Free, open-source alternatives to Circle
Community platform for creators and brands. 4 apps you can run yourself instead of Circle, sorted by how well they replace it. Each one is open source, so your data stays with you.
DiscourseBest match
Advanced forum / community solution based on Ruby and JS.
HumHub
Flexible kit for private social networks.
Flarum
Delightfully simple forums. Flarum is the next-generation forum software that makes online discussion fun again.
NodeBB
Forum software built for the modern web.
Side by side
Why replace Circle?
Circle works, but your data lives in someone else's account, the price can change at any time, and features can disappear. An open-source app you run yourself is yours: you choose where it runs, who can see the data, and when to update.
Questions
What is the best free alternative to Circle?
Discourse is the closest open-source replacement for Circle in our list. HumHub and Flarum are worth a look too, depending on what you need.
Can I self-host an alternative to Circle?
Yes. All 4 apps on this page are open source and can run on your own server, usually with Docker, or on a managed host that installs them for you.