India 2025 Creator Playbook from beginner to PRO: Communi vs TagMango vs Graphy vs Skool vs Teachable vs Thinkific – 1 to 5 Year Cost & Profit Comparison for Course Creators
Communi + Bunny secure video vs TagMango vs Graphy vs Skool vs Teachable vs Thinkific
The Real 5-Year Cost of Running Your Course or Community Platform in India
What this guide does: it shows real, simple math that any creator in India can follow to compare platforms. You’ll see every rupee that leaves your business via subscriptions, commissions, payment fees, GST and secure video hosting—year by year—so you can choose the best community platform in India for your needs.
If you’re an educator, coach, or founder in India, you’ve probably noticed the confusing world of pricing across platforms like Communi, Skool, TagMango, Graphy, Circle, Kajabi, Teachable, and Thinkific. Each one charges differently—some take a flat subscription, some eat into your revenue with commissions, and almost all of them add payment gateway charges and 18% GST on top.
In this detailed case study we’ll simulate a starter’s journey from Year 1 to Year 5— beginning with only 100 paying members and growing gradually to a few thousand. You’ll see clear, transparent numbers year by year:
- Platform subscription fees—fixed monthly or annual costs for each plan.
- Commission deductions—per sale % cuts (5–10%) some platforms take.
- Payment gateway fees—Stripe, PayPal, or Razorpay deductions.
- GST at 18%—applied on every subscription/service in India.
- Secure video hosting overhead—why we use Bunny.net with Communi instead of YouTube or Loom, and what percentage of net revenue goes into bandwidth protection.
We’ll also explore three realistic product tiers that Indian creators typically sell:
- A ₹2,999 starter course (entry point for new learners).
- A ₹4,999 advanced course (most popular mid-tier).
- A ₹24,999 premium mentorship or certification program.
To make this fair, we compare how each platform performs when you add both paid communities (₹4,099–₹8,099 per month per member, depending on platform plan) and one free group (since many creators need a free entry funnel).
By the end of this blog you’ll have a 5-year cost and profit projection for each platform, side by side, with tables and graphs showing exactly:
- How much you pay in subscriptions and commissions every year.
- How much of your revenue vanishes into transaction fees and GST.
- How secure video hosting adds a minor but important overhead.
- Your actual net take-home income after all cuts.
If you’re serious about building a long-term education or community business in India (or anywhere with similar pricing dynamics), this breakdown will help you decide whether to go with a traditional player like Teachable/Graphy, a commission-heavy platform like TagMango, or a lifetime play like Communi paired with Bunny.net.
Let’s dive in—starting from Year 1 with just 100 members and scaling to Year 5 where your community and courses grow steadily. You’ll see why early cost decisions compound massively over time.
Time-sensitive
Your promo ends August 31. After the app release they move to a monthly plan at $99 for unlimited groups and courses. Lifetime buyers keep unlimited forever. If you join later you pay monthly with 18% GST in India.
Who this helps
- Creators launching 1 to 3 paid courses in India
- Coaches building a free community plus a paid one
- Ed-tech teams that care about content security
- Automation-first founders who want Stripe or PayPal now and Razorpay later if it lands
What we compare
Communi lifetime, Communi at $99 per month, TagMango Basic 10%, Pro 5%, Advanced 2.5%, Graphy Launch 10%, Graphy Rise 5%, Skool Pro with 3 groups, Teachable plus Circle for community, Thinkific Grow. All India numbers include GST on software subscriptions where it applies.
Assumptions and India math we use
Read this first—so every number in the tables makes sense at a glance.
Starter grows for 5 years
- Year 1 buyers: 100 total across 3 courses
- Year 5 buyers: 2,000 total across 3 courses
- Prices: ₹2,999, ₹4,999, ₹24,999
- We focus on course revenue. Communities add upside later
We intentionally start small to reflect a realistic early year—then scale gradually to avoid inflated projections.
Fees and taxes
- Payment gateway fee baseline 2% + 18% GST on the fee = 2.36% of revenue
- Skool charges 2.9% transaction. We do not double-charge PG there
- TagMango commissions include payment fees per their pricing page
- All India software subscriptions include 18% GST in numbers below
Why include GST? Because you actually pay it and it impacts cash flow even if you later claim ITC. We show cash-out, not accounting treatment.
