Blog
Field notes for community owners.
The real math on renting Skool and Circle, testing platform exit doors, surviving Facebook group risk, and owning the software your community runs on.
Renting Skool for 5 Years Costs $5,940 Plus Fees. Owning Costs $399.
The five-year bill for renting a community platform, with the transaction fees nobody budgets for. And the one option that costs $399 once.
9 min read
Skool Pricing in 2026 - What You Actually Pay After Fees
The plan price is the small number. The real Skool math on Hobby vs Pro, the 10% fee, and where the break-even actually lands.
8 min read
Circle Pricing in 2026 - The Real Monthly Cost Once Add-Ons Stack Up
The $89 headline is not the bill. How Circle's add-ons and fees stack, what the reviews actually say, and the pay-once alternative.
8 min read
Can You Export Your Community? Skool vs Circle vs Mighty vs Facebook, Tested
Nobody publishes this comparison. Which community platforms let you leave with your members and content, and which quietly lock the doors.
8 min read
Your Facebook Group Can Vanish Overnight. Here Is What Happened in June 2025.
Thousands of groups went dark in one night, including a million-member photography group. What the June 2025 mass bans mean for anyone building on Facebook.
8 min read
What Is a Self-Hosted Community Platform (And Who Should Actually Use One)
The honest guide to the category. What self-hosted really means, what it costs in money and hours, and the middle path most guides skip.
13 min read