Hotmart vs Skool
A marketplace with a commission versus a community platform with a transaction fee. They solve different problems.
The verdict
Hotmart charges 9.9% + R$1 per sale and is built to sell courses to strangers. Skool isn't the flat-fee, no-commission platform it's often made out to be: the Hobby plan costs $9/month with a 10% transaction fee, and the $99/month Pro plan brings that down to 2.9%. If your product is a course you sell cold, go Hotmart. If it's a membership with an active community and you already sell enough to justify the Pro plan, go Skool.
Hotmart
Free
Commission: 9.9% + R$1
Skool
$9/mo
Commission: 10% (Hobby) / 2.9% (Pro)
LearnBase
$97/mo
Commission: 0%
What each one wins on
Hotmart wins on
- No fixed cost, plus an affiliate marketplace to acquire customers
- Built to sell: checkout, coupons, order bumps, and upsells
- Local payment methods and strong buyer trust across Latin America
Skool wins on
- The $99/month Pro plan drops the fee to 2.9%, the lowest in this comparison
- Community, gamification, and a calendar built in natively
- A $9/month entry plan to validate without overspending
Hotmart vs Skool vs LearnBase
| Feature | Hotmart | Skool | LearnBase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% transaction commission | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Unlimited students | Included | Included | Included |
| Unlimited courses | Included | Included | Included |
| AI course generation from video | Not included | Not included | Included |
| AI-generated quizzes | Not included | Not included | Included |
| AI video transcription | Not included | Not included | Included |
| White-label branding | Not included | Limited | Included |
| Custom domain | Limited | Included | Included |
| Certificates | Included | Not included | Included |
| Live sessions | Included | Limited | Included |
| Multi-language support | Limited | Not included | Included |
| Analytics dashboard | Included | Limited | Included |
| All features in one plan | Not included | Not included | Included |
What each one costs you per year
Total 12-month cost at your monthly sales volume, including flat fees and commissions. The cheapest option in each row is green.
| Monthly sales | Hotmart | Skool | LearnBase |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000/mo | $1,188 | $1,308 | $1,164 |
| $5,000/mo | $5,940 | $6,108 | $1,164 |
| $10,000/mo | $11,880 | $12,108 | $1,164 |
Based on public list pricing. Excludes payment processing fees, which vary by method and country.
What if neither Hotmart nor Skool fits?
Skool's Hobby plan looks cheap until you start selling: $9/month plus a 10% transaction fee adds up to $6,108 a year at $5,000/month in sales, more than Hotmart. The Pro plan brings that down to $2,928. And Skool still doesn't offer certificates or a Spanish-language interface. LearnBase runs $1,164 a year, flat, no matter what.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Skool charge a transaction fee?
- Yes. The $9/month Hobby plan charges a 10% transaction fee, and the $99/month Pro plan brings it down to 2.9%. There's no Skool plan with 0% fees.
- Is Skool available in Spanish?
- The platform is in English. You can build your community and content in Spanish, but the interface your students see isn't natively translated.
- Does Skool issue completion certificates?
- No. Skool is built around community and gamification, not accreditation. If you need certificates, you'll have to handle that outside the platform.
Agustin Garcia
Founder & CEO, LearnBase
Sources
- Hotmart pricing page — verified July 2026
- Skool pricing page — verified July 2026
- LearnBase pricing page
Comparison data is based on publicly available pricing and feature information as of July 2026. Features and pricing may change. LearnBase is the creator of this comparison.
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