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Hivebrite vs Circle vs Ning Comparison

Last updated:

Hivebrite

4.2(38 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Hivebrite is a powerful community monitoring platform that enables organizations to manage alumni engagement. Admins are provided with the freedom to choose the desired sign-up mode for members and create custom profile…

Circle

Starting at $39 /Month

  • Free Trial
  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Circle is a community platform that facilitates collaboration between creators and their audiences, allowing them to establish a lasting relationship. It provides a personalized membership experience, giving you control…

Ning

2.9(62 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Free Trial
  • Small Business
  • Medium Business

Customized community management and social media integration

Hivebrite leads on user satisfaction with a 4.2-star rating across 38 reviews.

Hivebrite vs Circle vs Ning — at a glance

FeatureHivebriteCircleNing
Rating4.2 / 52.9 / 5
Reviews3862
Starting priceContact for pricing$39 /MonthContact for pricing
Free trial No Yes Yes
Free version No No No
Best forLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessSmall Business, Medium Business, Startups
CategoryOnline Community Management SoftwareOnline Community Management SoftwareOnline Community Management Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOSSaaS/Web/Cloud
APIAvailableAvailable
Support modesBusiness Hours, OnlineOnline
CertificationsGDPRSOC 2, GDPR
Data residencyGlobalGlobalGlobal

Key differences between Hivebrite and Circle

  • Pricing: Circle starts at $39 /Month. Hivebrite pricing is not publicly listed.
  • Free trial: Circle offers a free trial; Hivebrite does not.
  • Deployment: Hivebrite supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS; Circle supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Compare Hivebrite vs Circle vs Ning — and walk away knowing which one fits.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Online Community Management Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Hivebrite - New SaaS Software
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Circle - New SaaS Software
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Ning
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Free PDF comparison

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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Hivebrite

Best for managing customizable alumni and professional community engagement.

Choose if
  • You need highly customizable user profiles and differentiated access controls.
  • Your organization requires modular feature activation to tailor community experiences.
  • You manage alumni or professional networks with dedicated community teams.
Consider alternatives if
  • You are a small team without dedicated community management resources.
  • You require transparent, fixed pricing and simple out-of-the-box setup.

Circle

Best for

Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business

Ning

Best for small teams needing simple, affordable community and social media integration.

Choose if
  • You want an easy-to-set-up platform for basic online community building.
  • Your team values integrated social media features to boost engagement.
  • You have a small to mid-sized company with limited budget and need a free trial.
Consider alternatives if
  • You require advanced customization and scalability for large enterprise communities.
  • Your team depends on robust analytics and extensive third-party integrations.

Hivebrite typically suits Large Enterprises and Medium Business. Circle tends to fit Large Enterprises and Medium Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description

Hivebrite is a powerful community monitoring platform that enables organizations to manage alumni engagement. Admins are provided with the freedom to choose the desired sign-up mode for ... Read More about Hivebrite

Circle is a community platform that facilitates collaboration between creators and their audiences, allowing them to establish a lasting relationship. It provides a personalized membership ... Read More about Circle

Customized community management and social media integration

Entry Level Pricing

  • Not Available
  • Starts from $39
  • Not Available

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial
  • Free Trial available

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

4.2

(38)

2.9

(62)

Best Company Size

51-500 employees500+ employees
Small BusinessMedium Business
1-50 employees51-200 employees
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Get pricing help
Get pricing help

Software Demo

Demo

No software demo available

Circle has not given any software demo yet

If you're the owner of this profile, add your demo.Contact us

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Step 1 of 4

How big is your team?

We tailor recommendations to companies your size.

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How do Hivebrite, Circle and Ning Compare on Features?

