Skool vs Udemy
Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.
Platform fee
$9/mo + 10% or $99/mo · Hobby: 10% transaction. Pro: ~0%
up to 63% · platform share on organic; 85% on subs
Payout speed
weekly
monthly
Minimum payout
Stripe default
$25
Countries
Stripe-supported countries
Global via PayPal, Payoneer, Tipalti
Email list export
Full access
None (no list ownership)
Custom domain
Yes (subdomain)
No
Community features
Forum feed, events, gamified levels
Per-course Q&A only
Best for
Coaches, course creators, and exclusive community builders
Instructors who want reach and discovery over margin and list ownership
Skool vs Udemy: which one wins?
Skool charges $9/mo + 10% or $99/mo (Hobby: 10% transaction. Pro: ~0%) versus Udemy at up to 63% (platform share on organic; 85% on subs).
On payout speed, Skool pays weekly while Udemy pays monthly. For creators where cashflow matters, the faster cadence usually wins.
For audience ownership, Skool offers full access email export and Udemy offers none (no list ownership). Email portability matters most for creators planning to migrate later or build a list independent of any single platform.
Best for: Skool suits coaches, course creators, and exclusive community builders. Udemy fits instructors who want reach and discovery over margin and list ownership.