Circle vs DEV Community: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Circle and DEV Community side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, DEV Community leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Circle
Community platform for creators and brands
Best for you if:
- • You want all-in-one community solution
DEV Community
Community for software developers
Best for you if:
- • You want a fully free tool (Circle requires payment)
| At a Glance | Circle | DEV Community |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | From $89/mo flat, billed yearly Professional plan | Free 100% free |
Category | Community Platforms Membership Sites | Community Platforms Blogging Platforms |
Rating | 4.2/5 G2 4.5 · Trustpilot 3.8 599 reviews | n/a |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | Monthly billing costs more ($99 vs $89 on Professional, $219 vs $199 on Business) | n/a |
Choose Circle or DEV Community?
Choose Circle if
- You want all-in-one community solution
- You want good course features
Choose DEV Community if
- You want a fully free tool (Circle requires payment)
- You want completely free
- You want great community
In-Depth Analysis
Circle
Community platform for creators and brands
Circle's Professional plan costs $89/month billed annually ($99 monthly), Business $199 ($219 monthly) and the new Scale plan $419/month, with Circle Plus on a custom quote.
Watch out
Monthly billing costs more ($99 vs $89 on Professional, $219 vs $199 on Business)
Strengths
- Pro: All-in-one community solution
- Pro: Good course features
- Pro: Modern interface
- Pro: Strong monetization options
Weaknesses
- Con: No free tier
- Con: Can get expensive
- Con: Learning curve for setup
Key features
DEV Community
Community for software developers
DEV Community offers an incredibly generous pricing model, as it is entirely free.
Strengths
- Pro: Completely free
- Pro: Great community
- Pro: Good for visibility
- Pro: Easy to use
Weaknesses
- Con: Less monetization than Medium
- Con: Can be noisy
- Con: Algorithm favors certain content
Key features
Plans and prices: Circle vs DEV Community
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Circle |
| circle.so/pricing read Nov 1, 2026 |
| DEV Community |
| dev.to/pricing read Oct 3, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Circle pricing and DEV Community pricing.
Key Takeaways
Circle
- Choose if you want community platform for creators and brands
DEV Community
- Has a free plan
What the data shows
On the data below, DEV Community leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- Only Circle has a published user rating (4.2/5 from 599 reviews); DEV Community has none we can show.
- Circle starts at $89/mo flat, billed yearly; DEV Community has no public paid plan price on file.
- Only DEV Community has a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Circle and DEV Community compare in 2026?
On the data below, DEV Community leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. Only Circle has a published user rating (4.2/5 from 599 reviews); DEV Community has none we can show. Circle starts at $89/mo flat, billed yearly; DEV Community has no public paid plan price on file. Only DEV Community has a free plan.
What are Circle and DEV Community used for?
Circle: Community platform for creators and brands. DEV Community: Community for software developers.
What does Circle cost vs DEV Community?
Circle's cheapest paid plan is Professional at $89/mo flat, billed yearly. DEV Community is free. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 1, 2026.
What's the main difference between Circle and DEV Community?
Circle's main strength: all-in-one community solution. DEV Community's main strength: completely free.