Paid communities

Circle and Skool charge a fixed plan price, so your cost stays the same as the community grows. Patreon is free to start and keeps a share of what members pay, which costs nothing while you are small. Once membership income is steady, a flat fee usually leaves you more of each payment. Work out the break-even with your expected member count and price before you commit.

Skool puts a classroom next to the community feed and an events calendar, so the course and the discussion live side by side. Circle also bundles courses, live events and paid memberships in one place. Patreon is built around posts and tiers, with one-off digital products as an extra. Coaches who teach a programme tend to land on Skool or Circle for that reason.

A free group gives you no simple way to charge members or gate content, and you do not control the feed. Circle keeps members on your own branded space and apps, away from other social networks. Skool's points and levels give members a reason to come back and post. Announce the move with a clear date, and give founding members a lower price to bring them across.

Members stay when something new happens each week, so plan a calendar of live calls and fresh content before launch. Skool's levels open up content as members take part, which rewards the people who show up. Circle's live events and Patreon's direct messages help you keep a personal touch. Track who goes quiet in the first fortnight and reach out to them yourself.

Paid memberships count as digital services in the EU, so VAT follows the buyer's country once you pass the €10,000 cross-border threshold. You can report all of it through the One Stop Shop in your own country. Patreon processes payments in many currencies, but ask an accountant whether it or you are responsible for the VAT on your sales. With Circle or Skool, check how each platform handles tax before you set prices.