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Software · head to head

Circle vs HiMama

Circle logo

Circle

Software

The all-in-one community platform

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HiMama logo

HiMama

Software

Childcare made simpler for everyone

From
$2/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Circle location tracking is basic and less granular than some competitors; HiMama the Internet Archive's capture of HiMama's homepage on 23 December 2020 named four feature bundles (Contactless Check-in, Parent Communication, Cashless Payments, Remote Learning) sold via 'Get a Quote' with no price figure published; the product later rebranded to Lillio.
  • They diverge on capability: Circle covers Spaces, HiMama covers Daily activity updates.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Circle and HiMama actually diverge.

Attributes where Circle and HiMama differ
AttributeCircleHiMama
Starting price$49/month$2/month
PlatformsIos, Android, WebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20202012

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Circle

  • Spaces
  • Events
  • Courses
  • Member Directory
  • Live Streams
  • Workflows
  • Zapier
  • Stripe

Only in HiMama

  • Daily activity updates
  • Photo and video sharing
  • Parent messaging
  • Attendance tracking
  • Curriculum planning
  • Developmental assessments
  • Digital check-in
  • Progress reports

Both cover

  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Circle

  • Running a branded online community with discussion spacesnot HiMama
  • Selling and delivering courses to an audiencenot HiMama
  • Hosting events and live streams for membersnot HiMama
  • Operating paid memberships with checkout and paymentsnot HiMama
  • Shipping a branded iOS and Android community appnot HiMama

HiMama

  • Parent engagementnot Circle
  • Daily documentationnot Circle
  • Curriculum trackingnot Circle
  • Staff managementnot Circle

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Circle

  • Location tracking is basic and less granular than some competitors
  • Does not monitor social media interactions or private messages
  • Requires Circle Home Plus hardware purchase for full home network control
  • Activity reports are limited and less comprehensive than competing platforms

HiMama

  • The Internet Archive's capture of HiMama's homepage on 23 December 2020 named four feature bundles (Contactless Check-in, Parent Communication, Cashless Payments, Remote Learning) sold via 'Get a Quote' with no price figure published; the product later rebranded to Lillio.

Pricing, plan by plan

Circle

$49/month
  • Basic$49/month
    • Community
    • Members
    • Spaces
  • Professional$89/month
    • Courses
    • Workflows
    • Analytics
  • Business$199/month
    • White Label
    • API Access
    • Custom Domain

HiMama

$2/month
  • Basic$2/month
    • Daily reports
    • Photo sharing
    • Messaging
  • Plus$4/month
    • All Basic features
    • Curriculum planning
    • Assessments

Which should you pick?

Choose Circle if

  • You need spaces.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want events.
Circle review

Choose HiMama if

  • You need daily activity updates.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want photo and video sharing.
HiMama review

Questions people ask

Is Circle or HiMama better?
Neither clearly leads. Circle starts at $49/month and HiMama at $2/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Circle or HiMama?
Circle starts at $49/month and HiMama at $2/month.
Does Circle or HiMama run on more platforms?
Circle runs on Ios, Android, Web. HiMama runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Circle best used for?
Circle is most often used for running a branded online community with discussion spaces, selling and delivering courses to an audience, hosting events and live streams for members, operating paid memberships with checkout and payments. Of those, running a branded online community with discussion spaces and selling and delivering courses to an audience are not what HiMama is typically brought in for.
What can Circle do that HiMama cannot?
Circle covers Spaces, Events, Courses, Member Directory. HiMama covers Daily activity updates, Photo and video sharing, Parent messaging, Attendance tracking. Both handle Ios support, Android support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Circle: How much does Circle cost?

Circle offers a 14-day free trial of the app with all premium features included. After the trial, subscriptions are 9.99 USD per month or 89.99 USD per year. The Circle Home Plus device costs 129 USD upfront and includes one year of free app access, after which the app subscription costs approximately 10 USD per month.

Source
Circle: What devices does Circle support?

Circle works on Android, Apple iOS, Mac, Windows, Chromebook, Xbox, PlayStation, Kindle, smart speakers, IoT devices, gaming consoles, smart TVs, and iPhones. An unlimited number of devices can be managed from a single Circle account.

Source
Circle: How does Circle Home Plus work?

Circle Home Plus is a router-adjacent device that connects to your home network via Ethernet (with Wi-Fi backup) and manages all connected devices on that network. The Circle app then connects to this device to enforce parental controls across web browsing, app usage, and screen time across all family members' devices.

Source
Circle: Does Circle monitor social media?

Circle does not directly monitor social media content, conversations, or private messages. However, it can restrict access to social media apps and websites, and manage time spent on those platforms through screen time controls.

Source
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Related pages

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