How Circle and Tertulia 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.
Tertulia for Authors is a website built around the books. Enter an ISBN or ASIN and it imports the covers, descriptions, reviews, and buy links, then adds a blog, an events calendar, and a mailing list. Pro adds direct sales and newsletters. That is real strength. If the site should come from the catalog instead of a blank page, Tertulia is built for exactly that.
Where they are different
Choose Circle when a paid, private community with courses and events is the product, and you want members in a branded app.
Choose Tertulia when the center of the work is the book catalog: imported pages, retailer links, events, a reader magnet, and direct ebook, audiobook, print, and merchandise sales with no Tertulia commission.
Compare features
What's on Circle and Tertulia
A check means that capability is available. Circle and Tertulia are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteCircle: IncludedTertulia: Included
- Custom domainCircle: IncludedTertulia: Included
- Theme and fontsCircle: IncludedTertulia: Included
Public content
- BlogCircle: Not includedTertulia: Included
- Reader engagementCircle: IncludedTertulia: Included
- Showcase pagesCircle: IncludedTertulia: Included
- Shop pagesCircle: Not includedTertulia: Included
Reach and quality
- SEOCircle: IncludedTertulia: Included
Audience and email
- AudienceCircle: IncludedTertulia: Included
- Marketing emailsCircle: IncludedTertulia: Included
- Campaign workflowsCircle: IncludedTertulia: Not included
Messaging
- Built-in chatCircle: IncludedTertulia: Not included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsCircle: IncludedTertulia: Included
Team
- Admin usersCircle: IncludedTertulia: Not included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Circle or Tertulia, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Circle or Tertulia may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Circle vs Tertulia pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Circle
Current plans and prices
See what Circle charges on their pricing page.
Tertulia
Current plans and prices
See what Tertulia charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Circle and Tertulia
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 Tertulia?
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 Tertulia when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Circle and Tertulia are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Circle or Tertulia?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Circle or Tertulia for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Circle and Tertulia?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Circle and Tertulia set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Circle or Tertulia 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.