5 Best Free Skool Alternatives in 2025

Skool has become a popular choice for creators who want to combine community, courses, and memberships in one place. Its focus on gamified engagement and simplicity makes it appealing, but there’s one major downside: Skool doesn’t offer a free plan.

If you’re just starting out or want to test your ideas without committing to a monthly subscription, that can be a dealbreaker. The good news? There are some excellent platforms that give you a free way to launch your courses, memberships, or digital products.

Here are the best free Skool alternatives in 2025.

1. Teachable

Best for: Creators who want a polished course platform
Pricing: Free plan available
Platform Fees: $1 + 10% per transaction on the free plan (plus payment processor fees)

Teachable is one of the best-known names in online course creation, and it’s a solid free alternative to Skool if your focus is teaching. With the free plan, you can publish one course and enroll unlimited students. That’s perfect for testing your course idea before investing in a paid plan.

The trade-off comes with fees: Teachable charges $1 + 10% on each sale under the free plan. While that’s higher than some competitors, you get a professional course builder, reliable video hosting, and a smooth checkout experience.

Pros:

• Polished and user-friendly course builder
• Unlimited students on the free plan
• Video hosting included
• Can sell coaching and digital downloads in addition to courses
• Built-in tax handling for international sales

Cons:

• High transaction fees on the free plan
• Limited to one course until you upgrade
• Fewer customization options compared to WordPress setups

If you want to deliver a professional learning experience without upfront costs, Teachable is a great Skool alternative to consider.

2. Systeme.io

Best for: All-in-one solution for courses and marketing
Pricing: Free plan available
Platform Fees: None (only standard processor fees)

Systeme.io goes far beyond just course hosting, it’s an all-in-one platform with funnels, email marketing, automation, and even blogging features included. This makes it one of the strongest free Skool alternatives for creators who want to do more than just run a course.

On the free plan, you can create one course, build up to three funnels, and manage up to 2,000 contacts. That’s plenty to launch, grow your email list, and start selling, all without paying monthly fees.

Pros:

• Combines courses, funnels, emails, and automations
• Generous free plan
• No platform transaction fees
• Beginner-friendly interface
• Scales smoothly as your business grows

Cons:

• Limited design flexibility
• Free plan restricts number of courses and funnels
• Course player design is less polished than Skool’s

If you want to handle everything, marketing, sales, and teaching, from one dashboard, Systeme.io is a top pick.

3. TalentLMS

Best for: Businesses and trainers who need a professional LMS
Pricing: Free plan available (up to 5 users and 10 courses)
Platform Fees: None (only processor fees if selling paid courses)

TalentLMS is designed for structured training and feels more like a traditional learning management system (LMS). The free plan allows up to 10 courses and 5 users, which is ideal for testing or running small training programs.

Unlike Skool, which emphasizes community engagement, TalentLMS is focused on delivering structured learning with features like quizzes, certificates, and even gamification.

Pros:

• Free plan includes 10 courses
• Supports quizzes, certificates, and assessments
• Clean, professional interface
• Scales well for corporate or team training
• Gamification features boost engagement
  
  

Cons:

• Not as community-friendly as Skool
• Less flexibility for selling at scale

If your priority is structured training for a small group, TalentLMS is one of the most reliable free options.

4. Payhip

Best for: Selling digital products and courses with no upfront cost
Pricing: Free plan available
Platform Fees: 5% per transaction on the free plan (plus processor fees)

Payhip is a flexible platform that allows you to sell courses, memberships, and digital downloads all from one storefront. The free plan includes unlimited products and revenue potential, making it an attractive choice if you want to experiment without limits.

Unlike Skool, which is built around community features, Payhip is more product-focused. It’s ideal if you want to mix different types of content, like ebooks, templates, or digital art, alongside online courses.

Pros:

• Unlimited products on the free plan
• Supports courses, memberships, and downloads
• Built-in tax/VAT handling
• Easy to set up and manage
• No monthly fees

Cons:

• 5% platform fee on the free plan
• Limited branding/customization options
• No built-in community features like Skool

If your goal is to sell multiple types of digital content, Payhip is a flexible and affordable option.

5. Tutor LMS

Best for: Creators who want full control and ownership
Pricing: Free plugin available (with paid add-ons optional)
Platform Fees: None (only processor fees via Stripe or PayPal)

Tutor LMS is a WordPress plugin that transforms your own website into a learning management system. With the free version, you can create unlimited courses, lessons, and quizzes, making it one of the most powerful free alternatives to Skool.

Unlike Skool, where your content and community live on their platform, Tutor LMS gives you complete ownership over your website, branding, and student data. The trade-off is that you’ll need to handle hosting and setup, which can be more technical.

Pros:

• Free plugin with unlimited courses and students
• Full ownership of content, site, and student data
• Built-in course-building tools and quizzes
• Works with WooCommerce and Stripe/PayPal for payments
• Highly customizable with themes and plugins

Cons:

• Requires WordPress hosting and setup
• No built-in community features (need add-ons)
• Some advanced features require paid extensions

If you want maximum control and scalability, Tutor LMS is one of the most versatile free alternatives to Skool.

Final Thoughts

While Skool is a good platform, its lack of a free plan makes it less beginner-friendly. Thankfully, in 2025, there are strong free Skool alternatives that let you build courses, sell memberships, and launch digital products without upfront costs. Check them out and stick to the one that works best for you.