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Circle vs Substack fees
How Circle and Substack fees compare, using each vendor's public pricing. Best plan = highest net at that size.
50 members at $19.00/month
| Platform (best plan) | Gross | Platform plan + fees | Processing | Net / month | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circle (Professional) | $950.00 | $108.00 | $42.55 | $799.45 | ? uncertain |
| Substack (Paid subscriptions) | $950.00 | $95.00 | $49.20 | $805.80 | ✓ verified |
200 members at $29.00/month
| Platform (best plan) | Gross | Platform plan + fees | Processing | Net / month | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circle (Professional) | $5,800.00 | $205.00 | $228.20 | $5,366.80 | ? uncertain |
| Substack (Paid subscriptions) | $5,800.00 | $580.00 | $268.80 | $4,951.20 | ✓ verified |
1,000 members at $29.00/month
| Platform (best plan) | Gross | Platform plan + fees | Processing | Net / month | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circle (Business) | $29,000.00 | $489.00 | $1,141.00 | $27,370.00 | ? uncertain |
| Substack (Paid subscriptions) | $29,000.00 | $2,900.00 | $1,344.00 | $24,756.00 | ✓ verified |
Try your own numbers in the calculator → · Full details: Circle pricing, Substack pricing.
Circle plans
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Platform fee | Payment processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional | $89.00/mo ✓ verified | not listed | 2% ✓ verified | 2.9% + $0.30 ? assumed |
| Business | $199.00/mo ✓ verified | not listed | 1% ✓ verified | 2.9% + $0.30 ? assumed |
| Scale | $419.00/mo ✓ verified | not listed | 1% ✓ verified | 2.9% + $0.30 ? assumed |
Sources and notes
Notes
- Listed prices are for annual billing; Circle's page does not show a monthly-billing price.
- Circle does not say which payment processing fees apply on top of its transaction fee, so Stripe's standard rate is assumed.
- Optional add-ons (Email Hub from $99.00/mo, extra admins or spaces, AI credits) are not included.
- Payment processing: Circle's pricing page lists a transaction fee but not the processor's charge. Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 is assumed on top; check with Circle before relying on it.
Sources
- https://circle.so/pricing · verified 2026-10-18 · ✓ verified
- https://stripe.com/pricing · verified 2026-10-18 · ? assumed
Substack plans
| Plan | Billed annually | Billed monthly | Platform fee | Payment processing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid subscriptions | $0.00/mo ✓ verified | $0.00/mo ✓ verified | 10% ✓ verified | 3.6% + $0.30 ✓ verified |
Sources and notes
Notes
- Processing is Stripe's card fee (2.9% + $0.30) plus Stripe Billing (0.7%), or 3.6% + $0.30 per payment on US cards.
- Subscriptions bought in the iOS app may cost readers more to cover Apple's fees. This is not included.
- Payment processing: Stripe card fee of 2.9% + $0.30 plus 0.7% for Stripe Billing.
Sources
- https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037607131-How-much-does-Substack-cost · verified 2026-10-18 · ✓ verified
Frequently asked questions
Which keeps more at 50 members paying $19.00/month, Circle or Substack?
Substack (Paid subscriptions) keeps about $805.80 per month, versus about $799.45 for Circle (Professional), using the best plan of each. This follows the assumptions on the method page.
Which keeps more at 200 members paying $29.00/month, Circle or Substack?
Circle (Professional) keeps about $5,366.80 per month, versus about $4,951.20 for Substack (Paid subscriptions), using the best plan of each. This follows the assumptions on the method page.
Which keeps more at 1,000 members paying $29.00/month, Circle or Substack?
Circle (Business) keeps about $27,370.00 per month, versus about $24,756.00 for Substack (Paid subscriptions), using the best plan of each. This follows the assumptions on the method page.