Circles

A healthy social app for you and your people.

Post, chat, and share moments with your real friends. No algorithms, no ads, no brain rot.

I'm still building Circles. Want me to let you know when it's ready?

Social media lost its way

Somewhere along the way, social media went from "Connecting with your friends" to "an ad machine designed to rot your brain and sell your data". Companies mining your every move. Apps designed to keep you scrolling forever.

Circles is different. No public posts. No algorithm. No ads. And definitely no influencers. You see what your people share, and that's it. It's social media the way it should have been — small, private, and healthy.

Read the full philosophy

What you can do in Circles

Chat

Message your friends and family. One-on-one or in groups. No noise, no strangers, no 200-person group chats spiralling out of control.

Create circles

For family, close friends, or the 2 people who actually want to see pictures of your food. Share what matters with exactly the right people — and nobody else.

Share moments

Post photos, text, and updates to all your contacts, or just specific circles. No begging for likes, no worrying about what strangers think.

Why Circles is different

Meta Circles
2,000 followers who don't know you 20 friends who do
An algorithm decides what you see You see what you wanted to see, then you're done
$0* *plus your entire life's data and mental health $0* *for as long as I can, then a small one-time fee (for new accounts only!)
Infinite scrolling that destroys your brain Small interactions that matter
Public by default Private by nature
Designed to take over your brain Designed for small interactions that matter

Pricing

Circles is free. No ads, no subscription, no catch.

If it ever becomes unsustainable for me to run it, I'll introduce a small one-time payment, for new accounts only. This means anyone who already has an account keeps it free for life.

Why does this matter? Because apps that run on ads need you addicted — the more you scroll, the more ads they show. Circles doesn't sell ads, so there's no reason to keep you hooked. The pricing model is what makes a healthy social app possible.

Read the full pricing story

FAQ

What is Circles?

A private social app for your real friends and family. Chat, share photos and posts — but only with the people you choose. No public profiles, no strangers, no algorithm.

How is it different from Instagram?

Instagram is a broadcasting tool for an audience of strangers, driven by an algorithm. Circles is the opposite — nothing is public, there's no algorithm, and you see everything your people share. Then you're done.

How is it different from WhatsApp?

WhatsApp is a chat app. Circles combines chat with social sharing — post photos and updates to specific circles of people, all in one place. Also, Circles isn't owned by Meta.

Do I need to get all my friends to switch?

No. Just the ones who matter. Five, ten, maybe twenty people. That's the whole point.

Is Circles free?

Right now, yes. Completely free. If server costs grow beyond what I can cover, I'll introduce a small one-time payment for new accounts. Anyone already on Circles keeps it free for life.

Why not a subscription?

Subscriptions create an incentive to make apps addictive — if I charged monthly, I'd need you coming back to keep paying. A one-time payment removes that incentive entirely. More on why this matters.

How do you make money?

Right now I don't. I pay for the servers myself. When the time comes, a small one-time payment from new accounts covers costs without ads, data selling, or any of the usual garbage.

Is my data safe?

Encrypted in transit and at rest. I don't sell it, share it with advertisers, or mine it for profiles. Row-level security on the database means you can only access your own data.

Who's behind Circles?

I'm Numa. Just me. No company, no investors, no board. One person making something I wish existed.

Can I delete my account?

Yes, anytime. Through the app or by emailing contact@use-circles.com. Data wiped within 30 days. No guilt trips.

Will you ever add ads?

No. Ads are the reason social media is broken. Here's why.

Will you ever sell my data?

No.

Is it on Android?

Not yet. iOS only for now. It's just me building this, so one platform at a time.

Your life isn't content

Use Circles, free your brain from the Meta chains.

I'm still building Circles. Want me to let you know when it's ready?