Circle.so Review 2024 (I Use This Online Community Platform)

My Circle.so review doesn’t just cover classic features, pros and cons, and whether you should get the tool.

Yes, I’ll cover those points, but my main focus is to share my firsthand experiences with this Circle.so as I build my online community and course. I’ll dive into what I love, what I find challenging, and whether I see myself sticking with it in the years ahead.

You can use all the information I share to determine if Circle.so is the right platform for you or if you should explore other options. That’s the goal of this Circle.so review, and I genuinely hope it helps you make an informed decision.

Circle.so Explained in Less than 60 seconds

Circle.so is an all-in-one platform that helps you create a thriving online community. It combines your community, courses, and content into one organized and user-friendly platform. You can get started quickly with features like organized discussions, group chat rooms, and flexible payment options.

Circle supports paid memberships and offers thousands of integrations with your existing tools, making it easy to monetize your community. It also includes built-in webinars and live streaming, plus options for customized branding to reflect your style.

Every day, members participate in engaging discussions, share ideas, and connect with one another. With automated video transcriptions and an interactive environment, Circle.so makes it simple to foster collaboration and growth within your community.

Circle.so Cons I Noticed Using This Platform

Not sure about you, but whenever I research a new online tool, I always start by looking for the cons. If I can live with those, I continue my research. That’s why I’m beginning with the cons section.

I’ll be a bit critical because I believe these issues can be fixed (and I’m sure they will be over time).

I definitely plan to use this tool for years to come, and these points aren’t deal breakers for me.

• The first point brings mixed feelings. I’ll put this in the cons, but it’s actually a positive aspect. Let me explain why. Circle has an affiliate program, so if you want one of your members to share the course or community with their friends, they can earn a commission. You can set the amount they earn. However, Circle.so doesn’t yet offer an easy way to generate a referral link for each member. Instead, you have to create a landing page for each person and then provide them with that link. The good news is that they are working on improving this based on feedback from myself and others. After all, the best way to grow a community is by getting happy members to share it.

• Another drawback is that it’s challenging to share just one part of a group space. Think of a group space as the entire section and a space as a single part of it. For instance, if you want someone to have access only to the webinars, you can set that up in the paywall. However, it often ends up sharing the whole group space with them. While it is possible to configure it, it’s tricky and not very straightforward.

• While the user interface is straightforward, I wish there were more options to customize the layout. That said, it covers all the essentials for building a community and hosting courses. Remember, even if a platform isn’t flashy, a great ideas, and quality content can still lead to success—you don’t need anything more complicated. Just put all the focus on your community.

• The analytics offered are decent, but advanced insights are locked behind the most expensive plan. Additionally, I found myself overwhelmed with notifications during the setup process. It was frustrating trying to learn the platform while being bombarded with alerts I deemed unnecessary. I even heard similar complaints from my members, so I had to figure out how to limit these notifications to avoid annoying newcomers.

• Email white-labeling and automated transcriptions aren’t included in the basic plan, which was a bit disappointing. Plus, priority support is only available on the top-tier plan, meaning you might be left waiting for a few hours if you encounter any questions or minor issues. However, I have great experience with their support. Another downside is that Circle doesn’t have a built-in email provider. While you can connect an external one, it would be great to have email funnel software integrated directly into the platform.

• Another drawback is that Circle can be quite expensive. However, it’s worth it to have everything conveniently in one place. Simply put, pricing is not what we call budget friendly for all, likely reflecting Circle’s growth since its founding in 2019. As their business continues to thrive, it’s reasonable to expect further price hikes in the future. On the bright side, they consistently address glitches and roll out new features, making the platform better day by day.

Why I Use Circle.so (+ The Main Pros)

I use Circle.so because it provides a comprehensive platform for building and engaging with my community.

Here are the main pros and the things I like the most:

• The mobile app is fantastic. You can easily join webinars and live streams on your mobile device. Plus, you can hold live streams with just one click. Unlike other community platforms, Circle includes webinars and live streams at no extra charge.
• Community Focus: Circle.so is specifically designed for community-driven experiences, making it easy to foster engagement and connection among members.
• User-Friendly Interface: The platform is intuitive and easy to navigate, which helps streamline the onboarding process for both admins and members.
• Customizable Spaces: You can create tailored environments for different groups, courses, or events, giving a personalized touch to your community.
• Integrated Course Features: Circle.so allows me to seamlessly integrate courses with community features, turning traditional learning into interactive experiences.
• Engagement Tools: The platform offers various engagement options, like direct messaging, live streams, and group chats, keeping members actively involved.
• Monetization Options: I can easily set up paid memberships, subscriptions, and special events, making it simple to generate revenue from my community.
• Robust Support: Circle.so provides good customer support and resources, helping me troubleshoot any issues quickly.
• Circle offers both light and dark mode, along with customization options for the back end. This flexibility allows you to tailor the platform to your preferences and create a more personalized experience.

• You also have the option to set up workflows for an additional cost. This feature allows for further automation, like triggering specific actions when a member completes certain tasks. I haven’t opted for this yet, but it could be a useful addition.

• You can create multiple group spaces to help expand your community into new areas. This feature allows for greater flexibility and organization within your community. See below for more details.

Circle.so really helps me build a vibrant and engaging community that aligns with my goals and vision. The platform is so user-friendly that everything feels smooth and seamless, which means I don’t get overwhelmed by the tools.

This lets me focus on what truly matters: making the community even better and attracting more members. That’s where Circle.so truly makes my life easier.

