Best community platforms in 2026
Circle is the best community platform for most creators building a paid community they want to own. It includes courses, events, a custom domain, member exports, and your own Stripe account for $99 a month plus a 2% fee. Skool is cheaper to run, and Discord is the easiest start if your fans already chat there.
We compared the four on published pricing, transaction fees, payout terms, and how easily you can take your members with you. Every figure below comes from each platform's own pricing page, terms, or help center as of October 2026.
Our ranking
Circle
Best overall
Your own Stripe account, a custom domain, and member exports on every plan, with courses and events built in. It costs $99 a month plus 2% and Stripe's fees.
Mighty Networks
Best for live events and courses
Close to Circle on fees and ownership, $4 a month cheaper on monthly billing, with unlimited spaces and livestreaming from the Launch plan.
Skool
Best for low fees and discovery
Pro's 2.9% + $0.30 fee includes card processing, and Discovery can send you members for a 30% commission. You give up your own domain and Stripe account.
Discord
Best if your fans already use Discord
Free to turn on for US creators, but about 15.4% of each desktop sale goes to fees and payouts come once a month.
What you keep on $1,000 a month
Community platforms paid in $30 payments by US cards, on whichever plan leaves you the most. Fees checked October 20, 2026.
| Platform and plan | Share kept versus fees | You keep | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| SkoolHobby | $881 | −$119 | |
| Mighty NetworksExplore | $876 | −$124 | |
| DiscordServer Subscriptions | $846 | −$154 | |
| CircleProfessional | $835 | −$165 |
Community platforms side by side
| Platform | Best for | Keep at $1,000 | Keep at $10,000 | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circle | Creators and small businesses who want community, courses, and events on their own domain, with member data they can export. | $835 | $9,241 | 7.8 |
| Mighty Networks | Creators who run live events and courses alongside a community and want member data and a custom domain from the first paid plan. | $876 | $9,315 | 7.7 |
| Skool | Coaches and educators who want a simple paid community with courses and will trade some ownership for low fees and a chance at discovery. | $881 | $9,511 | 7.5 |
| Discord | US-based creators with an active Discord server who want to charge for private channels without moving members to a new app. | $846 | $8,460 | 5.3 |
How to choose a community platform
Start with where your members already are and how much you expect to earn in the first year. Those two facts settle most of this choice.
- Already on Discord and based in the US? Turn on Server Subscriptions first. Move later if you need courses or member emails.
- Earning under about $1,200 a month? Skool's Hobby plan at $9 plus 10% + $0.30 costs less than any other paid plan here.
- Earning more and want to own the business? Pick Circle or Mighty Networks. Both use your own Stripe account and domain.
- Want the platform to find members for you? Skool's Discovery feed and Growth Boost are the only built-in promotion in this group with published commission terms.
Discovery or ownership: which matters more?
Ownership matters more if you plan to run your community for years. Circle and Mighty Networks connect to your own Stripe account, include a custom domain, and let you export member emails. If you leave, your customer records stay with you.
Skool and Discord keep the relationship on their side. Skool is merchant of record and pays you through a Stripe Express account it creates, and Discord documents no subscriber export at all. In exchange, Skool can promote you in Discovery, and Discord puts you where your members already chat.
Our view: with no audience, Skool's discovery is a fair trade for your first year. Once you have a few hundred paying members, the 30% Growth Boost commission and the missing exports start to cost more than they bring in.
How much do community platforms take?
Fees come in two layers: the platform's cut and card processing. Skool is the only one that quotes both as a single number.
- Skool: 10% + $0.30 on Hobby and 2.9% + $0.30 on Pro, with processing included.
- Circle: 2% on Professional and 1% on Business, plus Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 and 0.7% for Stripe Billing on subscriptions.
- Mighty Networks: 2% on Launch, 1% on Scale, and 0.5% on Growth, plus Stripe's fees.
- Discord: a 6% processing fee plus 10% of the rest, about 15.4% in total, with no monthly plan.
Which platform keeps the most of your revenue?
Skool, at almost every revenue level. Hobby wins below about $1,270 a month, and Pro wins above it, because neither adds Stripe's fees on top.
Discord only comes out ahead at very low revenue, since it has no monthly fee. Circle and Mighty Networks cost more at nearly every level, and that premium buys you ownership. The fee table shows take-home pay at each revenue level.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest community platform?
Skool. Hobby at $9 a month plus 10% + $0.30 is cheapest for most small paid communities, and Pro at 2.9% + $0.30 is cheapest above about $1,270 a month. Discord has no monthly cost but takes about 15.4% of desktop sales.
Which community platform lets me own my members?
Circle and Mighty Networks. Both use your own Stripe account, include a custom domain, and let you export member emails. On Mighty Networks, exports with emails start on the Launch plan.
Is Skool better than Circle?
Skool is cheaper and simpler. Circle is better for ownership and features. See Circle vs Skool for the full comparison.
Can I run a paid community on Discord?
Yes, if you are a US-based server owner aged 18 or older. Server Subscriptions let you sell up to three paid tiers that open private channels and roles. Discord takes about 15.4% of desktop sales and pays monthly.
Do community platforms charge transaction fees?
All four do. The lowest platform cut is 0.5% on Mighty Networks Growth, at $425 a month, and on custom-priced Circle Plus. Stripe's fees come on top of both.