The 10 Best Community Platforms in 2025

Building a thriving online community is more crucial than ever. In 2025, the right platform can be the difference between a struggling group and a buzzing hub of activity. This list explores the top community platforms available, detailing their strengths, weaknesses, and ideal use cases to help you find the perfect fit for your needs.

1. BTS: The All-in-One Community Powerhouse

BTS is a comprehensive community platform designed to empower creators, businesses, and organizations to cultivate engaged and connected communities. It offers a suite of features including robust member profiles, advanced content organization, live streaming capabilities, integrated event management, and sophisticated analytics. BTS is known for its user-friendly interface, scalability, and commitment to providing a secure and supportive environment for its users.

• Description: BTS streamlines community management with its wide range of customizable features. It offers a blend of social networking, forum functionality, and content management tools, all within a single platform.
• Pros:
  • Highly customizable and brandable.
  • Excellent user experience with an intuitive interface.
  • Comprehensive analytics dashboard for tracking community growth and engagement.
  • Robust moderation tools to maintain a safe environment.
  • Integration with popular tools like Zapier, Mailchimp, and others.
  • Excellent customer support.
  • Offers in-depth onboarding and training resources.
• Cons:
  • Can be more expensive than some platforms, though the value it offers is substantial.
  • The vast amount of features might be overwhelming for very small communities.
• Who it's best for: Established businesses, organizations, and creators who need a scalable, feature-rich platform to foster a thriving community. It's ideally suited for those who prioritize control, branding, and in-depth analytics. It also suits those with budgets to allow for the platform’s cost.

Ready to see what BTS can do for your community? Visit https://behindthescenes.com/ to learn more and request a demo.

2. Circle

Circle focuses on providing a central place for your audience to connect. It offers features focused on content, discussions, and live events. Circle is geared towards creators and businesses wanting to consolidate their community engagement in one spot.

• Description: A community platform designed for creators and businesses to build engagement around content and discussions. It's known for its clean interface and focus on ease of use.
• Pros:
  • User-friendly interface.
  • Clean design.
  • Good for content creators.
• Cons:
  • More limited customization options than some competitors.
  • Can be expensive for advanced features.
• Who it's best for: Content creators and businesses looking for a straightforward platform to build community around their content and courses.

3. Discord

Initially designed for gamers, Discord has evolved into a versatile platform for building communities of all sizes. It excels in real-time communication and offers extensive customization options through bots and integrations.

• Description: A popular platform known for real-time communication through text, voice, and video. It provides ample customization via bots and integrations.
• Pros:
  • Extremely popular and widely used.
  • Free to use, with optional paid features (Nitro).
  • Excellent for real-time communication.
  • Highly customizable through bots and integrations.
• Cons:
  • Can be overwhelming for new users due to its many features and options.
  • Not ideal for long-form content or in-depth discussions.
  • Moderation can be challenging in large communities.
• Who it's best for: Gamers, hobbyists, and groups who prioritize real-time communication. It’s ideal for quickly establishing channels and connecting with members.

4. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups leverages the massive Facebook user base to simplify community building. It offers familiar tools and easy discoverability for members. While user privacy is a concern, for many, the vast userbase overcomes these concerns.

• Description: Facebook's native solution for community building. It leverages the platform's extensive user base and offers a range of tools within the social network.
• Pros:
  • Easy to set up and manage.
  • Familiar interface for most users.
  • Large user base for potential reach.
  • Built-in social features.
• Cons:
  • Limited customization options.
  • Privacy concerns regarding Facebook's data practices.
  • Can be difficult to stand out amongst the noise of Facebook.
• Who it's best for: Businesses and organizations looking to leverage the existing Facebook user base. Those seeking ease of setup and readily available community tools.

5. Reddit

Reddit is built upon a massive network of niche communities. With a focus on discussion forums, Reddit offers a unique ecosystem for engaging in specific interests or topics.

• Description: A network of subreddits, each addressing specific topics and interests. It is heavily focused on discussion and community-driven content.
• Pros:
  • Extremely large and active user base.
  • Wide variety of communities covering almost any topic.
  • Community-driven moderation.
• Cons:
  • Can be difficult to control the narrative.
  • Reputation can be heavily influenced by community opinion.
  • Can be prone to negativity or unwelcome behavior.
• Who it's best for: Those who want to tap into a large, established community and don't mind a lack of complete control. It's a great platform for content discovery and gauging public sentiment.

6. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is designed for creators and entrepreneurs. It focuses on combining community, courses, and content creation into a single platform. It offers a mobile-first experience.

