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Circle alternatives · Courses

Open-source alternatives to Circle

Circle is not described as open source on its own site. 15 of the 98 other course and community platforms in this directory are open source, according to their own sites.

Circle is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly). 13 of them are free or have a free plan.

15 tools · Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from

The 12 closest to Circle

  1. Discourse

    Open-source discussion forum software with hosted plans

    • Discourse starts at $100 per month. Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
    • Discourse has a free plan. Circle does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Discourse is open source, according to its own site.
    • Discourse also covers team chat.
    Discourse vs CircleDiscourse pricing and details

  2. Hylo

    Free open-source platform for community groups and coordination

    • Hylo is free. Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
    • Hylo has a free plan. Circle does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Hylo is open source, according to its own site.
    • Hylo also covers calendar and team chat.
    Hylo vs CircleHylo pricing and details

  3. CourseLit

    Open-source course, download and community platform

    • CourseLit starts at $12 per month, billed yearly ($15 billed monthly). Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
    • Only Circle lists iOS and Android apps.
    • CourseLit is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
    • CourseLit also covers digital downloads.
    CourseLit pricing and details

  4. Sensei LMS

    WordPress course plugin with a free core and a paid Pro tier

    • Sensei LMS starts at $15 per month, billed yearly ($179), for Sensei Pro; the core plugin is free. Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
    • Sensei LMS has a free plan. Circle does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Circle lists iOS and Android apps.
    • Sensei LMS is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
    Sensei LMS pricing and details

  5. Flarum

    Free open-source forum software you host yourself

    • Flarum is free. Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
    • Flarum has a free plan. Circle does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Circle lists iOS and Android apps.
    • Flarum is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
    Flarum pricing and details

  6. Open edX

    Free open-source learning platform stewarded by Axim Collaborative

    • Open edX is free. Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
    • Open edX has a free plan. Circle does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Circle lists iOS and Android apps.
    • Open edX is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
    Open edX pricing and details

  7. MasterStudy LMS

    WordPress LMS plugin with a free Starter license and paid yearly tiers

    • MasterStudy LMS starts at $149 per year for 1 site. Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
    • MasterStudy LMS has a free plan. Circle does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Circle lists iOS and Android apps.
    • MasterStudy LMS is open source, according to its own site.
    MasterStudy LMS pricing and details

  8. Moodle

    Open-source learning platform you host yourself or on MoodleCloud

    • Moodle has a free plan. Circle does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Circle lists iOS and Android apps.
    • Moodle is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
    • Circle also covers workflow automation, email campaigns and community.
    Moodle pricing and details

  9. NodeBB

    Open-source forum software with managed hosting plans

    • NodeBB starts at $20 per month for hosting; self-hosting is free. Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
    • NodeBB has a free plan. Circle does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Circle lists iOS and Android apps.
    • NodeBB is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
    NodeBB pricing and details

  10. phpBB

    Free open-source bulletin board software written in PHP

    • phpBB is free. Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
    • phpBB has a free plan. Circle does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Circle lists iOS and Android apps.
    • phpBB is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
    phpBB pricing and details

  11. MyBB

    Free open-source forum software with plugins and themes

    • MyBB is free. Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
    • MyBB has a free plan. Circle does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Circle lists iOS and Android apps.
    • MyBB is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
    MyBB pricing and details

3 more that are open source

All 15 in one table

Common questions

Is there an open-source alternative to Circle?

Yes. Discourse, Hylo, CourseLit, Sensei LMS, Flarum, Open edX, Paid Memberships Pro, MasterStudy LMS and 7 more are open source, according to their own sites.

Is Circle open source?

Circle is not described as open source on its own site. The listing was checked on Oct 17, 2026 against the pages it cites.

Which of these course and community platforms are free?

Discourse, Hylo, Sensei LMS, Flarum, Open edX, Paid Memberships Pro, MasterStudy LMS, Moodle and 5 more are free or have a free plan.

When was this checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.

This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to Circle: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.