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Parenting & Family · head to head

Circle vs What to Expect

Circle logo

Circle

Parenting & Family

The all-in-one community platform

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
What to Expect logo

What to Expect

Parenting & Family

Pregnancy and parenting guidance from conception to toddler

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only What to Expect 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; What to Expect what to Expect is a free, ad-supported consumer content site with no reader subscription tier, per the 31 Dec 2022 archive capture
  • They diverge on capability: Circle covers Spaces, What to Expect covers Pregnancy tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Circle and What to Expect actually diverge.

Attributes where Circle and What to Expect differ
AttributeCircleWhat to Expect
Starting price$49/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsIos, Android, WebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20202000

Identical on both: 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 What to Expect

  • Pregnancy tracking
  • Weekly updates
  • Symptom tracker
  • Parenting tips
  • Community forums
  • Expert articles
  • Baby names database
  • Milestone tracking

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

What to Expect

  • Pregnancy trackingnot Circle
  • Parenting guidancenot Circle
  • Community supportnot Circle
  • Health informationnot 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

What to Expect

  • What to Expect is a free, ad-supported consumer content site with no reader subscription tier, per the 31 Dec 2022 archive capture

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

What to Expect

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Weekly pregnancy updates
    • Parenting tips
    • Symptom tracker

Which should you pick?

Choose Circle if

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

Choose What to Expect if

  • You need pregnancy tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want weekly updates.
What to Expect review

Questions people ask

Is Circle or What to Expect better?
Neither clearly leads. Circle starts at $49/month and What to Expect at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Circle or What to Expect?
What to Expect has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $49/month for Circle and Free for What to Expect.
Does Circle or What to Expect run on more platforms?
Circle runs on Ios, Android, Web. What to Expect runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use What to Expect for free?
Yes. What to Expect 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 What to Expect is typically brought in for.
What can Circle do that What to Expect cannot?
Circle covers Spaces, Events, Courses, Member Directory. What to Expect covers Pregnancy tracking, Weekly updates, Symptom tracker, Parenting tips. 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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