Official pricing references
TagMango plans and commissions see pricing. Graphy Launch 10% and Rise 5% with monthly fees billed annually see pricing. Skool Pro is $99 per group with 2.9% transaction fee see pricing and help note. Teachable plans and fees pricing 2025 update fees. Thinkific plan notes pricing fees.
What the competitors charge (with official links)
Review these quick snapshots first, then the year-by-year math will click immediately.
| Pricing model | $99 per group / month |
| Platform commission | 2.9% transaction |
| Implication | Each extra group adds another $99 monthly |
| Basic | ~10% commission |
| Pro | ~5% commission + monthly |
| Advanced | ~2.5% commission + higher monthly |
| Setup | Freedom plans may add one-time setup |
| Commission | As low as ~2.5% |
| Monthly | Higher fixed fee |
| Best for | High-volume catalogs |
| Launch | ~10% commission + monthly |
| Rise | ~5% commission + higher monthly |
| Tax | 18% GST on subscription in India |
| Pricing model | Tiered subscription |
| Platform commission | None |
| Notes | Course features vary by tier |
| Pricing model | Tiered premium subscription |
| Platform commission | None |
| Limits | Products and contacts capped by plan |
| Pricing model | Tiered subscription |
| Platform commission | May apply on lower tiers |
| Notes | Advanced tools unlock on higher tiers |
| Pricing model | Tiered subscription |
| Platform commission | Typically none |
| Notes | Some features require higher tiers or add-ons |
Secure video for courses without breaking the bank
Why Bunny Stream + Communi is a practical “paywalled video” stack for India
Communi today embeds videos by link which is normal across platforms. You can embed YouTube unlisted or other public links anywhere—but those are easy to share and easy to rip. If your lessons are premium you want signed delivery and anti-piracy features. That is where Bunny Stream and its security stack help. As Bunny is on top of Communi as an additional service, we also include those costs in the comparison below.
- Token authentication for signed URLs with expiries and per-request rules. Docs
- Hotlink protection so only allowed referrers load your videos. Guide
- Stream security and delivery controls built for paywalled content. Overview
- Media Cage DRM option to raise the bar against ripping. Feature
No platform can fully block screen recording on a user’s own device. Even big services fight this every day. DRM reduces casual copying and deters mass piracy. Why screen recording is hard to stop DRM 2025 explainer
Bunny overhead
~0.1% of net in our Communi model
Hosting scales with watch time not your price tag
Player freedom
Bring your own player or use Bunny’s embed
Signed URLs work either way
Communi embeds by link today. You can point those links at Bunny Stream so your lessons are signed, hotlink protected, and harder to rip. If direct file upload lands inside Communi later you can still keep Bunny for security or move selectively. Bottom line: paid courses deserve more than public links; secure video hosting for courses in India should be a given once you start charging.
Why Communi is the control plane
Unlimited groups and courses
Run free and paid communities for podcasts, cohorts, micro-communities by niche, and event popups. Courses live in the same place. Members chat and get alerts. Events sit on a calendar inside the group. You grow a flywheel not a pile of links.
Automation and payments
Stripe and PayPal work now. Zapier already triggers when a member joins and can add or remove members. That covers 80% of real flows. If you need custom flows I can help design multi-step paths with branded invite emails and your CRM.
“I ran Facebook and Thinkific in parallel then moved to Communi. It is cleaner and my audience focuses more. I sold over $100,000 by recommending the tool too.” — Sabrina, lawyer and creator
Two Communi scenarios you can choose
Scenario A: Communi Lifetime
- One-time $495 plus GST (₹48,480 in Year 1)
- No platform commissions on sales
- Bunny secure video overhead stays tiny
- Compounds from Year 2 because fixed cost is gone
Scenario B: Communi $99/month
- ₹116,353 per year including GST
- No platform commissions on sales
- Bunny stays the same low single basis-point overhead
- Still beats commission platforms at scale
Year-by-year numbers for India
Buyer counts per year: 100, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000 spread across ₹2,999, ₹4,999, ₹24,999. Currency is INR. GST already included on recurring software where it applies. Commission means platform cut. Payment fees is the 2.36% baseline. Hosting is Bunny for Communi only.
