How much does Circle cost in 2026?

There are three public plans plus a custom tier, all cheapest on annual billing. Professional is 89 dollars a month, Business is 199 dollars, and Enterprise is around 419 dollars. Circle Plus is custom-quoted and typically starts higher, adding fully branded mobile apps. The old Basic plan at 39 to 49 dollars was discontinued in 2024, so the entry floor is now 89 dollars a month — a significant jump for anyone remembering Circle as a cheaper option.

Does Circle really charge transaction fees?

Yes, and this is the cost most people miss. On top of standard Stripe or PayPal processing of roughly 2.9% plus 30 cents, Circle takes its own platform fee on every sale: 2% on Professional, 1% on Business and 0.5% on Circle Plus. So a membership sold on Professional can pay close to 5% in combined fees before you even count the subscription. At higher revenue, the lower fee on Business genuinely starts to pay for the more expensive plan.

What's the difference between Professional and Business?

Automation and control. Professional at 89 dollars covers the core community, courses, events and memberships, but has no automation workflows, no API, no white-labelling and a 2% fee. Business at 199 dollars adds workflows, API access, the ability to remove Circle branding, more admin seats and spaces, more storage, and halves the fee to 1%. If you want Zapier-style automation built into your community, or you need to remove Circle's branding, you are on Business — there is no middle option.

What is the real monthly cost once add-ons are included?

Higher than the headline, often much higher. The biggest add-on is Email Hub, Circle's email marketing tool, which is priced separately by contact count and starts around 99 dollars a month. Add transaction fees on your sales and the occasional extra like branded sender emails, and a Professional plan advertised at 89 dollars commonly lands somewhere between 200 and 300 dollars a month in real use. Budget for the plan plus fees plus the add-ons you will actually switch on, not the sticker price.

Different philosophies. Skool is deliberately minimal and cheaper, with a single low-cost plan and a focus on simplicity and gamified engagement — great for validating a community before you have proven people will pay. Circle is the premium, feature-rich option: far more customisation, native courses and events, automation and branded apps, but at a meaningfully higher price. Start on Skool to validate cheaply; move to Circle when you need the design polish, deeper features and scale.

Is there a free plan or trial?

There is no free plan, but every tier includes a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, and Circle offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans. With no permanent free option and an 89-dollar entry point, the trial is your real chance to confirm the platform fits before committing — set up a genuine test community during it rather than just clicking around.

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