Circle.so Review 2024 – Best Community Building Platform – Legit?

Circle.so Pros and Cons

What is Circle.so?

Circle.so is one of the best online platforms for building and managing engaged online communities. It offers plenty of features such as live streaming, real-time chat, discussions, hosting courses, etc to make your community management more effective and fruitful.

It is used by 8500+ community managers, businesses, creators, and startups, and has become popular as one of the best online community management platforms.

Circle.so believes in the power of authentic connections and meaningful interactions with communities. Their user-friendly platform is easy to use and prioritizes engagement in online community spaces.

It offers a range of community-building tools such as messaging, live video streaming, events, posts and articles, personalized notifications, online courses, etc, are collected in one place.

Being a cloud-based software, it is extremely easy to use Circle as it doesn’t require any technical setup and software installations.

To get started with Circle, simply create your Circle account, (no credit card required) set up your community, and integrate your domain into it. You can manage and interact with your community, whenever and however you want.

With the help of its threads/spaces feature, you can create and share posts on different topics to build your company’s knowledge base. Circle also offers an iOS and Android app.

Circle is a multi-purpose platform where you can manage and grow a community, connect with your audience, and make money by selling different forms of digital products.

Moreover, Circle also offers monetization tools, design customization tools, and integration with your website and other existing tools.

Who Should Use Circle.so?

Circle community platform caters to a diverse range of users, including:

• Solopreneurs and coaches who want to build a community around their brand, host exclusive workshops, and offer personalized support.
• Course creators and educators to deliver successful online courses and deeper engagement with students.
• Membership and subscription businesses that can create exclusive content, host live events, and provide a valuable space for paying members.
• Non-profit organizations and activists to help them connect with supporters, organize campaigns, and build a dedicated community around the cause.

Circle.so has a beginner-friendly user interface and allows everyone to customize the look according to their brand and specific needs.

Circle.so Products & Features

After trying different paid community platforms, I now believe there is no better platform for community management than Circle. And that's what the products and features of Circle.so will prove to you.

1. Discussions

Circle is an easy to use community builder for discussions.

You can create community forums, channels, and sub-communities for focused discussions among your community members. You can encourage in-depth conversations with threaded replies and reactions.

It also offers other moderation tools such as keyword blacklists ensuring a safe and positive space for everyone.

2. Live Events

You can host your live events directly on the Circle.

You can host live streams, coaching sessions, webinars, and workshops to connect with your audience in real-time.

You can also record and share live events for your and other spaces to increase your ROI. Circle offers everything from 5-person group coaching calls to 50-member workshops to 500-attendee summits with live Q&A.

3. Online Courses

You can create and sell online courses with customizable modules, quizzes, and assignments. With the Circle.so, you don’t need to juggle multiple platforms, as it brings your content and community together.

In short, Circle is a great alternative to any course platform out there.

4. Content Sharing

You can share valuable content like articles, videos, podcasts, etc. with members of your community.

You can also organize content into libraries and collections for easy access and enable user-generated content to encourage the active participation of your community members.

>> Sign up for a 14-day free trial of Circle.so

5. Payments

Circle.so makes it easy to get paid for your expertise.

Whether it's your online courses, memberships, or exclusive events, you can securely accept payments without leaving the platform.

You don’t need to integrate with any other payment providers (Stripe, Paypal, etc.) allowing you to keep everything streamlined and hassle-free.

6. Customization

Customization is important to everyone and luckily you can make Circle.so your own.

You can upload your logo, choose your colors, and even add a custom domain to give your community a unique and branded feel.

7. Workflows

Workflows allow you to automate repetitive manual tasks in your community.

You can automate things like welcoming new members, sending reminders, etc. to save your time, energy, and money.

It gives each of your community members a personalized experience and your members feel more connected. Focus on the big picture while your community runs smoothly on autopilot.

8. Integrations

Circle.so play nice with others and you can connect it with thousands of platforms like Zapier, Google Analytics, WordPress, Memberspace, Facebook, Youtube, and many others.

As a result, you can automate your work, extend your community reach, gain valuable insights, and much more without leaving Circle.so.

You can connect Circle.so with thousands of popular apps, so you can automate your work and have more time for what matters most—no code required.

Circle.so also has a mobile app for easy and quick navigation of the platform.

Think of these features as bonus superpowers for your community. They'll save you time, make things smoother, and give your Circle.so that extra touch of personality and power.

Circle.so Pricing & Plans

Circle has the following pricing plans:

• Basic plan – $49 per month
• Professional plan – $99 per month
• Business plan – $249 (early bird pricing is $199)
• Enterprise plan – $399 per month

Circle.so Reviews & Ratings

On Product Hunt, customers rated it 3.8 out of 5 stars:

“Circle is a great app for community building and networking. Its user-friendly interface and robust features foster meaningful connections and engagement. I'm optimistic that using Circle can truly enhance communication and collaboration within groups.”

On Capterra, it got a rating of 4.7/5 stars:

"Circle.so has been a game-changer for my coaching business. The platform is so easy to use and has helped me build a thriving community around my brand. My clients love the interactive features and the sense of belonging it creates. The customer support is also fantastic, always quick to respond and helpful with any questions I have." - Sarah Jones, Life Coach

On G2, people rated Circle.so 4.6/5: 

"Circle.so is a breath of fresh air in the online community space. It's intuitive, feature-rich, and helps you build genuine connections with your members. While the pricing can be steep for larger communities, the value it offers justifies the cost for smaller and growing groups."

Circle.so Customer Support

Circle team is amazing and the company boasts responsive and helpful customer support. Their customer support is available through:

• Live chat: Get instant assistance directly within the platform.
• Email: Submit detailed queries and receive personalized responses.
• Support center: Browse through comprehensive FAQs and troubleshooting guides.
• Community forum: Connect with other Circle.so users and share tips and best practices.

Based on user reviews and testimonials, their customer support is highly praised for its speed, quality, and genuine dedication to resolving issues.

Circle.so Alternatives

Here are some popular alternatives to Circle.so, each with its strengths and weaknesses:

1. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks has a clean interface and focuses on building engaged communities, offers courses and events, and more robust member management tools. But it has a steeper learning curve and higher pricing.

2. Discord

Discord is also a social platform that offers real-time chat and voice communication, and active communities. It comes with a free plan but lacks organization and structure for content sharing. It has limited moderation tools and is not ideal for formal courses.

3. Facebook Groups

Facebook groups have a familiar interface, and a larger user base, and allow you to easily connect with existing audiences. However, it lacks customization options and data privacy concerns, and its algorithm can hinder your organic reach.

The best alternative for Circle.so depends on your specific needs and priorities. Consider factors like budget, desired features, and community size when making your decision.

Verdict: Is Circle.so Good for Solopreneurs?

Solopreneurs should consider using Circle.so for community building. Circle.so makes it so easier to handle all the community management tasks single-handed.

• Build a loyal community around their brand and expertise.
• Host exclusive workshops, offer personalized support, and generate recurring revenue.
• Create and sell online courses, increasing income potential and establishing authority.
• Connect directly with members, fostering deeper relationships and driving engagement.
• Streamline community management with powerful tools and automation.

Circle.so has an intuitive interface and affordable solo plan making it an excellent choice for solopreneurs looking to cultivate a thriving community, expand their reach, and grow their business.

If you’re looking to scale your community, you can start with a free 14-day trial of the Circle platform (no credit card required).