Circle.so alternative

Own the community you built on Circle.so.

We move your members and posts off Circle.so and rebuild your community in BuddyNext, on a WordPress site you own, keeping the same Stripe account you already use.

Scoping
Free
Since
2013
Client projects
600+
Trustpilot
4.8 from 93 reviews

When switching off Circle.so makes sense

The monthly platform fee is the problem

Circle.so bills you every month regardless of your revenue. On your own WordPress site, there is no platform fee sitting between you and your members.

You want your posts and threads to actually move

Circle.so's post export is a support-requested CSV, not a self-serve button. We handle that request and rebuild the content on your new site.

You need real course infrastructure

Circle.so has no documented course export and limited course tooling. Learnomy adds quizzes, certificates, cohorts and instructor payouts.

You want to keep growing without a plan-tier ceiling

A WordPress community scales with your hosting, not with which Circle.so pricing tier you are on.

Circle.so vs. WordPress with BuddyNext

An honest comparison, including where Circle.so genuinely wins.

Circle.so
WordPress (BuddyNext + Learnomy)
Hosting and setupNothing to manage, live in minutesYou or we manage hosting; more setup up front
Monthly platform feeBilled every month regardless of revenueNo platform fee or revenue share; you pay hosting and your payment processor
Payment processorYour own connected Stripe accountYour own Stripe account, unchanged
Post and thread exportSupport-requested CSV, no bulk mediaAlways available, you own the database
Course toolsBasic course/lesson creation, no documented exportCourse builder, quizzes, certificates, cohorts, drip scheduling
Design and brandingFixed Circle.so layoutFull control of theme, layout and branding

What moves and what gets rebuilt

13+
600+
68
7,000+

4.8 out of 5 from 93+ reviews on Trustpilot

What community owners say

  • WBComDesigns is amazing. The WP plugins and themes are of top notch quality with lots of features and updated very frequently. Supports are very responsive and helpful. I use Reign with TutorLMS, and the experience is surprisingly smooth. The recently launched BuddyNext Pro and MediaShield Pro are like game changers for LMS + community. Very happy purchases and happy to be a loyal customer of WBComDesigns.
    Hoang Phan
    Trustpilot review, Vietnam
  • I highly recommend anyone in need of a website solution, whether for a community website, online store, or courses website, to choose wbcomdesigns.
    Tushar Garg
    Trustpilot review, India
  • Wbcom Designs was methodical, reliable, innovative, and knowledgeable. They communicated with us every step of the way and delivered on time and on budget.
    Verified Upwork client
    Upwork review, Forum setup project
  • Choosing Wbcom Designs for our WordPress project was a game-changer. Their expertise in BuddyPress and LearnDash plugins transformed our vision into a reality, creating a seamless and engaging eLearning and community platform. The team's professionalism, responsiveness, and innovative solutions stood out, ensuring a smooth development process and a product that exceeded our expectations. The result? A stunning, user-friendly website that has propelled our business forward. For anyone in need of top-tier WordPress development, especially for eLearning and community sites, Wbcom Designs is the go-to agency. Highly recommended for their skill, dedication, and customer-first approach.
    ESBO LTD
    Trustpilot review, Bulgaria
  • From the moment we partnered with Wbcom Designs in 2016, they have been nothing short of phenomenal, becoming not just our go-to website developers but also treasured friends. Their team, led by the incredibly kind and competent Varun, has saved our operations on more occasions than we can count, proving their indispensability time and again. Honestly, we would not be where we are without Varun! What sets Wbcom Designs apart is not just their exceptional coding and website building skills, which are indeed the best we've ever encountered, but also their remarkable work ethic and dedication. They are always there when we need them, no matter the request or time. This level of availability and commitment is rare and has been instrumental in our company's growth and smooth digital operations. Their expertise is vast, covering all the bases and then some, ensuring that every solution is not just effective but also innovative. Varun and his team have a way of making complex technical solutions understandable and accessible, which has been a huge relief and support to us over the years. We are endlessly impressed by how Wbcom Designs not only meets but consistently exceeds our expectations. They go above and beyond in every project, large or small, demonstrating a genuine care for our success and well-being. Their knowledgeable guidance and friendly support have been pivotal in our journey, and it's clear they invest not just their time but their hearts into their work. In a world where genuine, reliable, and high-quality web development services can be hard to find, Wbcom Designs shines as a beacon of excellence. We cannot imagine going anywhere else for our web development needs. To Varun and the entire Wbcom Designs team: thank you for being such an integral part of our story. Your work ethic, expertise, and kindness have made all the difference.
    Tresne Middleton
    Trustpilot review, Australia
  • We were having a critical issue with our website. We were able to quickly get through to WBcom Designs and they worked with us to give them what they needed to find the problem and correct it. I highly recommend their team and especially Pallavi.
    Sandy Ellingson
    Trustpilot review, United States

Questions about moving off Circle.so

Can we keep our members?
Yes. Circle.so gives you a self-serve CSV export of your members including email addresses, and we import that list into your new WordPress community.
What about our existing posts and discussions?
Circle.so requires a support-requested export, delivered as CSV files for members, spaces, posts and comments. We handle that request and rebuild the content, though uploaded media is not included and has to be re-hosted separately.
Do our courses move over automatically?
No, Circle.so has no documented course export. We rebuild your courses in Learnomy, with quizzes, certificates and drip scheduling.
What happens to our Stripe account?
Circle.so's paywall runs on your own connected Stripe account, so that billing relationship stays yours. We reconnect the same account to your new checkout.
Do members need new passwords?
Yes. Passwords never transfer from any platform. Members set a new password or use a magic link the first time they sign in.
What does a migration cost?
Scoping is free. We look at your community size and content, then give you a fixed price before any work starts.

Part of the Wbcom Designs family

The all-in-one WordPress community stack

Also ours: wbcomdesigns.comvapvarun.combrndle.com