The Skool fundamentals — free to learn anytime.
The Skool Playbook
Free to learnNew to Skool? Start here. This page explains how Skool works in plain words. It is the same knowledge CommunityHQ uses to build your plan. Learning is free. The app does the building for you in the other tabs.
First: what is Skool?
Skool ↗ is a website where you can run your own community — a private group where people learn from you and talk to each other. Think of it like a mix of a group chat, an online class, and a calendar, all in one place. You can keep it free or charge a monthly fee to join.
Words to know
A few words show up a lot on Skool. Here is what they mean in plain English.
How the 9 levels work
Skool works a little like a video game. This keeps members active and coming back.
When a member likes one of your posts or comments, you earn 1 point. The more people like what you share, the more points you get.
Points move you up levels, from Level 1 (brand new) to Level 9 (the very top). Points and levels are per community — they reset to Level 1 in every new group you join.
As the owner, you can level-gate things — meaning you lock a lesson or the chat until a member reaches a certain level. This gives people a reason to take part.
- Level — the rank, from 1 (new) to 9 (top).
- Points needed — the total likes a member needs to reach that level.
- What it's good for — a smart way owners use each level. You choose these.
These exact point numbers come straight from Skool's own help page: How do points and levels work ↗.
How owners turn a community into income
Most owners who earn well use these 4 steps in order, like a ladder.
1. A free community
stepFree or very cheap ($1–$19/mo). Easy to join. This builds trust and brings people in.
Why it works: No price means lots of people join. Once they see you really help them, they trust you. Trust is what makes them buy later.
2. A paid challenge
stepA short paid program, usually $97–$297 one time. People pay to get a fast result.
Why it works: A small price weeds out tire-kickers and leaves serious people. A quick win proves you can help, so they want more.
3. A monthly membership
stepA paid group people pay for every month. The sweet spot is $29–$49/mo.
Why it works: People who got a result keep paying to stay in. This turns one-time buyers into steady money every month (your MRR).
4. High-ticket help
step1-on-1 or done-with-you help for $1,000s. Add this after about 200 active members.
Why it works: Your most serious members want faster, personal help and will pay a lot for it. A few clients here can equal hundreds of members.
Each step asks for a little more money and trust. Together they earn far more than a single paid group on its own.
Good numbers to aim for
These are healthy targets from top communities. Here's what each one means.
Out of every 10 people who join, how many are still active after 1 week. Aim for at least 3. If fewer, fix your welcome before getting more members.
The small group of members who show up almost every day. About 10 of them keeps your community busy.
1 prompt/question daily + weekly ritual
Live calls or meetups. Holding one every week is the #1 thing that keeps members.
Of the people who finish a paid challenge, how many then join your monthly group. 6–7 out of 10 is great.
What a $10,000-a-month community often looks like: around 180–320 members paying $29–$59 each.
What paid communities charge
This shows how often owners pick each price range. The bar shows how popular each one is.
The most common paid price is about $49 a month. New communities often start free or cheap to get their first members, then add paid plans later. See Skool's own pricing page ↗.
Offer more than one plan (tiers & freemium)
You don't have to pick just one price. Most growing communities offer a few choices so everyone finds a fit.
Freemium
plan typeKeep the community free to join, but lock the best parts — top courses, live calls, the chat — behind a paid plan inside the same group.
Why it works: Free members can see what they're missing. Some will pay to unlock it. People love to try before they buy.
Tiers (Basic → Pro → VIP)
plan typeOffer 2–3 paid levels. Each higher level adds more: more access, more help, more live time with you.
Why it works: Big spenders can pay for the top level, while others still have a cheaper option. You earn more without losing anyone.
Monthly vs Yearly
plan typeLet people pay monthly, or pay once for a whole year. A common deal: charge about 10 months' price for the year (2 months free).
Why it works: You get a big chunk of cash up front, and yearly members quit far less often. Less quitting = lower churn = more money over time.
Simple rule of thumb: start with oneplan (often free) so you don't confuse new members. Once your group is active, add a paid tier or a yearly option. Skool lets you run free and paid plans in the same community, so you can grow into this over time.
Simple rules the best owners follow
A few powerful ideas, in plain words.
Make an offer that's easy to say yes to
Promise a clear, dreamy result. Make it feel doable. Make it fast and low-effort. When you do all that, people say yes.
Pick a hungry crowd first
It's easier to help people who already want what you offer. Choose your group before you worry about being perfect.
Aim for 10 true fans
You don't need a huge group. About 10 members who show up every day keep your community alive and busy.
Get people active fast
New members should watch a little, talk a little, and join a call early. Doing things early makes them stay.
What are the Skool Games?
A friendly contest run by Skool. Here's the short version.
The Skool Games is a contest where owners try to grow their monthly income (MRR) over 90 days.
To keep it fair, only the first $100 per member each month counts toward your score. So having many happy members beats having a few who pay a lot.
Top owners in each topic win a trip to meet the Skool team and a one-day class with Alex Hormozi, a famous business teacher.
Want the official rules? Read the Skool Games FAQ ↗.
How to set up your community, step by step
This is the full setup list. Doing it by hand takes most people a full day. In the Setup Guide tab, AI writes each piece for you — so you can launch in under 3 hours.
Foundation
AI auto-fills- · Create community + join the launch
- · Write your About Page description
- · Add a Welcome video (Loom)
- · Upload Cover image from Canva (1400×790)
- · Upload Icon image from Canva (128×128)
- · Write & pin your Intro / Start Here post
- · Add course materials (Loom / YouTube / Vimeo)
Structure
AI auto-fills- · Set up Categories (keep it simple — less is more)
- · Add events to the Calendar (Coffee Hour if no full event yet)
- · Set permissions for events
- · Determine and set your Price / Free
- · Set up your Tiers
Proof & Plugins
AI auto-fills- · Add testimonials (screenshots + video)
- · Get existing customers to post & pin as testimonial
- · Turn on key Plugins
- · Add Membership Questions (email, phone, experience)
- · Set up a Pinned Post
Automation
AI auto-fills- · Auto-DM for new members (fun + link to Start Here)
- · Turn on Meta Pixel
- · Turn on Instant Approval
- · Customize Gamification (levels / points / leaderboard)
- · Invite your contact list
- · Unlock Chat at Level 2 (reduces spam)