Discover the top 7 community platforms I tested personally to help you choose the best tool for growing and engaging your online community.

Introduction

In today’s digital landscape, building and maintaining an active online community is paramount for businesses, especially those in the SaaS and technology sectors. The right community platform can significantly enhance user engagement, drive SEO performance, and convert visitors into loyal customers. In this comprehensive review, I explore the best community software options available, evaluating their features, pricing, and overall effectiveness to help you find the perfect fit for your business needs.

1. Circle.so

Best Overall Community Platform

Pricing: $99 – $499/month
Mobile Apps: Yes (iOS & Android)

Circle.so stands out as the top choice for an all-in-one community platform, offering a balanced mix of pricing, functionality, and user experience. Its clean interface and extensive features make it ideal for creators, educators, coaches, and startups looking to build dedicated online spaces.

Key Features:

Flexible Spaces: Organize your community with public, private, or secret spaces tailored to different needs, such as course hubs, event rooms, and discussion forums.
Paywalls: Monetize your community with native paywall options for memberships, courses, and premium content.
Events Management: Host live rooms and livestreams directly within the platform, eliminating the need for third-party tools.
Robust Post Editor: Create rich, engaging content with support for multimedia embeds and interactive elements.
Customization: Fully brand your community with custom domains, color palettes, and logo integration.
AI Agents: Automate support and engagement with AI-powered personas (available on higher-tier plans).

Pros:

Intuitive and user-friendly interface
Comprehensive community management tools
Native live streaming and robust event features
Strong monetization capabilities

Cons:

Higher pricing tiers can be expensive for small businesses
Limited built-in marketing tools

Bottom Line: Circle.so is perfect for businesses seeking a versatile and scalable community platform that prioritizes user experience and engagement.

👉 Explore Circle.so free for 14 days

2. Mighty Networks

Best for Structured, High-Engagement Communities

Pricing: $49 – $430/month
Mobile Apps: Yes (iOS & Android)

Mighty Networks excels in providing a flexible and highly engaging environment, making it ideal for creators, non-profits, and online coaches. Its ability to integrate courses, memberships, and community interactions seamlessly distinguishes it from other platforms.

Key Features:

Activity Feed: Real-time updates and advanced filtering options keep members informed and engaged.
Customizable Profiles: Enhance member interactions with personalized profiles showcasing interests and expertise.
Resource Library: Centralized hub for organizing and sharing valuable content.
Live Events: Host webinars, meetings, and virtual events directly within the platform.
Gamification: Features like streaks, milestones, and badges to promote active participation.

Pros:

High level of customization and branding
Strong engagement and gamification tools
Affordable pricing plans

Cons:

Limited integrations and analytics on lower-tier plans
Transaction fees on sales

Bottom Line: Mighty Networks is ideal for those looking to build a highly interactive and customizable community with robust engagement features.

👉 Explore Mighty Networks free for 14 days

3. Bettermode

Best for Businesses and Brands

Pricing: Free – $59/month
Mobile Apps: No

Bettermode offers unparalleled branding control and design flexibility, making it the best choice for startups, SaaS businesses, and enterprise communities. With over 30 community templates, it allows for rapid setup tailored to various use cases.

Key Features:

Advanced Customization: Add logos, choose custom fonts, and set unique color palettes.
Block Builder: Design custom space layouts with drag-and-drop functionality.
AI-Powered Moderation: Automatically detect and manage spam and inappropriate content.
Detailed Reporting: Access comprehensive analytics to monitor community health and trends.

Pros:

Extensive design and branding options
Free plan available
Powerful moderation and reporting tools

Cons:

Steep learning curve
No built-in payment tools

Bottom Line: Bettermode is perfect for businesses that require extensive customization and powerful moderation tools to manage their communities effectively.

👉 Explore Bettermode

4. Heartbeat

Best for Building Learning Communities

Pricing: $49 – $129/month
Mobile Apps: Yes (iOS & Android)

Heartbeat is tailored for online coaches, trainers, educators, and course creators looking to integrate learning directly into their community platform. It offers robust course creation tools alongside standard community features.

