11 of the best online community software platform solutions

Looking for the right online community platform that can host the community of your company?

Finding the ideal online community software can feel challenging, especially when you consider that elements like user-friendliness and customer service, as well as platform flexibility as well as various other elements are all in the mix. To help ease the stress of making this crucial decision, we've reviewed the top eleven online community software companies that offer the services they offer.

Get the complete information, which includes the best, bad, and the ugly -- of the most highly-rated options available. We've provided a wealth of information regarding what to be looking for in an online community platform , in order to help you make the right decision for your company.

What exactly are the online community software solutions provided by firms?

Community platforms online are solutions for software which allow you to build the space online for users to interact, share knowledge and connect with others.

The different platforms offer advantages and disadvantages. Knowing your requirements will help you narrow down the options available when looking at the most popular online communities and their functionality. We'll get started!

What are the main features to be looking at on a platform that's an integral part of a larger community

The community software options have a fundamental community component, as well as other options that are beneficial as they help you achieve your goals. If you are choosing a software solution to use, make sure you choose the best option for your business today and in the future.

Be focused on the complete bundle, not just particular functions. Think about the whole package and consider how it is integrated into the long-term goals of your company.

This is what you should be looking for in a reputable community-based software application:

It's simple and easy to learn. There is a good chance that you will be spending a lot of time building and managing your online community. It is important to have an enjoyable user experience. You must ensure that the software you select to use is intuitive and allows you to work efficiently. Of course you'd like it to be simple to operate and fun to your clients!

It is simple to use. Your members should be able to quickly log in whenever they organize events or wanting to engage. There's less hurdles to signing in and the easier it is for them to sign in, the more likely they are to take part.

Connects to other parts of your business. Most communities are part of to a larger network of online courses as well as coaching and other training tools. All products should have the same branding look and feel, and it must be simple to navigate between different areas to get to another.

incorporates marketing and sales capabilities. There's no way to build a community around an individual that nobody is aware of. A good platform should include tools for advertising your membership, offer memberships, and selling other items.

Informative analytics. To provide a high-quality experience for your clients that entices them and keeps them interested, it's crucial to determine which elements are effective and what doesn't. Analytics tools provide all you need to know regarding the behavior of your members and their preferences so you can make sure you are focusing your efforts on the most effective ways to engage them.

11 top online community software solution companies

Let's take a look at the best online community software which are in use.

1.

The most important benefits are:

Simple. makes it super simple to build and run your community on the internet. It is possible to build your community in a standalone product, or make it the basis for your classes or coaching programme.

Multiple levels. You can create community groups that are free or paid to build a "membership funnel" for your business. The free membership you offer can draw new customers, by providing them with an opportunity to interact with you and fellow peers. Use's extensive marketing tools to market your paid community, where members can access special content and other benefits.

Deep integration with your marketing and sales technology platform. One of the aspects that differentiates the HTML0 suite is the extensive range of tools that can be used to create enterprises. Users are able to access the full various tools available, which include:

• Web Builder
• Builder of landing pages
• Software to send email marketing
• Funnel builder
• Payment processing and order pages
• Host of the podcast

With , all your tools are built to be integrated for you to not have to stress about building integrations with tech or diagnosing issues. Sign up and you're set to roll and rock.

It is a complete solution that also will reduce your expenses. By investing in single-use products or developing your own technology stack, you will be able to put aside hundreds of dollars per month. By using this method, you only have one cost per month that can cover everything you require to run an effective online business.

The Basic plan is $119 a month and includes 3 digital products (a community as well as two other) which can hold the possibility of 10,000 contacts. If you are unable to use the basic plan, it is possible switch to the growth plan for one-time payment of $159. This gives you 15 items and up to 25,000 contact.

You can try it for 14 days at free.

It has everything your online business requires. All you require within one spot. Yes! Let's go!

2. Facebook groups

If you're a Facebook person, then you belong to at least one Facebook group. Facebook lets you create private groups in which you are able to connect with your audience either in a personal or professional context.