Total Features

6 Features

9 Features

12 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

No unique features

Get Quote
Get Quote
Get Quote

Compare Hivebrite, Circle and Ning on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

        Starting From

        • Not Available
        • $39
        • Not Available

        Pricing Plans

        • Not Available
        • Not Available
        • Not Available

        Pricing Page

        Pricing information not available

        Circle pricing
        Ning pricing

        Other Details

        Organization Types supported

        • Large Enterprises
        • Medium Business
        • Small Business
        • Individuals
        • Freelancers
        • Large Enterprises
        • Medium Business
        • Small Business
        • Individuals
        • Freelancers
        • Large Enterprises
        • Medium Business
        • Small Business
        • Individuals
        • Freelancers

        Platforms Supported

        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Installed - Windows
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Installed - Windows
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Installed - Windows
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Browser Based (Cloud)

        Modes of support

        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online

        API Support

        • Available
        • Available
        • Not Available
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing

        Security & Compliance

        Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

        SOC 2

        ✓ Yes

        HIPAA

        ✗ No
        ✗ No
        ✗ No

        GDPR

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Single Sign-On (SSO)

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

        ✓ Yes

        Data Encryption

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Audit Logs

        ✓ Yes

        Data Residency

        🌐 Global
        🌐 Global
        🌐 Global

        Hivebrite vs Circle User Reviews & Rating Comparison

        User Ratings

        No reviews available for the product

        Rating Distribution

        67

        43

        0

        0

        0

        2

        0

        0

        0

        0

        20

        6

        12

        2

        6

        Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

        Buyer sentiment

        Overall positive sentiment highlights Hivebrite's customization and feature richness, though some users note complexity and pricing opacity.

        What buyers like

        • Customizability
        • Feature comprehensiveness
        • Community engagement tools

        Common complaints

        • Pricing transparency
        • Setup complexity

        Buyer sentiment

        Insufficient review data to determine overall buyer sentiment.

        What buyers like

        • Branding customization
        • Community engagement features
        • Online learning support

        Common complaints

        • Lack of pricing transparency
        • Limited user feedback

        Buyer sentiment

        Users find Ning easy to use for basic community needs but express dissatisfaction with limited features and overall value.

        What buyers like

        • Ease of use
        • Social media integration
        • Affordability

        Common complaints

        • Limited features
        • Poor customer support

        Pros and Cons

        • Highly customizable user profiles and access controls

        • Comprehensive feature set including events, forums, messaging, and job boards

        • Ability to activate or deactivate features as needed for tailored community management

        • Pricing is quotation based, limiting upfront cost transparency

        • Potentially complex setup due to extensive customization options

        • Branded domain and custom branding options

        • Dedicated discussion channels for focused conversations

        • Support for online learning pods

        • Limited publicly available pricing information

        • Lack of detailed user reviews and ratings

        • Easy to set up and customize basic communities

        • Integrated social media features

        • Affordable entry with free trial option

        • Limited advanced features and scalability

        • Lower user satisfaction reflected in 2.9 rating

        Positive Reviews

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        Negative Reviews

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        List of Customers

        Customers

        University of Amsterdam

        University of Amsterdam

        Columbia Business School

        Columbia Business School

        Princeton Entrepreneurship

        Princeton Entrepreneurship

        teachable

        teachable

        Forte Labs

        Forte Labs

        spi

        spi

        No Customers information available.

        Media and Screenshots

        Screenshots

        Hivebrite - Online Community Engagement Platform

        4 Screenshots

        Circle screenshot

        4 Screenshots

        My Networks

        2 Screenshots

        Videos

        video-0

        1 Videos

        No videos available.

        video-0

        2 Videos

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        Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

        Frequently asked questions

        Which is better, Hivebrite or Circle?
        Hivebrite edges out the other on user ratings (4.2 vs -1.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
        Do Hivebrite and Circle offer a free trial?
        Circle offers a free trial. Hivebrite does not.
        What is the starting price of Hivebrite vs Circle?
        Hivebrite starts at Contact for pricing. Circle starts at $39 /Month.
        What are the top alternatives to Hivebrite?
        Top alternatives to Hivebrite include Ubercircle, ToucanTech, AlmaHub, AlumniMagnet, EnterpriseAlumni.
        What are the top alternatives to Circle?
        Top alternatives to Circle include Skool, Qualified, Workvivo, Sociohub, AfterClass.

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