# Circlr

> Posts, stories, replies and even direct messages are short round videos you record live. No text in DMs, no scam scripts, no spam bots. 18+, free, works in your browser.

Circlr (https://circlr.social) is a social network where every piece of content is a short round video ("circle", up to 60 seconds): posts, stories, comments and direct messages. It is a web app (PWA) for adults (18+).

## Key facts

- Direct messages are circles only: no text, links, files or forwarding. Circles in DMs must be recorded live in the app.
- Sign-up: email magic link + a live selfie circle that becomes the profile picture. 18+ only.
- New accounts can message only mutual follows for the first 7 days; after that, non-mutuals receive a message request first.
- Storage is hybrid: everything is kept on the user's phone. Free plan: posts and replies stay on the servers for 30 days, stories 24 hours, direct messages up to 48 hours. Older circles can be watched peer-to-peer (WebRTC) from the author's phone while the author is online.
- Premium: $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year (USD). Circles stay in the cloud forever with 25 GB included; extra storage +100 GB for $1.99 per month each. Regional prices are 50% lower in Latin America and Africa. Payment by card (Stripe, cancel any time) or crypto (NOWPayments, prepaid 1/3/12 months).
- Safety: reports on circles, profiles and chats; blocks; private accounts; hash matching of known illegal content and key-frame scanning on upload; data export and account deletion.
- Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian.

## Pages

- [Circlr — the social network where everything is a circle](https://circlr.social/) (en)
- [Circlr — la red social donde todo es un círculo](https://circlr.social/es/) (es)
- [Circlr — a rede social onde tudo é um círculo](https://circlr.social/pt/) (pt-BR)
- [Circlr — соцсеть, где всё — кружочки](https://circlr.social/ru/) (ru)
- [How Circlr works — a social network of round video messages](https://circlr.social/how-it-works): Sign in with email, record a live selfie circle, then post and chat in round videos up to 60 seconds. Here is how feed, stories, DMs and storage work.
- [A privacy-first social network: what Circlr keeps and for how long](https://circlr.social/privacy-first-social): Circlr keeps your videos on your phone and on our servers only for a limited time. What we store, for how long, and how to export or delete your data.
- [Round video messages: what they are and how to use them well](https://circlr.social/video-messages): Round video messages (“circles”) are short selfie videos sent instead of text. Why they feel personal, when to use them, and how Circlr builds a whole network on them.
- [Like Telegram video messages? Circlr is a whole social network of them](https://circlr.social/alternatives/telegram-video-messages): Telegram popularised round video messages inside a messenger. Circlr takes the format further: feed, stories, replies and DMs are all circles. Facts, not hype.
- [An alternative to Instagram DMs: direct messages that are video only](https://circlr.social/alternatives/instagram-direct): Instagram Direct supports text, photos, videos and voice messages. Circlr’s direct messages are live round videos only — here is what that changes.
- [Web app](https://circlr.social/app/)
- [Community rules](https://circlr.social/app/#/rules)
- [Privacy policy](https://circlr.social/app/#/privacy)

## Blog

- [Blog (en)](https://circlr.social/blog)
- [Blog (es)](https://circlr.social/es/blog)
- [Blog (pt-BR)](https://circlr.social/pt/blog)
- [Blog (ru)](https://circlr.social/ru/blog)

### en

- [Text, voice notes or video: which message format to use when](https://circlr.social/blog/text-voice-or-video-messages): A practical comparison of text, voice notes and short video messages — what each is good at, where each falls short, and when to pick which.
- [Video privacy on social networks: what is stored, where, and for how long](https://circlr.social/blog/video-privacy-what-is-stored): A plain-language guide to where your videos live on a social network, what "deleted" really means, and the questions worth asking any app.
- [Round video messages: why a 60-second circle says more than a paragraph](https://circlr.social/blog/round-video-messages-guide): What round video messages are, why they feel more personal than text, and how to use them well — from quick replies to whole conversations.
- [How to record a good video circle: light, sound, framing and the first two seconds](https://circlr.social/blog/how-to-record-a-good-circle): Practical tips for round selfie videos: light, framing for a circular crop, clear sound, and how to keep people watching.
- [Phone or cloud: where should your videos live?](https://circlr.social/blog/phone-vs-cloud-video-storage): Storing videos on your phone versus in the cloud — the trade-offs in privacy, reliability and cost, and how a hybrid approach combines both.
- [How to chat without spam and scams: why live video changes the economics](https://circlr.social/blog/chat-without-spam-and-scams): Scams rely on cheap, copy-paste messages. Here is why a live-video-only inbox makes them expensive, and the habits that keep you safe anywhere.

