Quick Overview
- 1#1: Discourse - Open-source forum software that powers modern, engaging customer communities with real-time discussions and notifications.
- 2#2: Khoros - Enterprise-grade community platform for managing customer interactions, support, and advocacy at scale.
- 3#3: Salesforce Experience Cloud - Low-code platform for building branded customer portals, self-service communities, and personalized experiences.
- 4#4: Vanilla Forums - Cloud-based forum software that embeds seamlessly to foster customer discussions and support.
- 5#5: Higher Logic - Community management solution for driving member engagement, knowledge sharing, and growth.
- 6#6: Bettermode - No-code platform to create customizable communities with forums, Q&A, and ideation features.
- 7#7: Invision Community - Comprehensive suite for forums, blogs, and social features to build vibrant customer communities.
- 8#8: Circle - All-in-one community platform for hosting discussions, events, and courses for customer engagement.
- 9#9: Mighty Networks - Branded community builder with feeds, chats, and courses tailored for customer loyalty.
- 10#10: Zapnito - Expert-led community platform for brands to connect customers with peers and specialists.
Tools were chosen based on a mix of robust features, polished user experience, scalability, and overall value, ensuring they cater to diverse business sizes and goals, from driving real-time discussions to enhancing customer advocacy and knowledge sharing.
Comparison Table
Customer community software is essential for building meaningful connections between businesses and their users. This comparison table examines key tools—such as Discourse, Khoros, Salesforce Experience Cloud, Vanilla Forums, Higher Logic, and others—outlining features, usability, and standout strengths to help readers identify the best fit for their community needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discourse Open-source forum software that powers modern, engaging customer communities with real-time discussions and notifications. | specialized | 9.4/10 | 9.6/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 2 | Khoros Enterprise-grade community platform for managing customer interactions, support, and advocacy at scale. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.6/10 | 8.1/10 | 8.4/10 |
| 3 | Salesforce Experience Cloud Low-code platform for building branded customer portals, self-service communities, and personalized experiences. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.4/10 | 7.2/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 4 | Vanilla Forums Cloud-based forum software that embeds seamlessly to foster customer discussions and support. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.6/10 | 9.1/10 |
| 5 | Higher Logic Community management solution for driving member engagement, knowledge sharing, and growth. | enterprise | 8.6/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.9/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 6 | Bettermode No-code platform to create customizable communities with forums, Q&A, and ideation features. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.2/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 7 | Invision Community Comprehensive suite for forums, blogs, and social features to build vibrant customer communities. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 9.2/10 | 6.8/10 | 7.4/10 |
| 8 | Circle All-in-one community platform for hosting discussions, events, and courses for customer engagement. | other | 8.4/10 | 8.6/10 | 9.3/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 9 | Mighty Networks Branded community builder with feeds, chats, and courses tailored for customer loyalty. | other | 8.1/10 | 8.4/10 | 9.0/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 10 | Zapnito Expert-led community platform for brands to connect customers with peers and specialists. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 8.3/10 | 7.7/10 | 7.6/10 |
Open-source forum software that powers modern, engaging customer communities with real-time discussions and notifications.
Enterprise-grade community platform for managing customer interactions, support, and advocacy at scale.
Low-code platform for building branded customer portals, self-service communities, and personalized experiences.
Cloud-based forum software that embeds seamlessly to foster customer discussions and support.
Community management solution for driving member engagement, knowledge sharing, and growth.
No-code platform to create customizable communities with forums, Q&A, and ideation features.
Comprehensive suite for forums, blogs, and social features to build vibrant customer communities.
All-in-one community platform for hosting discussions, events, and courses for customer engagement.
Branded community builder with feeds, chats, and courses tailored for customer loyalty.
Expert-led community platform for brands to connect customers with peers and specialists.
Discourse
specializedOpen-source forum software that powers modern, engaging customer communities with real-time discussions and notifications.
Advanced trust levels system that automates moderation and rewards high-quality contributors
Discourse is a modern, open-source forum platform that excels as customer community software, enabling threaded discussions, knowledge sharing, and peer-to-peer support. It features a sleek, mobile-responsive interface with real-time notifications, badges, and gamification to boost engagement. Highly customizable via plugins and themes, it's widely used by companies for official support forums and vibrant user communities.
Pros
- Exceptional user engagement tools like badges, leaderboards, and real-time notifications
- Robust plugin ecosystem for extensive customization and integrations
- Mobile-first design with seamless cross-device experience
Cons
- Steep learning curve for advanced admin configuration
- Self-hosting requires technical server management expertise
- Hosted pricing scales quickly for high-traffic sites
Best For
Companies seeking a scalable, modern forum for customer support, knowledge bases, and self-sustaining communities.
Pricing
Free open-source self-hosting; hosted plans start at $100/month (Standard) up to custom Enterprise pricing.
Khoros
enterpriseEnterprise-grade community platform for managing customer interactions, support, and advocacy at scale.
