It’s a reality: People crave group. And with on-line membership websites changing into increasingly more common within the on-line enterprise world, we needed to discover and evaluate two completely different membership group platforms: Mighty Networks and Circle.so, that can assist you decide which one may be the perfect match to your group.
Manner again within the day, it wasn’t so troublesome to construct group. We organically discovered group at bars and church buildings, sporting occasions, and dinner events. However because the introduction of the Web, it has develop into each simpler, and more durable, to search out true group. Certain, we’ve got social networks, however as everyone knows these may be noisy and distracting, and connections typically do not get previous the floor.
Increasingly more we’re craving extra sane, protected, and calm areas on-line to attach. Locations which are extra peaceable with fewer distractions and the place we are able to hang around with folks with whom we’ve got one thing in widespread. And the place you, the group chief, have extra management.
Membership communities are the latest strategy to construct on-line connections with folks in your viewers. We launched SPI Pro in July, and we have already got lots of of members who all have an curiosity in beginning and rising their on-line companies.
We’re all-in on membership communities, and in the event you’re an entrepreneur, we wish to assist you set one up as effectively.
Within the course of of making SPI Professional, there have been many issues to contemplate, together with the place to host it. Mighty Networks? Discourse? Disciple? Circle? There are a slew of platforms on the market, and discovering the appropriate “dwelling” is essential to assist hold your members engaged and coming again for extra.
On this weblog publish, we’re going to match two membership platforms: Mighty Networks and Circle.so. One has been round for years. The opposite launched lower than a yr in the past.
Each are superb platforms, however as you’ll see, there are some key variations, they usually have completely different strengths and advantages. Which one might be best for you?
Disclosure: This publish accommodates our unbiased evaluate and proposals that can assist you resolve between Mighty Networks and Circle.so to your membership group platform. Nonetheless, Circle.so is the platform SPI makes use of for its membership group, SPI Pro, and this publish accommodates affiliate hyperlinks for Circle.so. Learn our full affiliate disclaimer here.
The platform has been round for a couple of years. Here is some background on how this platform took place.
How Mighty Networks Began
Mighty Networks was based by Gina Bianchini, who was cofounder of Ning.com, a web-based social media community platform for folks and organizations to create customized social networks. Gina left Ning in 2010 and began Mighty Networks.
She and her staff needed to construct one thing that was mobile-fast and creator-led.
Pat interviewed Gina in session 405 of the SPI Podcast, the place she talks about her imaginative and prescient with Mighty Networks: “… to create one thing that allowed you to carry your folks collectively in a single place, do extra with them, run on-line programs, have digital workshops and even manage in-person occasions due to a few of the options we’ve got associated to folks close to me.”
“What’s highly effective a few Mighty Community,” says Gina, is that “you are not simply bringing your group and programs collectively in the identical place. You’re actually creating and making the most of the identical underlying dynamics which have constructed a few of the most profitable corporations within the historical past of corporations [Facebook, Twitter, etc.] The distinction is that you simply as a creator can reap the benefits of the identical underlying dynamics that constructed these platforms by having your personal community impact that’s creator-sized, that’s for your those who constructed your enterprise.”
Gina Bianchini, founder, Mighty Networks
Gina needed to create a spot for “manufacturers and companies to return collectively by way of on-line programs, paid memberships, occasions, content material, and group—all below your model, immediately accessible natively on each platform.” Mighty Networks serves the rising world of “creators with a purpose” in a class they time period the “passion economy.”
Mighty Networks is likely one of the oldest and most established platforms to host membership communities, and it’s crammed with tons of options.
Not too long ago, it has began advertising and marketing itself as a “web site builder” somewhat than only a group platform. That is an attention-grabbing transfer, as a result of it presents on-line companies a strategy to construct their complete infrastructure on one platform.
Options of Mighty Networks
The platform has a ton of performance you’d need as a creator, together with:
- Web site builder
- On-line programs
- Memberships
- Subscriptions
- Neighborhood
Mighty Networks has the flexibility to provide articles, on-line programs, and arranged occasions. The corporate needs every creator to be accountable for their very own Mighty Community and to have the ability to carry their content material, programs, and group collectively in a single place.
Mighty Networks found by buyer suggestions that their clients didn’t wish to need to go to different platforms to create on-line programs, so that they constructed a method for creators to create and promote on-line programs proper on the Mighty Networks platform. Right now, over 65 % of their paying clients (premium plan), reap the benefits of the flexibility to host their on-line programs on Mighty Networks.
Mighty Networks Plans
The platform presents three foremost plans to select from, based mostly in your wants.
