How Shopify and Skool compare
Shopify is what you use when the store is the business. World-class checkout, inventory and shipping, taxes, POS, thousands of apps, Shopify Email, Shopify Inbox, and a theme store make it the standard for merchants of every size. It scales from one product to a warehouse without changing platforms.
Skool does one thing with unusual discipline: a paid community with a feed, a classroom, a calendar, and gamification that keeps members coming back. The pricing is plain, the app is quick, and Discovery can send you members you did not have to find yourself. If your work is a group people join and show up to every week, Skool is shaped for that.
Where they are different
Choose Shopify when you sell products at volume and need inventory, shipping, tax, and apps.
Choose Skool when the membership is the product, and a feed, courses, and leaderboards are how you deliver it.
Compare features
What's on Shopify and Skool
A check means that capability is available. Shopify and Skool are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteShopify: IncludedSkool: Not included
- Custom domainShopify: IncludedSkool: Not included
- Theme and fontsShopify: IncludedSkool: Not included
Public content
- BlogShopify: IncludedSkool: Not included
- Reader engagementShopify: IncludedSkool: Included
- Shop pagesShopify: IncludedSkool: Not included
Reach and quality
- SEOShopify: IncludedSkool: Not included
Audience and email
- AudienceShopify: IncludedSkool: Not included
- Marketing emailsShopify: IncludedSkool: Included
Messaging
- Built-in chatShopify: IncludedSkool: Included
- Messaging CenterShopify: IncludedSkool: Not included
Team
- Admin usersShopify: IncludedSkool: Included
- Per-admin permissionsShopify: IncludedSkool: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Shopify or Skool, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Shopify or Skool may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Shopify vs Skool pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Shopify
Current plans and prices
See what Shopify charges on their pricing page.
Skool
Current plans and prices
See what Skool charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Shopify and Skool
You don't pay until you publish.
Cardel provides a home for your craft. Share and sell your work, grow your audience, and bring your community together on a site of your own.
Common questions
Is Cardel an alternative to Shopify or Skool?
Cardel is a home for your craft: a site of your own with a blog, newsletter, shop, community, and one inbox. It can replace Shopify or Skool when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Shopify and Skool are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Shopify or Skool?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Shopify or Skool for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Shopify and Skool?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Shopify and Skool set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Shopify or Skool to Cardel?
Start with Build Your Site, set up your home, and bring your work over at your own pace. You do not have to move everything on day one.
