Circle vs Mighty Networks
Circle and Mighty Networks chase the same creator who sells a membership with a course attached, and their plans mirror each other: three published tiers, a transaction fee from 2% downward, native phone apps and a branded app only on the quoted top tier. Mighty Networks lists lower prices and more streaming hours; Circle adds a website builder and workflows.
Niels AbrahamsenAnalyst, Security & Infrastructure
Elena Marchetti
Sebastiaan SmitsVendors can pay for visibility on this site; it never changes what we say about a product. How that works.
Choose Circle ifthe community lives in discussion spaces, live rooms and events, you want a website builder in the same product, and a stable set of published tiers matters for budgeting.
Choose Mighty Networks iflive video is central, so the higher streaming allowance on every tier matters, you want an AI cohost, and the lower listed subscription and the 0.5% fee on Growth suit your revenue.
Circle and Mighty Networks side by side
| Circle | Mighty Networks | |
|---|---|---|
| Our community platform rank | #2 of 13 | #3 of 13 |
| Established in | United States | United States |
| Pricing | Professional $89/month, Business $199/month, Scale $419/month on annual billing, published; transaction fee 2%, 1% and 1%; Circle Plus on request; 14-day trial | Launch $79/month ($950/year), Scale $179/month, Growth $354/month, published; transaction fee 2%, 1% and 0.5%; Mighty Pro on request; 14-day trial |
| List price, 30 September 2026 | Professional: $89 a month, based on annual billing, plus a 2% transaction fee | Launch: $79 a month, or $950 a year, plus a 2% transaction fee |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | A paid community where the course is the joining excuse | A membership community that wants native phone apps on every plan |
| Not for | A catalogue of structured courses with assessment and certificates | A course catalogue where the community is an afterthought |
Both are reviewed in full in our community platform ranking: Circle and Mighty Networks.
Where they differ
Circle 1 · Mighty Networks 1 · open 3- 01
Subscription price against transaction fees
Mighty Networks lists $79, $179 and $354 a month, with Launch at $950 a year; Circle lists $89, $199 and $419 a month based on annual billing, so the bases differ. Both charge 2% on the entry plan and 1% on the middle one. On the third tier Mighty Networks falls to 0.5% while Circle Scale stays at 1%.
Depends on the buyer
- 02
A branded app on the member's phone
The two are level. Mighty Networks includes its native iOS and Android apps on every plan and reserves an app under your own name in the App Store for Mighty Pro, its quoted tier. Circle includes iOS, Android and desktop apps from Professional and reserves custom branded apps for Circle Plus, also quoted. Your own app means a sales conversation either way.
Depends on the buyer
- 03
Live streaming hours and storage
Mighty Networks allows 20, 30 and 40 streaming hours a month across Launch, Scale and Growth. Circle allows 10, 15 and 20 hours across Professional, Business and Scale, with live streams capped at 100, 200 and 500 attendees. Storage matches tier for tier at 200 GB, 500 GB and 1 TB. A video-heavy community gets twice the hours from Mighty Networks.
Edge: Mighty Networks
- 04
Budgeting two or three years ahead
Circle's steps are visible on its pricing page: Professional includes 20 workflows, Business makes them unlimited, and custom single sign-on arrives on Scale. Mighty Networks changes its plan names and features often, which makes long-range budgeting awkward, and its host seats rise from three to five to ten by plan. Circle's costs are easier to forecast.
Edge: Circle
- 05
How far the course side goes
Neither is a real course platform. Circle's course module has no real assessment, thin progress reporting and limited drip control; Mighty Networks treats courses as a supporting act and is not suited to structured delivery with assessment and reporting. In both, the course gives members something to work through between conversations, and neither pulls ahead.
Depends on the buyer
When neither fits
Both assume members who pay a creator. A company supporting customers, or anyone wanting to own the server, is better served by Discourse, which is open source and free to self-host. An association or alumni network with chapters and tiered dues fits Hivebrite, which goes much further into membership operations.
Circle or Mighty Networks: questions
4 answersIs Mighty Networks cheaper than Circle?
On listed subscription, yes: Launch is $79 a month against Circle Professional at $89 based on annual billing, and the higher tiers are also lower.
Both charge a 2% transaction fee on the entry plan. On the third tier Mighty Networks charges 0.5% and Circle 1%.
Can Circle or Mighty Networks replace a course platform?
Not for structured teaching. Circle's courses lack real assessment and detailed progress reporting, and Mighty Networks is not suited to course delivery with assessment, drip control and reporting. Both work when the course is a reason to join a community, not the product itself.
Do Circle and Mighty Networks have a free plan?
Neither lists a permanent free tier. Both offer a 14-day free trial.
Circle's paid plans start at $89 a month based on annual billing and Mighty Networks at $79 a month, or $950 a year, with a quoted top tier at each: Circle Plus and Mighty Pro.
Do Circle and Mighty Networks include a branded mobile app?
Only on the top tier. Both include native iOS and Android apps on every plan, under the vendor's own name. An app published under your brand comes with Circle Plus or Mighty Pro, and both of those are custom quotes.
Sources
Checked 30 September 2026- Circle pricing page: Circle prices, transaction fees, apps, branded apps on Circle Plus, streaming, storage, workflows and SSO by plan.
- Mighty Networks pricing page: Mighty Networks prices, transaction fees, streaming hours, storage, hosts, apps, trial.
- Mighty Networks features page: native apps, branded apps through Mighty Pro, AI cohost.