Circles App
A quiet space for people you trust.
Why Circles Exists
Circles wasn’t made to compete. It was made to protect something quiet, real, and increasingly rare: private communication between people who trust each other.
Most apps want your attention. Circles respects your boundaries. It exists for family dinners, spontaneous trip ideas, shared photos, and old friends — not followers, feeds, or channels.
There are no likes, no statuses, no replies from AI. Just people you already know, talking simply. It’s not about switching from another app. It’s about reclaiming space from noise.
What’s Missing
There’s an app for flirting (Tinder).
One for work talk you’ll forget by tomorrow (Slack).
One for yelling at strangers (Twitter/X).
One for pretending everything’s fine (Facebook).
One for watching other people live (TikTok).
One for tracking vague connections (LinkedIn).
One for shouting into stranger-filled chaos (Discord).
And one where group chats go to die (WhatsApp).
But where do you talk to the people who actually matter — your family, your closest friends?
We used to squeeze them all into WhatsApp. But now that’s flooded with work threads, school broadcasts, gym groups, and forwarded junk.
Circles is what’s left when you clear all that out.
A space just for the people you’d welcome into your home.
No noise. No bots. No pressure.
Just your real people — in a space that feels like theirs too.
What is Circles?
Circles is a fully decentralized, privacy-first messaging app designed for real-life relationships — family, friends, and the small groups you actually care about.
Everything happens in small invite-only circles — no search, no spam.
You don’t have to switch messengers. Circles isn’t trying to be the next big thing. It’s trying to stay small, human, and clear.
Circles is a privacy-first messaging app designed for people who know and trust each other. No public groups, no followers, no algorithmic timelines — just real conversations in small, cozy circles.
It’s where close people share moments without noise or tracking.
Most messaging platforms are built for growth, visibility, and engagement metrics. Circles is built for closeness, privacy, and emotional clarity.
We created Circles because:
- Not all conversations are meant to be public
- Family photos deserve more than a passing chat bubble
- Planning dinner shouldn’t feel like posting on a forum
- Real people should talk to real people, not AI
- No one should be nudged, ranked, or mined by a system pretending to help
What Makes Circles Different
Circles intentionally does not include voice or video calling. It's a quiet space for text, photos, and voice messages — not a replacement for phone apps or video chat.
- Invite-only groups (Circles) — no search, no spam, no outsiders
- Flat structure — no admins or hierarchies; everyone is equal
- Shared photo library — curated, browsable memories for each Circle
- Late joiner support — flag important messages so new members can catch up
- Temporary Circles — self-cleaning groups for events or short-term plans
- Name stays local — you decide what someone is called; no global profile
- No AI — no bots, no completions, no “smart” nudges
- No public broadcasting — it’s about your people, not building an audience
Who It’s For
- Families — stay connected across generations
- Friends — keep group chats cozy, focused, and relevant
- Partners — share plans and photos without clutter
- Elders — simple interface, nothing confusing
Privacy and Ethics
- End-to-end encryption — everything stays between you and your circle
- No data mining — we don’t track what you send, say, or share
- No engagement tricks — no typing pressure, no read receipts, no scroll traps
- No ads. No analytics. No algorithmic feeds.
You are not the product. Circles exists for you, not for monetization.
Phone Number & Contact Matching
Circles uses your phone number to help you connect with people you already know — but in a way that protects everyone’s privacy.
- When you register, your number is converted into a secure cryptographic hash — not stored directly
- Circles never uploads your contacts to a server — matching happens on your device
- If a contact is already on Circles, you’ll see: “Someone in your contacts is already on Circles”
- You only see their display name if they’ve chosen to share it
- Joining a Circle is always by invitation and consent
Your name, number, and group activity are always private. No global search. No leaks. No exposure.
Technical Overview
Architecture
- Circles is a decentralized, peer-to-peer communication system under active development.
- There are no global directories, public profiles, or centralized metadata storage.
Encryption
- All messages (text, files, photos) use end-to-end encryption (E2EE).
- Session keys are generated per device, with support for re-keying and optional late joiner access.
Data Handling
- Content is stored locally only — no cloud syncing or third-party access.
- Encrypted backups are optional and user-initiated.
Networking and Sync
- Circles uses gossip-based CRDT syncing to keep devices consistent.
Trust and Identity
- Phone numbers are hashed locally and never shared.
- Contacts are named privately and per device — no global usernames.
- Future versions may support mutual device trust and key pinning.
In Summary
Circles isn’t trying to be the next big thing. It’s trying to stay small, honest, and human.
No feed. No algorithm. No performance. Just a space that feels more like a living room than a message board.
Every Circle is private, invite-only, and built on real trust. There are no followers to grow. No channels to manage. Just people you care about, in conversations that matter.