I spent last months exploring different community platform gaining popularity in recent times; Especially, Circle.so so you don't have to do it again. And in this brutally honest review, I will share everything I learned about it.

If you are thinking of building an online community for your coaching, consulting business or even as a creator or small business, you will learn everything you need to know before starting a Circle community.

You can start your 14-day FREE CIRCLE TRIAL by using this link whenever you are ready.

We'll dive deep into its features, pros, cons, and how it stacks up against the competition. As a community builder and digital creator, I understand the importance of choosing the right platform. Let's get in!

What is Circle.so?

Circle.so is a cloud-based community platform that's gaining a lot of buzz lately in the online space. It's designed to help creators, brands, and businesses build and grow engaged communities on their own terms.

Unlike Facebook Groups, Circle offers a white-label solution where you truly own your audience and can customize the experience to fit your brand.

The platform aims to be your one-stop-shop for community building, offering tools for discussions, online courses, events, live streaming, and monetization.

Basic: $49/month

• Ideal for small communities or those just starting out
• Limited to 100 members and 10 spaces

Professional: $99/month

• Best for growing communities
• Unlimited members, 20 spaces, and access to most features

Business: $219/month

• Suited for larger communities or businesses
• Includes advanced features like API access and custom CSS

Enterprise: $399/month

• For high-volume communities with complex needs
• Includes priority support and highest limits on all features

Note that all plans come with a 14-day free trial, allowing you to test the platform before committing. It's worth noting that there are transaction fees on all plans, ranging from 4% on the Basic plan to 0.5% on the Enterprise plan.

Here's my take on the Circle.so pricing:

The Basic plan, while affordable, feels a bit restrictive with its member and space limits. It's fine for testing the waters, but you'll likely outgrow it quickly if your community takes off.

The Professional plan offers the best value for most creators. With unlimited members and access to key features like live streaming and online courses, it's a solid choice for serious community builders.

The Business and Enterprise plans, while pricier, offer advanced features that can be game-changers for larger communities or those with specific technical needs.

The transaction fees are a bit of a bummer, especially on the lower-tier plans. 

Overall, while Circle isn't the cheapest option out there, the pricing is competitive given the feature set. Just be sure to factor in those transaction fees when budgeting!

Circle.so Alternatives and Comparision

Circle is not the only platform in the community building space. I have previously reviewed Nas.io and Skool. Here let me compare it to other popular alternatives to help you take an informed decision.

Circle vs. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is often seen as Circle's closest competitor. Both platforms offer robust community-building tools, but unfortunately, Mighty has a clumsy user interface and much slow performance. Think of Mighty as a social media creation tool instead. Here are some important points to notice in my experience:

• Ease of Use: Circle generally offers a more intuitive interface.
• Course Features: Mighty Networks has more advanced course capabilities.
• Pricing: Circle tends to be more affordable for smaller communities.
• Mobile Apps: Both offer native apps, but Circle's are often praised for better UX.

In my experience, Circle edges out Mighty Networks in overall user experience and community management tools. Many Reddit and Quora users have offered the similar feedback for this comparision.

However, if advanced course features are your priority, Mighty Networks might be the better choice.

Circle vs. Discord

Discord is a popular choice, especially for gaming communities, but it's increasingly being used for professional communities too. One big advantage with Discord is, it's free. However, there are some key differences.

• Community Type: Circle is better for structured, professional communities; Discord excels in real-time, casual interactions.
• Monetization: Circle offers more robust built-in monetization options.
• Customization: Discord allows for more extensive bot integrations and server customization.
• Content Organization: Circle provides better tools for organizing long-form content and courses.
• Monetization tools: Circle.so will offer you many content contentization options while Discord only has third-party integrations like Whop.

If your community thrives on real-time chat and you're tech-savvy enough to set up bots and integrations, Discord could be a good fit. But for a more structured, professional community with built-in monetization tools, Circle is the clear winner.

Circle vs. Skool

Skool is a newer player in the community platform space, gaining popularity among course creators and coaches. The big advantage with Skool is, it's focus on Creator communities. Alex Hormozi invested in Skool and many creators now are monetizing their content there. It's comparatively cheaper and an easier platform to begin with.

Let me compare Circle and Skool quickly here:

• Feature Set: Circle offers a more comprehensive set of community-building tools. It has more functions, however, Skool offers less features but more benefits approach.
• User Interface: Both platforms prioritize clean, modern design, but Skool's UI is often considered distraction free and more community friendly.
• Pricing: Skool can be more cost-effective for very small communities and creators, but Circle offers better value as you build more complex and diverse community.
• Integration Options: Circle generally provides more extensive third-party integrations than Skool. If this is your priority, Circle is better tool.

As mentioned in the Skool review, Skool is focusing specifically on creator economy. It is a better option for creators and coaching business while circle offers a solid platform for building an educational community for small and medium scale businesses.

We have compared Skool with Circle in more details if you are willing to explore a Circle so alternative.

Circle.so Pros and Cons Review

We have covered all features of Circle and how you can use it to build a thriving online community for business. However, It is important to know that the right platform depends on your needs. All community building tools have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Benefits

• Clean, intuitive user interface for both admins and members
• Comprehensive set of community-building and engagement tools
• Solid monetization options with built-in paywalls and subscriptions
• Native apps for iOS and Android
• Regular updates and new feature releases

Disadvantages:

• Transaction fees on all plans can add up for high-volume communities
• Some users report occasional bugs or missing features in mobile apps
• Analytics, while comprehensive, may lack some advanced reporting options
• Limited payment gateway options (primarily relies on Stripe)

Is Circle.so Right for You?

Circle.so could be an excellent choice if:

• You're looking for an all-in-one community platform with a user-friendly interface
• You want to monetize your community through memberships or online courses
• You need a mobile-friendly solution with native app

However, you might want to look elsewhere if:

• You require extremely advanced customization or open-source flexibility
• Your primary focus is on creating and selling complex online courses
• You need extensive e-commerce features beyond basic memberships and digital products
• You're on a very tight budget and can't afford the monthly fees or transaction costs

In such case, you can look for open source platforms like Discourse or even free platforms like Telegram which you can monetize by integrating with Whop. 

Community is a Human Work

Circle.so has rightfully earned its place as one of the top community platforms in 2024. Its blend of user-friendliness, comprehensive features, and regular updates make it a solid choice for many creators and businesses.

While it may not be the perfect solution for everyone, particularly those requiring highly specialized features or extreme customization, Circle.so offers an impressive balance of power and simplicity that will suit a wide range of community needs.

Ultimately, the best way to determine if Circle.so is right for you is to take advantage of their 14-day free trial. This hands-on experience will give you the clearest picture of how the platform can serve your specific community needs.