Go from Circle to Skool
The job: Paid community (Discussion spaces and posts, Courses, Live events and live streams, Paywalls and payments). Pick where you are today and where you want to land; the move below follows your pick.
Every way to do this job · pick one
Switch app
Open source
The money
$99/mo today , then $9/mo
Circle Professional
Modeled from public list prices, with your time at $50 an hour. Show the math
Does it do the job? 4 of 4 covered
- Covered: Discussion spaces and posts
- Covered: Courses
- Covered: Live events and live streams
- Covered: Paywalls and payments
The work
- Setup
- About 1 h
- Upkeep
- None
- Watch out
- Check first: You only rely on: Discussion spaces and posts, Courses, Live events and live streams, Paywalls and payments
Make the move in four steps
Export from Circle
Download your data and files before you change anything.
Set up Skool
Small paid communities: $9/month with courses and live calls included, but Skool takes 10% + 30¢ per payment on Hobby (Pro: $99/month and 2.9% + 30¢).
DetailsSwitch links and integrations
Point links, embeds and integrations at Skool, then send a test through every one.
Cancel Circle
Turn off renewal before your renewal date, once the new setup works.
How to cancel Circle
The whole recipe: 4 ways out, best first
What you use
- Discussion spaces and posts
- Courses
- Live events and live streams
- Paywalls and payments
Not covered
- Member directory and profiles
- Chat and direct messages
- Gamification
- iOS, Android and desktop apps
Check before switching
- You only rely on: Discussion spaces and posts, Courses, Live events and live streams, Paywalls and payments
- Export your data from Circle before canceling
Agents: get_recipe("replace-circle") on the Stackcut MCP server.
4 ways out, best first
How we got this
| You pay now: Circle Professional | flat price | $99/mo |
|---|---|---|
| New cost: Discourse (free tier) | free plan | $0/mo |
| Difference each month | $99 − $0 | +$99/mo |
| Over 12 months | +$99 × 12 | +$1,188 |
| Setup, once | 1 h × $50/h | −$50 |
| Year one | +$1,188 − $50 | +$1,138 |
- Not counting your time (1 h in year one): saves $1,188 in year one.
Year one = 12 × (what you pay now − the new cost − upkeep) − setup, with your time at $50/hour. Prices are public list prices; hours are Stackcut’s planning estimates. Price it for your team
How we got this
| You pay now: Circle Professional | flat price | $99/mo |
|---|---|---|
| New cost: Skool | Hobby plan | $9/mo |
| Difference each month | $99 − $9 | +$90/mo |
| Over 12 months | +$90 × 12 | +$1,080 |
| Setup, once | 1 h × $50/h | −$50 |
| Year one | +$1,080 − $50 | +$1,030 |
- Not counting your time (1 h in year one): saves $1,080 in year one.
Year one = 12 × (what you pay now − the new cost − upkeep) − setup, with your time at $50/hour. Prices are public list prices; hours are Stackcut’s planning estimates. Price it for your team
How we got this
| You pay now: Circle Professional | flat price | $99/mo |
|---|---|---|
| New cost: Podia | Mover plan | $49/mo |
| Difference each month | $99 − $49 | +$50/mo |
| Over 12 months | +$50 × 12 | +$600 |
| Setup, once | 1 h × $50/h | −$50 |
| Year one | +$600 − $50 | +$550 |
- Not counting your time (1 h in year one): saves $600 in year one.
Year one = 12 × (what you pay now − the new cost − upkeep) − setup, with your time at $50/hour. Prices are public list prices; hours are Stackcut’s planning estimates. Price it for your team
How we got this
| You pay now: Circle Professional | flat price | $99/mo |
|---|---|---|
| New cost: Discourse | a small server (modeled) | $5/mo |
| Your upkeep time | 2 h/mo × $50/h | $100/mo |
| Difference each month | $99 − $5 − $100 | −$6/mo |
| Over 12 months | −$6 × 12 | −$72 |
| Setup, once | 4 h × $50/h | −$200 |
| Year one | −$72 − $200 | −$272 |
- Not counting your time (28 h in year one): saves $1,128 in year one.
Year one = 12 × (what you pay now − the new cost − upkeep) − setup, with your time at $50/hour. Prices are public list prices; hours are Stackcut’s planning estimates. Price it for your team
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