Monthly Plan Pricing
Side-by-side monthly costs for each platform's pricing tiers. Kazokus is the only platform that offers a genuinely free plan with courses, events, marketplace, and member management included.
| Platform | Free | Starter | Mid | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kazokus | $0 (Launch) | $49/mo (Growth) | $99/mo (Pro) | — |
| Circle | — | $49/mo (Basic) | $99/mo (Professional) | $399/mo (Enterprise) |
| Mighty Networks | — | $41/mo (Community) | $119/mo (Business) | $360/mo (Path-to-Pro) |
| Skool | — | $99/mo (flat) | — | — |
| Heartbeat | — | $49/mo (Scale) | $99/mo (Pro) | $299/mo (Enterprise) |
Transaction Fee Comparison
Transaction fees are the hidden cost most community builders overlook. They compound as your revenue grows, costing creators thousands of dollars per year.
| Platform | Membership Fees | Event Tickets | Marketplace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kazokus | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Circle | 0% | — | — |
| Mighty Networks | 2–5% | — | — |
| Skool | 0% | — | — |
| Heartbeat | 0% | — | — |
Note: All platforms pass through Stripe processing fees (2.9% + 30¢). The fees above are additional platform transaction fees charged on top of Stripe.
Total Cost at Scale
The table below shows the total annual platform cost (excluding Stripe processing fees) at different community sizes. This is the number that matters for your budget: what you pay to the platform each year to host your community.
| Members | Kazokus | Circle | Mighty Networks | Skool | Heartbeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | $0/yr (Launch) | $588/yr | $492/yr | $1,188/yr | $588/yr |
| 1,000 | $588/yr (Growth) | $1,188/yr | $1,428/yr | $1,188/yr | $1,188/yr |
| 5,000 | $1,188/yr (Pro) | $4,788/yr | $4,320/yr | $1,188/yr | $3,588/yr |
| 10,000 | $1,188/yr (Pro) | $4,788/yr | $4,320/yr | $1,188/yr | $3,588/yr |
Annual costs calculated from monthly pricing. Actual costs may be lower with annual billing discounts where available.
Key Takeaways
Kazokus is the only platform with a genuinely free tier that includes courses, events, marketplace, and member management. No other major community platform offers this breadth of features at zero cost.
At 5,000+ members, Kazokus saves $3,000–$3,600/year compared to Circle or Heartbeat. Even compared to Skool (the next most affordable at scale), Kazokus is $0/year cheaper on the Pro plan at the same price point — but with more features included.
Zero transaction fees means you keep 100% of your revenue (minus standard Stripe processing of 2.9% + 30¢). A community earning $10,000/month on Mighty Networks would pay $200–$500/month in transaction fees alone — that's $2,400–$6,000/year that Kazokus creators keep.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest community platform?
Kazokus is the cheapest community platform with a genuinely free tier (Launch plan) that includes courses, events, marketplace, and member management. No other major platform offers a free plan with this breadth of features. The next cheapest option is Mighty Networks at $41/month.
Do community platforms charge transaction fees?
Most community platforms charge 0–5% transaction fees on top of standard payment processing. Mighty Networks charges 2–5% on paid memberships. Kazokus charges 0% transaction fees on all revenue types — memberships, event tickets, and marketplace sales. All platforms pass through Stripe processing fees (2.9% + 30¢).
How much does Circle cost per month?
Circle pricing starts at $49/month for the Basic plan, $99/month for Professional, and $399/month for Enterprise. Circle does not offer a free tier. Annual billing provides a discount, but even the entry-level plan requires a monthly commitment.
What's the best community platform for small communities?
For communities under 250 members, Kazokus Launch (free) is the best option because it includes all core features — events, courses, marketplace, and member management — at zero cost. Skool starts at $99/month regardless of community size, making it the most expensive option for small communities.
Is Kazokus really free?
Yes. Kazokus Launch is free forever for communities up to 250 members with full access to events, courses, marketplace, articles, and member management. There are no transaction fees, no hidden costs, and no credit card required to start. You only pay when you need Growth ($49/mo) or Pro ($99/mo) features.
What hidden costs do community platforms have?
The most common hidden cost is transaction fees. Mighty Networks charges 2–5% on paid memberships, which compounds as your community grows. Other hidden costs include per-seat charges on higher tiers, mandatory annual contracts, and premium add-ons for features like custom domains or advanced analytics.
Which community platform is best for monetization?
Kazokus is the best for monetization because it charges 0% transaction fees across all revenue types — memberships, event tickets, and marketplace sales. You keep 100% of your revenue minus standard Stripe processing (2.9% + 30¢). Platforms that charge 2–5% transaction fees cost a community earning $10,000/month an additional $200–$500/month.
How do community platform costs change as you scale?
Most platforms increase costs significantly at scale. Circle jumps from $49/month to $399/month for Enterprise features. Mighty Networks reaches $360/month for Path-to-Pro. Kazokus caps at $99/month (Pro) regardless of member count, making it the most predictable pricing as you scale from 1,000 to 10,000+ members.
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Detailed platform comparisons:
Pricing data sourced from each platform's public pricing pages as of April 2026. Prices shown are monthly billing rates in USD. Annual billing may offer discounts. Stripe processing fees (2.9% + 30¢ per transaction) apply to all platforms and are not included in the totals above. Kazokus is a product of SumoSoft Inc.