Circle review

Circle ranks first because it covers the most ground without forcing a sales call. Its Professional plan, $89 a month on annual billing, already includes unlimited members, community spaces, courses, live events, a website, a member directory, payments, gamification, a custom domain and iOS, Android and desktop apps. Business at $199 adds workflows, custom profile fields, Circle APIs and MCP, activity scores and removes Circle branding, while Scale at $419 brings AI agents, AI moderation, a knowledge engine and webhooks. Live streams hold 100 attendees on Professional and 200 on Business. The limits show up in staff and structure: Professional allows 3 admins, 10 moderators and 20 spaces, and extras cost $10 per admin or $20 per 10 spaces a month. The 2% transaction fee on Professional also adds up for paid communities. For most creators the bundle still beats stitching together a forum, a course tool and a checkout.

Who it is for

Creators and brands that want community, courses and paid memberships in one place, with room to automate later.

Price

Professional from $89 per month billed annually; Business $199; Scale $419; 14-day free trial.

Professional $89 /mo
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 6, 2026.

Key features

• Community spaces, courses, live events and a member directory on every plan
• Built-in payments with a 2% fee on Professional and 1% on Business and Scale
• Circle AI with 2,500 credits a month from Professional
• Workflows, Circle APIs and MCP from Business
• AI agents, AI moderation and webhooks on Scale

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Unlimited members on every plan
• Strength: iOS, Android and desktop apps included from Professional
• Strength: Clear upgrade path from a simple community to automated workflows
• Weakness: No free plan, only a 14-day trial
• Weakness: Professional has 3 admins and 20 spaces, with paid add-ons beyond that
• Weakness: Custom branded apps need Circle Plus at custom pricing

Key facts

• Professional: $89 per month billed annually
• Business: $199 per month billed annually
• Transaction fee: 2% on Professional, 1% on Business and Scale
• Storage: 200GB on Professional
• Free trial: 14 days, no credit card

Where it ranks

Circle is No. 1 in our Best Community Platforms verdict.