Sign inStart a circle

Susu · Tanda · Ajo · Committee · Paluwagan

The savings circle you already run. Without the spreadsheet.

Everyone puts in the same amount each round. One person takes the whole pot, until everyone has had a turn. CircleMate keeps the payments and the turns straight — and never touches the money.

Start a circle — it’s freeSee how it works
  • No fees, ever
  • No interest
  • We never hold your money

You already know how this works

Money circles have run for generations, under a different name in every community. CircleMate doesn’t change how yours works — it just keeps the record so nobody has to.

  • Susu · Ghana, the Caribbean
  • Tanda · Mexico
  • Committee · Pakistan, India
  • Paluwagan · the Philippines
  • Ajo · Nigeria
  • Hui · Vietnam, China
  • Sòl · Haiti
  • Kye · Korea
  • Gam'eya · Egypt
  • Tontine · Senegal, Cameroon
  • Pardner · Jamaica, the UK
  • Chit · India

How it works

Four steps, then it repeats

One round looks the same every time. Once the last person has had their turn, the circle is finished — and most groups just start another.

  1. 1

    Start the circle

    Pick the amount, how often, and whether turns go in order or by draw. Invite the people you already trust with money.

    Takes about two minutes.

  2. 2

    Everyone pays their round

    People pay each other the way they already do — Zelle, Cash App, bank transfer, cash — then record it in the app. A screenshot is optional.

    Reminders go out for you.

  3. 3

    The wheel picks who takes the pot

    Once everyone has paid, the draw runs. The result was sealed before anyone watched, and every member can check the maths afterwards.

    Or keep a fixed order, if you prefer.

  4. 4

    Everyone gets their turn

    Each person wins exactly once. When the last round closes, the circle is done — and you can start again with the same people.

    Nobody is left out.

Nobody picks the winner. The draw is sealed before the round opens and published afterwards, so every member can check it themselves — no trust required.

How the draw is checked

The same circle, wherever you open it

Run it from your laptop and check it on your phone on the way home. Everything is in step, because it’s the same circle.

On the web. The whole round at a glance: who has paid, who hasn’t, and what’s waiting on you.
On your phone. Pay, confirm and watch the draw — everyone sees the same wheel land on the same name.
Straight about what this is

We keep the record. You keep the money.

A savings circle only works between people who already trust each other. We’d rather be plain about where that line sits than talk you into something.

The money never touches us

CircleMate is the record, not the bank. Members pay each other the way they always have.

Free, with no interest

No fees, no subscription, no interest. A savings circle is people helping each other, not a loan.

Your details stay in your circles

Only the people in a circle can see who paid what. Nothing is sold or shared.

Nobody has to chase

Reminders are automatic and respect quiet hours, so the group chat stays friendly.

What CircleMate does

  • Keeps every payment, confirmation and payout in one place
  • Reminds people before a payment is due, so you don't have to
  • Runs a draw that anyone in the circle can check for themselves
  • Shows who is behind, without a group chat full of chasing

What it never does

  • Hold, move or invest your money — you pay each other directly
  • Charge interest, or any fee at all
  • Show your details to anyone outside your circles
  • Get your money back for you if someone stops paying

Questions people ask

Does CircleMate hold my money?
No. Members pay each other directly — Zelle, Cash App, a bank transfer, cash, whatever your circle already uses. CircleMate only keeps the record of who paid and whose turn it is.
What does it cost?
Nothing. There is no fee, no subscription and no interest. We are not a lender and we are not a bank.
How do I know the draw is fair?
Before the round opens, the app makes a secret number and publishes its fingerprint. When everyone has paid, that number and the list of names decide the winner. The secret is then made public, and anyone can redo the maths and check the fingerprint still matches.
What if someone stops paying?
You will see it straight away, and you can remind them, write the payment off or settle up when they leave. But CircleMate cannot recover money for you — only start a circle with people you would lend to.
Do I have to add a screenshot when I pay?
No, it is always optional. It just saves the organizer digging through their bank app, so payments with one attached are usually confirmed the same day.
Is there an app?
CircleMate runs in any phone browser today, and the iPhone and Android apps are on their way.

Start one with the people you’d already lend to

Set the amount, invite two or three people, and the first round can start this week. Free, and nothing is locked in until you begin.

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