Skool vs Kajabi – Course Creation and Management

A strong course creation system is essential to any online learning platform, and both Skool and Kajabi offer unique features.

Skool

Skool’s approach to course creation is straightforward, which can be a plus if you’re looking for a clean, simple interface. The platform allows creators to build course modules with basic features like text, audio and video content, and discussion boards.

However, Skool’s tools remain limited compared to Kajabi. One aspect that stood out to me was the need for an external video hosting service, like Vimeo, since Skool doesn’t support video hosting directly. You’d need to create a third-party app and copy the URL to Skool to make it work. This adds an extra step to the setup process and may incur additional costs.

Skool also somewhat limits customization. While the layout is appealing and easy to navigate, there are few options to adjust the appearance of your courses. 

Kajabi

When it comes to course creation, Kajabi excels. Kajabi’s course builder is robust and flexible, with drag-and-drop functionality and various customizable templates to create online courses that fit different content styles. It partners with Wistia, allowing you to upload videos directly to your course platform.

Kajabi also supports multimedia formats, including audio, video, and interactive assessments, which help you create courses with a richer learning experience. 

Additionally, the platform provides customizable course “blueprints” that give you a structured framework to design your courses, saving time and adding polish. Overall, Kajabi’s course builder stands out among those who want the freedom to create engaging and content-rich courses.

Summary 

Kajabi’s course builder is ideal for creating a comprehensive and customizable course. Skool, however, provides a simpler setup, which could be a good choice if you prefer a no-frills approach to course creation.

Skool vs Kajabi – Community and Engagement Tools

Skool

Skool’s community tools are its bread and butter. The platform is designed to facilitate interactive discussions, support user engagement, and provide a gamified experience.

The community space in Skool functions almost like a private social network where members can post updates, celebrate wins, ask questions, and share content.

Members can interact through comments, attach media, and use polls, making the community centered programs the platform engaging for both creators and students.

One of the aspects I personally appreciate about Skool is its gamification system. With Skool’s level-based system, members gain access to new features or bonuses as they reach certain engagement levels.

For example, community members might need to reach Level 2 before they can message others or unlock special content after achieving Level 5. This type of engagement can be useful for encouraging participation, building loyalty, and making learning a more interactive experience.

Kajabi

While Kajabi does offer community features, they are not as central to the platform as they are on Skool. Kajabi’s community section functions more as an add-on to its course creation and marketing tools.

That said, Kajabi’s community tools have improved over time and are now much more on par with other community platforms. What I appreciate most about Kajabi’s community feature is its simplicity — it’s easy to set up, minimalistic, and has a premium feel to it.

Kajabi also allows you to offer different pricing tiers for community access, whether it’s free, subscription-based, or a one-time fee, giving you flexibility in monetizing your community.

While the gamification tools are limited compared to Skool, Kajabi still supports basic community engagement tools with features like commenting, discussions, and a simple leaderboard to recognize active members.

Summary

In terms of community-building features, Skool has a clear edge with its engagement-focused design and gamification elements.

Skool vs Kajabi – Sales and Marketing Tools

Skool

Skool’s focus remains on community and engagement rather than extensive marketing capabilities. It offers a solid foundation for hosting and interacting with your students but lacks built-in tools like automated email campaigns, landing pages, and funnels.

While you can connect Skool to external marketing platforms through APIs or webhooks, this setup can be technically challenging for those unfamiliar with these systems. Skool works best for creators who prefer using dedicated external marketing solutions or already have an established following.

Kajabi

On top of being an online course platform, Kajabi integrates a full suite of marketing and sales tools to support course creators in promoting and selling their products. Here’s a summary of some of Kajabi’s most popular tools:

• Sales Funnels: Pre-built funnels guide potential students from awareness to purchase, simplifying the sales journey.
• Email Campaigns: Automated sequences keep your audience engaged with updates, course launches, and follow-ups.
• Landing Pages: High-converting page templates for capturing leads, showcasing courses, and facilitating registrations.
• Website Builder: Fully customizable websites that can function as a professional hub for your brand and courses.

