Is Skool Worth It? An Honest and Detailed Skool Review 2024
This is my full review of skool.com
Have you ever stumbled upon an online course platform that promises to be the game-changer for course creators, coaches, and entrepreneurs?
That’s precisely the word on the digital streets about Skool. As someone who’s always on the lookout for innovative tools to enhance learning and community engagement, I dove into Skool’s world to give you an upfront Skool review.
Skool boasts an immersive blend of community building with a learning management system that redefines how we interact, learn, and teach online. Let’s get started on my honest review the Skool platform.
What is Skool?
Skool is a visionary educational ecosystem founded with the mission to streamline the online learning and community-building experience.
It’s is a blend of Facebook Groups’ social interaction with the structured learning of traditional Learning Management Systems. Which addresses the disjointed nature of platforms that course creators often grapple with.
Here’s what sets Skool apart:
Foundation and Philosophy: At its core, Skool is designed to be a central hub for course creators, educators, and learners.
It’s not just about the transfer of knowledge; it’s about fostering a thriving community where interaction and engagement are as integral as the courses themselves.
The platform was conceptualized to address the gaps in traditional learning management systems, which often overlook the community aspect vital for collaborative learning.
Skool Community: A vibrant community is the heartbeat of Skool. It’s where members can network, share insights, and support each other’s growth.
The Skool community platform is engineered to encourage meaningful conversations, making it a dynamic space for collective wisdom.
Course Creation and Management: Skool empowers creators with intuitive tools to craft and manage courses with ease.
This is where the platform shines, merging seamless content delivery with interactive elements to enhance the learning experience.
Event Scheduling and Engagement: Keeping the community engaged is crucial, and Skool’s event scheduling feature ensures that there’s always something to look forward to, be it a live Q&A, a webinar, or a group discussion.
Who is Skool for?
- Course Creators
- Educators
- Consultants
- Youtubers
- Coaches
- Business owners
Main Features of Skool
Community:
Members can ignite discussions through posts, react with likes, and offer insights via comments, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas. It also has a direct chat feature.
Gamification:
Skool introduces a layer of fun with its gamification system.
As members engage, they earn points, which are tied to various levels and rewards, incentivizing active participation and keeping the community lively and connected.
Classroom (Course delivery):
Creators can design and deliver their courses or training programs with a focus on ease and interactivity, ensuring that learners are not just absorbing information but are truly engaged with the material
Calendar Integration:
With the Calendar feature, scheduling online and offline events becomes a breeze.
It’s an essential tool for keeping the community engaged through webinars, live Q&As, and group discussions, ensuring that there’s always an event on the horizon that members can look forward to.
While the Skool platform does not currently offer native video hosting, it boasts seamless integration with a range of tools such as Zapier and Stripe, making it flexible and adaptable to various needs.
Support:
I’ve noticed that Skool is on the ball. With customer service accessible via email or through the public Skool community, the response time is typically just a few hours to address any queries or issues.
Pricing and Subscription Models
All-Inclusive Monthly Subscription: For $99 a month per group, you unlock the gates to Skool’s full suite of features.
This single-tier pricing grants you access to one group where you can unleash the potential of your community or tribe. From course creation to community engagement.
There’s a 14-day free trial to let you test the waters before you dive in headfirst.
Your monthly investment covers the following comprehensive range of tools:
- Community Creation & Management: Build and nurture your tribe with profiles, direct messaging, and chat.
- Gamification: Keep your community hooked with a leadership board that rewards engagement.
- Visual Calendar: Plan and schedule events with ease, ensuring your community stays vibrant and active.
- Course Creation: Craft and manage your educational content, delivering value to your learners
In the landscape of online community and course platforms, Skool’s pricing positions it in the higher mid-range.
Keep in mind that skool does have the lowest transaction fees.
When we draw comparisons with other players like Mighty Networks, Circle, and the now Kajabi-acquired Vibely, each comes with its own set of features and pricing plans.
What sets Skool apart is its commitment to community and education, not just as separate entities but as a cohesive, synergistic experience
As a course creator or community leader, this is where you’ll need to weigh the balance between cost and the unique value Skool brings to the table.
User Experience and Accessibility
Intuitive Navigation:
The layout is clean and uncluttered, ensuring that both novices and seasoned users can find their way around with ease.
This simplicity in design eliminates the learning curve often associated with new platforms.
A unified search function allows users to quickly locate courses, discussions, and community members, streamlining the user journey within the platform.
Mobile Responsiveness:
The Skool app extends the platform’s functionality to mobile devices, which is a boon for learners and creators on the move.
The app maintains the desktop version’s clarity and organization, so the transition between devices is seamless.
Accessibility is a cornerstone of the Skool experience, and the app ensures that the community and learning resources are just a tap away, regardless of location.
Community and Engagement Tools:
The platform’s community features are robust, with a gamification system that drives engagement by rewarding users with points and badges, making learning a more enjoyable and competitive experience.
Direct user messaging and chat notifications keep the conversations flowing, ensuring that members feel connected and valued within the community
It’s worth noting that the absence of native video hosting requires course creators to integrate external services
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Community-Centric Approach: Skool excels in creating a sense of belonging, merging the social aspects of platforms like Facebook Groups with the structured environment of an LMS. This unique blend facilitates a thriving learning community
- Engagement Through Gamification: The platform’s gamification features are a masterstroke, offering customizable points, levels, and rewards that not only make learning fun but also promote consistent engagement
- All-In-One Accessibility: With Skool, everything you need is in one place. From student communities to course content, the platform simplifies access and engagement, ensuring a cohesive experience for both creators and learners
Cons:
- Video Hosting: One notable absence is native video hosting. Course creators must integrate third-party services for their video content, which can be a bit of a hassle
- Sales Funnel Builder: For those looking to build sales funnels directly within their course platform, Skool doesn’t offer this feature, which could be a deal-breaker for some
Skool’s robust course creation tools, effective community engagement features, and its community-centered approach make it an attractive choice for course creators, educators, and learners.
Final Verdict
Skools platform emerges as a significant player in the realm of online education, with its dual focus on knowledge delivery and community building setting it apart in a burgeoning digital landscape. It caters well to educators and learners seeking more than just content transmission, aiming instead to foster a lively and interactive learning environment.
Skool’s commitment to user experience and community building is reflected in its ratings, with high marks for features and user experience.
Administrators who invest in creating a welcoming intro video for their Skool can expect to see positive engagement from users, underscoring the platform’s focus on a personalized and humanized approach to online learning
Despite not supporting video hosting, Skool offers a Zapier integration to connect membership data with third-party apps and partners.
FAQs
What features does Skool offer for community and course management?
Skool combines a suite of features including community, classroom, calendar, members, leaderboards, and an about section to provide an all-encompassing online platform for learning and engagement. Creators can benefit from Skool’s comprehensive approach to manage their courses and foster a strong community.
How does Skool enhance the membership experience for group owners and users?
Group owners can gather more information about potential members through the membership questions feature, allowing for a more curated and informed community experience. These questions are customizable and can be managed in the group settings.
Skool also simplifies the membership removal process, with automated removal if the built-in payments system is used. While an affiliate system isn’t available yet, it’s on the horizon for future development, signaling Skool’s commitment to continuous improvement
What is Skool’s pricing structure and how does it compare in value?
Skool’s pricing is transparent at $99/mo per group, which includes a 14-day trial period. This fee covers a wide array of features such as course creation, community creation, a native payment system, and more, making it a strong contender in the market