Khoros Intelligence, an AI-powered analytics engine that predicts trends, detects risks, and optimizes community health proactively
Khoros is a leading enterprise-grade customer community platform that enables brands to build, manage, and scale online communities for customer support, advocacy, and engagement. It combines robust forum tools, AI-powered moderation, advanced analytics, and personalization features to drive meaningful interactions. With seamless integrations and mobile capabilities, Khoros helps organizations transform passive users into active community members.
Pros
- AI-driven moderation and content recommendations reduce manual oversight
- Comprehensive analytics and community intelligence provide deep insights
- Highly scalable for large enterprises with millions of users
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex setup for smaller teams
- Premium pricing requires significant investment
- Customization often needs developer support
Best For
Large enterprises needing a scalable, feature-rich platform for high-volume customer communities and advanced analytics.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing, typically starting at $50,000+ annually based on users, features, and support level.
Salesforce Experience Cloud
enterpriseLow-code platform for building branded customer portals, self-service communities, and personalized experiences.
Deep, native integration with Salesforce CRM data, enabling dynamic personalization and automation without third-party connectors
Salesforce Experience Cloud is a comprehensive platform for creating branded, scalable customer communities and portals within the Salesforce ecosystem. It enables self-service support, knowledge sharing, forums, case management, and personalized experiences powered by CRM data. Ideal for enterprises, it offers extensive customization via low-code tools and Lightning components, with deep integration into Salesforce Sales, Service, and Marketing Clouds.
Pros
- Seamless integration with Salesforce CRM for real-time data and automation
- Highly customizable with thousands of Lightning components and low-code builders
- Enterprise-grade security, scalability, and analytics with Einstein AI personalization
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring Salesforce expertise or developer support
- High pricing that scales quickly with users and customizations
- Overly complex for small businesses without existing Salesforce investment
Best For
Large enterprises already using Salesforce that need advanced, CRM-integrated customer portals for self-service and collaboration.
Pricing
Starts at $25 per member/month for Customer Community licenses (billed annually), plus base Salesforce org costs (~$25-300/user/month) and optional add-ons; custom pricing for high-volume sites.
Vanilla Forums
specializedCloud-based forum software that embeds seamlessly to foster customer discussions and support.
Q&A Mode that transforms discussions into Stack Overflow-style knowledge bases with voting and best-answer selection
Vanilla Forums is an open-source community platform specializing in discussion forums, Q&A sections, and customer engagement hubs. It provides modern, responsive interfaces with features like reactions, badges, user profiles, and private messaging to foster interactive communities. Businesses use it for customer support, knowledge bases, and user-generated content, with options for self-hosting or cloud deployment.
Pros
- Highly customizable with thousands of free addons and themes
- Open-source core allows self-hosting at no software cost
- Strong engagement tools like Q&A mode, reactions, and gamification
Cons
- Steep learning curve for advanced customization and setup
- Relies heavily on plugins for non-core features like advanced analytics
- Cloud plans can become pricey for high-traffic sites
Best For
Mid-sized businesses and organizations needing a flexible, forum-based community platform for customer discussions and support without enterprise-level pricing.
Pricing
Free open-source self-hosted version; Cloud plans start at $689/year for Standard (10K posts/month) up to custom Enterprise pricing.
Higher Logic
enterpriseCommunity management solution for driving member engagement, knowledge sharing, and growth.
Advanced engagement analytics with behavioral insights and community health scoring
Higher Logic is a comprehensive online community platform designed for building and managing customer communities, featuring discussion forums, Q&A sections, knowledge bases, member directories, and event management tools. It excels in fostering engagement through gamification, personalized notifications, and robust analytics while supporting integrations with CRM, marketing automation, and LMS systems. The platform emphasizes scalability and moderation for secure, vibrant customer interactions.
Pros
- Powerful engagement and analytics tools
- Strong moderation and security features
- Seamless integrations with enterprise systems
Cons
- Steep learning curve for setup and customization
- High cost for smaller organizations
- Limited no-code customization options
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises and associations seeking scalable customer communities with advanced analytics and self-service capabilities.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing, typically starting at $15,000+ annually based on user volume and features.
Bettermode
specializedNo-code platform to create customizable communities with forums, Q&A, and ideation features.
Multi-space architecture allowing forums, knowledge bases, roadmaps, and feedback boards in a single branded community
Bettermode is a no-code platform designed for building customizable customer communities, featuring forums, knowledge bases, product roadmaps, feedback portals, and changelogs. It allows businesses to create branded, embeddable spaces where customers can self-serve, discuss issues, submit ideas, and engage directly. The tool emphasizes seamless integrations with support systems like Intercom and Zendesk, plus analytics for community health.
Pros
- Highly customizable branding and UI without coding
- Multiple community spaces (forums, KB, roadmaps) in one platform
- Strong integrations and embeddable widgets for websites
Cons
- Pricing scales quickly for high-usage communities
- Advanced moderation and analytics locked behind higher tiers
- Steeper learning curve for complex customizations
Best For
SaaS companies and growing online businesses seeking scalable, branded customer portals for self-service and feedback.
