11 top community software online solutions platforms

Oct 28, 2022

You are looking for the best online community platform to host your company's community that is branded?

It can be difficult to choose the best online community software can feel daunting, since elements such as ease of use, the capacity to help users, the flexibility of platforms as well as many other aspects are at stake. To ease the pressure that comes with this major selection, we've examined the top 11 online community software companies available that are available.

Check out this article to find all the facts--the good as well as the bad and the ugly of the top options available. There are numerous tips regarding what you need to think about when choosing an online community site so that you'll have the ability to choose the best choice to meet your needs.

What exactly is online community Software Solution businesses?

Online community platforms are solutions that use computers to enable you to create your community online for users to meet, share ideas and connect with other members.

Different platforms offer different advantages. Knowing what you want can help narrow your options as we review the most popular online communities along with their capabilities. Let's go!

What should you look for in an online platform that is part of a community

Community software has the basic function of facilitating community, along with additional options that are beneficial and help to achieve certain goals. To choose, look for the right solution for your business today as well as in the future.

Don't focus exclusively on individual aspects. Instead, think about the whole package, and consider the how it fits into the longer-term goals of your business.

What you need to consider when choosing a community software solution:

Simple and simple to understand. It's likely that you'll spend many hours building as well as managing the community. It is important to have a pleasant experience. Make sure the platform has an intuitive interface that lets users to efficiently work. Naturally, you'd like it to be simple to operate and fun for your customers to use also!

Simple to access. Members can swiftly login when you're organizing an event or want to engage. The fewer hurdles there are for users to log in to the website, the more likely members are to be able to take part.

Integrates with the rest of your business. Most communities are part to an entire ecosystem of goods including online training, coaching, and training tools. Every product should be branded using the same design and appearance and must be simple to move from one place to the next.

Also includes sales and marketing capabilities. It's difficult to establish an online community that nobody knows about. A good platform should provide tools to promote your group by offering memberships, as well as increasing sales on other products.

Analytics that are insightful. To provide a fantastic experience that is appealing to your members and keeps members engaged, it's important to know the things that are working and not. Analytics tools provide you with all you need to know regarding your member's behaviour and preferences to help you focus your efforts towards providing an efficient service.

11 of the top community software online solution firms

Now, let's review the most popular online community softwares that are being used.

1.

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The main benefits are:

Easy. makes it super simple to set up and run your community online. It's possible to create your community a standalone product or utilize it as an additional benefit to the coaching and courses you offer.

Multiple levels. You can create community groups for free or paid to design the "membership funnel" to advertise your business. Your free membership can draw new customers, offering them the opportunity to interact with your peers and you. Use the power of marketing tools to promote your paid community, where members will have access to the best content or benefit.

Integration to your sales and marketing technological system. One of the highlights of HTML0 is its full suite of tools for building businesses. If you sign-up as a member, you'll have access to all the toolset that include:

  • Builder for websites
  • Build an online landing page
  • Email marketing software
  • Funnel builder
  • Pages to order and process payments
  • Host of the podcast

With , all your tools are designed to work together, so you won't need to deal with the headache of creating integrations with tech, or diagnosing difficulties. Sign up and you're ready to go.

This is a comprehensive solution that also saves your money. By investing in single-use products or creating your own technology stack, you'll spend hundreds of dollars each month. There is only one monthly cost that can cover all the things you need to run an online company that's successful.

The Basic plan costs $119 monthly. It includes 3 digital products (a community as well as two other) with as many as 10,000 contacts. When you outgrow the Basic plan, you could move to the Grow plan at $159 per month. The plan includes 15 products as well as up to 25,000 contact.

Try for free for 14 Days

is everything your online business will require. All you need to be aware of. Yes! Let's go!

2. Facebook groups

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If you're a frequent Facebook user likely have a connection to at the very least at least one Facebook group. Facebook lets you set up private groups which allow members to communicate with each other to discuss business or personal issues.

Facebook group memberships are completely free but there are hidden costs in relation to credibility and trust. In the business, trust has fallen by 66% over the last few years.