Group membership on Facebook is free but there are hidden charges in terms of credibility and confidence. The trust in the business has declined by 66% over recent time.

As an example, when she set up an Facebook group for hosting the community, Kathryn Aragon discovered that many of her members weren't actively engaging on Facebook. To boost the number of participants who joined her group, she decided to switch the group to another platform.

The main benefits that come with Facebook as a community platform communities are:

Private. The content within the group can only be viewed by other members.

Discussion. Posts and comments enable members to talk about issues in real-time. Updates from the group are sent directly to the members. This can help streamline communications.

Member management. Administrators of groups can control group members, and also permissions.

The downsides are that there's no control over the website (that's an issue) in addition to no directory for members and the management of websites. They aren't the Facebook'scustomers. They're Facebook's customers. Let's not forget the great Facebook outage of October, 2021, that caused small businesses all over the world to shut off access to their networks along with their customers.

Another major issue cited by community owners is the lack of support that is direct, as there are the only forums for support available for troubleshooting.

3. Discord          JlxEdrWNXZgOcHbrbdtT

Since it gained traction within the gaming world, Discord has developed into a vibrant community platform that is accessible to all kinds of players. The aim of the platform is to create spaces where people can come together in common passions.

Discord is an internet-based software for community solution firm, Discord offers real-time video and audio calls. In addition, it provides custom roles to distinguish between administrators and members. Because of its geeky and gamer background, the design has a dark theme and may not match your branding design. There aren't numerous ways to designate the members' areas of your business.

It is comprised of the following features:

AI-Powered Bots. Bots can be programmed in order to greet new members and personalize the interaction. The users will see the automatic system that communicates with the bot. You are however able to make your experience enjoyable using the robot while giving valuable information.

Reliable, secure private channels. Discord isn't tied down to time, so it can feel as though you're part of the same space. Discord is renowned for its security, and all channels are secure, allowing participants to feel comfortable in their discussions.

Moderator Academy. It's an excellent resource for novice and veteran moderators who want to improve their abilities to manage communities.

The downside is that the process of setting up your Discord community can be somewhat complicated. There's a long learning curve which means you may not get the most benefit out of the platform. The Discord server is also with other communities you're members in. Therefore, you'll have to compete for their attention.

Discord is free of charge. You just need to download the software and then create it. Upgrade the version to Discord Nitro ($99.99 each year) to access more emojis bigger uploads, better-quality videos and additional upgrades.

4. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks offers an online platform for courses with a built-in community feature. The system is robust that lets you personalize the branding and features that encourage community engagement.

It is the key to Mighty Networks features include:
   

Mobile access. The online community platform has an application for mobile devices that makes it easy for participants to interact with each with one another on the move. In fact, it's easier to engage using your mobile device rather instead of using the web.

Email alerts. Members will receive an email notification every time there's something new happening within the community. They get a brief signal to join to see what they might not have been noticed.

Branding. Mighty Network allows you to create a branded space that has the same look and feel as your site. Simply apply your logo's colors to tabs, buttons text links, and action icons.

It's important to keep in mind it is important to note the fact that Might Networks is a community-focused platform. If you're looking to develop various other kinds of products in order to grow your business you might need to acquire other software and software that host them.

5. Hivebrite

Hivebrite Hivebrite is a community management system which is complete and especially designed to serve education and non-profit organisations. It supports over 500 organisations such as Vanderbilt University, WWF, and Sabin Vaccine Institute.

Hivebrite doesn't provide the prices on their site. If you want to test Hivebrite to see for yourself it is necessary to sign up for Demos that means they have just corporate pricing plans.

They also have attractive options. The community you manage could be completely named after you. Additionally, it allows users to control their communities, content as well as marketing tools in the same place.

Some of Hivebrite's standout features:

Live stream. It's possible to livestream community members and host meeting in real-time.