Year 1 • Starter Year: testing the waters with 100 buyers
Think of Year 1 as proof of concept. You’re validating your offer, building a free funnel, and converting your first 100 buyers. Costs from fixed subscriptions feel heavy this year, which is why commission platforms can look okay early—until scale flips the math.
Gross course revenue
₹579,900.00
Bunny share of net (Communi)
~0.11%
| Platform | Gross | Static fees | Commission | Payment fees | Hosting | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communi Lifetime | ₹579,900.00 | ₹48,480.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹13,685.64 | ₹550.00 | ₹517,184.36 |
| Communi 99/mo | ₹579,900.00 | ₹116,353.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹13,685.64 | ₹550.00 | ₹449,311.36 |
| TagMango Basic | ₹579,900.00 | ₹29,499.00 | ₹57,990.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹492,411.00 |
| TagMango Pro | ₹579,900.00 | ₹129,798.00 | ₹28,995.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹421,107.00 |
| TagMango Advanced | ₹579,900.00 | ₹241,899.00 | ₹14,497.50 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹323,503.50 |
| Graphy Launch | ₹579,900.00 | ₹28,306.00 | ₹57,990.00 | ₹13,685.64 | ₹0.00 | ₹479,918.36 |
| Graphy Rise | ₹579,900.00 | ₹141,586.00 | ₹28,995.00 | ₹13,685.64 | ₹0.00 | ₹395,633.36 |
| Skool 3 groups | ₹579,900.00 | ₹349,058.00 | ₹16,817.10 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹214,024.90 |
| Teachable Circle | ₹579,900.00 | ₹197,447.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹13,685.64 | ₹0.00 | ₹368,767.36 |
| Thinkific Grow | ₹579,900.00 | ₹233,881.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹13,685.64 | ₹0.00 | ₹332,333.36 |
Year 2 • Momentum: compounding results at 250 buyers
By Year 2 your offer is sharper and referrals start kicking in. Fixed-fee platforms (especially lifetime) begin to shine. Commission-based platforms now remove more cash as revenue climbs.
Gross course revenue
₹1,449,750.00
Bunny share of net (Communi)
~0.10%
| Platform | Gross | Static fees | Commission | Payment fees | Hosting | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communi Lifetime | ₹1,449,750.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹34,214.10 | ₹1,400.00 | ₹1,414,135.90 |
| Communi 99/mo | ₹1,449,750.00 | ₹116,353.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹34,214.10 | ₹1,400.00 | ₹1,297,782.90 |
| TagMango Basic | ₹1,449,750.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹144,975.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹1,304,775.00 |
| TagMango Pro | ₹1,449,750.00 | ₹100,299.00 | ₹72,487.50 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹1,276,963.50 |
| TagMango Advanced | ₹1,449,750.00 | ₹212,400.00 | ₹36,243.75 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹1,201,106.25 |
| Graphy Launch | ₹1,449,750.00 | ₹28,306.00 | ₹144,975.00 | ₹34,214.10 | ₹0.00 | ₹1,242,254.90 |
| Graphy Rise | ₹1,449,750.00 | ₹141,586.00 | ₹72,487.50 | ₹34,214.10 | ₹0.00 | ₹1,201,462.40 |
| Skool 3 groups | ₹1,449,750.00 | ₹349,058.00 | ₹42,043.75 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹1,058,648.25 |
| Teachable Circle | ₹1,449,750.00 | ₹197,447.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹34,214.10 | ₹0.00 | ₹1,218,088.90 |
| Thinkific Grow | ₹1,449,750.00 | ₹233,881.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹34,214.10 | ₹0.00 | ₹1,181,654.90 |
Year 3 • Product–Market Fit: 500 buyers and repeatable launches
You’ve got testimonials, a predictable sales motion, and a free community feeding paid cohorts. Commission drag becomes obvious. Communi lifetime is now substantially ahead on take-home.