Pricing
Free Community plan; Pro at $89/month (up to 1K members), Business at $299/month (up to 5K), Enterprise custom.
Invision Community
specializedComprehensive suite for forums, blogs, and social features to build vibrant customer communities.
Integrated all-in-one suite combining forums, social features, content management, and e-commerce in a single, extensible platform
Invision Community is a robust, all-in-one platform for creating online communities, featuring forums, blogs, galleries, social networking, and custom pages. It enables businesses to build customer support hubs, knowledge bases, and engagement spaces where users can discuss products, share feedback, and access resources. With deep customization through themes, plugins, and a developer-friendly framework, it scales well for growing communities but requires technical expertise for optimal setup.
Pros
- Extremely customizable with thousands of themes and apps/plugins
- Comprehensive suite including forums, blogs, CMS, and social tools
- Strong scalability and performance for large user bases with proper hosting
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-technical users
- Pricing can be high for smaller communities
- Self-hosted version requires server management and ongoing maintenance
Best For
Mid-to-large businesses needing a highly customizable forum-based customer community with advanced moderation and integration options.
Pricing
Cloud plans start at $37.50/month (billed annually for basic); self-hosted suite license ~$225 one-time fee plus optional $90/year support.
Circle
otherAll-in-one community platform for hosting discussions, events, and courses for customer engagement.
Customizable 'Spaces' that seamlessly combine forums, live rooms, courses, and events into a unified, branded community experience
Circle.so is an all-in-one platform designed for building modern online communities, enabling businesses to create branded spaces for customer discussions, events, courses, and live streams. It emphasizes ease of use with drag-and-drop customization, fostering engagement through features like member directories, forums, and integrated payments. As a customer community solution, it helps brands centralize support, feedback, and loyalty-building interactions in a sleek, mobile-responsive environment.
Pros
- Intuitive no-code builder for quick setup and customization
- Comprehensive all-in-one tools including live events, courses, and payments
- Beautiful, branded mobile-first design that enhances user engagement
Cons
- Pricing scales quickly for larger communities or advanced needs
- Limited deep analytics and reporting compared to enterprise alternatives
- Moderation tools are solid but lack some advanced automation options
Best For
SaaS companies, creators, and brands wanting a modern, user-friendly community platform to boost customer retention without developers.
Pricing
Starts at $49/month (Basic, annual billing) for up to 100 members, $99/month (Professional), $219/month (Business), with custom Enterprise plans.
Mighty Networks
otherBranded community builder with feeds, chats, and courses tailored for customer loyalty.
Branded native mobile apps for iOS and Android included without extra coding or app store hassles
Mighty Networks is a versatile platform for building branded online communities, combining discussion spaces, live events, courses, and membership tools to foster customer engagement. It enables businesses to create interactive hubs where customers can connect, share feedback, access resources, and participate in group activities. With strong mobile app support and monetization features, it's suited for customer loyalty and advocacy programs, though it leans more toward creator-led communities than pure support ticketing.
Pros
- Highly customizable spaces for discussions, events, and courses
- Native branded iOS and Android apps for seamless mobile experience
- Built-in monetization for memberships and paid content
Cons
- Limited advanced CRM or ticketing integrations for customer support
- Higher-tier plans can become expensive for scaling
- Some advanced customization requires technical know-how
Best For
Small to mid-sized businesses and creators building interactive, branded customer communities with membership and course elements.
Pricing
Starts at $39/month (Community plan), $99/month (Courses), $199/month (Business), with custom Mighty Pro enterprise pricing.
Zapnito
enterpriseExpert-led community platform for brands to connect customers with peers and specialists.
White-label platform builder that creates communities indistinguishable from your own branded website, with full SEO control and custom domains.
Zapnito is a white-label community platform tailored for B2B brands to build private, branded online communities for customers, partners, and advocates. It offers tools for discussions, events, knowledge sharing, member directories, and personalized content feeds to drive engagement and retention. The platform integrates community data with CRM and marketing tools, positioning it as a hub for customer success and revenue growth.
Pros
- Fully white-label branding for a seamless, native website experience
- Advanced analytics and engagement metrics for data-driven insights
- Scalable architecture supporting large member bases and high traffic
Cons
- Custom pricing lacks transparency and can be expensive for SMBs
- Setup and advanced customizations require developer involvement
- Fewer native integrations compared to larger enterprise competitors
Best For
Mid-to-large B2B companies aiming to create private, branded communities that enhance customer loyalty and integrate with sales/marketing workflows.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing starting around $5,000/month based on members and features; no public tiers or free plans.
Conclusion
The top customer community tools provide varied approaches to boost engagement, with Discourse emerging as the top pick for its open-source flexibility, real-time discussions, and knack for fostering lively interactions. Khoros excels for enterprise-scale management, while Salesforce Experience Cloud stands out with low-code capabilities to build personalized customer portals. Each solution caters to distinct needs, ensuring a strong fit for diverse organizations.
Begin your journey to a thriving customer community—try Discourse to experience seamless, engaging interactions that turn customers into active contributors.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison