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Circle alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Circle: costs rise quickly for automation and branded apps, and takes time to configure well. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Circle, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Skool currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Skool logoSkoolPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 466.5
2Mighty Networks logoMighty NetworksPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 462.6
3Kajabi logoKajabiPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 459.6
4Thinkific logoThinkificPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 455.3
5Discord logoDiscordFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +33 of 351.2
  1. Skool logo

    1. SkoolTop pick

    Best for: Creators selling a paid community with courses and live calls bundled in

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Circle

    Much simpler and cheaper, with gamification that keeps members active.

    Pros

    • Gamification keeps members engaged
    • Flat pricing with unlimited members and courses
    • Simple to set up in an afternoon

    Cons

    • Very little branding or layout customisation
    • Courses are basic compared with course platforms
    • Hobby plan's transaction fee is high
    Visit Skool Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Skool a good Circle alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Hobby plan
    $9/month with 10% transaction fee
    Checked Oct 25, 2026skool.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $99/month with 2.9% transaction fee
    Checked Oct 25, 2026skool.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Founded
    2019
    Checked Oct 25, 2026skool.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Headquarters
    Los Angeles, California
    Checked Oct 25, 2026skool.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Mighty Networks logo

    2. Mighty Networks

    Best for: Membership businesses and coaches who want community, courses and events in one app

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Circle

    Similar community-plus-courses model with its own branded app programme.

    Pros

    • Community, courses and events in one member space
    • Branded app service for your own store listing
    • Free trial with no card required

    Cons

    • Interface can feel cluttered for members
    • Integrations and APIs only on higher tiers
    • Branded apps are a separate, costly service
    Visit Mighty Networks Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mighty Networks a good Circle alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $79/month (Launch)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mightynetworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Scale plan
    $179/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mightynetworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days, no card
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mightynetworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
    API access
    Scale plan and up
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mightynetworks.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Kajabi logo

    3. Kajabi

    Best for: Established coaches and course creators who want courses, email, funnels and community in one bill

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Circle

    Stronger email, funnels and checkout when community is one part of the business.

    Pros

    • Courses, email, funnels, website and community in one product
    • No revenue share taken by Kajabi on its plans
    • Polished checkout with upsells and order bumps

    Cons

    • One of the priciest creator platforms
    • Product and contact limits push you to higher tiers
    • Built-in email and site tools are less flexible than specialists
    Visit Kajabi Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Kajabi a good Circle alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $179/month monthly, $143/month billed annually (Basic)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kajabi.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Transaction fees
    No revenue sharing
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kajabi.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Money-back guarantee
    30 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kajabi.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Basic plan limits
    5 products, 2,500 contacts
    Checked Oct 25, 2026kajabi.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Thinkific logo

    4. Thinkific

    Best for: Course businesses that want solid learning tools and room to scale into communities and apps

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Circle

    Better for course-led businesses that want community as a secondary feature.

    Pros

    • Strong course features: quizzes, certificates, learning paths, SCORM
    • Communities and live sessions sit next to courses
    • Annual billing cuts the monthly price noticeably

    Cons

    • No longer offers a free plan
    • Branded mobile app costs extra
    • Marketing tools are lighter than all-in-one rivals
    Visit Thinkific Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Thinkific a good Circle alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $109/month monthly, $82/month billed annually (Start)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thinkific.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Grow plan price
    $219/month billed monthly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thinkific.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Branded mobile app
    Add-on, $199/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thinkific.com(opens source in a new tab)
    SCORM import
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026thinkific.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Discord logo

    5. Discord

    Best for: Communities that want free voice and text chat

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    51.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Circle

    Free chat-based community if you don't need courses or paywalls built in.

    Pros

    • Free with unlimited history
    • Excellent voice channels
    • Rich roles, bots and moderation

    Cons

    • Not built for enterprise compliance
    • Consumer-style interface for work
    Visit Discord Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Discord a good Circle alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Price
    Free; optional Nitro subscription
    Checked Oct 24, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Voice channels
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Web, desktop, mobile
    Checked Oct 24, 2026discord.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Circle alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Skool logo

Best Circle alternative for most people

Skool

Much simpler and cheaper, with gamification that keeps members active.

Discord logo

Best Circle alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Discord

Free chat-based community if you don't need courses or paywalls built in.

Discord logo

Best Circle alternative for Mac

Discord

Free chat-based community if you don't need courses or paywalls built in.

Discord logo

Best Circle alternative for Windows

Discord

Free chat-based community if you don't need courses or paywalls built in.

Discord logo

Best Circle alternative for Linux

Discord

Free chat-based community if you don't need courses or paywalls built in.

Mighty Networks logo

Best Circle alternative for iPhone and Android

Mighty Networks

Similar community-plus-courses model with its own branded app programme.

Kajabi logo

Best Circle alternative for working in the browser

Kajabi

Stronger email, funnels and checkout when community is one part of the business.

Circle alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Circle?

Skool ranks first right now. Much simpler and cheaper, with gamification that keeps members active. Mighty Networks and Kajabi follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Circle?

Yes. Discord (free plan + paid) has a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Circle?

None of the 6 alternatives in this list is open source.

Which Circle alternatives work on Linux?

Discord runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from Circle?

The complaints we hear most: costs rise quickly for automation and branded apps; takes time to configure well; course tools are lighter than dedicated course platforms.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Circle, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.