How Circle and Substack compare
Circle is where serious community hosts go when the community is the business. Spaces for discussion and chat, courses and events in the same place, paid memberships with branded checkout, gamification, workflows, Circle AI, and on Circle Plus your own branded iOS and Android apps. It has grown into an all-in-one for membership businesses, and the Website Builder and Email Hub mean many hosts no longer need a second tool for the front door. If your members log in every week to talk to each other, Circle is built for exactly that.
Substack made paid newsletters normal. You write, it sends, and readers can subscribe or pay in one click. The network effects are real: recommendations, Notes, the app, and discovery bring new readers you did not have to find. There is no monthly fee, and for a writer who wants to write rather than run software, that is a gift.
Where they are different
Circle
- Circle's pages are the front door to a members-only space.
- Circle's Email Hub is an add-on priced per contact on top of the plan.
- Circle's DMs live between members inside the community.
- Circle has courses, live streams, paid tiers for users, and gamification.
Substack
- Substack is a network you publish into.
- Substack takes a percentage of paid subscriptions.
- Substack chat and comments live in its app.
Choose Circle when a paid, private community with courses and events is the product, and you want members in a branded app.
Choose Substack when you want to write, get paid, and be discovered with the least possible setup.
Compare features
What's on Circle and Substack
A check means that capability is available. Circle and Substack are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
- Custom domainCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
- Theme and fontsCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
Public content
- BlogCircle: Not includedSubstack: Included
- Reader engagementCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
- Showcase pagesCircle: IncludedSubstack: Not included
Reach and quality
- SEOCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
Audience and email
- AudienceCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
- Marketing emailsCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
- Bulk email workflowsCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
- Campaign workflowsCircle: IncludedSubstack: Not included
Messaging
- Built-in chatCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsCircle: IncludedSubstack: Not included
Team
- Admin usersCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
- Per-admin permissionsCircle: IncludedSubstack: Included
- AI AssistantCircle: IncludedSubstack: Not included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Circle or Substack, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Circle or Substack may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Circle vs Substack pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Circle
Current plans and prices
See what Circle charges on their pricing page.
Substack
Current plans and prices
See what Substack charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Circle and Substack
You don't pay until you publish.
Cardel provides a home for your craft. Share and sell your work, grow your audience, and bring your community together on a site of your own.
Common questions
Is Cardel an alternative to Circle or Substack?
Cardel is a home for your craft: a site of your own with a blog, newsletter, shop, community, and one inbox. It can replace Circle or Substack when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Circle and Substack are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Circle or Substack?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Circle or Substack for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Circle and Substack?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Circle and Substack set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Circle or Substack to Cardel?
Start with Build Your Site, set up your home, and bring your work over at your own pace. You do not have to move everything on day one.