Mighty Networks Free Plan:
- Customized exercise feeds for members
- Matters, articles and direct messaging
- Choice to have your group public or non-public
Mighty Networks Neighborhood Plan ($23/month paid yearly*):
- Your individual net area
- Limitless moderators
- The power to cost for membership
- *$28/month paid month-to-month
Mighty Networks Enterprise Plan ($81/month paid yearly*):
- On-line programs
- 2,000 + Zapier integrations
- Premium analytics
- *$98/month paid month-to-month
You possibly can see the total record of plans and options here. There’s additionally a Professional plan (value not supplied on the web site), which incorporates white label capabilities.
Why You Would possibly Think about Utilizing Mighty Networks
We have recognized three key the explanation why Mighty Networks may be your platform of alternative to your membership group.
It permits you to construct your complete on-line enterprise infrastructure on one platform
As talked about above, Mighty Networks was initially created as a group platform, however has since transitioned into positioning itself as a “web site builder”—which permits folks to begin with their web site and construct every thing out from there. This permits folks to have their group, course gross sales, and content material creation multi functional place, somewhat than having to determine completely different platforms for every.
It has been round for some time and has developed a ton of options
Since Mighty Networks is a number of years previous, it has extra capabilities than different membership platforms. For now, the built-in occasions performance appears rather a lot higher than Circle and different platforms, and their member profiles are extra sturdy. As well as, it has a instrument for funds so that you don’t need to combine an out of doors platform when promoting programs or your membership group.
Having every thing in a single place helps to encourage viewers engagement
In case your followers need to log in to a number of completely different platforms to interact with you and your different followers, then engagement may undergo. In the event that they’ve simply completed a course after which need to go to Fb to attach with others who took the course, it could be an excessive amount of work.
Gina believes that entrepreneurs need every thing in a single place: “They’re saying, ‘You recognize what? I am sick of getting a static web site. The truth that I can have my web site and my group and my programs and my funds and my advertising and marketing pages multi functional place is what I need as a result of I wish to transfer from having one thing that is static to dynamic.’”
It’s additionally exterior of the noise and distraction of Fb—it’s a devoted area so you’ve got folks coming to the group deliberately, not simply after they’re scrolling by Fb. So that you gained’t need to work as laborious to maintain your group members’ consideration.
Why Mighty Networks Would possibly Not Be Proper for You
Mighty Networks is not for everybody. Listed here are the primary causes it is probably not the perfect match to your wants.
You may not want so many options
Some established creators don’t want this many options. If you have already got your programs housed some other place, you don’t want the “programs” characteristic. In the event you’re a extra established entrepreneur and creator, you could not wish to transfer your funds, programs, and web site throughout to Mighty Networks.
It’s not very intuitive
Whereas it’s very characteristic wealthy, Mighty Networks is not as intuitive as different platforms, like Circle. Some customers have discovered it laborious to navigate. Generally you need to click on by one or two ranges earlier than you discover the dialog. Additionally, the platform isn’t “white label” until you pay for the Professional membership, which isn’t priced on its web site.
Backside Line: This platform might be good for you in the event you want an all-in-one platform to construct your small business infrastructure, however it appears much less intuitive and more durable to navigate than Circle.
Circle is a a lot newer platform than Mighty Networks. The truth is, it was launched lower than a yr in the past.
How Circle.so Began
Circle was began by three colleagues who left Teachable across the similar time. Sid Yadav was Teachable’s first designer and labored there for 5 years. He teamed up with Andrew Guttormsen, the previous VP of progress at Teachable, and Rudy Santino, the previous head of design.
Based on the Circle.so web site, Circle promotes itself because the “fashionable group platform for creators” that “brings collectively your discussions, memberships, and content material” and allows you to “combine a thriving group wherever your viewers is, all below your personal model.”
The largest distinction between Circle and Mighty Networks is that Circle isn’t attempting to do every thing. Its foremost focus is on membership communities, after which offering seamless integration with different platforms you could be utilizing.
As Circle cofounder Sid Yadav says, “We’re not attempting to do all of it. Our strategy is a bit more modular: we’re attempting to nail the group piece, and particularly the engagement piece. Our strategy is to combine with everybody else, so we’ve got a partnership with Teachable, with Memberstack, with Memberspace, Memberfull.”
Circle additionally doesn’t presently have its personal cost choice, however it does combine effectively with cost platforms like Stripe.
The opposite large distinction between Circle and Mighty Networks is that Circle presents a white-label group expertise, the place you possibly can select your personal model colours, add a customized area, and so forth.
As we wrote in our October 16 blog post about the launch of SPI Pro, we have been all-in on Circle because it launched final winter.
Matt, our co-CEO, had a imaginative and prescient for SPI Professional, after which went in search of a platform that would do every thing we needed. Circle appeared like the right match. Matt and Pat have since develop into advisors for the corporate.
Options of Circle.so
Circle’s key options embody:
- On-line programs
- Stay video streaming
- Customized area
- Non-public areas (much like Slack channels)
- Bulk import/export
- Zapier Integration
- Embed Widgets
- In-app notifications
- Member profiles and listing
- Primary moderation
- Direct messaging
- Weekly digest e mail
- iOS app
- Up to date value construction
Full white labeling (for the Skilled and Enterprise plans)
To see a full record of Circle’s options, go here.
