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Parenting & Family · head to head

Circle vs Luma

Circle logo

Circle

Parenting & Family

The all-in-one community platform

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Luma logo

Luma

Event Management

Delightful events for communities

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Luma has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Circle location tracking is basic and less granular than some competitors; Luma 5% platform fee on paid events in free tier can add up for high-volume organizers
  • They diverge on capability: Circle covers Spaces, Luma covers Event pages.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Circle and Luma actually diverge.

Attributes where Circle and Luma differ
AttributeCircleLuma
Starting price$49/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIos, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryParenting & FamilyEvent Management

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2020).

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
  • Slack

Only in Luma

  • Event pages
  • Registration
  • Calendar sync
  • Ticketing
  • Community features
  • Google Calendar
  • Apple Calendar
  • Zoom

Both cover

  • Stripe
  • 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 Luma
  • Selling and delivering courses to an audiencenot Luma
  • Hosting events and live streams for membersnot Luma
  • Operating paid memberships with checkout and paymentsnot Luma
  • Shipping a branded iOS and Android community appnot Luma

Luma

  • Event planningnot Circle
  • Ticket salesnot Circle
  • Attendee managementnot Circle
  • Virtual eventsnot Circle
  • Event marketingnot 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

Luma

  • 5% platform fee on paid events in free tier can add up for high-volume organizers
  • Limited discovery features compared to established platforms like Meetup or Eventbrite
  • Smaller organizer community means fewer network effects than larger competitors

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

Luma

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited events
    • Unlimited guests
    • Up to 500 invites per week
  • Plus$59/month
    • No platform fee
    • 5,000 invites per week
    • Tax collection

Which should you pick?

Choose Circle if

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

Choose Luma if

  • You need event pages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want registration.
Luma review

Questions people ask

Is Circle or Luma better?
Neither clearly leads. Circle starts at $49/month and Luma at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Circle or Luma?
Luma has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $49/month for Circle and Free for Luma.
Does Circle or Luma run on more platforms?
Circle runs on Ios, Android, Web. Luma runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Luma for free?
Yes. Luma has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Circle starts at $49/month.
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 Luma is typically brought in for.
What can Circle do that Luma cannot?
Circle covers Spaces, Events, Courses, Member Directory. Luma covers Event pages, Registration, Calendar sync, Ticketing. Both handle Stripe, 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
Luma: Does Luma have a free plan?

Yes. Luma offers a free plan with unlimited events, unlimited guests, and up to 500 invites per week. Free users pay a 5% platform fee on paid events.

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
Luma: How much does Luma Plus cost?

Luma Plus costs $59 per month when billed annually, or $69 per month for month-to-month billing. It removes the platform fee, increases invites to 5,000 per week, and adds tax collection and API access.

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
Luma: Can I integrate Luma with other tools?

Yes. Luma Plus includes API access and supports enterprise CRM integrations for larger organizations managing events at scale.

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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