As an example, when she started the Facebook group for hosting the community Kathryn Aragon discovered that many of the members no are actively engaged with Facebook. To boost engagement the group, she needed to transfer her community over to another site.

The key advantages from Facebook as a community platform are:

Security. The content within the group is only seen by the members of the group.

Discussion. Posts and comments let members discuss subjects in real-time. Group updates can be directly sent to members and can improve communication.

Member management. Administrators of groups are able to manage group members and grant access rights.

Downsides include lack of control (that's the most significant issue) along with the absence of a directory for members as well as website management. Facebook isn't Facebook'scustomers. They're Facebook's customers. We should not forget about the massive Facebook downtime that occurred in October of 2021, which led small and medium-sized businesses across the world to be denied access to their communities and their clients.

A major complaint of people who are part of the community is the absence of direct support, with just support forums available to help troubleshoot.

3. Discord

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After it began to gain traction in the world of gaming, Discord has developed into a highly regarded social networking site that is open to all types of users. The goal is to build places where people can gather with the same interests.

Discord is an online software for community solution provider, Discord offers real-time video as well as audio chats. Furthermore, the platform provides customized roles for distinguishing members from administrators. In light of its gamer and technology-related roots, the aesthetics have a dark theme, which may or may not be in line with your company's aesthetics. Discord isn't able to provide many choices to designate the members' areas of your service.

It provides the following benefits:

AI-Powered Bots. The bots can be programmed to greet new users and personalize the experience. The users will recognize the bot is real and interacts with them. It is possible to create enjoyable experiences with it , while also offering useful facts.

Reliable, secure private channels. Discord doesn't have a time-lag which makes it appear as if you're in the same room. Discord is a favorite choice to secure your information and all channels are completely private, which allows participants to feel at ease in the discussions.

Moderator Academy. This guide is comprehensive to both first-time and veteran moderators looking to enhance their management of their communities.

However, establishing your own Discord community isn't easy. There's a long learning curve which means you might not have the ability to make maximum benefit from the service. The Discord server you use Discord server will be in other communities that your members participate in This means that it'll be competing for focus.

Discord is available at no cost. Simply install the application then install it up. There is the option to upgrade the app to Discord Nitro ($99.99 annually) with access to additional emoticons as well as uploads with greater capacity, as well as high-resolution video, and several other upgrades.

4. Mighty Networks

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Mighty Networks offers an online platform for courses that include community-based features. The platform is robust and lets you customize branding and functions that foster community involvement.

The Key Mighty Networks features include:
   

Mobile access. This community site online has applications for mobile devices that makes it easy for members to engage when they're at the move. It's actually easier to engage via your smartphone than via the web.

Email alerts. Members are notified via email every time there's something new happening in the community. They get a brief nudge to log in to see what they may miss.

Branding. Mighty Network allows you to make a brand-named area that shares the same look and feel to your site. Simply apply your branded colors to tabs, buttons, action icons, as well as text.

It is important to remember the reality that Might Networks is a community-focused platform. If you want to create various other kinds of products for your company, you might have to buy other apps as well as the software to host them.

5. Hivebrite

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Hivebrite is an all-in-one community management platform specially designed for educational as well as non-profit organizations. It's utilized by more than 500 establishments such as Vanderbilt University, WWF, as well as Sabin Vaccine Institute.

The company doesn't list the prices on their website. If you want to try Hivebrite's services, it's necessary to register for a free demonstration. This is a clear indication that they're only providing prices for corporate customers.

They do come with attractive features. Your community will be able to be brand-named. It lets you control your community's content including members, as well as tools for marketing from one spot.

Some of Hivebrite's standout features:

Live feed. It's possible to livestream to the members of the community and host real-time meetings.

Access rights. With Hivebrite, it's possible to grant different access rights to various members, including students or alumni. It is also possible to make membership levels which provide greater access to paying members.

Modular features. As your community develops, you'll be able to select different features. The options include forums, events and networking groups. messaging center, media center as well as a job board, or directories.