Circle.so Plans
Circle presents three foremost plans.
Circle.so Primary Plan: $49/month
- Partaking discussions
- Wealthy member profiles
- Limitless occasions
- Group chats
- Non-public messaging
- Moderation
- iOS app
- Simply settle for funds
- Customized area
Circle.so Skilled Plan: $99/month
Every thing in Primary, plus:
- Programs
- Stay stream video experiences
- Absolutely White Labeled
- Superior analytics
- Customized CSS
Circle.so Enterprise Plan: $399/month
Every thing in Skilled, plus:
- Devoted CSM (Annual Plan Solely)
- API Entry
- Customizable profile fields
- Precedence Electronic mail Assist
- Customized Single Signal-on
- Concierge onboarding (Annual Plan Solely)
Why You Would possibly Wish to Think about Circle.so
There are three key causes to contemplate Circle to your membership group.
Seamless integration together with your present tech stack
If you have already got a web site or on-line programs, and in the event you’re already utilizing a number of tech platforms, Circle integrates very properly together with your present tech stack.
It’s very customizable, so you possibly can construct your group area from the bottom up
While you create areas, you possibly can customise who has entry to every of these, change whether or not they’re displayed in “publish,” “record,” or “card” view, management whether or not members can create new matters, change the best way the matters are ordered, and pin matters to the highest or sidebar.
It’s also possible to have a mix of a free group on Circle that has non-public areas that somebody would want to pay to have entry to, or a totally free platform on Circle. Each a part of the platform is modular so to do with it no matter you need.
Circle additionally enables you to select your colours, add your emblem, and use your personal customized subdomain in order that the expertise on the platform feels native to your model and your merchandise.
It’s intuitive, and combines the perfect of platforms like Slack and Fb
Circle feels a bit like Slack with “areas” you possibly can customise much like Slack Channels. As an admin, you possibly can select who’s in what area, and it’s straightforward to make areas public or non-public.
It’s not only one lengthy newsfeed, so conversations are simpler to affix and reply to, with out having to be on the platform consistently or having to click on by a number of layers to search out the dialog.
Circle has a clear, easy interface that can be very acquainted for individuals who have been part of a Fb or Slack group. It’s additionally extra user-friendly than Mighty Networks.
Why Circle.so Would possibly Not Be Proper for You
Whereas Circle is a superb choice, there are a few the explanation why it is probably not the perfect match for you.
It doesn’t have as many options as Mighty Networks
One vital factor to contemplate is that Circle doesn’t embody a instrument to gather funds to your membership group, so you’ll need to combine one other platform like Stripe as a way to course of person funds by yourself.
It additionally doesn’t have group messaging (though the Circle staff engaged on together with that sooner or later), or a cellular app (additionally coming quickly).
Circle is new on the scene, and it’ll take time to develop these options. And a few options could finally not be part of Circle’s imaginative and prescient. As a substitute of including options like a cost instrument, the platform could focus extra on group and integration as an alternative.
You’ll want different platforms to construct out your small business infrastructure
In the event you’re a brand new entrepreneur and don’t have already got a web site, programs, or a cost platform, you’ll have to set these up individually from Circle. Relying on the place you wish to go together with your small business, that is probably not a nasty factor. However simply take into account that Circle is laser centered on constructing a membership group platform that can be extra person pleasant, and hold your followers engaged.
Backside Line: Circle may be good for you in the event you want a group platform that’s versatile and customizable, and also you don’t want an all-in-one instrument. It’s nonetheless new and growing its instruments, however the staff at Circle is incorporating suggestions from its customers.
Why We Selected Circle.so for SPI Professional
To this point, Circle has been a tremendous dwelling for SPI Professional. We didn’t want an all-in-one instrument like Mighty Networks, and we favored the truth that we may construct our group area precisely how we needed it, and didn’t need to attempt to shoe-horn it into an present template.
We’ve discovered that our group members are extremely engaged—a current month-to-month problem occasion generated over 500 feedback! That mentioned, we’re noticing that a few of the areas aren’t getting used very a lot, and so it’s straightforward to delete them when obligatory, or add new areas based mostly on the wants and pursuits of our group.
Seeing the areas (much like Slack channels) on the left facet of the web page retains matters and conversations straightforward to entry which results in extra engagement.
The Circle staff has been superb in responding to our suggestions and requests, and we’re excited to see how this new instrument can evolve throughout the subsequent yr.
In the event you’re beginning your personal membership group, remember to do your analysis and discover the perfect match for your small business. In the event you suppose Circle may be the appropriate answer for your small business, you will get a free 14-day trial to put it through its paces [affiliate link].
