Start with the membership model, not the feature list. A course-first membership needs structured lessons and progress, while a community-first membership needs active discussion, calls and notifications. If you also need email, funnels and a website in the same bill, an all-in-one platform such as Kajabi may fit better than a pure community tool.
Do the fee maths before you fall for a low monthly price. Compare the subscription, platform transaction fee, payment-processing fee, and any third-party provider fee at your expected monthly recurring revenue. A cheaper plan can cost more once the membership starts selling.
Check how courses and community share the same space. Skool keeps courses lightweight and close to the discussion, which is good for simple paid groups. Mighty Networks goes deeper on spaces, events, livestreaming and mobile engagement, but the plan structure needs careful checking before purchase.
Watch the limits that affect operations. Kajabi has product, contact and community limits by plan, starting at $89/mo in our data. Mighty Networks lists host, moderator and storage limits on its public plans. Skool lists unlimited members, courses, videos and live calls on its current plans, but fees vary by plan.
Treat free trials as testing time, not a launch plan. Kajabi trials run up to 14 days with some features restricted until activation. Mighty Networks offers a 14-day Growth trial and can move a lapsed trial to a limited Free Plan. Skool subscriptions recur after a 14-day free trial.
Pick for the next six months, then re-check before annual billing. Kajabi changed plans and pricing for existing customers in 2026, Skool’s public pricing now shows Hobby and Pro, and Mighty Networks has layered plan references across public pages and docs.