Key Features:

Course Creation: Develop self-paced and cohort-based courses with progression tracking.
Events Management: Schedule and manage virtual events with RSVPs and calendar integration.
Automation & Workflows: Simplify community management with automated tasks and email sequences.
Affiliate Programs: Launch referral systems to boost community growth.

Pros:

Strong integration of learning and community features
Built-in payment processing
Mobile and desktop apps for flexible access

Cons:

Limited customization options
Higher transactional fees

Bottom Line: Heartbeat is ideal for educators and coaches who want to combine learning modules with community engagement seamlessly.

👉 Explore Heartbeat Community for 14-days for free

5. Kajabi Communities

Best All-in-One Digital Business Platform

Pricing: $69 – $399/month
Mobile Apps: Yes (iOS & Android)

Kajabi Communities is the go-to platform for knowledge entrepreneurs and online coaches seeking a comprehensive digital business solution. It integrates community building with sales, marketing, and course delivery tools.

Key Features:

Integrated Sales Funnels: Build and manage sales funnels without third-party tools.
Challenges and Leaderboards: Engage members with native challenge hosting and gamification.
Live Events: Host and record virtual events with built-in livestreaming capabilities.
Student Assessments: Create quizzes and issue certificates of completion.

Pros:

Comprehensive marketing and sales tools
Strong gamification and engagement features
No transaction fees

Cons:

Expensive for beginners
Challenging to white-label communities

Bottom Line: Kajabi Communities is perfect for entrepreneurs looking to run their entire digital business, including community management, from a single platform.

👉 Explore Kajabi free for 30 days

6. Swarm

Best for Video-Rich Online Communities

Pricing: $49 – $399/month
Mobile Apps: No

Swarm is uniquely focused on delivering a video-based community experience, making it the best platform for video creators, educators, and online coaches who rely heavily on video content to engage their audience.

Key Features:

Video Hosting: Record, upload, and embed videos directly within the platform.
AI Transcriptions: Automatically transcribe video content for accessibility and searchability.
Threaded Messaging: Facilitate structured discussions alongside video content.
Generative AI Assistant: Enhance user interactions with AI-driven support.

Pros:

Native live streaming and video recording
AI-powered transcriptions
Easy-to-use interface

Cons:

Limited marketing tools
No built-in course creation features

Bottom Line: Swarm is ideal for communities where video is the primary engagement tool, offering robust features for video hosting and live streaming.

👉 Explore Swarm free for 14 days

7. Skool

Best for Simplicity and Gamification

Pricing: $99/month
Mobile Apps: Yes (iOS & Android)

Skool offers a minimalist platform perfect for solo creators and online coaches who prioritize simplicity and gamification. It combines community management with course delivery in an easy-to-use interface.

Key Features:

Community Forums: Enable structured discussions and Q&A sessions.
Event Calendars: Schedule and manage group events with automatic reminders.
Classrooms: Integrate courses within the community for a unified learning experience.
Badges and Gamification: Encourage participation with badges, points, and leaderboards.

Pros:

User-friendly and straightforward interface
Strong gamification features
Unlimited courses and members

Cons:

No native live streaming
Limited student assessment tools

Bottom Line: Skool is perfect for creators seeking a simple yet effective platform to build and gamify their online communities and courses.

👉 Explore Skool

Conclusion

Choosing the best community software depends on your specific business needs, whether it’s robust customization, integrated learning tools, or video-centric engagement. Each of the platforms reviewed offers unique strengths to help you build a thriving online community that drives engagement and SEO performance.

Call to Action

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What features should I look for in the best community software?

Look for key features such as discussion forums, live chat, member directories, event management, content sharing, live events, integrations, and monetization options.

Which online community platforms offer the best engagement tools?

Platforms like Circle.so, Mighty Networks, and Skool provide strong engagement tools such as interactive discussions, live streaming, polls, direct messaging, and gamification.

Are there free community platforms you can use?

Yes, Discord, Slack, Reddit, Facebook Groups, and Telegram allow you to build and manage communities for free. However, they come with limitations like lack of ownership, monetization capabilities, and limited customization.

Which platforms offer the best monetization options for community owners?

Mighty Networks, Circle.so, Kajabi, and GroupApp offer built-in monetization tools, allowing you to sell memberships, courses, and premium content.