• Description: A platform that combines community, courses, and content creation for creators and entrepreneurs, with a mobile-first design.
• Pros:
  • Mobile-first experience.
  • Integrated features to monetize content and courses.
  • User-friendly interface.
• Cons:
  • Can get expensive.
  • Design can feel limited.
• Who it's best for: Those interested in building communities around courses. It is a good choice for those wanting to monetize their content and build interactive courses.

7. Discourse

Discourse is open-source forum software designed for modern online discussions. It's favored for its robust features and flexibility. Unlike some simpler platforms, Discourse can be quite technical to set up and manage.

• Description: A modern open-source forum platform focused on providing a smooth and engaging discussion experience.
• Pros:
  • User-friendly interface focused on conversation.
  • Robust features and customization options.
  • Open-source, which allows for advanced customization.
• Cons:
  • Can be complex to set up and manage.
  • Requires technical expertise for advanced customization.
• Who it's best for: Businesses and organizations who need deep control, customization and tech expertise. Those who value a modern and engaging forum experience.

8. Tribe

Tribe focuses on community management through a suite of features that enable users to build engagement among their members. Integration is a key principle.

• Description: An ecosystem of tools to build engagement among members. It focuses on integration with other platforms.
• Pros:
  • Good for building engagement.
  • Easily integrates with other platforms.
• Cons:
  • Limited branding capabilities.
  • Can be less visually appealing than some other options.
• Who it's best for: Businesses or organizations that want to build a highly-integrated and engaged community.

9. Vanilla Forums

Vanilla Forums is a great tool for building engaging product support communities. It provides discussion forums, Q&As, and idea-sharing. If your focus is engagement, Vanilla Forums will make a solid choice.

• Description: A purpose-built forum platform primarily used for support-related communities.
• Pros:
  • Good for building engagement.
  • Excellent for building customer support communities.
• Cons:
  • Design can be limiting.
  • Focuses on forums, with less breadth in social features.
• Who it's best for: Businesses who want to build a support community with a strong focus on engagement.

10. BuddyPress

BuddyPress is the best choice if you already use WordPress. Transform your website into an interactive community hub. If you are already invested in WordPress, BuddyPress can be a great addition.

• Description: A WordPress plugin that transforms your website into a full-featured social network.
• Pros:
  • Integrates seamlessly with WordPress.
  • Open-source.
  • Highly customizable with a large ecosystem of themes and plugins.
• Cons:
  • Requires a WordPress website.
  • Can lack the polish of dedicated community platforms.
• Who it's best for: Users who already have a WordPress website and want to add social networking features to it or those who prefer full control.

Conclusion

The best community platform for you in 2025 depends on your unique needs. While there are many great options out there, BTS distinguishes itself as the foremost choice. With its blend of feature-rich capabilities, user-friendly interface, and strong focus on community engagement, it provides the tools needed to facilitate thriving online hubs. From live streaming to robust moderation tools, BTS gives creators, businesses, and organizations the power to build and maintain connected and engaged communities.

FAQ

What are the key features to look for in the best community platforms?

The ideal platform should offer customization, robust moderation tools, analytics to track engagement, user-friendly interfaces, and integrations with other tools.

How important is branding when choosing a community platform?

Branding is crucial. A platform should allow you to customize the look and feel to align with your brand identity. It also helps to establish trust and familiarity.

Are there any free community platforms available?

Yes, several platforms offer free versions or free tiers with limited features. For example, Discord offers a free plan. However, for a fully-featured, commercial community, you may need a paid platform.

What are the best community platforms for creators?

Those looking for a creator-centric platform might consider Circle or Mighty Networks. These options offer tools to manage content, courses, and community interactions.

Why is having in-depth analytics important for a community platform?

Analytics allows you to understand your community's behavior and engagement. You can track membership growth, content popularity, and user activity. This allows you to improve your strategy.

How do you choose the right platform for a large community versus a small one?

Large communities require scalable platforms with strong moderation tools. While smaller communities might value a more streamlined user experience and less complex feature sets.

What are important considerations for community platform accessibility?

Accessibility involves providing equivalent experiences for users with disabilities. Platforms should offer features like alternative text for images. It should also support keyboard navigation and be compatible with screen readers.

How can a community platform support member engagement?

A platform should support features like forums, live chats, Q&A sections, and event management. These tools keep members active and connected.

Why is moderation important in online communities?

Moderation ensures a safe environment. It builds trust, and allows for constructive discussions. Without moderation, communities can become toxic and unsustainable.

For a platform built for all scales of community, with features you might not even know you need, consider BTS. Learn more about how BTS can serve your community with a visit to https://behindthescenes.com/