Category:
All
Community Platforms
Forum Software
Social Networks
Membership Management
Event Management
Moderation Tools
Analytics
Communication
Pricing:
All
Free
Freemium
Paid
D
Discord
Voice & text community platform
Community Platforms
Originally built for gamers, Discord has evolved into a versatile platform for all types of communities with voice chat, text channels, and real-time communication.
Expert Insight
Discord's real-time communication model creates a sense of immediacy and presence that's unmatched in community building. Its voice channels enable spontaneous conversations that can't be replicated in traditional forum formats.
KEY FEATURES
Voice Channels Text Chat Screen Sharing Bots & Apps
C
Circle
Modern community platform
Community Platforms
Modern community platform focused on meaningful conversations and member engagement. Offers clean design and powerful moderation tools for professional communities.
Expert Insight
Circle's strength lies in its balance of simplicity and power. Unlike many community platforms that overwhelm with features, Circle focuses on core engagement mechanics that actually drive participation.
KEY FEATURES
Discussion Spaces Content Sharing Member Profiles Analytics
M
Mighty Networks
All-in-one community builder
Community Platforms
All-in-one community platform that combines courses, content, and networking. Perfect for creators looking to build engaged communities with monetization options.
Expert Insight
Mighty Networks excels at creating network-driven experiences where community members discover each other organically. Its unique "People Magic" features help surface commonalities between members.
KEY FEATURES
Branded Communities Course Creation Live Events Monetization
D
Discourse
Modern forum platform
Forum Software
Modern forum platform that reimagines traditional forums for the modern web. Features real-time discussions, excellent mobile experience, and powerful moderation tools.
Expert Insight
Discourse revolutionized forum software by prioritizing conversation flow over rigid thread structures. Its "trust levels" system naturally promotes quality contributors to moderator roles.
KEY FEATURES
Real-time Updates Trust Levels Mobile Optimized SEO Friendly
S
Slack
Team communication hub
Communication
Professional communication platform that many organizations use for community building. Offers organized channels, integrations, and business-grade security.
Expert Insight
While primarily designed for workplace collaboration, Slack's channel structure and extensive app ecosystem make it surprisingly effective for professional communities with its threading system.
KEY FEATURES
Organized Channels File Sharing App Integrations Enterprise Security
E
Eventbrite
Event ticketing & management
Event Management
Popular event registration and ticketing platform with built-in marketing tools. Perfect for public events, workshops, and community gatherings.
Expert Insight
Eventbrite's marketplace model creates a powerful discovery engine for events, extending beyond just ticketing to actual event promotion. This dual function makes it uniquely valuable for public community events.
KEY FEATURES
Event Discovery Ticket Sales Registration Forms Check-in App
S
Skool
Gamified learning community
Community Platforms
Modern community platform with built-in gamification features. Combines community, courses, and leaderboards to drive engagement and learning.
Expert Insight
Skool's gamification approach addresses the common problem of community engagement decline. By incorporating points, levels, and leaderboards naturally into the community experience, it maintains momentum.
KEY FEATURES
Gamification Course Builder Leaderboards Live Events
M
Memberful
Membership management
Membership Management
Professional membership management platform for creators and businesses. Handles subscriptions, content gating, and member communication seamlessly.
Expert Insight
Memberful's strength lies in its seamless integration with existing websites and tools. Unlike all-in-one platforms, it enhances your current setup without forcing a complete platform migration.
KEY FEATURES
Subscription Management Content Gating Stripe Integration WordPress Plugin
F
Facebook Groups
Social media communities
Social Networks
Leverage Facebook's massive user base to build communities around shared interests. Offers powerful moderation tools and diverse engagement features.
Expert Insight
Facebook Groups benefit from the platform's sophisticated algorithm that surfaces relevant content to engaged members. The challenge is balancing organic reach with meaningful community interaction.
KEY FEATURES
Massive Reach Rich Media Live Streaming Admin Tools
R
Reddit
Discussion & content sharing
Social Networks
Create subreddits around specific topics and interests. Reddit's voting system and discussion format make it ideal for knowledge sharing and community Q&A.
Expert Insight
Reddit's democratic voting system creates naturally curated content where the community determines value. This self-governing model scales effectively but requires active moderation for quality control.
KEY FEATURES
Voting System Threaded Discussions Content Curation AMAs
W
Whova
Conference & networking events
Event Management
Comprehensive event management platform with attendee networking features and mobile app. Award-winning solution for conferences and professional events.
Expert Insight
Whova's networking features transform passive event attendance into active community building. Its AI-powered attendee matching creates connections that extend beyond the event itself.
KEY FEATURES
Attendee Networking Mobile App Live Polling Virtual Events
C
Carl-bot
Discord moderation bot
Moderation Tools
Advanced Discord moderation bot with auto-moderation, custom commands, and role management. Essential for maintaining healthy Discord communities.
Expert Insight
Carl-bot's strength lies in its balance of automation and customization. It handles routine moderation tasks while allowing community managers to create complex rule systems that match their specific needs.
KEY FEATURES
Auto-moderation Custom Commands Role Management Reaction Roles
D
Discord Analytics
Server insights & metrics
Analytics
Built-in analytics for Discord servers providing insights into member activity, growth trends, and engagement patterns to help optimize community management.
Expert Insight
Discord's native analytics provide essential metrics for understanding community health. The key insight is tracking not just member count but active participation rates to identify engagement trends.
KEY FEATURES
Member Growth Activity Metrics Engagement Data Retention Stats
L
LinkedIn Groups
Professional networking communities
Social Networks
Create professional communities on LinkedIn focused on industry topics, career development, and business networking. Perfect for B2B communities.
Expert Insight
LinkedIn Groups benefit from the platform's professional context, leading to higher-quality discussions and valuable business connections. The challenge is maintaining engagement in a less casual environment.
KEY FEATURES
Professional Focus Industry Networking Job Opportunities Thought Leadership
H
Hivebrite
Enterprise community platform
Membership Management
Enterprise-grade community platform designed for professional networks, alumni associations, and corporate communities with advanced member management features.
Expert Insight
Hivebrite excels in facilitating professional networking through sophisticated member discovery algorithms and networking tools. It's particularly effective for alumni networks and professional associations.
KEY FEATURES
Member Directory Event Management Networking Tools Member Verification
T
Telegram
Secure messaging & channels
Communication
Secure messaging platform with support for large groups and broadcast channels. Popular for communities prioritizing privacy and fast communication.
Expert Insight
Telegram's channels feature allows one-to-many broadcasting to unlimited subscribers, making it powerful for content distribution. Its bot ecosystem enables sophisticated community automation.
KEY FEATURES
Large Groups Broadcast Channels Bot Platform File Sharing
P
phpBB
Open-source forum software
Forum Software
Open-source forum software that's been powering online communities for over 20 years. Highly customizable with thousands of extensions and themes available.
Expert Insight
phpBB's longevity stems from its commitment to customization and community-driven development. With thousands of extensions available, it can be tailored to virtually any community need.
KEY FEATURES
Open Source Extensive Extensions Multi-language Customizable