Features
Communities in GoHighLevel
Every GoHighLevel plan includes communities: groups and channels, paid membership through Stripe, courses inside a learning tab, points and a leaderboard, and a mobile app for members. It is Skool-shaped, and the difference is what sits around it. The people in a HighLevel community are CRM contacts, so the email, text and funnel that bring them in are in the same account.
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The short version
- Included on the $97 plan, with no member cap published.
- Paid groups take one-time, monthly or annual payments through Stripe.
- HighLevel publishes no transaction fee. Skool Hobby takes 10% of sales.
- Points, nine levels and a leaderboard, with courses you can lock to a level.
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What you get
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Included on | Every plan. "Communities" is in the core feature list |
| Structure | Groups, public or private, each with channels for posts and discussion |
| Roles | Admin, contributor and member |
| Charging for access | One-time, monthly or annual through Stripe, with optional trial days |
| Courses inside | A learning tab in the group, with courses sold inside the community |
| Gamification | One like is one point, nine levels and a leaderboard |
| Member app | Members use a LeadConnector community app on iOS and Android |
| Branded app | $49 a month per sub-account, as the branded client portal app |
The structure is familiar. A community holds groups, each group is public or private, and each group has channels where members post and reply. There are live sessions and events too, and workflow triggers for things like a member joining a group, so a welcome text or an onboarding email can go out automatically through the workflow builder.
Charging for access
A paid group can charge once, monthly or annually through Stripe, with optional trial days. When a member cancels, they are removed automatically, which is the job people otherwise do by hand in a spreadsheet. HighLevel's help centre publishes no transaction fee or per-member charge of its own, which is the key difference from Skool's entry plan.
Courses can be sold inside the community too, as one-time or recurring purchases, and they appear in the group's learning tab. How the course builder works, and where it falls short of Kajabi, is on the courses page.
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Keeping members active
Gamification works on likes: one like earns one point, and points move members through nine levels to a leaderboard. You can rename the levels, but the thresholds are fixed, and rewards can be described in text but not yet tied to a level. Courses in the learning tab can be restricted to member levels, which is the same unlock-by-level idea Skool is known for.
The member app
Members use a LeadConnector community app on iOS and Android and sign in with the same login they use for the community or courses. An agency that wants the app under its own name can buy the branded client portal app at $49 a month per sub-account. That is separate from the admin GoHighLevel app the business itself uses.
Against Skool and Circle
| Tool | Price | Transaction fee |
|---|---|---|
| Skool Hobby | $9 a month | 10% of sales |
| Skool Pro | $99 a month | 2.9% of sales |
| Circle Professional | $89 a month, billed yearly | 2% of sales |
| GoHighLevel Starter | $97 a month, communities included | No HighLevel fee published, Stripe fees apply |
Skool is the simpler product and has a discovery network that can send members your way. If a community is the whole business and you do not need a CRM, it is the natural choice. If the community is one part of a business with a funnel, email list and calls, HighLevel keeps it all in one account. The platform's full cost is on the pricing page, the verdict is in the GoHighLevel review, and other options are on the alternatives page.
Communities are on every plan
Set up one free group and one paid group on the trial, connect Stripe, and invite a few people. You will know within a week whether members use it or just join it.
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If you want a course and a funnel for free
Systeme.io includes a course and funnels on its free plan. Much less CRM around them, and no cost to try.
Start free on Systeme.ioAffiliate link to Systeme.io. We earn a commission if you later upgrade, at no extra cost to you. No card required, and the free plan does not expire.
Common questions
Does GoHighLevel have communities?
Yes. "Communities" is in the core feature list on HighLevel’s pricing page, so every plan includes it, the $97 Starter plan too. You get groups, channels, member roles, gamification and paid access, with courses available inside a group.
Can I charge for a GoHighLevel community?
Yes. A group can charge a one-time fee, or a monthly or annual subscription with optional trial days, taken through Stripe. Members who cancel are removed automatically. HighLevel does not publish a transaction fee of its own, so Stripe’s processing fees are the cost.
Is GoHighLevel communities like Skool?
In shape, yes: groups, posts, a points system with levels and a leaderboard, and courses in a learning tab. Skool has the larger discovery network and a simpler product. HighLevel puts the community inside a CRM with email, SMS and funnels to fill it.
Is there a GoHighLevel community app?
Members use a LeadConnector community app on iOS and Android, signing in with their community, course or client portal login. A branded version of the app is available at $49 a month per sub-account.
How does gamification work in GoHighLevel communities?
One like on a post or comment earns one point. There are nine levels with fixed point thresholds, where you can rename the levels but not change the thresholds, and a leaderboard. Rewards can be listed as text but cannot yet be tied to a level.
Can I put a course inside a GoHighLevel community?
Yes. Groups have a learning tab where courses can sit, and courses can be sold directly inside the community as one-time or recurring purchases. The course builder itself is covered on our GoHighLevel courses page.
Last reviewed September 29, 2026