How to Get Paid on Skool (Payments, Payouts, Refunds)

To get paid on Skool, you connect a bank account through Stripe Express, set a price on your group or a course, and Skool pays you out automatically every Wednesday in your local currency. That is the short version. The part that catches people out is the fees and the timing of that first payout, so this guide walks through the whole money path, from switching payments on to cash in your account.

Understand the fees before you price

Skool takes a cut of every sale, and the plan you are on decides how big that cut is. On Pro, it is 2.9% + 30c per transaction for charges up to $899, rising to 3.9% + 30c for anything above $900. On Hobby, it is a flat 10% + 30c on all transactions.

That gap is huge at scale. A $999 Pro charge nets you $959.74. The same sale on Hobby loses about a hundred dollars. Whatever you set, remember transaction fees are non-refundable, so if you refund a member later, you eat that fee.

Turn on payments and connect your bank

Skool does not use a normal Stripe account. It uses Stripe Express purely for payouts, and you cannot plug in an existing Stripe account. Here is the setup.

Choose how you charge

Skool gives you five pricing models, so you are not locked into one shape. A free group builds an audience. A subscription charges monthly or annually with an optional 7 day free trial. Freemium runs a free plan and a paid plan side by side so members can upgrade anytime. Tiers stack multiple paid plans. A one-time payment suits lifetime course access, pop-up groups, and seminars.

You can also sell a single course inside a free or subscription group using one-time course purchases. You need a published course and a connected bank account first, then set the course to Buy Now with a price. Buyers get instant access, and a "1-time sales" metric shows up on your dashboard.

When and how you actually get paid

Payouts happen every Wednesday, automatically, and land in your local currency. If you are outside the US, you receive your own currency, not USD. A UK creator gets GBP, for example.

The first payout is the slow one. It runs through verification checks and can take around 8 to 14 days from your first payment. After that, it settles into a rhythm of every 7 days. Once initiated on Wednesday, US bank deposits take 1 to 3 business days and international ones 3 to 5. Each payout also generates a downloadable reverse invoice, which is your record of what Skool paid you.

How refunds work

Refunds are at your discretion as the creator. Skool generally will not refund on behalf of creators, so the decision and the action are yours. To issue one, open the Members tab, find the member, click MEMBERSHIP SETTINGS, go to the Payments tab, click a payment date, and choose REFUND PAYMENT. Full and partial refunds both work.

Frequently asked questions

What fees does Skool charge on payments?

On the Pro plan it is 2.9% + 30c per transaction up to $899, and 3.9% + 30c above $900. On Hobby it is a flat 10% + 30c on every transaction. Transaction fees are non-refundable, and the maximum single charge is $100,000 USD.

How long until I get my first payout?

The first payout runs through verification and takes roughly 8 to 14 days from your first payment. After that, payouts are automatic every Wednesday on a 7 day cycle. Deposit time is 1 to 3 business days for US banks and 3 to 5 for international.

Can I use my existing Stripe account?

No. Skool connects through Stripe Express only, and it is a separate connection from a regular Stripe account. You also cannot link fintech banks like Wise or Chime directly.

Does a refund remove the member from my group?

No. Refunding a charge does not cancel the subscription or remove the member. If you want them gone, you remove, ban, or cancel the subscription separately. And you can only refund up to your available balance.