Rights of access. With Hivebrite, you can grant different access rights to several members, including graduate students or graduates. You can also create tiers of membership which provide greater access for members who pay.

Modular capabilities. As your community develops, you may change the features you want to use. You can choose from forums, events networks, group, the media center, and messaging center as well as a job board or directory.

One of the issues with this platform is connecting it to existing databases as well as other technologies. It is common to need engage an IT specialist to set up the APIs to synchronize it to other software.

6. Tribe.so

Tribe is a community-building tool that includes an app ecosystem that allows direct integrations with businesses from outside and tools to incorporate the community into various products, as well as websites. The use cases for Tribe include education of customers, customer success and service support for clients with brands, brand management, as well as reviews from customers.

In Tribe the main functions take care of essential community components. The applications can help you improve your skills. Examples:

• Slack allows moderators and admins the possibility of getting notifications about various events.
• Zapier can be used to join your organization to additional software that is part of your technology stack.
• Google Analytics helps you measure the activities of your local community.

Tribe is a collection of these attributes:

Social-sharing. Tribe includes Open Graph tags that allow social sharing. It is easy to share your content within the community, and to generate interest from prospective members.

Integration. Third-party integrations with nearly 30 apps allow the integration of your community with the tools you're using already.

Modification Panel. Tribe gives you the ability to allow users to modify or deny the posts posted by users. It is also possible to archive older content to ensure that your feed is kept clean.

Tribe is free for initially for 100 new members. The Plus Plan cost $59 per month, includes users who can use the Plus application as well as up to 2,500 users. To get the best benefits from this app users need to upgrade into the Premium Plan for a monthly fee of $299. This will allow you to eliminate the Tribe branding, access its webhooks and API, as well as increase membership to 25,000.

7. Circle.so

Circle lets you create an online community to promote your training and coaching classes, as well as customer service. The goal is to streamline the process of building a community by providing members with content creation tools and private spaces. It also lets you organize discussions, and then monetize your membership. It is loaded with functions and allows users to create a brand-named space that matches your website.

One of the best-known features that are offered by Circle include:

Integrations are simple. Circle works with various tools from third parties like the email marketing software Slack, Wordpress, and it allows you to promote your team or incorporate it with other tools.

Secret and private spaces. You can create distinct spaces for various categories within your membership. As an example, you could be able to create one space that is reserved for core members, while another is reserved only for members who are premium.

Searchable member directory. This allows members to communicate with one another through making profiles with a personalization and search filters.

Circle costs $35 per month, and comes with an 4% transaction fee per user. The base plan offers only the essentials of the community you have created including discussion forums as well as private messages. The Professional Plan ($89 monthly with an additional transaction cost per user) for access to courses including live streaming and courses and advanced analytics.

There may be a need to pay for additions like additional administrator spaces and more space, white labeling of emailaddresses, and unique one-sign-on (SSO).

8. Vanilla Forums

Vanilla Forums was created to enable mid-sized and enterprises to provide outstanding service to customers. It is frequently used for support to customers, customer service, product marketing, and branding awareness.

Vanilla provides a satisfying user experience, integration to your existing tech stack and flexible customization for your company's branding.

Principal aspects of Vanilla Forums:

Knowledge Base. You can create an online Help Center that is self-service in your community. It houses your Help and user guides.

Surveys can be customized. With Vanilla Forums you can distribute custom surveys to your customers to receive directly comments.

Open source community. You can access Vanilla's Open Source code for no cost. You can then build the community of your choice. Feeling techy? You can even contribute to the code.

The website may not be suitable for independent creators and solopreneurs. Prices are not available on the website. If you're interested in the platform, arrange an appointment with an agent to discuss selling.

9. WildApricot

WildApricot is an all-in-one system that was originally created to serve associations and nonprofits. Its users now comprise associations, clubs, as well as local and state chapter organisations.

Wild Apricot has a self-serve style that lets you personalize the experience for your guests. The reputation and gamification system allow you to make high-quality content, provide member-friendly features accessible, and allow moderation automation.

