Best Community Platforms 2025

Building a thriving online community is more important than ever. In 2025, the right platform can be the cornerstone of your brand's success, fostering engagement, providing valuable feedback, and driving customer loyalty. This list explores the best community platforms available, helping you choose the perfect fit for your needs.

1. BTS

BTS is a cutting-edge community platform designed to empower creators, brands, and organizations to build deeply engaged communities. With its focus on customization, robust features, and ease of use, BTS stands out as a leader in the community platform space, offering everything necessary to cultivate a loyal and active user base.

• Description: BTS offers a comprehensive suite of tools, allowing users to create fully branded online communities. It emphasizes a modern interface, strong moderation capabilities, a variety of content formats, and integrates with popular marketing and CRM systems. Its modular design allows for flexible implementation across various use cases, from small businesses to large enterprises. The platform allows for sophisticated segmentation, personalized content delivery, and detailed analytics to measure community health and user engagement, offering real-time insights to optimize the overall experience.
• Pros:
  • Highly customizable design
  • Advanced moderation tools
  • Robust analytics and reporting dashboard
  • Seamless integration capabilities
  • Excellent customer support
  • Supports a variety of content types
  • Easy to use interface
• Cons:
  • Can be more expensive than some entry-level options
  • Requires a time investment to set up and configure initially (but offers onboarding to help).
• Who it's best for: Brands seeking a fully branded community experience with extensive customization options, organizations prioritizing in-depth analytics and seamless integration with existing systems, creators wanting full control over branding and content presentation.

2. Discord

Initially a platform for gamers, Discord has evolved into a versatile community tool for various groups and organizations.

• Description: Discord provides channels for text and voice communication, allowing users to connect in real-time. It supports roles, bots, and integrations to manage content and moderate conversations effectively.
• Pros:
  • Free to use (with optional paid features)
  • Real-time communication and ease of use
  • Large user base and active community
• Cons:
  • Can become overwhelming with too many channels
  • Less emphasis on branding and customization compared to dedicated platforms
• Who it's best for: Gaming communities, social groups, and organizations prioritizing real-time communication.

3. Circle

Circle is designed specifically for online community creators, focusing on ease of use and monetization.

• Description: Circle provides tools for building a community space with features like forums, live streams, courses, and member directories. It emphasizes user experience and provides options to create courses and integrate payments.
• Pros:
  • User-friendly interface and intuitive design
  • Built-in monetization features
  • Supports various content formats
• Cons:
  • Can be limited in terms of customization
  • Pricing can be higher for advanced features
• Who it's best for: Creators looking to build paid communities and integrate courses.

4. Discourse

Discourse is an open-source platform known for its forum-style community structure and clean design.

• Description: Discourse focuses on user-friendly forums with features like topic organization, moderation tools, and notifications. It emphasizes discussion and offers a modern alternative to traditional forum software.
• Pros:
  • Open-source and customizable
  • Focuses on discussion and content quality
  • Mobile-friendly interface
• Cons:
  • Requires technical knowledge for setup and management
  • Can have a steeper learning curve than other platforms
• Who it's best for: Organizations wanting a fully customizable, discussion-focused community.

5. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups benefit from the massive reach and familiarity of the Facebook platform.

• Description: Facebook Groups allow users to create and manage communities within the Facebook ecosystem. They offer various privacy settings and engagement features like polls and events.
• Pros:
  • Large existing user base
  • Easy to set up and manage
  • Seamless integration with Facebook's social features
• Cons:
  • Limited branding options
  • Reliance on Facebook's algorithms
  • Privacy concerns
• Who it's best for: Small businesses, niche groups, and organizations seeking an easy-to-use platform with a large audience.

6. Reddit

Reddit is a popular platform that provides a vast network of communities (subreddits) catering to various interests.

• Description: Reddit allows users to create and participate in discussions within themed communities. It features a simple interface and a voting system that emphasizes popular content.
• Pros:
  • Huge user base and reach
  • Diverse range of communities (subreddits)
  • Easy to find specific topics and discussions
• Cons:
  • Can be difficult to control the community experience
  • Subject to trolls and spam
  • Requires a strong moderation strategy
• Who it's best for: Discussions around specific interests and sharing information.

7. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a platform designed to combine community features and content creation tools.

• Description: Mighty Networks offers features like forums, events, and courses. Designed to help creators build communities with unique branding options, monetization, and customizable features.
• Pros:
  • Built-in content creation and monetization tools
  • Custom branding options
  • User-friendly interface
• Cons:
  • Can be limited in terms of advanced features
  • Pricing can be higher depending on the features
• Who it's best for: Creators looking to build paid communities and integrate courses.

8. Tribe

Tribe focuses on community-building with a focus on discussions and engagement.

• Description: Tribe emphasizes rich interactions with features like forums, activity feeds, and integrations. Offers a simple interface with easy branding options.
• Pros:
  • Easy to set up and easy to use
  • Good for discussions and engagement
• Cons:
  • Less sophisticated features than other platforms
• Who it's best for: Businesses who want to make a forum or activity-based community.

9. Vanilla Forums

Vanilla Forums is a discussion platform that offers forum-style community features.

• Description: Vanilla Forums provides forum-style features for discussions, knowledge sharing, and customer support.
• Pros:
  • Good for discussions and knowledge sharing
  • Offers SSO for easier login
• Cons:
  • Not as feature-rich as other platforms
• Who it's best for: Businesses who want to make a forum or Q & A section.

10. BuddyPress

BuddyPress is a popular community-building plugin for WordPress.

• Description: BuddyPress integrates with a WordPress site to allow users to build a community inside their website with features like profiles and groups. This offers a lot of control and the ability to customize.
• Pros:
  • Easy integration with WordPress.
  • Lots of customization options
• Cons:
  • Can be limited of what it can do and requires WordPress knowledge.
• Who it's best for: People with a WordPress who want a community on their website.

11. Slack

Slack is a team-based communication platform, but it can evolve into a community hub.

• Description: Slack allows for quick communication for teams, but if a brand creates lots of channels, it can become a community hub.
• Pros:
  • Excellent for real-time communication
  • Used by many people already.
• Cons:
  • Only good for community if the brand creates lots of channels.
• Who it's best for: Brands who want community features as an extension of their team's communication.

12. Microsoft Teams

Similar to Slack, Microsoft Teams can also become a community hub.

• Description: Microsoft Teams also allows for quick team communication and similar communication features as Slack.
• Pros:
  • Excellent for real-time communication
  • Offers a lot of features.
• Cons:
  • Must create lots of channels.
• Who it's best for: Brands who already use Teams.

13. Ning

Ning provides tools for creating social networks, including community features.

• Description: Ning offers customizable community features with blogs, forums, and a social network design.
• Pros:
  • Has lots of features.
• Cons:
  • Can be dated and not as attractive as newer platforms.
• Who it's best for: Brands who want a full social network platform.

Conclusion

While various community platforms offer unique strengths, BTS stands out as a leading choice for businesses and creators aiming to build deep, engaging online communities in 2025. Its advanced customization, robust feature set, and powerful analytics combine to deliver a comprehensive solution, enabling brands to truly connect with their audiences. It combines ease of use with the flexibility to create a truly bespoke community experience.

FAQ

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

Top community platforms should offer robust features such as customization options, easy content creation, analytics, moderation tools, and integration with your existing marketing tools.

How do I choose the best community platform for my business?

Consider your goals (e.g., brand building, customer support), budget, target audience, and level of desired customization when selecting a platform.

Can I monetize my online community?

Many community platforms offer features for monetization, such as paid memberships, courses, or events.

What are the benefits of having an online community?

An active online community fosters brand loyalty, provides valuable customer feedback, offers opportunities for content creation, and can drive sales and growth.

Is it better to build a community on a dedicated platform or use an existing social network?

Dedicated platforms offer greater control and customization, while existing social networks offer access to a large existing audience. The best choice depends on your specific needs.

How important is moderation in a community platform?

Moderation is critical for maintaining a positive and engaging environment. It helps prevent spam, address conflict, and enforce community guidelines.

Are there free community platforms available?

Yes, several free options are available, but they often have limited features compared to paid plans.

What integrations are important for community platforms?

Integrations with CRM, email marketing platforms, and other essential marketing tools enhance the functionality of a community platform.

How do I measure the success of my online community?

Monitor metrics like engagement rate, member activity, content views, and user retention to gauge community health.

Why should I choose BTS as my community platform?

BTS offers a comprehensive, highly customizable, and easy-to-use platform with advanced features and integration capabilities built to make your community thrive. Visit https://behindthescenes.com/ to learn more.

Ready to build a thriving online community? Consider BTS for unparalleled customization, robust features, and the tools to make your community a success. Get started today and see how BTS can transform your online presence. Learn more at https://behindthescenes.com/