Quick Overview
- 1#1: Discourse - Modern open-source forum software that enables rich discussions, notifications, and high community engagement.
- 2#2: Circle - All-in-one platform for creators to build branded communities with spaces, live events, and member interactions.
- 3#3: Mighty Networks - Comprehensive tool for hosting memberships, courses, events, and AI-powered community discovery.
- 4#4: Bettermode - Scalable community platform with forums, Q&A, ideas portals, and analytics for customer engagement.
- 5#5: Hivebrite - End-to-end community management for alumni networks, associations, and professional groups with events and CRM.
- 6#6: Vanilla Forums - Flexible cloud forum software embeddable on websites for threaded discussions and moderation.
- 7#7: Geneva - Mobile-first community app for teams and creators with chats, events, polls, and video calls.
- 8#8: Skool - Simple platform integrating community feeds, courses, calendars, and gamification for groups.
- 9#9: Higher Logic - Integrated platform for associations offering communities, email marketing, and member directories.
- 10#10: Khoros - Enterprise-grade community solution for large-scale customer advocacy, support, and analytics.
We ranked these tools by prioritizing features that drive engagement, technical quality, user-friendliness, and overall value, ensuring each entry excels at delivering sustainable community outcomes
Comparison Table
This comparison table simplifies evaluating community engagement tools, featuring Discourse, Circle, Mighty Networks, Bettermode, Hivebrite, and more. Readers will gain clarity on each platform's strengths in areas like interaction, content organization, and growth, making it easier to find the best fit for their community needs. From fostering discussions to building connected networks, it breaks down key features to guide informed decisions.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discourse Modern open-source forum software that enables rich discussions, notifications, and high community engagement. | specialized | 9.6/10 | 9.8/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.5/10 |
| 2 | Circle All-in-one platform for creators to build branded communities with spaces, live events, and member interactions. | specialized | 9.1/10 | 9.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.7/10 |
| 3 | Mighty Networks Comprehensive tool for hosting memberships, courses, events, and AI-powered community discovery. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.3/10 |
| 4 | Bettermode Scalable community platform with forums, Q&A, ideas portals, and analytics for customer engagement. | specialized | 8.6/10 | 8.8/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 5 | Hivebrite End-to-end community management for alumni networks, associations, and professional groups with events and CRM. | enterprise | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 6 | Vanilla Forums Flexible cloud forum software embeddable on websites for threaded discussions and moderation. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 8.4/10 | 7.7/10 | 8.3/10 |
| 7 | Geneva Mobile-first community app for teams and creators with chats, events, polls, and video calls. | specialized | 8.3/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 8 | Skool Simple platform integrating community feeds, courses, calendars, and gamification for groups. | specialized | 8.6/10 | 8.4/10 | 9.4/10 | 9.1/10 |
| 9 | Higher Logic Integrated platform for associations offering communities, email marketing, and member directories. | enterprise | 8.3/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.6/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 10 | Khoros Enterprise-grade community solution for large-scale customer advocacy, support, and analytics. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 7.9/10 |
Modern open-source forum software that enables rich discussions, notifications, and high community engagement.
All-in-one platform for creators to build branded communities with spaces, live events, and member interactions.
Comprehensive tool for hosting memberships, courses, events, and AI-powered community discovery.
Scalable community platform with forums, Q&A, ideas portals, and analytics for customer engagement.
End-to-end community management for alumni networks, associations, and professional groups with events and CRM.
Flexible cloud forum software embeddable on websites for threaded discussions and moderation.
Mobile-first community app for teams and creators with chats, events, polls, and video calls.
Simple platform integrating community feeds, courses, calendars, and gamification for groups.
Integrated platform for associations offering communities, email marketing, and member directories.
Enterprise-grade community solution for large-scale customer advocacy, support, and analytics.
Discourse
specializedModern open-source forum software that enables rich discussions, notifications, and high community engagement.
Innovative trust level system that automatically promotes engaged users and streamlines moderation.
Discourse is a modern, open-source forum platform designed to power engaging online communities with threaded discussions, real-time notifications, and rich media embeds. It emphasizes user retention through gamification elements like badges, leaderboards, and trust levels, while providing robust moderation tools and seamless mobile support. Ideal for forums, support sites, and membership communities, it scales from small groups to millions of users with extensive customization via plugins.
Pros
- Exceptional engagement tools including badges, notifications, and trust levels
- Fully responsive design with native mobile apps
- Open-source with vast plugin ecosystem for customization
Cons
- Self-hosting requires technical expertise and server resources
- Hosted pricing scales quickly for high-traffic sites
- Initial setup and moderation learning curve
Best For
Organizations and teams seeking a scalable, modern forum to build and nurture active online communities.
Pricing
Free open-source self-hosted; hosted Standard plan at $100/month (up to 1K visits/day), scales to Business ($300+) and Enterprise (custom).
Circle
specializedAll-in-one platform for creators to build branded communities with spaces, live events, and member interactions.
