# Circle vs Ning

| Attribute | Circle | Ning |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 56.1 (55% (medium)) | 65.2 (26% (low)) |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | Circle enables community builders to create a centralized space for their communities, courses, events, and live streams—all with custom branding and integrated payment systems. The platform provides tools for member engagement, content delivery, and monetization without requiring technical expertise. | Ning is a platform for creating branded online communities with drag-and-drop design, member management, discussion forums, events, and monetization features. It serves educators, nonprofits, enthusiasts, and businesses seeking to build engaged communities around shared interests. |
| features.capabilities | `{"pricing_model":"monthly_subscription_tiered","deployment_model":"creator_cloud_saas","native_live_video_streaming":true,"custom_css_and_html_theme_editing":true,"mobile_app_ios_android_deployment":true,"event_calendar_and_rsvp_management":true,"salesforce_hubspot_crm_contact_sync":false,"gamification_badges_and_leaderboards":true,"custom_domain_cname_and_white_labeling":true,"native_paywalls_and_paid_subscriptions":true,"white_label_custom_domain_and_branding":true,"native_video_hosting_bandwidth_included":true,"member_directory_and_direct_messaging_dm":true,"email_marketing_and_funnel_builder_native":true,"native_community_forum_and_discussion_boards":true}` | - |
| integrations.count | 6 | 7 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Zapier"},{"name":"Make"},{"name":"Memberstack"},{"name":"MemberSpace"},{"name":"Memberful"},{"name":"Integrately"}]` | `[{"name":"Google"},{"name":"Facebook"},{"name":"LinkedIn"},{"name":"YouTube"},{"name":"Vimeo"},{"name":"MailChimp"},{"name":"Twitter"}]` |
| market.availability | `{"hqCountry":"US","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"hqCountry":"US","primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"ios":true,"web":true,"android":true}` | `{"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Professional","summary":"$89/month with 14-day free trial","features":["Circle AI","Unlimited members","Courses","Discussions","Events","Website Builder","Live streams","Live rooms","Custom branding","Reporting & analytics","Searchable member directory","Rich member profiles","Paid memberships","Gamification","Custom domain","Weekly community digest","Migration services for payments"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":89,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Get key community building features, all in one place","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Business","summary":"$199/month (contact sales for customizations)","features":["Everything in Professional","Workflows","Custom profile fields","Circle MCP","Headless Member API","Admin API","Branded email notifications","Content co-pilot","Automated transcriptions","Activity scores","Standard migration services","Remove Circle branding"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":199,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Scale your community with workflows and customizations","contactSales":true},{"free":false,"name":"Circle Plus","summary":"Custom pricing with dedicated customer success management","features":["Everything in Business","AI Agents & AI workflows","Custom single sign-on (SSO)","Highest limits (Live, Storage, Workflows)","10k Email Hub contacts included","Sandbox community","Priority technical support","Priority platform migrations","Dedicated Customer Success Manager","Custom branded iOS and Android apps","In-app purchases","Fully managed branded apps"],"description":"Run your business with AI Agents, hands-on expert strategy, and optional branded apps","contactSales":true}],"addOns":[{"name":"Email Hub","components":[{"per":{"qty":1000,"unit":"contacts"},"kind":"metered","amount":10,"currency":"USD"}]},{"name":"Sender email customization","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":49,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}]},{"name":"Integrately integration","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":40,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}]}],"summary":"From $89/month (Professional) with a 14-day free trial. Custom pricing for Circle Plus.","currency":"USD","freeTier":false,"sourceUrl":"https://circle.so/pricing","retrievedAt":"2026-08-25T08:33:10.396Z","freeTrialDays":14,"startingPrice":{"amount":89,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Starter","summary":"$12.50/month, billed annually","features":["Drag & Drop Builder","Photo & Video","Events & Posts","Activity Feed","Multiple Blogs & Forums","Custom Groups & Member Onboarding","Analytics & GA Tools","Referral Program","Broadcast Messages","Social Network Integration","Social Sharing","Social Login","SEO Tools","Community & Forum Support (24hr response)"],"commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":12.5,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Entry-level plan for testing platform features","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"members":"up to 1000","storage":"10 GB","rss_feeds":"1"}},{"free":false,"name":"Basic","summary":"$27.95/month, billed annually","features":["Drag & Drop Builder","Photo & Video","Events & Posts","Activity Feed","Multiple Blogs & Forums","Custom Groups & Member Onboarding","Analytics & GA Tools","Referral Program","Broadcast Messages","Social Network Integration","Social Sharing","Social Login","SEO Tools","Custom Domain Mapping","Email Support (12hr response)"],"commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":27.95,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For small communities, classrooms, nonprofits, and family groups","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"members":"up to 1000","storage":"10 GB"}},{"free":false,"name":"Performance","summary":"$54.95/month, billed annually","features":["Drag & Drop Builder","Photo & Video","Events & Posts","Activity Feed","Multiple Blogs & Forums","Custom Groups & Member Onboarding","Analytics & GA Tools","Referral Program","Broadcast Messages","Social Network Integration","Social Sharing","Social Login","SEO Tools","Custom Domain Mapping","Custom HTML Design","API Access","E-commerce Platform","MailChimp Email Automation","Live Chat Support"],"commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":54.95,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Design flexibility and customization for larger communities","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"members":"up to 10000","storage":"50 GB","rss_feeds":"15"}},{"free":false,"name":"Ultimate","summary":"$107.95/month, billed annually","features":["Drag & Drop Builder","Photo & Video","Events & Posts","Activity Feed","Multiple Blogs & Forums","Custom Groups & Member Onboarding","Analytics & GA Tools","Referral Program","Broadcast Messages","Social Network Integration","Social Sharing","Social Login","SEO Tools","Custom Domain Mapping","Custom HTML Design","API Access","E-commerce Platform","MailChimp Email Automation","Personal Manager","24/7 Phone Support"],"commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":107.95,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Premium tier with maximum features, bandwidth, and dedicated support","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"members":"up to 100000","storage":"100 GB","rss_feeds":"25"}}],"summary":"From $12.50/month (annual billing). Free 14-day trial on all plans.","currency":"USD","freeTier":false,"sourceUrl":"https://www.ning.com/de/pricing/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-18T12:51:17.410Z","freeTrialDays":14,"startingPrice":{"amount":12.5,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | no | no |
| pricing.model | commercial | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | high | low |
| pricing.starting_price | `{"amount":89,"currency":"USD"}` | - |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| security.gdpr | yes | - |
| security.soc2 | yes | - |

## Capabilities (Community Platforms)

| Capability | Circle | Ning |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Gamification badges and leaderboards | ✓ | - |
| Native live video streaming | ✓ | - |
| Native paywalls and paid subscriptions | ✓ | - |
| Event calendar and rsvp management | ✓ | - |
| Member directory and direct messaging dm | ✓ | - |
| Custom domain cname and white labeling | ✓ | - |
| Custom css and html theme editing | ✓ | - |
| Salesforce hubspot CRM contact sync | ✗ | - |
| Mobile app ios android deployment | ✓ | - |
| SOC2 type ii | - | - |
| ISO 27001 | - | - |
| Pricing model | Monthly subscription tiered | - |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T14:25:20.219Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*