How to switch from Circle to Heartbeat
Members, spaces, posts and paid subscriptions, step by step. A typical import takes under 15 minutes.
Updated
Circle is the easiest platform to leave for Heartbeat. A built-in Circle import brings your members, spaces, posts and comments. Circle paywalls run on your own Stripe account, so the subscription importer moves paying members across on their existing renewal dates, and nobody re-subscribes.
What moves
| What | How it moves |
|---|---|
| Members | Circle import: name, email, headline and bio. |
| Spaces | Circle import: each space becomes a channel. |
| Posts and comments | Circle import, with original authors and dates. Images become placeholders. |
| Paywall subscriptions | Subscription importer, self-serve. Typically under 15 minutes. |
| Courses | Pulse rebuilds them from your lesson content. Our team imports course progress. |
| Events, DMs, reactions | Not imported. Recreate upcoming events. |
Before you start
Step by step
Create your Heartbeat community
Start building, then connect payments, which sets up the Heartbeat Stripe account your members will move into. Leave Circle running while you set up. Nothing on this page changes anything there until you cancel.
Import your community
Export four CSVs from Circle: members, spaces, posts and comments. In Heartbeat, go to Settings > Integrations, find the Circle card and press Import. Upload the files in order (users, channels, posts, comments), then press Import Data. It usually takes a couple of minutes.
The import is silent: nobody is emailed. Your channels land in a section called Circle Channels, which you can rename and reorder. If you keep posting in Circle while you set up, upload fresh exports and press Resync Data to bring across only what’s new. Full Circle import guide.
Rebuild your courses with Pulse
Gather your lesson text, slides and files, hand them to Pulse, and ask it to build each course. Upload your videos or embed them (video embeds). If you have course progress to keep, send it to our support team and we import it.
Move your paying members
Export your paywall subscriptions from Circle, or export subscriptions from your Stripe account (Subscriptions > Export). Run the subscription importer and choose Circle. It recognizes Circle’s export columns.
- Platform and data. Go to Settings > Import Subscriptions and press + New Migration. Pick the platform you are leaving (or Other, and type its name), then upload your subscription CSV.
- Column mapping. Match the columns in your file to Heartbeat’s fields. Check the preview for duplicate entries.
- Offer mapping. Match each old product or price to a Heartbeat offer. If an offer doesn’t exist yet, Pulse can create it for you here.
- Customer copy. Copy your members’ saved payment details to your Heartbeat Stripe account. In the old Stripe account, go to Customers > Copy and paste the Heartbeat account ID the importer gives you, then accept the request in your Heartbeat Stripe dashboard. Copy only current subscribers or your whole customer list.
- Review and migrate. Check every member, offer and next billing date, then run the migration. Each member is billed the price you mapped them to, starting on the date they would have renewed.
The typical import takes under 15 minutes, from uploading your file to running the migration. Screenshots and the full walkthrough: Import and migrate existing Stripe subscriptions.
Cancel the old subscriptions
The importer doesn’t touch your old platform, so cancel the original subscriptions yourself. It gives you a CSV of exactly which ones to cancel, and it flags anyone who renews in the next 72 hours so you can cancel those first. Then tick the box confirming you have canceled them. This is what stops anyone being charged twice.
Invite your members
Send invites when the community is ready, not before. The importer’s last screen invites your paying members for you, and the rest come from your exported list. Tell them why you moved and when Circle closes. How invitations work.
Sources
What we checked about Circle, where, and when. Heartbeat steps come from our Help Center and the product itself.
| Claim | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Circle paywalls use a Standard Stripe Connect integration (your own Stripe account) | help.circle.so/p/payments/paywall-setup/paywalls-overviews | October 6, 2026 |
| Paywall subscriptions export as CSV | help.circle.so/p/payments/paywall-management/view-all-member-subscriptions | October 6, 2026 |
Are members emailed when I import from Circle?
No. The Circle import creates profiles silently so posts and comments show the right author. Members only hear from you when you invite them, and they pick up their imported profile when they join with the same email.
Can I undo the Circle import?
Yes. Revert Import removes everything the import created: channels, posts, comments, groups and imported profiles. Members who joined Heartbeat themselves are never deleted.
What doesn’t come across from Circle?
Images and attachments in posts (each becomes an [Image] placeholder), emoji reactions, direct messages, courses and events. Replies nested more than one level deep attach to the original comment.
Will my members be charged twice?
Not if you cancel the old subscriptions after the import. The importer lists exactly which ones to cancel, flags anyone renewing within 72 hours, and asks you to confirm the cancellations before you invite members.
How long does the switch take?
The Circle import usually takes a couple of minutes. Moving your paying members takes a little longer: the typical subscription import takes under 15 minutes, from uploading your file to running the migration. Rebuilding courses takes longer the more lessons and videos you have.
Does Heartbeat charge for the migration?
No. The subscription importer and migration support are free on every plan. On the Scale plan, a dedicated onboarding rep runs the whole migration with you.