The biggest challenge is the integration with your existing database as well as other technologies. It is common to require an IT specialist to finish an API to integrate the platform with different tools.

6. Tribe.so

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Tribe is a community-building platform, with an application ecosystem that permits direct third-party integrations, and instruments to incorporate the community in other products and websites. Examples of use cases are customer education and customer satisfaction. They also provide service support for customers branding, leading in branding as well as feedback on product.

With Tribe The core features take care of the vital aspects of community. These apps are able to help increase your options. For example:

  • Slack allows moderators and administrators to receive alerts of different actions.
  • Zapier is a way to connect your group with other tools of technology in your stack.
  • Google Analytics helps you measure the activities of your local community.

Tribe includes the following attributes:

Social Share. Tribe includes Open Graph tags, which allow social sharing. It makes it simple to share content with others in the community and generate curiosity among potential members.

Integration. Third-party integrations with over 30 different apps let you to integrate your community with the tools you already use.

Moderation panel. Tribe gives you the option to let users alter, or refuse content created by the users. It is also possible to archive older content to ensure that your feed clean of any clutter.

Tribe is available for free to as many as 100 members. Its Plus Plan costs $59 per month and lets you access additional apps as well as up to 2,500 members. To get the best from the app, you'll be required to change to the Premium Plan costing $299 monthly. You can get rid of the Tribe branding, and use the Tribe API and webhooks as well as increasing membership to 25,000.

7. Circle.so

circle.so-website

Circle lets you build a community around your courses and coaching or help. It aims to simplify the process of creating communities, by providing users with content creation tools and private spacesto handle discussions as well as monetize membership. It's packed with options that allow you to create an identity-based space that matches the design of your website.

Some of the best-known offerings that are offered by Circle are:

Integrations that are simple. Circle can be used in conjunction with third-party applications, such as email marketing software, Slack, Wordpress, and allows you to market your group or integrate the two with other software.

Spaces are private and private. You can create distinct areas for various members within your membership. In this case, for instance one example, you could designate a particular space just for core members , while an additional one is reserved exclusively for the most expensive members.

Searchable member directory. Members can connect by establishing profiles with custom fields, as well as search filters.

Circle begins at just $35 per month and includes the 4percent transaction fee per user. The basic plan includes all of the basics for your group, including conversations, and private messages. You can upgrade to the Pro Plan ($89 monthly and 1cent transaction fee per user) to unlock classes, live streaming as well as more sophisticated analytics.

It could be necessary to cover the cost of other features, such as additional administrators spaces, additional space, the white-labeling of emails as well as the ability to create custom single sign-on (SSO).

8. Vanilla Forums

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Vanilla Forums is a platform that has been developed to allow medium-sized and enterprise businesses to deliver outstanding customer service. The site is often utilized for customer service, experience for customers as well as product marketing in addition to the marketing of brands.

Vanilla gives users a wonderful user experience, integration into the current technology stack and flexible customization to fit the needs of your company.

The main features of Vanilla Forums include:

Knowledge Base. You can create Self-Service Help Centers within your community. It can include guides for users and assistance documents.

Survey customization. With Vanilla Forums you can send personalized surveys to your customers in order to receive direct comments.

Open source community.  Vanilla's open source code free and host your community your own. Are you a person with a love in technological advancement? There is a way to help contribute the source code.

This website is not suitable for entrepreneurs who work on their own or as solopreneurs. The pricing isn't displayed on the site. But if you're interested, you can make an appointment with a sales representative.

9. WildApricot

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WildApricot offers a complete platform that was initially designed for non-profits and associations. The users include clubs, associations and state and local chapter organizations.

Wild Apricot has a self-serve style that lets you personalize the entire experience of your users. Its reputation and gamification systems allows you to create quality content, provide member-friendly features accessible, and also allow the automation of moderation.

It is a great source of:

Event Management. Plan events such auctions, online auctions, virtual conference, or webinars. Get sponsors to support your event. It is also possible to publish your event calendar and create registrations for your event.