What interests me most is Kajabi’s Creator Studio. It enables creators to quickly turn videos into various types of marketing content. This built-in efficiency makes it easier to maintain a consistent online presence across multiple platforms with minimal effort.

Summary

Kajabi provides a wider range of marketing options that allow creators to manage outreach and promotion in one place. Skool, while effective as a community tool, is less equipped for extensive marketing needs.

Skool vs Kajabi – Customization and Branding

Skool

Skool keeps customization options to a minimum, maintaining a simple and uniform appearance across its platform. This setup is ideal for those who want a straightforward layout without extensive styling options. 

While you can update basic details like community names and group profiles, Skool lacks advanced branding settings, making it less suitable for creators who want their course space to closely match their brand aesthetics.

Kajabi

Kajabi, by contrast, offers more flexibility in personalizing the look and feel of your course and site. While full custom coding isn’t available, Kajabi’s branding tools provide enough options to create a professional-looking platform that reflects your identity. Key customization options include:

• Site Branding Settings: Update logos, color schemes, favicons, and instructor profiles for a cohesive brand experience.
• Color Customization: Apply your brand’s color palette across courses and pages to reinforce brand identity.
• Template Selection: Use customizable templates for course pages, landing pages, and websites, giving you control over the appearance of each component.

Summary

For creators who value a customized, brand-aligned experience, Kajabi stands out with its more flexible and customizable design settings. Skool, with its simple layout, is a good fit for those who prefer a uniform, straightforward look without the need for significant branding adjustments.

Skool vs Kajabi – Pricing Comparison

Skool’s Pricing Structure

Skool’s pricing is simple, with a single monthly rate of $99. Here’s what’s included in that plan:

• Access to one group or community
• All core features
• Unlimited courses within the community
• Unlimited members
• A 2.9% transaction fee on payments

This straightforward plan is beneficial for creators who want a no-fuss approach to costs. However, the transaction fee and lack of tiered pricing may be a downside for those looking to scale or manage multiple groups. Skool’s single-tier structure works well if you plan to run a single community, but it may feel restrictive for larger-scale operations.

Kajabi’s Pricing Plans

Kajabi offers a range of plans to fit different needs, with more flexibility for creators at various stages of business growth. Here’s a quick overview:

• Kickstarter – $34/month (then $69/month): Ideal for getting started, with 50 landing pages, 1,250 marketing emails, one product, one funnel, and Kajabi AI features. Great for testing the waters with limited costs.
• Basic – $74/month (then $149/month): Suitable for a growing business, offering unlimited landing pages and emails, three products, three funnels, and support for up to 10,000 contacts.
• Growth – $99/month (then $199/month): Designed for creators ready to expand their offerings, with unlimited landing pages and emails, 15 products, 15 funnels, and support for up to 25,000 contacts.
• Pro – $199/month (then $399/month): Best for larger businesses, including 100 products, 100 funnels, up to 100,000 contacts, advanced automations, affiliate programs, and 24/7 support.

Kajabi’s multi-tiered approach provides more flexibility for creators to scale as their business grows. While it’s more costly than Skool’s single plan, Kajabi’s tools for email marketing, sales funnels, and website building add significant value, especially for creators who want everything under one roof.

Cost Comparison

Skool’s flat-rate pricing may be appealing as a budget-friendly option. However, for those needing more tools and scalability, Kajabi’s tiered plans offer greater depth at a higher price point.

Skool vs Kajabi – User Experience

Skool’s User Experience

Skool’s interface is simple and intuitive, focusing on community interaction. Its clean, minimalistic layout makes navigation easy for both creators and users. Because Skool emphasizes community and engagement, it doesn’t overwhelm users with extra features, keeping the experience straightforward.

Members can join discussions, earn levels through participation, and engage with multimedia content shared within the group.

For creators who want an accessible, community-centered platform with minimal setup, Skool delivers an easy-to-navigate and effective solution.

Kajabi’s User Experience

Kajabi’s interface is polished and professional, with a comprehensive dashboard that lets you manage courses, marketing, and community tools in one place.

However, Kajabi has a steeper learning curve than Skool because it offers more advanced features. It may take some time for new users to understand how to fully leverage all the available tools.

Once you’re familiar with it, Kajabi’s design feels premium and efficient, giving you extensive control over everything from course structure to marketing campaigns.

The interface is thoughtfully organized, simple and intuitive interface Kajabi’s support resources, such as Kajabi University and webinars, make it easier for creators to get comfortable with the platform. Overall, Kajabi provides a more feature-rich experience, which is ideal for creators looking for a complete business solution.

UX Summary

Skool offers a straightforward, community-centric interface that keeps things simple and effective. Kajabi’s setup, while more complex, is rewarding for creators who need a wide range of tools in a single platform.

Quality support and resources are invaluable, especially when navigating new platforms and digital products. Here’s how Skool and Kajabi stack up in terms of customer assistance.

Skool vs Kajabi – Customer Support

Skool Support

Skool offers several different support resources for its users, including documentation, community resources support forums, and a form for reaching out to the support team. While support is available 24/7, the only way to contact Skool’s team directly is by filling out a form on their website. Skool provides helpful how-to guides to assist creators with setup and basic usage.

Additionally, Skool hosts its community where users can ask questions, share best practices, and connect with other creators. This approach aligns well with Skool’s community-first philosophy, allowing creators to discuss issues and gather insights from others actively using the platform.

Kajabi Support

Kajabi provides a wider range of support options, catering to users at different experience levels.

With Kajabi, support varies by plan. Live chat is available for Basic plan users during business hours, and 24/7 live chat is available for Growth and Pro plan members.

Kajabi also offers a rich selection of resources, including:

• Kajabi University: Courses aimed at helping creators succeed on the platform, covering topics like course creation, marketing, and automation.
• Webinars and Live Training: Daily webinars and Q&A sessions provide creators with interactive learning opportunities and practical tips.
• Community Forum: A dedicated space where creators can connect, ask questions, and exchange ideas with other Kajabi users.

Support Comparison

Kajabi offers a broader range of support options, with more direct contact channels and an extensive library of resources. Skool’s support is functional but more limited, aligning with its straightforward, community-driven focus.

Skool vs Kajabi – The Good and the Bad

To summarize, here’s a quick overview of the main advantages and limitations of Skool and Kajabi.

Skool Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Offers a 14-day free trial
• Community-focused with tools designed for engagement and interaction
• Simple interface that’s easy to navigate
• Gamified features, like levels and leaderboards, enhance member participation

Cons:

• Limited marketing tools and customization options
• Requires external integrations for email marketing and sales funnels
• Transaction fees on member payments

Kajabi Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Provides a free trial and a discount for annual subscription
• Affordable starting plan 
• All-in-one platform with built-in tools for courses, marketing, and sales
• Customizable branding options to reflect your business’s identity
• Strong support resources, including live chat, webinars, and Kajabi University

Cons:

• Higher cost as you scale up
• A steeper learning curve due to the wide range of features

Final Thoughts: Which Platform Should You Choose? 

Deciding between Skool and Kajabi ultimately comes down to your priorities as a course creator: 

• Skool offers a simple, community-centered platform ideal for fostering interaction and engagement, while Kajabi provides a comprehensive suite of tools designed to support course delivery and business growth. 
• Skool is perfect for those who see community as their core focus, while Kajabi works best for creators seeking an all-inclusive, professional solution.

Before making a final choice, consider your goals, the level of customization you need, and whether community engagement or business scalability is your top priority. 

Both Skool and Kajabi offer free trials, which can be a helpful way to explore each platform firsthand. Taking the time to test them will provide deeper insight into which platform aligns best with your vision.