C
Circle
circle.so · Circle Community Platform · scored Dec 2025Circle powers Harvard's community, taxes every transaction
Best forCreators and coaches building paid memberships and courses in one place.
All-in-one community platform combining discussions, courses, events and payments in one interface.
Plans
2% transaction fee
1% transaction fee
0.5% transaction fee
Source: circle.so
Upside
- Combines courses, events and discussions in one
- SOC 2 certified, GDPR and CCPA compliant
- Trusted by Harvard, SpaceX and Tim Ferriss
Catch
- Transaction fees on top of subscription
- Starting price $89/mo is high for beginners
- Notification volume can overwhelm new users
Editor's takeCircle replaces a fragmented stack of separate discussion, course and event tools with one platform for discussions, courses, events and payments, now running more than 15,000 communities including Harvard's CrimsonConnect. SOC 2 certification and GDPR and CCPA compliance back its enterprise credibility. The Professional plan starts at $89 a month, and every tier layers on a 0.5% to 2% transaction fee on top of standard Stripe processing costs.
Does Circle charge transaction fees?
Yes, 0.5% to 2% depending on plan tier, charged in addition to standard Stripe payment processing fees, according to Circle's pricing page.
Who uses Circle?
More than 15,000 communities, including Harvard's CrimsonConnect and coaching programs run by Tim Ferriss, according to CBS News coverage of the platform.
The evidence: 6 criteria, 3 penalties (−0.14 points)
Score adjustments−0.14 points in total
