--- title: "Circle Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Circle Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Community products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/10002260/Circle/" page_type: "product" language: "en" --- # Circle Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on July 21, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Circle ## What is Circle? Circle is the world's leading all-in-one community platform, empowering creators and businesses to build branded communities, host events, run courses, and much, much more.  Circle customers include Ali Abdaal, Jay Shetty, Harvard, SpaceX, and Oprah. --- Join 13,000+ community builders to: Create a branded space with full ownership. Engage with events, courses, email, and gamification. Monetize through paid memberships and gated content. Scale using AI tools, automations, and branded apps. --- Circle Plus is a premium solution offering fully branded mobile apps for iOS and Android, designed to boost community engagement and revenue.  Circle Plus helps communities grow through push notifications and in-app purchases, and comes with white-glove services for design, onboarding, and migration.  With priority support and expanded product limits, Circle Plus is ideal for professional community businesses looking to scale quickly and effectively.  ## What is Circle used for? [Community](https://www.capterra.com/community-software/)[Membership Management](https://www.capterra.com/membership-management-software/)[Coaching](https://www.capterra.com/coaching-software/) Recognitions Shortlist Best ease of use Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 48 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 100% Neutral 0% Negative 0% Starting price $49 Flat Rate, Per Month Free trial available Free version not included Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... - Community / 2025 Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... - Coaching / 2026 - Community / 2026 - Course Authoring / 2026 - eLearning Authoring Tools / 2026 - Social Networking / 2026 - Membership Management / 2025 Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Circle?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=http://circle.so&name=Circle) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Circle 4.7 (48) VS. [4.7 (24,160)](https://www.capterra.com/p/135003/Slack/reviews/) Starting Price $49 Flat Rate, Per Month Starting Price $8.75 Per User, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.7 (48) Ease Of Use 4.6 (5,172) Value For Money 4.4 (46) Value For Money 4.5 (3,620) Customer Service 4.6 (46) Customer Service 4.4 (3,647) ## Circle alternatives [4.8 (803)](https://www.capterra.com/p/133173/Brilliant-Directories/reviews/) Starting price $1450.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 99% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.5 (94)](https://www.capterra.com/p/185819/Mighty-Networks/reviews/) Starting price $41.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 93% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.6 (5,303)](https://www.capterra.com/p/153140/Connecteam/reviews/) Starting price $29.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars Highest Rated [4.9 (151)](https://www.capterra.com/p/140805/ToucanTech/reviews/) Starting price $8000.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 99% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/10002260/Circle/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Circle Overview ### What problems does Circle solve? Circle solves the chaos of managing communities across scattered tools by combining discussions, courses, events, chats, memberships, and gated content in one branded hub. Community managers, creators, coaches, educators, and B2B customer teams use it to reduce onboarding friction, improve member engagement, centralize support, and monetize private communities. Answer based on 35 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Circle? Circle is most used by founders, CEOs, and owners building branded communities, memberships, and audience-driven businesses. Community managers, growth specialists, and administrators use it to organize discussions, onboard members, and boost engagement. Educators, coaches, and creators rely on it to deliver programs, courses, and member support in one place. Answer based on 48 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is Circle built for? Circle is for established organizations, brands, and creators, with strongest adoption among small businesses at 94% and midsize businesses at 6%. It is used most in Health, Wellness and Fitness at 19%, followed by Marketing and Advertising at 17% and E-Learning at 12%. Answer based on 48 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Circle? Circle offers membership management, member databases and directories, plus group management and membership signup tools. Core communication features include discussions, forums, chat/messaging, @mentions, commenting, and live chat. It also includes content management, knowledge base management, event management, reporting & statistics, access controls/permissions, and third-party integrations. Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does Circle integrate with? Circle connects natively to about 20 platforms, including Airtable, Auth0, Bubble, GitHub, Loom, Slack, Stripe, Thinkific, Typeform, Vimeo, Wistia, and Zapier for automation. It also supports integrations with CodePen, Google Maps, Instagram, MemberSpace, Memberstack, Outseta, Simplecast, Twitter/X, and VideoAsk. Answer based on 10 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does Circle offer? Circle provides live online sessions, webinars, documentation, and videos to help teams get started. Live online sessions and webinars support guided instruction, while documentation offers written reference material and videos provide self-paced learning resources for setup and feature review. Answer based on 6 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Circle offer, and how do users rate the experience? Circle offers email/help desk support, an FAQ/forum, and a knowledge base. Users often describe support as friendly, helpful, and responsive, with useful self-service resources and an active peer community. Some reviewers, however, report inconsistent response times and occasional frustration when bugs or urgent issues take longer to resolve. Answer based on 35 reviews Features and Usability ### How user-friendly is Circle’s interface? Circle offers a clean, organized interface that makes communities, courses, events, and memberships easier to manage in one place. Many creators, coaches, and small business teams find navigation intuitive and visually appealing, though some admins want clearer settings, stronger branding control, and fewer bugs in event and backend workflows. Answer based on 21 reviews Features and Usability ### Is Circle easy to use for building an online community? Circle makes community setup and day-to-day management straightforward for many creators, educators, and membership businesses. The platform keeps discussions, events, courses, and payments in one system, which reduces tool switching, though some administrators mention a learning curve, limited templates, and occasional friction with events, customization, or support. Answer based on 18 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 4,489 Community reviews Capterra data shows that buyers of community software rank the following features as their top priorities: - **Chat/Messaging** (**47%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Membership Management** (**43%**) - **Content Management** (**42%**) Circle supports all three features that reviewers consider most important: **Chat/Messaging**, **Membership Management**, and **Content Management**. Together, these capabilities help businesses manage member access, organize and publish content, and keep conversations active in one place, allowing teams to build stronger communities and deliver a more connected member experience. Chat/Messaging 5.0 (1) 0.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Communicate using direct chat or messages within the system Membership Management 4.5 (19) 52.63% of 19 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Database of members to track personal information of individuals and families Content Management 4.3 (21) 52.38% of 21 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Handles digital content throughout its lifecycle, from creation and storage to distribution and archiving Mobile Access 4.5 (4) 75.00% of 4 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Access software remotely via mobile devices Access Controls/Permissions 4.4 (24) 62.50% of 24 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Define levels of authorization for access to specific files or systems Event Management 4.4 (30) 60.00% of 30 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Schedule and manage the logistics of activities and other gatherings Circle 47 features ### All Features - @mentions: An @mention is a way to tag or notify a specific person about a message/post - Access Controls/Permissions: Define levels of authorization for access to specific files or systems - Activity Dashboard: Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities - Activity Tracking: Track and document all activities across devices, networks, and other systems - Alerts/Notifications: Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges - API: Application programming interface that allows for integration with other systems/databases - Billing & Invoicing: Create, manage, and send invoices or bills to customers - Chat/Messaging: Communicate using direct chat or messages within the system - Client Management: Manage contact details and communication with clients - Commenting/Notes: Leave comments and notes on documents for others to view - Communication Management: Manage and track all internal and external communication conducted via calls, email, text, or chat - Contact Database: Centralized database of stakeholders and their contact information such as names, address, phone number etc. - Content Management: Handles digital content throughout its lifecycle, from creation and storage to distribution and archiving - Customizable Branding: Add customized logos and colors to align with company branding - Customizable Fields: Customize data fields to support various needs and use cases - Customizable Templates: Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements - Data Import/Export: Import and export data to and from software applications - Discussions/Forums: Online forums/groups where users can ask questions, share ideas, best practices, etc. - Document Storage: Store and organize documents in a centralized system - Drag & Drop: Assemble applications and processes by dragging over and arranging pre-built components - Email Reminders: Reminders sent via email - Engagement Tracking: Tracks metrics that provide insight into how a user interacts with any interface or product - Event Calendar: A list of events with their respective dates - Event Management: Schedule and manage the logistics of activities and other gatherings - Feedback Management: Collecting, analyzing, and utilizing feedback from users or customers to improve a product or service - Filtering: Find & retrieve relevant data or documents - Gamification: Games or game-like elements to track progress and reward accomplishments - Group Management: Organize and edit a group of people's policy and members - Knowledge Base Management: Manage a repository of information that includes articles, FAQs, or tutorials used for self-service support - Live Chat: Ability to chat online in real time - Member Communication: Contact members listed in the database through email, SMS, social, phone, etc. - Member Database: Add, store and access information pertaining to members - Member Directory: Comprehensive list that contains information and details of all the members associated with a particular organization or group - Membership Management: Database of members to track personal information of individuals and families - Mobile Access: Access software remotely via mobile devices - Mobile App: Access the system via a mobile application - Moderation: Controls/tools to moderate the session - Multi-Language: Manage and support multiple languages - Personalization: Adjust communications based on previous interactions or personal preferences - Real-Time Notifications: Notifications that are delivered to users as soon as an event occurs - Reporting & Statistics: Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns - Scheduling: Plan availability and assign specific time slots for tasks and resources - Single Sign On: Allow users to access multiple services after entering their login credentials once - SSL Security: Security protocol that ensures secure, encrypted communication over the internet, safeguarding sensitive data from unauthorized access - Tagging: Attach digital tags to documents and assets for identification, search, or monitoring purposes - Third-Party Integrations: Set up connections to third-party platforms to improve business processes - User Management: Manage user accounts, profiles, roles, permissions, and other details across applications, devices or networks --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.6 (48) 4.6 Based on 48 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.4 (46) Free Trial [View pricing plan details](https://www.capterra.com/p/10002260/Circle/pricing/) Basic $49.00 Flat Rate,Per Month Value for money 4.4 (46) 4.4 Based on 46 reviews ## Integrations [ Slack](https://www.capterra.com/p/135003/Slack/)[ WordPress](https://www.capterra.com/p/131687/WordPress/)[ GitHub](https://www.capterra.com/p/129067/GitHub/)[ Instagram](https://www.capterra.com/p/210721/Instagram/)[ Stripe](https://www.capterra.com/p/123889/Stripe/)[ Zapier](https://www.capterra.com/p/130182/Zapier/)[ Airtable](https://www.capterra.com/p/146652/Airtable/)[ Google Maps](https://www.capterra.com/p/227511/Google-Maps/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.6 (46) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.6 (46) 4.6 Based on 46 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.7 Based on 48 reviews Filter by rating 5(35) 4(13) 3(0) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent AN Anonymous User Growth Coach Marketing and Advertising ### "Circle Community Platform" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 April 20, 2026 Very Good. It feels like a solid, reliable community platform with a good and user-friendly interface. Pros Simple interface and connections for community members. Nice visuals and easy to find your way around. Cons Back-end settings and integration of stripe for example - could do with better signposting and clearer guidance Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AN Anonymous User Owner, LCSW Health, Wellness and Fitness ### "Great Community Building" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 March 22, 2026 It is great to interact with communities and a bit expensive with a learning curve to create courses. Pros A great way to create and connect with community, network and share resources and information. So much better than using other social media. Cons It can become challenging to switch between various communities. While intuitive, there is a learning curve as well. Alternatives considered [Slack](https://www.capterra.com/p/135003/Slack/) Reasons for choosing Circle Circle seemed a better place to build community with a forum as I did not want traditional social media in addition to branding Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Francesco P. CEO Arts and Crafts ### "Circle can give you all the tools you need to start a community business, but you have to invest some money upfront." 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 6/10 February 4, 2026 I've tried to test it out for a few month. It is indeed good, but since I didn't have too much money to invest on it in the beginning I moved on to more budget friendly options Pros Circle is a valid option if you are going to build a community, it has a lot of features, easy monetization and rapid customer support when needed (and trust me, if you want to build a community you want to have a good support) but this is true if you have a minimum of money to invest Cons Circle major problem imho is related to the fact that there is not an cheap entry plan if you want to test your idea out before committing to more (like a free or budget friendly option). It has a quite steep entry price, and generally speaking a community needs month to start. Therefore you have to keep some money ready to use if you want to make it profitable. Alternatives considered [Bettermode](https://www.capterra.com/p/178753/Bettermode/) Reasons for choosing Circle I've actually moved to bettermode since it's more budget friendly Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. JH Jessica H. Owner and Coach Mental Health Care ### "Circle is fabulous for nurturing a community and adding coursework. " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 8, 2025 When I created a course for ADHD adults, I wanted to be able to offer a community space and group coaching for those who used it. Circle perfectly fit the bill. Pros Circle makes it EXTREMELY easy to manage a course and community. I was able to upload both written and audio versions of a 70 lesson course, and track which of my clients have read it, as well as interact with them in post format on a daily basis. I genuinely love this platform and will be using it for a long time. Cons I had a tiny bit of trouble using the live meeting function on circle, but when I changed to a zoom integration the issue was solved :) Alternatives considered [Kajabi](https://www.capterra.com/p/154682/Kajabi/) Reasons for choosing Circle I felt it had the simple, clean interface that I was looking for, and make it easy for my clients to see what their next steps were. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AH Andrea H. Operations manager Accounting ### "Easy to use" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 February 25, 2025 I've been pleased with my overall experience. The support from set-up to ongoing quarterly meetings has been a game changer for our team. Pros Circle was easy for me to learn and easy for members to navigate Cons occasionally need features that aren't offered, but they are updating those often Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. KT Ken T. Assistant Educator and Community Administrator Financial Services ### "Circle Has Helped Our Community Thrive" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 February 23, 2025 The customer support team is very responsive when any issues arise, which are thankfully very rare. I use the platform several hours a day and love it. We can do almost everything we need in Circle. Pros Circle has allowed us to quickly build and grow a private investor education community and add or change features as needed. Cons While there are some customization limitations, the platform is more than enough for what we need. Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. KL Kristin L. COO E-Learning ### "Circle for Community and Course" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 February 20, 2025 We have been with Circle for at least 2 years. They are constantly making updates and adding features. I feel like they have come a long way and hope to see continued improvements. Great customer service. Pros I like that we are able to have our course and our community available to our customers in one place. Cons I feel the site still lacks a lot of customization features. To be able to style your platform a little more on brand to your company, better use of overall visuals/flow. Switched from [Kajabi](https://www.capterra.com/p/154682/Kajabi/) Wanted our community and our course to be on one platform. Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. RB Riya B. CEO and Founder Real Estate ### "Best Platform for building an online community (better than Skool)" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 February 18, 2025 Overall, Circle has been a game-changer for running my community. Before, I was managing conversations across multiple platforms like Facebook groups, Slack, and Zoom, which was chaotic. With Circle, everything is structured and in one place, making it easier to engage members, run events, and scale the community. While there’s room for improvement, it’s still one of the best community platforms available. Pros I’d give Circle a solid 9/10. It’s one of the best platforms for building an engaged online community, with a clean interface, great customization options, and solid integrations. The best part about Circle is how organized and seamless it makes running a community. Everything—discussions, events, memberships, and courses—is in one place, so there’s no need to juggle multiple platforms. The user experience is smooth, branding is fully customizable, and engagement tools make it easy to keep members active. It’s also great that it integrates well with Zapier and other tools. Cons Circle could improve in a few areas. Automations are limited, so you need Zapier for a lot of things that should be built-in. The mobile app isn’t as smooth as desktop, and analytics could be more detailed. Pricing also jumps quickly as you scale, which can be a drawback for smaller communities Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. JL Jillian L. Marketing Manager E-Learning ### "Community Building as a Marketing Strategy in B2B" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 February 10, 2025 we use Circle to host a currently free, active community for our customers, helping them connect to one another, access exclusive events and resources, and discounts. For us, it helps us build deeper bonds and trust with our B2B customers and serve our mission of empowering and inspiring our industry. Pros It is intuitive and user friendly for both users and admins. It uses UX similar to popular social media sites to make for an easy experience. It has great community building tools, with different formats for different content types, the ability to organize folks into different spaces and groups by topics or persona, and a very well built out event hosting capability. It has solid analytics, good customer support, and the ability to notify members of what's happening via email and push notification. Cons It serves our needs well. There are opportunities for deeper analytics or improvement of certain analytics. For example, we use Circle's tracking links to determine which events prompt folks to sign up and we learned it tracks clicks on links, not actual sign ups. Review source Vendor Referred: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review. AN Anonymous User Community Coordinator E-Learning ### "Great tool for community building" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 January 31, 2025 Been using circle for our community for 4 months now and its been great, people share a lot to help folks with their own community giving tips/ideas/workflows and so much more. The support team is also super nice and helpful. Pros So many options for building community. payment options from the platform, automations and workflows to reach out + automate actions like tagging folks and bulk emails or DMs Cons Sometimes certain views are not ideal like the DMs scroll up instead of going to the most recent message. Review source Vendor Referred - Incentive Offered: This reviewer was invited by the software vendor to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive as a thank you. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/10002260/Circle/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [Instagram vs Circle](https://www.capterra.com/compare/210721-10002260/Instagram-vs-Circle)[Discord vs Circle](https://www.capterra.com/compare/240238-10002260/Discord-vs-Circle) [Mighty Networks vs Circle](https://www.capterra.com/compare/185819-10002260/Mighty-Networks-vs-Circle)