It includes the following key features:

Event management. Plan events such like auctions on the internet, a virtual conference, or webinars. Get sponsors to support your event. Additionally, you could design your own event calendar and organize your event's registration.

Donations. With WildApricot, it is possible to accept donations and keep track of your progress towards goal of fundraising. Additionally, you can export details of your donations so that you can monitor and track donations.

CRM. Like , WildApricot has the CRM (customer relationship management) tool which includes an extensive directory of members that is accessible from virtually any device.

Third-party tools are essential for marketing and running your company. Most will integrate with WildApricot such as WordPress, Mailchimp, and Zapier. However, payment processing is available only for U.S. and Canada residents.

You can try WildApricot free of charge for up to 50 contacts. Your price will then increase the more your network grows

• For $100, you get 100 contact
• 60 dollars a monthly for 250 contact
• $500 contacts for $110 per month. contacts
• A month's rent of $190 for 2 000 contacts

10. Disciple Media

Disciple Media is a social platform which is comprised of three elements that include a console to manage the content that you post on your mobile device or desktops, an app on mobile devices that lets users participate in a online community providing users with the opportunity to join on desktops.

The platform is designed for creators, founders and other influencers looking to develop their own brand social media.

Disciple Media includes the following features:

Multiple layouts. You can store and distribute content in one location. Use folders, groups, and lists to create unique structures for your group.

Mobile application. Disciple Media is the equivalent of social networks due to the fact that it's mobile app user experience is geared towards clients. The web application is available, but it has limited features compared to the mobile version.

In-app purchases. Disciple lets you build sponsorships as well as in-app purchases and make your users subscribers.

The cost of the course will be contingent on the number of participants as well as the selection of mobile or web 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 members per 500

Additional add-ons comprise API, whitelabeling, and whitelabeling, and. There is also a cost for community coaching as members support, and mastermind-related features.

11. Vibely.io

Vibely.io was created by two former Asana staffers Teri Yu and Theresa Lee who wanted at disrupting the community of creators by adopting a positive attitude. Their tagline "Built with women in mind and not by gamers" gives a glimpse of what they're trying to find.

Vibely.io is a creator-controlled online community platform that allows creators to communicate with fans and collect the content that users create.

Vibely.io's most popular features include:

A commitment to positivity. Vibely is a guarantee against spam, trolls, or violent behavior. They aim to create an environment where everyone feels welcome.

Tools and challenges for accountability. It includes leaderboards, challenges and trackers to help keep everyone on track.

Ambassadors. Vibely lets you choose individuals within your group who aid you in taking care of your members and welcoming them.

You can create an Vibely community at no cost, with no limit to the number of people who are members, ambassadors, or super administrators. But on the free plan you are not able to take payments on a regular basis. The Mastermind plans permit payments and also takes 10 percent of your earnings.

The most effective online community software solution to run your business

There's plenty to think about in deciding on the ideal community-building website. It's essential to use the right tools for building markets, sell, and to build your community and also the platform must be accessible to both you and your members.
   
    Based on our analysis, there are numerous good options but only one seems to is a standout as a comprehensive enterprise platform.

The only thing it allows is to build and market a lively community. You can also create digital offerings like online courses and coaching. Also, it gives you the resources you require to sell and market these products, so you are able to expand and develop an effective knowledge-based enterprise.

If you're looking to create a forum, it's possible to consider one of the platforms for community we've examined. If the number of members in your audience, the alternative might be pricey (or maybe even free).

But free software solutions are subject to external algorithms and regulations, limit the growth potential. They don't offer the capabilities you need and typically limit the amount of users you're allowed to accept.

The community you build is yours. The rules, guidelines, and conditions and the price of membership either paid or free.

If you're seeking to start an online community then this is the best solution. With video walkthroughs and tutorials that will help you get started fast. Through University you can access basic information about running an online community, for no cost to anyone who needs the service.

Begin your no-cost 14-day trial right now!

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