Gross course revenue
₹2,899,500.00
Bunny share of net (Communi)
~0.10%
| Platform | Gross | Static fees | Commission | Payment fees | Hosting | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communi Lifetime | ₹2,899,500.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹68,428.20 | ₹2,800.00 | ₹2,828,271.80 |
| Communi 99/mo | ₹2,899,500.00 | ₹116,353.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹68,428.20 | ₹2,800.00 | ₹2,711,918.80 |
| TagMango Basic | ₹2,899,500.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹289,950.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹2,609,550.00 |
| TagMango Pro | ₹2,899,500.00 | ₹100,299.00 | ₹144,975.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹2,654,226.00 |
| TagMango Advanced | ₹2,899,500.00 | ₹212,400.00 | ₹72,487.50 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹2,614,612.50 |
| Graphy Launch | ₹2,899,500.00 | ₹28,306.00 | ₹289,950.00 | ₹68,428.20 | ₹0.00 | ₹2,512,815.80 |
| Graphy Rise | ₹2,899,500.00 | ₹141,586.00 | ₹144,975.00 | ₹68,428.20 | ₹0.00 | ₹2,544,510.80 |
| Skool 3 groups | ₹2,899,500.00 | ₹349,058.00 | ₹84,085.50 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹2,466,356.50 |
| Teachable Circle | ₹2,899,500.00 | ₹197,447.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹68,428.20 | ₹0.00 | ₹2,633,624.80 |
| Thinkific Grow | ₹2,899,500.00 | ₹233,881.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹68,428.20 | ₹0.00 | ₹2,597,190.80 |
Year 4 • Scale: 1,000 buyers and multiple paid cohorts
At this stage, commission platforms are expensive fuel. Even Skool’s per-group subscription bites if you maintain a free top-of-funnel plus paid cohorts. Communi keeps margins high while Bunny stays a tiny overhead.
Gross course revenue
₹5,799,000.00
Bunny share of net (Communi)
~0.10%
| Platform | Gross | Static fees | Commission | Payment fees | Hosting | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communi Lifetime | ₹5,799,000.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹136,856.40 | ₹5,650.00 | ₹5,656,493.60 |
| Communi 99/mo | ₹5,799,000.00 | ₹116,353.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹136,856.40 | ₹5,650.00 | ₹5,540,140.60 |
| TagMango Basic | ₹5,799,000.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹579,900.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹5,219,100.00 |
| TagMango Pro | ₹5,799,000.00 | ₹100,299.00 | ₹289,950.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹5,408,751.00 |
| TagMango Advanced | ₹5,799,000.00 | ₹212,400.00 | ₹144,975.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹5,441,625.00 |
| Graphy Launch | ₹5,799,000.00 | ₹28,306.00 | ₹579,900.00 | ₹136,856.40 | ₹0.00 | ₹5,053,937.60 |
| Graphy Rise | ₹5,799,000.00 | ₹141,586.00 | ₹289,950.00 | ₹136,856.40 | ₹0.00 | ₹5,230,607.60 |
| Skool 3 groups | ₹5,799,000.00 | ₹349,058.00 | ₹168,171.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹5,281,771.00 |
| Teachable Circle | ₹5,799,000.00 | ₹197,447.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹136,856.40 | ₹0.00 | ₹5,464,696.60 |
| Thinkific Grow | ₹5,799,000.00 | ₹233,881.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹136,856.40 | ₹0.00 | ₹5,428,262.60 |
Year 5 • Durable business: 2,000 buyers and multi-product revenue
With a deep catalog and strong community flywheel, your platform costs shouldn’t grow faster than revenue. This is where Communi lifetime keeps almost everything you make, and even Communi $99/mo stays lean compared to commission-based options.
Gross course revenue
₹11,598,000.00
Bunny share of net (Communi)
~0.10%
| Platform | Gross | Static fees | Commission | Payment fees | Hosting | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communi Lifetime | ₹11,598,000.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹273,712.80 | ₹11,250.00 | ₹11,313,037.20 |
| Communi 99/mo | ₹11,598,000.00 | ₹116,353.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹273,712.80 | ₹11,250.00 | ₹11,196,684.20 |
| TagMango Basic | ₹11,598,000.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹1,159,800.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹10,438,200.00 |
| TagMango Pro | ₹11,598,000.00 | ₹100,299.00 | ₹579,900.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹10,917,801.00 |
| TagMango Advanced | ₹11,598,000.00 | ₹212,400.00 | ₹289,950.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹11,095,650.00 |
| Graphy Launch | ₹11,598,000.00 | ₹28,306.00 | ₹1,159,800.00 | ₹273,712.80 | ₹0.00 | ₹10,136,181.20 |
| Graphy Rise | ₹11,598,000.00 | ₹141,586.00 | ₹579,900.00 | ₹273,712.80 | ₹0.00 | ₹10,602,801.20 |
| Skool 3 groups | ₹11,598,000.00 | ₹349,058.00 | ₹336,342.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹10,912,600.00 |
| Teachable Circle | ₹11,598,000.00 | ₹197,447.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹273,712.80 | ₹0.00 | ₹11,126,840.20 |
| Thinkific Grow | ₹11,598,000.00 | ₹233,881.00 | ₹0.00 | ₹273,712.80 | ₹0.00 | ₹11,090,406.20 |
Who takes the most from you over 5 years
This is the total you pay in platform fees + commissions + payment fees + hosting. We do not show gross revenue totals here. It is a fees-only view so you see the drag on your business.
Communi lifetime + Bunny is the lightest drag on your earnings in every year after Year 1. Bunny’s share is about one tenth of one percent of net in our model which is negligible for the security it adds.
Key insights & takeaways
Why lifetime compounds
Communi Lifetime removes fixed fees from Year 2 onward. Your margin expands every year while commission platforms scale their cut with your success. If you plan to operate for 3–5+ years, the compounding effect matters more than any first-month savings elsewhere.
Per-group billing vs unlimited groups
Running a free top-of-funnel group and multiple paid cohorts is common. Platforms that bill per group (e.g., Skool) can double or triple your fixed cost as you grow your community architecture.
Secure video adds trust without killing margins
Bunny Stream adds signed URLs, referrer locks, and DRM. It costs only a tiny fraction of revenue in our model and signals professionalism and care for student-only content.
GST and cash flow
We include 18% GST on subscriptions because you actually pay it. Even if you later claim ITC, the cash-out affects how much working capital you have during growth.
Answers to common questions
Can I use YouTube links
Yes. You can deliver lessons by public video links. It is free and fast. If you sell higher ticket programs use Bunny Stream for signed delivery, hotlink protection, and DRM to reduce casual ripping.
Will Razorpay arrive
Stripe and PayPal work today. Razorpay could land later. If you need alternate gateways now you can still enroll members by Zapier flows that add or remove members once you confirm a payment outside.
Is screen recording possible anywhere
Yes. Any platform can be captured with a device or software. The point is to raise the bar. Bunny adds signed URLs, referrer locks, and DRM which reduce casual sharing and make mass theft harder.
What if I need multiple communities
Communi lets you create unlimited groups. Skool charges by group. This matters if you run a free top-of-funnel group plus several paid cohorts and popups for launches.
Ready to build
Start with a free community today. Add a paid group when the audience asks for more. Add courses with secure video via Bunny when you are ready to sell premium content. Keep your stack small and your margins high.
Important Disclaimer (Read Before You Decide)
This article is a neutral financial case study prepared for educational purposes. We’ve used publicly available pricing pages and common processing-rate assumptions to produce a clear, side-by-side comparison. The scenarios are illustrative rather than predictive; they are not guarantees of performance, profitability, or product fit for your specific business.
No platform in this study is endorsed or recommended as a universal best choice. Every creator’s situation is different: audience size and geography, sales model, tax obligations, support expectations, content type, and compliance needs all affect the right decision. Always verify pricing, fees, features, and terms on the platforms’ official pages, and speak with a qualified accountant or advisor to understand tax/VAT implications in your country and state.
We may use affiliate links for some services (for example, Communi or Bunny.net). If you purchase through those links, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not influence the math shown here; the tables and totals are driven by the assumptions disclosed above. You are under no obligation to purchase via our links; please buy directly if you prefer.
Prices and feature sets change. Some platforms add or remove features, alter commission structures, or re-tier plans over time. This study reflects a point-in-time understanding and reasonable mapping for comparison. It is your responsibility to double-check any cost before committing and to select the platform that best aligns with your product, ethics, compliance needs, and student experience goals.
Final note: This is not financial, legal, or tax advice. Use it as a starting point to build your own pro forma and sensitivity analysis. If a platform’s feature solves a revenue-critical problem for you, paying more might be the right choice. If lean margins and maximum control matter most, prioritize those. Either way, the decision is yours.
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