All-in-one Spaces system that combines forums, live streams, courses, and events into customizable, branded community hubs
Circle.so is an all-in-one community platform designed for creators, brands, and businesses to build, host, and monetize branded online communities. It offers customizable spaces for discussions, live events, courses, member directories, and chat rooms, all within a single, intuitive interface. The platform excels in fostering engagement through features like automated member experiences, email integrations, and seamless payment processing.
Pros
- Highly customizable branding and layouts with drag-and-drop builder
- Integrated monetization tools including memberships, courses, and payments
- Robust engagement features like live rooms, events, and AI-powered automation
Cons
- Pricing can be steep for small communities or startups
- Advanced analytics and reporting limited to higher tiers
- Some third-party integrations require Professional plan or above
Best For
Course creators, coaches, and brands seeking a fully branded, monetizable community platform with built-in engagement tools.
Pricing
Starts at $49/month (Basic, billed annually), $99/month (Professional), $219/month (Business), $399+/month (Enterprise); 14-day free trial available.
Mighty Networks
specializedComprehensive tool for hosting memberships, courses, events, and AI-powered community discovery.
Custom-branded native mobile apps that feel like standalone apps for your community
Mighty Networks is an all-in-one platform for building and monetizing online communities, courses, and memberships with a focus on deep member engagement. It provides tools like discussion feeds, live events, chat rooms, courses, and contextual 'Spaces' for niche conversations within larger networks. The platform stands out by enabling creators to launch fully branded native iOS and Android apps, fostering a mobile-first community experience.
Pros
- Comprehensive all-in-one tools for communities, courses, and memberships
- Branded native mobile apps for iOS and Android
- Advanced engagement features like Spaces, live streaming, and AI-powered networking
Cons
- Higher pricing tiers may not suit very small communities
- Steeper learning curve for custom branding and advanced setups
- Limited native integrations with third-party tools compared to competitors
Best For
Course creators, coaches, and brands seeking to build scalable, monetized communities with strong mobile engagement.
Pricing
Starts at $39/month (Community plan, billed annually), $99/month (Business), $199/month (Path-to-Pro), with custom Mighty Pro enterprise pricing.
Bettermode
specializedScalable community platform with forums, Q&A, ideas portals, and analytics for customer engagement.
No-code builder for fully branded, embeddable communities with AI moderation
Bettermode is a no-code platform for building customizable online communities, featuring forums, Q&A sections, events, ideation spaces, and user profiles to foster engagement. It emphasizes white-label branding, AI-powered moderation, and deep analytics to help businesses manage customer support, product feedback, and brand loyalty. The platform integrates seamlessly with tools like Intercom, Zendesk, and Slack, making it suitable for scalable community growth.
Pros
- Highly customizable white-label interface without coding
- Powerful analytics and engagement insights
- Seamless integrations with CRM and support tools
Cons
- Pricing scales quickly for larger communities
- Advanced customizations have a learning curve
- Free plan limits scale to 100 members
Best For
Mid-sized brands and SaaS companies seeking branded, scalable communities for customer engagement and feedback.
Pricing
Free for up to 100 members; Launch at $59/mo (500 members), Scale at $179/mo (2,000 members), Enterprise custom.
Hivebrite
enterpriseEnd-to-end community management for alumni networks, associations, and professional groups with events and CRM.
Fully white-label, mobile-first community portals with seamless career services integration
Hivebrite is a robust community management platform tailored for alumni networks, professional associations, fraternities/sororities, and corporate communities. It enables the creation of fully branded online portals with features like member directories, event management, discussion forums, private messaging, and career services tools. The software emphasizes personalized engagement through AI-driven recommendations, groups, and content feeds to boost retention and interaction.
Pros
- Highly customizable white-label branding and portals
- Advanced engagement tools including events, groups, and AI personalization
- Strong integrations with CRMs, LMS, and career platforms
Cons
- Steep learning curve for full customization
- Enterprise-level pricing not ideal for small communities
- Limited built-in analytics depth compared to competitors
Best For
Mid-to-large organizations like universities or associations managing complex alumni and professional networks.
Pricing
Custom pricing starting at around $10,000/year based on community size and features; no public tiers.
Vanilla Forums
specializedFlexible cloud forum software embeddable on websites for threaded discussions and moderation.
Seamless website embedding that turns any page into a native-feeling forum
Vanilla Forums is a versatile, open-source forum software that powers community discussions with features like threaded conversations, Q&A modes, user profiles, and gamification elements such as badges and reactions. Available in both self-hosted (free core) and cloud-hosted versions, it emphasizes customization through a vast addon ecosystem and seamless embedding into existing websites. It's particularly suited for customer support, knowledge bases, and niche communities aiming to drive engagement without the complexity of enterprise tools.
Pros
- Highly customizable with thousands of addons and themes
- Strong moderation tools and spam protection
- Embeddable design integrates well into websites
Cons
- Admin interface feels dated and has a learning curve
- Limited out-of-the-box integrations with modern CRMs
- Cloud support response can be slower for lower tiers
Best For
Mid-sized communities or support teams needing a flexible, embeddable forum without high costs.
