Top 17 Affordable Circle.so Alternatives in 2024

Are you looking for a dynamic and budget-friendly alternative to Circle.so in 2024? 

Of course, you might be stressed by its higher subscription plans. Circle.so is undoubtedly charging very high rates for the minimal feature offerings. For example: 

It only allows a limited number of members in your community. Normally, all plans start with 100 members. If you want to add more people, you have to pay extra – $20 per month for every additional 10,000 members.

You won't find it in the basic plan if you want to opt for live streaming. You must choose the more expensive plans ($89 per month) to get that feature.

For API access and customizing the sender email, you must go for the top-tier plan, which costs $399 monthly. 

These reasons will definitely force you to find Circle.so alternative. But don't worry. I have so many options for you to build a smarter community and engage customers.

Join me on a journey through the top 17 Circle.so alternatives are poised to empower your community-building endeavours this year.

17 Best Community Platforms in 2024

1. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks and Circle.so are competing platforms, but Mighty Networks stands out with its more robust and feature-packed community offerings compared to Circle. 

Mighty Networks provides a helpful checklist to orient community members in the right direction. You can personalize and manage this checklist to ensure members feel comfortable and informed.

Each member can see active users and engage in real-time conversations. This feature facilitates instant connections and chats. 

Unlike Circle, Mighty Networks permits unlimited hosts, moderators, and members across all plans. This makes it an excellent choice for growing or expanding your community. 

A significant strength of Mighty Networks is its custom-branded mobile app known as Mighty Pro. These apps are fully white-labeled, allowing you to create your own personalized apps. 

Mighty Networks offers a wealth of features that foster a vibrant and interactive community experience. This makes it a compelling option, especially for larger communities.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Mighty Networks

Circle.so	Mighty Networks
You get limited features based on the pricing plan	You get unlimited members, moderators, spaces, and admins in all plans
Expensive	Less expensive
Not many customization options	Allows customizing community interface

2. Kajabi

Kajabi is an impressive alternative to Circle.so. It is designed to help you turn your expertise into various online offerings like courses, coaching programs, memberships, podcasts, and more. 

The best part is that all the necessary tools are available in one place. It saves you time and effort. Even if you're not tech-savvy, Kajabi is user-friendly.

One standout feature is that Kajabi charges 0% revenue fees, meaning you keep all your earnings. Plus, they offer a hassle-free money-back guarantee, ensuring your satisfaction. 

Kajabi goes beyond just courses; it supports digital products, memberships, communities, coaching, and podcasts. If you're mainly focused on selling courses and need basic community tools, Kajabi is a smart choice. 

Kajabi provides tools like pipelines (funnels), email marketing, event management, theme building, blogging, and automated processes. Moreover, it has simple automation rules. With just a click, you can automate various customer interactions. 

While Kajabi lets you gamify certain aspects, like offering free coupons to students who finish a course, it doesn't have built-in gamification features like some other dedicated community platforms.  

In simple terms, Kajabi offers a comprehensive platform to create and market your online content, especially if your focus is on courses and you want strong marketing capabilities.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Kajabi

Circle.so	Kajabi
Offers trial period of 14 days	Offers trial period of 30 days
Starts at $39	Starts at $149
No discounts available	Offers 20% discount on annual cost
Possesses only iOS and Android App	Possesses both iOS and Android App

3. Bettermode

Bettermode stands out as an alternative to Circle.so. It offers an array of features to foster stronger customer relationships and vibrant communities.  

Bettermode is designed to help you establish better connections with your customers. It's a platform that facilitates engagement and interaction. Whether you're a beginner or have specific requirements, Bettermode makes community building a breeze.  

You can choose from customizable templates or design your own from scratch to match your unique needs. Bettermode is a robust platform that empowers you to convert, engage, and retain customers effectively.  

It's been trusted by over 2,000 companies to create thriving communities. You can seamlessly integrate Bettermode with industry-leading software to automate and enhance your workflow.  

Source

This integration ensures a smoother experience for both you and your community members. Bettermode takes community security seriously.

It features advanced moderation systems, security best practices, user reporting tools, GDPR & SOC compliance, and full data protection to ensure a safe environment.

With Bettermode, you can streamline your customer experience. You'll be able to establish impactful brand-led communities in minutes.  

Bettermode is a powerful platform for cultivating customer relationships and building thriving communities. Its user-friendly approach, integration capabilities, security measures, and quick setup offer a valuable alternative for those seeking effective community solutions.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Bettermode

Circle.so	Bettermode
Offers only API	Offers Webhook, API, and developer portal to customize automation and workflow
Limited customization options	Offers many customization tools
Offers no security features	Offers security and audit features
Offer no advanced filtering and no federated search	Besides built-in search functionality, it supports federated search via granular filters

4. Heartbeat.chat

Heartbeat is an online community and course platform designed to facilitate conversations, events, and content hosting directly on your domain. Available for both iOS and Android devices.  

Heartbeat is similar to Circle.so. It offers block-based community building to create tailored online spaces that boost user engagement.

With Heartbeat, you can craft groups centred around members' shared interests, hobbies, locations, and more. This feature aids in connecting with like-minded individuals, even fostering offline interactions. 

Much like Kajabi, Heartbeat incorporates event capabilities. It seamlessly integrates with Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar. It allows you to effortlessly plan events, send reminders, and distribute invitations with just a few clicks.

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Heartbeat caters well to course creators, content developers, and solopreneurs. It's a fantastic fit if you're seeking a platform based on blocks to construct communities. This enables you to visualize and create spaces, pages and feeds as per your requirements.  

A bonus is its integration with Notion, streamlining the management of your course resources. Heartbeat stands out as a Circle.so alternative that empowers you to establish engaging communities and offer courses in a customizable, block-based environment.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Heartbeat

Circle.so	Heartbeat
Possesses both iOS and Android App	Possesses both iOS and Android App
Expensive	Less expensive
Comparatively, many features	Limited features
Hosting public events in the private community is not possible	Public or private events can be hosted directly on the platform

5. Amity

Amity is a social networking platform that transforms your apps or website into a lively community hub. It does this by integrating interactive widgets.  

For instance, if you want to engage with your visitors instantly, you can activate features like feeds, profiles, and groups within your apps. To assist your customers, you can include chatbots or live chat widgets.

Source

Amity is an alternative to Circle.so. It helps create a dynamic community space by seamlessly integrating interactive elements into your apps or website.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Amity

Circle.so	Amity
Offers only API	Offers APIs & SDKs
Limited customization options	Limited customization options
Offers no security features	Offers security & compliance
Expensive	Comparatively lesser expensive

6. Thinkific

Thinkific helps you create and manage online courses, memberships, and communities, similar to a tool called Kajabi. These communities are like special pages where students and teachers can talk to each other by writing posts and comments. 

In Thinkific, you can offer these communities as part of your courses, memberships, or packages. You can also sell them as extra options or upgrades. 

However, unlike tools such as Circle, Thinkific's communities are more casual. It has fewer features like customizing the feed, controlling the community, adding game-like elements, and so on. 

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Thinkific

Circle.so	Thinkific
Offers free trial  Offers no security features	Offers free plan Offers security & compliance
Limited customization options	Limited customization options
Offers no security features	Offers security & compliance
Expensive	Comparatively lesser expensive

7. Discord

Imagine a place where you can be part of a school club, a gaming group, or a big art community. It's like a special space where you and a few friends can hang out. This place makes it super easy to chat every day and spend more time together. 

On Discord, they organize things into different sections based on your interests. So you can work together, share stuff, and chat about your day without making a big mess in a group chat.

When you're free, you can join a voice channel. Then, your friends can see you're online and just start talking with you. You don't have to call them or anything.

The cool thing is that when you talk with your friends on Discord, it feels like you're all in the same room. You can see each other on video, watch them play games, or even draw things together on the screen.

Key Features

Circle.so vs Discord

Circle.so	Discord
No audio chat feature is available	Discord is best for audio chatting
Fully community platform	Channel-based platform
Expensive	Free to use
Host engaging events easily	Allows self-organizing live events
Best platform for content	Best platform for chatting

8. Slack

Slack is an online platform designed for teamwork, businesses, and organizations to streamline conversations within a single tool. It achieves this through channels that act like distinct spaces for discussions.  

Additionally, Slack offers features like Slack Connect, enabling connections with external members, private messaging, and huddles, allowing for quick voice and video calls. 

Slack integrates seamlessly with popular file storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive to enhance productivity. Users can seamlessly incorporate the platform into their existing workflows by utilizing the Slack API. 

Slack provides a workflow builder for those on premium plans. It is a valuable resource for automating repetitive tasks and communication processes, ultimately simplifying daily responsibilities.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Slack

Circle.so	Slack
Easily manages community	Easily manage projects
Community Platform	Group chat & notification platform
The mobile app is for Android and iOS	The Mobile App is available only for iOS
It is less expensive as compared to Slack	More expensive

9. Hivebrite

Hivebrite is a robust and all-in-one solution for community engagement. It is an amazing alternative to Circle.so. It can help your community in several exciting ways. 

Hivebrite helps your community grow by making money, breaking down barriers, and sharing knowledge. It brings people together and lets you make a positive impact.

With Hivebrite, you can make a digital space that's really unique. Your community gets its web address, cool looks, and even a mobile app. Also, it has all the great features you need to get people engaged all in one spot.

Source

Hivebrite is flexible, full of cool stuff, and ready for the future. It is always coming up with new ideas. They work with big, essential brands in many areas. This keeps them ahead of the game, offering the best solutions around.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Hivebrite

Circle.so	Hiverbrite
Community management platform	Content Management
Community Platform	Group chat & notification platform
No Surveys and feedback option	Surveys and feedback option
Do not offer website management	Offers website management

10. StoryPrompt

StoryPrompt is a video community platform. With StoryPrompt, sharing and collecting personal videos is as easy as sending a link. You can gather stories, testimonials, and updates without any fuss. 

You can have interactive video conversations with your customers, team, and community without worrying about time. Your busy schedule won't be a problem. 

StoryPrompt is great for getting stories from your community. These stories can be turned into video testimonials, reviews, and other content everyone can share. 

You don't need to stress about schedules. People can reply with videos from any device, anytime—even when you're not awake.

It's super simple to collect video testimonials from your customers and team. Your branding is added automatically, so you just need to share it on social media or put it on your website. 

StoryPrompt adds your branding, logo, titles, music, and more to the videos you get. You can also make your own mixes using their editing tools.

Key Features

Circle.so vs StoryPrompt

Circle.so	StoryPrompt
Audio community platform	Video community platform
No free plan is available	Offers free plan
Expensive	Comparatively lesser expensive

 

11. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups are a free option to build communities and are easily accessible to mobile users. However, relying on Facebook's algorithm impacts group visibility.  

Unlike specialized tools like Circle.so, it has drawbacks: distractions from newsfeeds and ads, lower engagement, limited customization control, absence of integrated email features, and reduced functionalities such as member tagging and gamification. 

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Facebook Groups

Circle.so	Facebook Groups
Community platform	Social networking platform
No free plan is available	Offers free plan
Offers advanced customization options	Limited customization options

12. Discourse

Discourse is an open-source software that is a versatile platform for various community management requirements. 

Discourse supports thoughtful discussions and connections. It helps you adapt to various scenarios, from product feedback to sharing creative work. Now, it even incorporates AI for enhanced support. 

It keeps discussions positive and focused with top-tier moderation tools and AI assistance. The platform ensures keeping out inappropriate content. 

Discourse allows you to switch between chat and longer discussions seamlessly. It helps members build relationships while the community collectively grows in knowledge. 

Discourse excels in maintaining discussions on track and healthy with its robust moderation tools. It's trusted by major brands like Atlassian, Asana, and Zoom for their online communities.  

Unlike Circle.so, it doesn't limit member count and offers anti-spam tools like two-factor authentication. Extra plugins further enhance discourse's flexibility.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Discourse

Circle.so	Discourse
Community platform	Formula and Forum software + Community platform
No free plan is available	No free plan is available
Better communication options	Lacks communication
Limits member counts	Doesn't limit member counts

13. Vanilla Forums

Vanilla offers a unique forum solution where companies can create their online community. Their goal is to help businesses build a lively community that's engaging and beneficial for growth, customer support, and revenue increase.  

The platform believes each community should match the brand's style and values. Hence, it welcomes members and rewards them for positive involvement. 

Vanilla Forums is a complete community software that can set up discussion forums, support spaces, or even internal collaboration areas. 

With Vanilla, you can fully customize your community's look. This includes changing the web address, adding a small icon, and adjusting the appearance of your design.  

Moreover, it allows customizing the header and footer parts of your pages. Vanilla is all about making your community uniquely yours.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. Vanilla Forums

Circle.so	Vanilla Forums
Community platform	Virtual community builder
Available for iOS and Android platform	Web-based platform
Offers free trial	Do not have CRM sync.
Do not have CRM sync	CRM synchronization feature

14. PeerBoard (Now acquired by Docebo)

PeerBoard is an easy-to-use community tool. It serves various purposes like learning management systems (LMS), online education, software as a service (SaaS), and non-profit organizations.

It's like a tool you can plug into your app or website to create a forum where people can interact. 

The remarkable thing about PeerBoard is that you can make it look exactly how you want. You can change the colors, logos, sections, and topics to match your brand and style. It helps in giving a unique and branded experience to its users.

The coolest part is that PeerBoard works smoothly with Thinkific, WordPress, and Shopify. This means you can put your customized community pages anywhere on these platforms. It's like having a community space that fits into your website or app.

 Source

Docebo has now acquired PeerBoard. Docebo is dedicated to helping customers make their learning goals a reality. PeerBoard is a vital part of this journey.  

It's a community platform that adds a social dimension to learning. This way, Docebo is not just offering a learning platform but also helping people build communities around learning.

For Docebo, PeerBoard is a big step for them. It helps become a better partner for businesses that want to create a robust learning environment. With this, Docebo allows its customers to combine learning with a vibrant community.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. PeerBoard

Circle.so	PeerBoard
All-in-one Community platform	Plug-and-Play community building platform
Live chat is available	No live chat option
No free plan is available	The free plan is available
Offers advanced customization options	Basic customization option

15. Reddit

Reddit is a well-known social network platform centred on discussions, boasting millions of active users. It is similar to Circle.so which allows people to form “communities,” formerly called “subreddits.” 

In terms of functionality, a Reddit community offers much of what Circle.so does, including an interactive forum for discussions.  

Users can craft posts, leave comments, and receive notifications. Additionally, they can upvote the content they like the most. Reddit provides a reliable app for various devices, a feature that Circle.so lacks. 

However, there's a notable drawback to Reddit. To start a community, you must be an established user with a certain amount of “karma” earned through engagement.  

If you were to create a Reddit account today with hopes of forming a community, you'd need to wait at least a month while actively participating before even having a chance.  

Even then, there's no guarantee. Plus, Reddit has its own set of rules, limiting your creative freedom compared to other options. 

Key Features

Circle.so vs.  Reddit

Circle.so	Reddit
All-in-one community platform	Forum-based community platform
Provide add-on	No add-on option
Provides email white-labeling	No such feature
Paid platform	Free platform

16. GroupApp

GroupApp is among the best alternatives to Circle.so. It is tailored for educators, authors, coaches, and organizations.

GroupApp caters to knowledge creators, offering tools for instructors, authors, coaches, and organizations. They understand this audience's needs and even provide a drag-and-drop course builder. 

GroupApp brings your community, courses, memberships, and events under one roof. It allows you to monetize your expertise more effectively. 

With GroupApp, your students learn and collaborate within a single platform using a single account and login.  

The integration of courses and community enhances engagement and retention while minimizing distractions. This ensures that your students remain attentive and responsive, leading to better learning outcomes.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. GroupApp

Circle.so	GroupApp
All-in-one Community platform	Plug-and-play community builder
No free plan is available	The free plan is available
Community AI feature	Use it on Android & iOS platforms.
Use it on Android & iOS platforms	Available for Android & iOS app

17. inSided

inSided is now a “Gainsight Digital Hub” to engage, retain, and delight users. Gainsight offers customer-focused community software that serves as a hub for various product-related interactions.  

From hosting support communities and knowledge bases to fostering product ideation and feedback discussions, it consolidates all product-related conversations in a single space.

For engaging the community, inSided incorporates gamification elements such as points, badges, rankings, likes, and leaderboards.

When it comes to hosting spaces for product feedback or ideation, inSided equips you with a range of tailored features.

Key Features

Circle.so vs. inSided

Circle.so	inSided
Community platform	Digital hub customer-focused platform
No free plan is available	No free plans

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Choose the Best Circle.so Alternatives in 2024?

In the dynamic landscape of 2024, the choice of finding the right Circle.so alternative is crucial. Each platform presented offers its own features, catering to diverse needs, whether it's fostering community engagement, supporting learning, or nurturing discussions. 

Evaluating these alternatives' unique strengths and weaknesses will empower you to select the best fit that aligns with your goals and aspirations. 

As you embark on this decision-making journey, consider the essence of your community, the interactions you wish to foster, and the tools that resonate most with your vision. 

With these Circle.so alternatives' possibilities, you're well on your way to creating a vibrant, thriving online community tailored to your distinct requirements.