Who Is Circle.so Perfect For?

Circle.so is perfect for you if you’re a coach, entrepreneur, business owner (online or offline), solopreneur, startup founder, or content creator. Imagine having a single platform where you can create courses, build thriving communities, and share free content like blogs. With Circle.so, you can easily engage with your audience, fostering a sense of community and belonging.

Whether you’re looking to build customer communities, membership groups, clubs, or organizations, Circle.so provides all the tools you need. Picture hosting interactive discussions, exclusive member events, and content-rich spaces that keep your audience coming back for more. It’s not just about managing your community; it’s about creating an engaging, dynamic space where everyone can connect, learn, and grow together.

Circle.so Features

In short, Circle.so provides you with the building blocks to bring your vision to life — fast and without the headaches.

Step 1 – You can start building your community with Circle.so’s powerful features.

• You can start engaging conversations through organized discussions and create dynamic, multimedia posts that captivate your audience.
• You can develop interactive and engaging courses to keep your members learning and offer exclusive areas for VIP members or specific groups.
• You can easily transcribe videos for accessibility and searchability, maintain a comprehensive member directory, and make your community truly yours with customized branding options.

Step 2 – Engage your community with group chat rooms and private messaging, facilitating real-time conversations and personal connections.

• You can host virtual events, meetups, and webinars seamlessly in dedicated event spaces, or broadcast live to your community for instant engagement.
• You can keep members informed with automated weekly digests and regular check-ins, and encourage participation with a fun, reward-based system.
• You can efficiently communicate with your members by sending direct messages to multiple users at once.

Step 3 – Monetize your community with Circle.so’s versatile tools.

• You can offer exclusive access through paid memberships and charge for one-time events or special content.
• You can set up ongoing subscription plans for steady revenue and control access to different areas based on membership levels.
• You can provide trial periods and upsell premium features, allow members to pay in installments for higher-priced offerings, and attract and retain members with promotional codes.
• You can automatically remind members when renewals are due to ensure continuous engagement.

Step 4 – Scale your community effortlessly with thousands of integrations that connect with tools you already use for a seamless experience.

• You can streamline tasks with automated workflows, collect and display the information that matters most to your community with custom profile fields, and monitor engagement with AI-driven activity scores.
• You can perform actions on multiple users at once to save time, simplify login with single sign-on capabilities, and define roles and manage permissions easily.
• You can keep your community tidy by automatically removing inactive members.

Simply put, Circle.so is built for community-powered courses, transforming boring lectures into exciting experiences. You can count on Circle.so to provide all the tools you need to create, engage, monetize, and grow your community, helping to turn your vision into reality.

Circle.so Pricing Explained

Circle offers three plans (click here to compare pricing plans) tailored to different needs:

• Professional Plan: At $99/month (or $89/month if paid yearly), this plan includes essential features like rich member profiles, a searchable member directory, discussions, events, and paid memberships. You’ll also get access to courses, live streams, unlimited members, custom branding, reporting, and migration services for payments.

• Business Plan: Priced at $219/month (or $199/month yearly), this plan includes everything in the Professional plan, plus advanced features like workflows, custom profile fields, API access, email white-labeling, and automated transcriptions. Annual subscribers also benefit from migration services for courses.

• Enterprise Plan: For $399/month (or $360/month yearly), this plan encompasses all Business features and adds unlimited workflows, custom single sign-on (SSO), priority support, advanced analytics, lower transaction fees, and a sandbox community. It also supports up to 10 admins and 100 moderators, with additional benefits for annual subscribers, including concierge onboarding and a dedicated customer success manager.

Choose the plan that best suits your community-building needs!

Why Build Your Community with Circle.so Instead of Facebook

Here are the main reasons why I prefer having my community on Circle.so instead of just relying on Facebook, and why I suggest you consider doing the same:

• Ownership and Control: You’re in charge! You set the rules and manage the content, creating a safe space that fits your community’s needs.
• Customization: With Circle.so, you can personalize everything to reflect your unique vision and style, something Facebook doesn’t really allow.
• Focused Engagement: Your members can connect without distractions like ads or unrelated posts, leading to more genuine interactions.
• Dedicated Tools: Circle.so offers specific features designed for community building and course creation, making it easier to engage and provide value.
• Privacy and Safety: You can prioritize your members’ privacy, creating a secure environment where they feel comfortable sharing.
• Less Dependency on Algorithms: You control what content gets seen, avoiding the unpredictable changes in Facebook’s algorithms.
• Stronger Sense of Belonging: By creating your own community, you foster loyalty and make members feel like they truly belong.

Choosing Circle.so means you’re building a lively community that truly reflects your vision and empowers your members.

Circle.so Alternatives

Here are three popular alternatives to Circle.so that you might consider:

1. Kajabi is an all-in-one platform that lets you create and sell online courses while also managing memberships and building a community. You can design beautiful courses and use powerful marketing tools to promote them, making it a great choice if you’re looking for a comprehensive solution.
2. Mighty Networks is perfect for building online communities and courses. It’s user-friendly and offers plenty of customization options, so you can create a unique space for your members. With features like member profiles, discussions, and events, it helps foster engagement and connection among users, making it ideal for community-focused projects.
3. Teachable is mainly known for its course creation features, but it also includes community options. You can easily create and sell your courses while staying connected with your students. Its straightforward setup and built-in payment processing make it easy for you to monetize your content and engage with your community.