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Parenting & Family · head to head

Circle vs Norton Family

Circle logo

Circle

Parenting & Family

The all-in-one community platform

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Norton Family logo

Norton Family

Parenting & Family

Comprehensive parental control from Norton Security

From
$49.99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Circle location tracking is basic and less granular than some competitors; Norton Family norton Family can only be installed on a child's Windows PC, iOS or Android device, with no macOS support
  • They diverge on capability: Circle covers Spaces, Norton Family covers Antivirus protection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Circle and Norton Family actually diverge.

Attributes where Circle and Norton Family differ
AttributeCircleNorton Family
Starting price$49/month$49.99/year
PlatformsIos, Android, WebWeb, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac
Founded20201991

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

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 Norton Family

  • Antivirus protection
  • Web monitoring
  • App blocking
  • Screen time management
  • Location tracking
  • Activity reports
  • Social media monitoring
  • Custom alerts

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

Norton Family

  • Blocking unsuitable websites and reporting which sites a child visitsnot Circle
  • Scheduling screen time limits and a School Time focus modenot Circle
  • Tracking a child's device location with arrival and departure alertsnot 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

Norton Family

  • Norton Family can only be installed on a child's Windows PC, iOS or Android device, with no macOS support
  • Windows 10 in S mode is explicitly excluded
  • Not all features are available on all supported platforms
  • Location Supervision is not available in all countries and must be activated before use
  • Video Supervision covers only videos watched on YouTube.com and does not track YouTube videos embedded in other sites or blogs
  • Mobile App Supervision shows and controls apps only on Android devices
  • The Android app relies on the AccessibilityService API to see websites viewed and to stop the child removing permissions
  • Features require the child's device to have an internet or data plan and to be turned on

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

Norton Family

$49.99/year
  • Norton 360 Deluxe$49.99/year
    • Antivirus protection
    • Parental controls
    • Screen time limits
  • Norton 360 Premium$99.99/year
    • Everything in Deluxe
    • Location tracking
    • Advanced monitoring

Which should you pick?

Choose Circle if

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

Choose Norton Family if

  • You need antivirus protection.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac.
  • You also want web monitoring.
Norton Family review

Questions people ask

Is Circle or Norton Family better?
Neither clearly leads. Circle starts at $49/month and Norton Family at $49.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Circle or Norton Family?
Circle starts at $49/month and Norton Family at $49.99/year.
Does Circle or Norton Family run on more platforms?
Circle runs on Ios, Android, Web. Norton Family runs on Web, Ios, Android, Windows, Mac.
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 Norton Family is typically brought in for.
What can Circle do that Norton Family cannot?
Circle covers Spaces, Events, Courses, Member Directory. Norton Family covers Antivirus protection, Web monitoring, App blocking, Screen time management. 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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