NING vs Circle

NING8.8Visit Circle8.7Visit

Higher score NING #4 in Social Networking Software 8.8/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 5 features Visit NING

vs

Circle #5 in Social Networking Software 8.7/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 5 features Visit Circle

• NING fits best

  Low-cost, branded social network websites

• Circle fits best

  Creators monetizing a mobile community

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Side by side

Feature	NING 8.8/10 Visit ↗	Circle 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.7
Ranking	#4 in Social Networking Software	#5 in Social Networking Software
Best for	Low-cost, branded social network websites	Creators monetizing a mobile community
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	$12.50/mo (best)	$89/mo
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	14 days	14 days
Free trial length	14 days · card required	14 days · no card needed
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Web	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Support	Email, Live chat, Phone, Community, Docs · 24/7	Email, Community, Docs
Integrations	9 integrations	3 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features NING 1/5 · Circle 1/5
Private communities	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Mobile apps	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Single sign-on	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Community analytics	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Moderation tools	✓	✓
Specs
Members included	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Deployment	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Combines groups, forums, feeds, messaging, events, and media Custom domains, member moderation, and paid-access options Starter includes a drag-and-drop builder and analytics	Combines discussions, private spaces, events, live rooms, and courses Supports paid memberships, paywalls, and custom domains Offers web, desktop, iOS, and Android access
Cons	Web-only platform, with no listed mobile platform Listed member limit of 10 constrains larger communities 14-day trial requires billing information up front	No free plan; Professional starts at $89 per month Circle Plus uses custom pricing Listed integrations are limited to Zapier, Integrately, and Stripe
Our verdict	NING is a hosted platform for creating branded social network websites and online communities without coding. It suits community groups, nonprofits, creators, classrooms, families, and organizations that want a site they can manage… Read the review →	Circle brings community spaces, content, events, and monetization into one product for creators, coaches, educators, and brands. Members can use discussion and post spaces, private spaces with access controls, live streams and rooms, and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• NING — where it wins

  • Combines groups, forums, feeds, messaging, events, and media
  • Custom domains, member moderation, and paid-access options
  • Starter includes a drag-and-drop builder and analytics

  Where it doesn't

  • Web-only platform, with no listed mobile platform
  • Listed member limit of 10 constrains larger communities
  • 14-day trial requires billing information up front

• Circle — where it wins

  • Combines discussions, private spaces, events, live rooms, and courses
  • Supports paid memberships, paywalls, and custom domains
  • Offers web, desktop, iOS, and Android access

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan; Professional starts at $89 per month
  • Circle Plus uses custom pricing
  • Listed integrations are limited to Zapier, Integrately, and Stripe

• NING8.8/10 · 14-day trial

  A hosted community builder with social-network basics and paid plans starting at $12.50 per month.

  Visit NINGFull verdict →
• Circle8.7/10 · 14-day trial

  A paid community platform that brings discussions, events, courses, and memberships together.

  Visit CircleFull verdict →