Donations. With WildApricot, you are able to take donations, as well as announce progress towards your goal of fundraising. In addition, you are able to export your donor records so that you can monitor and track the donations.

CRM. Like , WildApricot provides a CRM (customer relationship management) software that comes with the most robust directory of members and can be used any time.

You'll need third-party tools to assist you with marketing and managing your company. The majority of them will be compatible together with WildApricot including WordPress, Mailchimp, and Zapier. Payment processing, however, is available only for U.S. and Canada residents.

You are able to test WildApricot no cost up to 50 contacts. Costs will rise when your audience grows

  • A month of $48 for 100 contacts.
  • A month's rent of $60 for 250 contacts.
  • One month's rent at $110 for 500 contacts
  • A month of $190 for 2,000 contacts

10. Disciple Media

disciple-media-website

Disciple Media is a platform for community interaction composed of three parts comprised of a console, which controls the content users create for mobile and desktopdevices, an app for mobile that lets users to communicate with each with one another in a online community and gives them the opportunity to interact with their desktops.

It's designed specifically to cater to creators, entrepreneurs and other influential people who want to build their own social network.

Disciple Media includes the following features:

Different layouts. You can store and distribute content from one central location. Utilize groups, folders, and lists to create an individual layout for your community.

Mobile app. Disciple Media is like a social networking site as it is designed to be mobile-friendly by customers. There is a web app that is however, it lacks capabilities compared to the mobile app.

In-app purchase. Disciple lets you drive in-app purchases and sponsorships which allows you to turn your members into customers.

Cost of Disciple is contingent upon the number of participants and on the selection of either web, mobile, or both:

  • Web-only: $46 a month for 100 users
  • For mobile users only, 458 dollars a month for 500 customers
  • Mobile and Web: $504 for 500 members

These add-ons include API white labeling and API other administrative users. Additionally, there is a fee for community coaching along with members' support and mastermind-related functions.

11. Vibely.io

vibely.io-website

Vibely.io was created by two former Asana employees, Teri Yu and Theresa Lee and the idea was to challenge the existing creator communities with a positive approach. Their tagline "Built exclusively by females, not gamer dudes," gives you an indication of what they're searching for.

Vibely.io is a creator-controlled online community platform, which allows creators to communicate with users and gather the material that users make.

Vibely.io's best features are:

Commitment to positivity. Vibely is a guarantee that there will be that there will be no spammers, trolls, or even violence. Their goal is to build an environment that is inclusive of all users.

Accountability tools and challenges. It includes the leaderboards, tracksers and challenges to keep everyone interested.

Ambassadors. Vibely allows you to appoint leaders in your community to assist you in taking care of members and welcoming them.

You are able to set up your own Vibely community free of charge there is no restriction to the number of individuals who are ambassadors, members or super administrators. On the free plans that are free, it's not possible to accept recurring payments. The Mastermind plan unlocks payments and also takes a 10 percent percentage of the profits.

The most effective online community software for to run your business

There are a variety of factors to take into consideration when choosing the best online community-based platform. It's essential to use the best tools available to build markets, selling and build your group, and the platform must be user-friendly for your group members as well.
   
    Based on our analysis we have a number of great alternatives, however one is notable for its all-in-one platform to run a business.

Only empowers you to create and market a vibrant and lively community along with other digital products like coaching online and courses. In addition, it offers all the necessary tools to market and sell these items, so you can grow and expand an effective knowledge-based business.

If you're considering setting up up a forum you could consider any of the community platforms that we've looked at. According to how big your community the cost could be reasonable (or even completely free).

Software that is free will subject to third party rules and algorithms, while also limiting your growth potential. The program doesn't come with the features you need and will often limit the number of customers they'll accept.

The community you build is yours. The rules, guidelines, and conditions, as well as the cost of membership, which can be paid or for free.

If you're seeking to build your online presence, this is the ideal solution. With videos and tutorials, it will help you get online quickly. Through the University, you have access to training in how to run an online community, which is available accessible for everyone who would like it.

Get started on your cost-free 14-day test starting now!

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