What it does
Circle brings discussions, courses, events, live sessions and member messaging into a branded community. Spaces organise content, with access groups and paywalls controlling entry to particular areas. Community owners need an account and a paid plan after a 14-day trial, which starts without a credit card.
Circle's space access setting matters more than whether the space appears in the sidebar. Open spaces allow members to join voluntarily, including after an administrator removes them. Private spaces require an entry point, an access group or an administrator's invitation, and can show non-members a lock screen. Secret spaces control access similarly but stay hidden from non-members.
For a paid cohort, open Community, then Spaces, and use the space's three-dot menu to choose Edit space. Under Customize, set Access to the appropriate private or secret option. Hiding a space from the sidebar changes navigation only; a direct link can still reach it, with access determined by its privacy setting.
Community subscription
| Plan | USD per month, billed annually | Admins / spaces | Circle transaction fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional | 89 | 3 / 20 | 2% |
| Business | 199 | 5 / 30 | 1% |
| Scale | 419 | 10 / 100 | 1% |
| Circle Plus | Custom | Unlimited admins; flexible spaces | 0.5% |
Prices exclude applicable taxes. All plans allow unlimited members, but live attendance and storage have separate limits. Business introduces workflows and APIs for connecting other software; Scale adds unlimited workflows. Email Hub is generally an extra subscription, with 10,000 contacts included in Circle Plus.
The trial lasts 14 days and needs no card. To subscribe, open Settings, then Subscription and Plans, select the billing frequency and choose Upgrade. Upgrading during the trial charges immediately and forfeits the remaining trial days. After expiry, signing in takes the owner to the plan-selection page to reactivate paid access.
Strengths
- Private and secret spaces offer distinct discovery and entry behaviours
- Discussions, courses and events can share a member community
Watch out for
- Hiding an open space does not restrict voluntary joining
- Workflow automations are not included in Professional
Best for
- Membership teams combining discussion, events and cohort-based content
Sources
- Circle | A new era for digital businesses (Oct 25, 2026)
- Managing Circle Space Access and Visibility (Oct 27, 2026)
- Circle Pricing (Oct 27, 2026)
- Upgrading a Circle Community Trial to a Paid Plan (Oct 27, 2026)