Circle vs Patreon
Circle vs Patreon compared side by side on price, plans and features.
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Our verdict
The deciding difference is how each one charges. Patreon has no monthly fee and keeps 10% of member payments on pages published after August 4, 2025, plus 2.9% + $0.30 per card payment for a US-dollar payout, and in return it processes payments, handles chargebacks, disputes and fraud, and accepts PayPal, Apple Pay and Venmo. Circle's Professional plan costs $89 a month, based on annual billing, keeps 2% of paywall payments and leaves Stripe's processing on top, which Circle's help center says typically starts at 2.9% + $0.30. On $2,000 a month in member payments, Patreon's share is $200, while Circle's fee is $40 on top of its $89 plan. Circle also builds a community of spaces, courses and live events on a custom domain; Patreon's community tools are chats, DMs and comments, with up to 10 chat spaces. Choose Patreon to start earning with no upfront cost, and Circle once income is steady or members need a community of their own.
The numbers
At a glance
How Circle and Patreon stack up on price and plans. The highlighted cell wins the row; costs are monthly, at the yearly rate where one is published.
| Metric |  Circle |  Patreon |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest for 1 person | $89/mo + usageProfessional | — |
| Cheapest for 10 people | $159/mo + usageProfessional | — |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes (14 days) | No |
| Best for | Best for creators and brands selling memberships, courses and events in one paid community | Best for podcasters, video creators and artists who want paid memberships with no monthly fee |
Pricing
Pricing compared
Per month, at the yearly rate where one is published. Checked against both vendors' pricing pages (Circle Oct 5, 2026, Patreon Oct 5, 2026).
Circle
From $89/mo
- Professionalper month, plus $10 per extra admin$89/mo
- Businessper month, plus $10 per extra admin$199/mo
- Scaleper month, plus $10 per extra admin$419/mo
- Circle Pluscustom pricingCustom
| Team size | Circle | Patreon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $89/mo + usageProfessional | — |
| 5 people | $109/mo + usageProfessional | — |
| 10 people | $159/mo + usageProfessional | — |
| 25 people | $309/mo + usageProfessional | — |
Feature by feature
Circle vs Patreon features
Every feature either tool lists, grouped by area. A check means it's included.
Branded mobile app · Built-in courses · Gamification & leaderboards · Public, SEO-visible content
Nothing Patreon offers alone.
Community Experience5 features
| Feature | Circle | Patreon |
|---|---|---|
| Branded mobile app | Included | Not included |
| Built-in courses | Included | Not included |
| Live events & streaming | Included | Included |
| Real-time chat & DMs | Included | Included |
| Spaces & sub-groups | Included | Included |
Monetisation3 features
| Feature | Circle | Patreon |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple membership tiers | Included | Included |
| Paid memberships | Included | Included |
| Zero platform fees | Not included | Not included |
Moderation & Growth6 features
| Feature | Circle | Patreon |
|---|---|---|
| API & integrations | Included | Included |
| Engagement analytics | Included | Included |
| Gamification & leaderboards | Included | Not included |
| Moderation tools | Included | Included |
| Public, SEO-visible content | Included | Not included |
| Self-hosting option | Not included | Not included |
Bottom line
Which should you choose?
Choose Circle if…
Best for creators and brands selling memberships, courses and events in one paid community
Circle pros and cons
Choose Patreon if…
Best for podcasters, video creators and artists who want paid memberships with no monthly fee
Patreon pros and consKeep exploring
Related comparisons & guides
Try Circle
Community platform for paid memberships, courses and live events
Try Patreon
Membership platform for creators, with tiers, chats and a digital shop