Pricing
Free open-source self-hosting; Cloud starts at $689/year for 1,000 users, scaling to $4,089/year for 50,000 users with custom enterprise options.
Geneva
specializedMobile-first community app for teams and creators with chats, events, polls, and video calls.
Integrated event hosting with RSVP, live streams, and seamless discussion tie-ins
Geneva (geneva.app) is a modern community platform tailored for professional organizations to create branded online spaces for members, customers, or employees. It provides tools like discussion channels, event calendars, member directories, polls, and analytics to drive engagement and interactions. With a focus on ease and aesthetics, it supports both internal teams and external communities through a Slack-inspired interface and robust mobile app.
Pros
- Intuitive, mobile-first interface that rivals Slack for usability
- Strong event and discussion tools tailored for professional communities
- Customizable branding and member management features
Cons
- Pricing scales per space, which can get expensive for multiple communities
- Limited advanced automation compared to enterprise competitors
- Free plan has restrictive member limits and features
Best For
Mid-sized organizations or teams managing customer, alumni, or partner communities that prioritize a polished, easy-to-use experience.
Pricing
Free plan for up to 100 members; paid plans start at $49/space/month (Essential) up to custom Enterprise pricing.
Skool
specializedSimple platform integrating community feeds, courses, calendars, and gamification for groups.
Built-in gamification with automated points and leaderboards that reward participation and boost community retention
Skool is an all-in-one platform designed for creators to build and monetize online communities, combining discussion forums, course hosting, event calendars, and member directories. It emphasizes engagement through gamification features like points, levels, and leaderboards to foster interaction among members. The platform supports easy membership payments and offers a mobile app for on-the-go access.
Pros
- Intuitive interface with quick setup for communities and courses
- Gamification tools including points, levels, and leaderboards to drive engagement
- Unlimited members and courses on a flat-rate plan with strong value
Cons
- Limited customization and branding options compared to more advanced platforms
- Basic analytics and reporting lacking depth for large-scale communities
- Course builder is functional but lacks advanced multimedia or quiz features
Best For
Course creators and small-to-medium community builders seeking a simple, affordable platform to engage members without complex setup.
Pricing
$99/month flat fee for unlimited everything (members, courses, storage); annual discount available, Stripe fees apply for payments.
Higher Logic
enterpriseIntegrated platform for associations offering communities, email marketing, and member directories.
Seamless integration with Association Management Systems (AMS) for unified member data and automated workflows
Higher Logic is a comprehensive community engagement platform designed primarily for associations, nonprofits, and professional organizations to build and manage online communities. It provides tools for discussion forums, member directories, event registration, content management, and personalized member experiences to drive engagement and retention. Advanced analytics and automation features help administrators measure success and nurture interactions at scale.
Pros
- Robust feature set including forums, gamification, and automation
- Strong analytics and reporting for engagement insights
- Deep integrations with AMS, CRM, and marketing tools
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex initial setup
- High pricing unsuitable for small communities
- Limited flexibility for non-association use cases
Best For
Mid-to-large associations and membership organizations needing integrated community and AMS functionality.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing, typically starting at $10,000-$50,000 annually based on users, features, and hosting.
Khoros
enterpriseEnterprise-grade community solution for large-scale customer advocacy, support, and analytics.
AI-powered Khoros Intelligence for predictive analytics and automated moderation
Khoros is an enterprise-grade community engagement platform that helps brands build, manage, and scale online communities through forums, social integrations, and customer advocacy tools. It leverages AI for moderation, personalization, analytics, and insights to drive meaningful user interactions and loyalty. Designed for large organizations, it supports omnichannel engagement across websites, apps, and social media.
Pros
- Advanced AI-powered moderation and analytics for large-scale communities
- Highly scalable with robust integrations to CRM and marketing tools
- Strong focus on personalization and customer advocacy features
Cons
- High enterprise-level pricing with custom quotes
- Steep learning curve and complex interface for new users
- Overkill and less cost-effective for small to mid-sized teams
Best For
Large enterprises and brands managing high-volume online communities and seeking deep analytics and AI-driven engagement.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing for enterprises, typically starting at $25,000-$50,000 annually and scaling up based on users, features, and deployment.
Conclusion
The reviewed community engagement tools present varied pathways to build meaningful connections, with Discourse leading as the top choice, lauded for its modern open-source design and focus on robust discussions. Close behind, Circle stands out as an all-in-one platform for branded spaces and live interactions, while Mighty Networks excels with its comprehensive membership tools and AI-driven discovery, making them strong alternatives for distinct needs. Each tool offers unique strengths, but Discourse emerges as the most versatile option.
Ready to cultivate an engaged community? Start with Discourse to harness its powerful features, or explore Circle or Mighty Networks if your goals prioritize branding or memberships—either way, the right tool will elevate your community efforts.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison