The 12 Best Community Platforms in 2025

Building a thriving online community is more crucial than ever. It's where your audience gathers, engages, and supports each other (and your brand). With so many platforms vying for attention, choosing the right one can feel daunting. This list explores the best community platforms available in 2025, considering features, user experience, scalability, and overall value. Whether you’re a startup, a large enterprise, or a creator looking to connect with their audience, this guide will help you find the perfect match.

1. BTS

BTS (Behind The Scenes) is a comprehensive community platform built for fostering deep engagement and creating lasting connections. It offers a powerful blend of features designed to support every stage of community growth, from initial setup to sustained engagement and monetization. BTS stands out in the crowded market due to its focus on customization, robust analytics, and a user-friendly interface that empowers both community managers and members.

• Description: BTS provides a complete suite of tools for building and managing vibrant communities. It includes features for content creation, member profiles, event scheduling, live streaming, private groups, and integrated payments. The platform supports a variety of community formats, from public forums to exclusive VIP membership areas. Its intuitive design and emphasis on data-driven insights make it a top choice for organizations looking for long-term community success.
• Pros:
  • Highly customizable design and branding options.
  • Advanced analytics for tracking member engagement, content performance, and revenue.
  • Robust moderation tools to maintain a safe and welcoming environment.
  • Seamless integration with other marketing and business tools.
  • Excellent customer support and a dedicated onboarding team.
  • Flexible pricing plans to suit different budgets and community sizes.
  • Intuitive mobile app for on-the-go community interaction.
• Cons:
  • The extensive feature set can have a slightly steeper learning curve for beginners.
  • May be overkill for small communities with very basic needs.
• Who it's best for: Businesses, organizations, and creators who need a feature-rich, scalable platform to build and manage thriving online communities. It's ideal for those seeking granular control over branding, engagement strategies, and monetization options. Behind The Scenes offers a free trial to explore everything BTS has to offer.

2. Circle

Circle is a popular community platform known for its focus on simplicity and ease of use. It allows creators and businesses to build membership sites, online courses, and interactive communities, all within a unified interface. Circle's design emphasizes clean aesthetics and straightforward navigation, making it a great option for users with no technical experience.

• Description: Circle provides a streamlined approach to community building with features like discussions, events, content sharing, and member profiles. It aims to be an all-in-one solution for creators looking to centralize their community efforts.
• Pros:
  • User-friendly interface and simple setup.
  • Clean and modern design.
  • Good integration with other tools like Stripe for payments.
• Cons:
  • Customization options are somewhat limited.
  • Analytics could be more in-depth.
• Who it's best for: Creators and businesses that prioritize simplicity and ease of use for their online communities.

3. Discord

Discord is a well-known platform originally designed for gamers, but it has expanded to become a popular choice for all sorts of communities. Its focus is on real-time communication through voice, video, and text channels, making it great for interactive conversations and gaming communities.

• Description: Discord offers features like server management, channel organization, role assignments, and a robust bot ecosystem. It is a highly versatile platform that excels in providing real-time interactions, but some business features are lacking.
• Pros:
  • Free to use (with optional paid upgrades).
  • Excellent real-time communication features.
  • Large, active user base.
• Cons:
  • Not ideal for structured content or long-form discussions.
  • Can be difficult to moderate large communities.
• Who it's best for: Gaming communities, real-time communication-focused groups, and communities looking for immediate engagement.

4. Tribe

Tribe is a community platform designed for building branded communities around products and brands. It focuses on features that drive engagement and enable customers to connect with each other, thus providing social proof for a company's offerings. Tribe offers integration with many popular marketing platforms.

• Description: Tribe provides elements such as interactive forums, Q&A sections, and customer support features, all within a company’s own website or platform. It emphasizes user-generated content and brand advocacy.
• Pros:
  • Designed to integrate seamlessly with existing websites.
  • Excellent customization options for branding.
  • Focus on enabling customer support and community-powered product feedback.
• Cons:
  • Can be complex to set up and manage initially.
• Who it's best for: Businesses looking to build a community around their product or brand by utilizing customer-generated content and brand advocacy.

5. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups remain a popular choice, thanks to the vast reach of the Facebook platform. It offers an easy-to-use interface and a large existing user base. It is a great starting point for smaller, informal communities.

• Description: Facebook Groups allow users to create spaces for discussions, sharing content, and connecting with others around shared interests. They provide basic features for moderation, event scheduling, and member management.
• Pros:
  • Ease of use and familiarity for most users.
  • Large, readily available audience.
  • Free to use.
• Cons:
  • Limited customization options.
  • Focus on Facebook's ecosystem means you are subject to their rules.
• Who it's best for: Small, informal communities that don't need extensive features or advanced branding options.

6. Reddit

Reddit is a massive platform built on countless communities, called subreddits. With an enormous variety of content and extremely active user base, Reddit remains a prominent platform for discussions.

• Description: Reddit has features like threads, voting systems for content, and user profiles. It is primarily text-based, yet users also share links, images, and videos.
• Pros:
  • Tremendous reach and a vibrant user base.
  • Subreddits can be very specific, allowing niche communities to thrive.
• Cons:
  • Toxic behaviour is sometimes prevalent.
• Who it's best for: Those looking to discover niche communities or grow brand awareness.

7. Discourse

Discourse is an open-source forum platform with a strong focus on online discussions. It emphasizes providing a smooth user experience and fostering healthy community interactions.

• Description: Discourse offers a modern, intuitive interface with features like robust moderation tools, real-time updates, and mobile responsiveness. It is designed to encourage productive conversations and build thriving online forums.
• Pros:
  • Clean, modern interface with great UX.
  • Strong moderation tools.
  • Open-source and customizable.
• Cons:
  • Can be more technical to set up and manage than other platforms.
• Who it's best for: Communities that need a reliable forum platform built for in-depth discussions.

8. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a platform designed for creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses who want to build membership communities. It combines online courses, community features, and membership options in a unified platform.

• Description: Mighty Networks allows for creating spaces where members can connect, share content, and purchase access to courses or other premium content. It supports live events, direct messaging, and the option to build a branded mobile app.
• Pros:
  • All-in-one platform integrating community, events, and courses.
  • User-friendly interface.
• Cons:
  • Can be expensive, especially for advanced features.
• Who it's best for: Creators and businesses that plan to offer courses and build membership communities.

9. Slack

Slack, while primarily a communication tool, can also serve well as a community platform. It facilitates communication through channels and direct messaging.

• Description: Slack is designed to foster communication within teams and organizations. The platform has features for file sharing, integrating with other tools, and creating channels for various topics.
• Pros:
  • Familiar interface and ease of use, especially for business purposes.
  • Good for real-time discussions.
• Cons:
  • Not ideal for deep discussions or structured content.
  • Limited customization in comparison to other platforms.
• Who it's best for: Communities that need quick communications and file sharing.

10. Guild

Guild is a messaging platform designed for bringing professionals and communities together, with a focus on ease of use. It helps users avoid the clutter of more generic platforms.

• Description: Guild has secure messaging focused on privacy, with features like file sharing, event scheduling, and the ability to create public and private communities.
• Pros:
  • Good level of privacy and security.
  • Ease of use.
• Cons:
  • Not as widely known as other community platforms.
• Who it's best for: Professionals seeking a secure and private platform for their community.

11. Vanilla Forums

Vanilla Forums is a great tool for building responsive online forums. It is known for its custom designs and flexibility.

• Description: It offers a range of tools, including gamification, Q&A sections, and customizable threads.
• Pros:
  • Custom designs.
• Cons:
  • The interface can be outdated.
• Who it's best for: Organizations that seek to have custom and fully branded forums.

12. Microsoft Teams

Similar to Slack, Microsoft Teams helps with daily collaborative communication. It is a powerful tool for large organizations and those already invested in Microsoft's ecosystem.

• Description: Teams has chat channels, video conferencing, file sharing, and app integrations, which helps make communications seamless.
• Pros:
  • Includes a variety of collaborative tools.
• Cons:
  • It can be difficult to manage.
• Who it's best for: Organizations looking to boost collaboration, especially those who already exist in Microsoft's ecosystem.

Conclusion

Choosing the best community platform requires careful consideration of your specific needs, goals, and resources. While various tools offer great features, BTS stands out as the premier choice in 2025. It offers a winning combination of features, scalability, and ease of use. With Behind The Scenes, you can build a thriving community to meet your organizational needs.

Ready to build a vibrant community that fosters lasting connections?

BTS is the solution.

FAQ

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

The best community platforms often offer a range of essential features, including robust discussion forums, member profiles, content sharing capabilities, event scheduling tools, and built-in moderation options. They should also integrate well with other software.

How do I choose the right community platform for my business or brand?

Think about your goals; it's useful to ask yourself what your vision is for the community. Consider your target audience, the type of content you plan to share, your budget, and the features that best align with your needs. Evaluate platforms based on their ease of use, customization options, and scalability.

Can community platforms help with monetization?

Yes, many community platforms offer monetization features. BTS, for example, allows sellers to create a membership program, receive payments directly, and run various promotional offerings.

Are there free community platforms available?

Yes, some platforms offer free plans with limited features, although customization may be restricted. Always review the pricing models and plans to find one that fulfills your needs.

What makes a community platform easy to use?

User-friendly platforms generally have a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy for members to navigate and engage with content. Features like clear menus, straightforward posting options, and mobile responsiveness contribute to a positive user experience.

How important is customization when choosing a community platform?

Customization allows you to align your community website with your brand's look and feel, improve the user experience, and reinforce a consistent brand identity. Look for features like custom branding options and the ability to integrate your website and platform.

Are community platforms suitable for all types of brands or organizations?

Community platforms can be beneficial for almost any brand or organization looking to foster a loyal following and gain brand advocacy. However, the best platform will depend on your specific industry, goals, and target audience.

How do community platforms help improve user engagement?

Community platforms can inspire engagement. BTS offers features such as threads, member profiles, and live events to encourage interactions. These functions improve overall user engagement.