### es

- [¿Teléfono o nube? Dónde guardar tus videos](https://circlr.social/blog/telefono-o-nube-donde-guardar-videos): Guardar videos en el teléfono o en la nube: ventajas y desventajas en privacidad, fiabilidad y coste, y cómo un modelo híbrido combina ambos.
- [Seguridad en una red social para mayores de 18: lo que hace la plataforma y lo que haces tú](https://circlr.social/blog/seguridad-red-social-mayores-de-18): Cómo funciona la seguridad en Circlr — verificación de edad, denuncias, bloqueos, cuentas privadas y moderación — y qué puedes hacer tú para protegerte.
- [Privacidad de tus videos en redes sociales: qué se guarda, dónde y cuánto tiempo](https://circlr.social/blog/privacidad-de-tus-videos): Una guía clara sobre dónde viven tus videos en una red social, qué significa realmente «borrado» y qué preguntas hacerle a cualquier app.
- [Mensajes de video redondos: por qué un círculo de 60 segundos dice más que un párrafo](https://circlr.social/blog/mensajes-de-video-redondos-guia): Qué son los mensajes de video redondos, por qué resultan más cercanos que el texto y cómo usarlos bien, desde una respuesta rápida hasta una conversación.
- [Cómo grabar un buen círculo: luz, sonido, encuadre y los dos primeros segundos](https://circlr.social/blog/como-grabar-un-buen-circulo): Consejos prácticos para videos selfie redondos: luz, encuadre para un recorte circular, sonido claro y cómo mantener la atención.
- [Cómo chatear sin spam ni estafas: por qué el video en vivo cambia las reglas](https://circlr.social/blog/chatear-sin-spam-ni-estafas): Las estafas viven de mensajes baratos de copiar y pegar. Por qué una bandeja solo con video en vivo las encarece y qué hábitos te protegen.

### pt-BR

- [Texto, áudio ou vídeo: qual formato de mensagem usar e quando](https://circlr.social/blog/texto-audio-ou-video): Uma comparação prática entre texto, áudio e mensagens de vídeo curtas — no que cada um é bom, onde falha e quando escolher cada um.
- [Mensagens de vídeo redondas: por que um círculo de 60 segundos diz mais que um parágrafo](https://circlr.social/blog/mensagens-de-video-redondas-guia): O que são mensagens de vídeo redondas, por que parecem mais pessoais que texto e como usá-las bem, de uma resposta rápida a uma conversa inteira.
- [Como conversar sem spam e sem golpes: por que o vídeo ao vivo muda a conta](https://circlr.social/blog/conversar-sem-spam-e-golpes): Golpes dependem de mensagens baratas de copiar e colar. Por que um direct só com vídeo ao vivo deixa isso caro e hábitos que protegem você.
- [Como gravar um bom círculo: luz, som, enquadramento e os dois primeiros segundos](https://circlr.social/blog/como-gravar-um-bom-circulo): Dicas práticas para vídeos selfie redondos: luz, enquadramento para o recorte circular, som limpo e como prender a atenção.

### ru

- [Телефон или облако: где хранить свои видео](https://circlr.social/blog/telefon-ili-oblako-gde-hranit-video): Хранить видео на телефоне или в облаке: плюсы и минусы для приватности, надёжности и стоимости — и как гибридная схема объединяет оба варианта.
- [Как общаться без спама и мошенников: почему живое видео меняет правила](https://circlr.social/blog/obshchenie-bez-spama-i-moshennikov): Мошенничество держится на дешёвых сообщениях «скопировал-вставил». Почему личка только из живых видео делает их дорогими и какие привычки защищают везде.
- [Круглые видеосообщения: почему 60-секундный кружок говорит больше абзаца](https://circlr.social/blog/kruglye-videosoobshcheniya-gid): Что такое круглые видеосообщения, почему они живее текста и как ими пользоваться — от быстрого ответа до целого разговора.
- [Безопасность в соцсети 18+: что делает платформа и что можете сделать вы](https://circlr.social/blog/bezopasnost-v-sotsseti-18-plus): Как устроена безопасность в Circlr — возраст, жалобы, блокировки, закрытые аккаунты, модерация — и что можете сделать вы сами.

## FAQ

### Is Circlr free?

Yes. Premium is optional: it keeps your circles in the cloud forever and adds archive backup and transfer.

### Why only circles?

Live video is personal and hard to fake at scale. It keeps conversations human and makes spam and scams expensive.

### Can I send text, links or photos in direct messages?

No. Direct messages are circles only, plus emoji reactions. Captions under public posts can have text and #hashtags.

### Where are my videos stored?

On your phone, always. On our servers for a limited time (posts 30 days, stories 24 hours, DMs up to 48 hours) — or forever with Premium.

### What happens to my posts after 30 days?

They stay on your phone and in your profile. Others can still watch them peer-to-peer while you are online, or always if you have Premium.

### Is there an app?

Circlr is a web app you can install: tap “Install the app” on Android, or “Share → Add to Home Screen” on iPhone. Native apps come later.

### How much is Premium?

$3.99 per month or $29.99 per year (US dollars). In Latin America and Africa regional prices are 50% lower. Extra storage: +100 GB for $1.99 per month.