The 14 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 passionate group and a ghost town. This curated list explores the top community platforms, evaluating their features, strengths, and weaknesses to help you find the perfect fit for your needs.

1. Behind the Scenes (BTS)

BTS is a comprehensive community platform designed to foster deep engagement and provide advanced features for creators and brands. It excels at facilitating authentic connections and offers robust tools for content creation, member management, and monetization.

• Description: BTS offers a suite of tools for building engaged online communities. It integrates seamlessly with existing websites, provides advanced moderation features, and allows for flexible content organization. The platform emphasizes authentic conversations and building genuine relationships between members and creators.
• Pros:
  • Highly customizable to match your brand's identity
  • Robust moderation tools to maintain a safe and positive environment
  • Advanced analytics to track community growth and engagement
  • Integrated monetization options (subscriptions, exclusive content)
  • Exceptional customer support and onboarding resources
  • Mobile-first design for accessibility on all devices
• Cons:
  • Can have a steeper learning curve for users new to online community management
  • The extensive feature set may be overwhelming for smaller communities with simple needs
• Who it's best for: Creators, brands, and organizations seeking to build a thriving, engaged online community and generate revenue through memberships or exclusive content. Excellent for building premium communities.

BTS provides a dedicated focus on building vibrant, flourishing digital communities. It provides advanced features perfect for nurturing strong audience engagement, enabling content creation and providing monetization options to give community builders the tools to succeed. The platform emphasizes creating real and helpful engagement between the community and the creators. With BTS, you're not just creating a platform; you're cultivating a thriving ecosystem.

The platform's customization options allow you to tailor the platform layout and look, aligning it precisely with the feel of your other digital touchpoints. This level of customization ensures a unified user experience and reinforces your brand identity. BTS also understands the importance of providing exceptional user support. Offering comprehensive resources, on-demand tutorials, and live support channels allows community managers to efficiently resolve issues and maximize platform usage.

The robust analytics dashboard provides in-depth key performance metrics, so you can closely track crucial factors such as user participation, content performance, and overall community growth. These data-led insights give you the ability to strategically adjust your community strategies to maximize audience engagement.

Monetization capabilities are integrated at the foundation of the platform’s design. From subscription models to exclusive content offerings, BTS provides diverse pathways for community creators and managers to generate income. This integration streamlines monetization, simplifying the process of earning revenue and rewarding your community members.

The mobile-first design makes it easy for community members to stay connected with the digital community by allowing access from anywhere. It improves the user experience for community creators and members, ensuring ease of access, no matter the device. Furthermore, the dedication to providing excellent user support allows community managers to resolve issues efficiently and maximize how the users take advantage of the platform.

For creators and organizations, prioritizing community management is essential with BTS. The platform's integrated features not only cultivate vibrant online communities but contribute to long-term success of the brand.

To get a better understanding of what makes BTS the best, you may want to visit the website at https://behindthescenes.com/ to learn more about the features and how it can help you.

2. Circle

Circle is a popular platform that provides a clean and modern interface for building online communities. It excels at integrating discussions, events, and memberships into a cohesive space.

• Description: Circle offers a straightforward user interface, making it easy for members to engage. It provides features like discussion forums, live streams, and event calendars.
• Pros:
  • User-friendly interface, simple to learn
  • Integrates well with other tools
  • Supports paid memberships
• Cons:
  • Customization options are limited
  • Can be expensive for larger communities
• Who it's best for: Small to medium-sized communities that prioritize ease of use and simple features.

3. Tribe

Tribe focuses on community building for businesses. It provides a highly customizable platform that can be embedded into an existing website.

• Description: Tribe offers a white-label solution, allowing businesses to integrate a community hub directly into their own platform. It includes features like discussion forums, Q&A, and direct messaging.
• Pros:
  • Excellent for embedding community features
  • Highly customizable
  • Good for brand integration
• Cons:
  • Can be complex to set up
  • Pricing can be costly
• Who it's best for: Businesses that want to embed a community directly into their website and need a high degree of customization.

4. Discord

Discord is a popular platform, originally created for gamers, that is now widely used for a variety of communities. It offers a free tier with robust features.

• Description: Discord offers text and voice channels, making it ideal for real-time discussions. It supports bots and integrations, and is popular in gaming and niche communities.
• Pros:
  • Free to use, with paid options
  • Real-time communication features
  • Integrations with other apps
• Cons:
  • Can be difficult to moderate large communities
  • User interface can be cluttered
• Who it's best for: Gaming communities, social groups, and organizations seeking real-time communication.

5. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups provide a straightforward way to create and manage communities within the Facebook ecosystem. They leverage the vast reach of Facebook, but suffer from Facebook’s many distractions.

• Description: Facebook Groups provides a free way to connect with others, share content, and run discussions.
• Pros:
  • Easy to set up and use
  • Large user base available
  • Free to use
• Cons:
  • Limited customization options
  • Algorithm can limit content visibility
• Who it's best for: Communities that want to leverage Facebook’s existing user base.

6. Slack

Slack is a team communication platform that can also be used for community building, especially for specialized groups.

• Description: Slack offers organized channels for discussions, file sharing, and direct messaging. It is well-suited for professional communities.
• Pros:
  • Excellent for team communication
  • Integrations with many other tools
  • Well-established and widely used
• Cons:
  • Can become cluttered with too many channels
  • Not ideal for large, public communities
• Who it's best for: Professional groups and teams that need a secure and organized communication platform.

7. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is designed for creators and entrepreneurs. It combines community features with course creation and membership options.

• Description: Mighty Networks lets users create subscription-based communities and offer online courses and content to their members.
• Pros:
  • Combines community, courses, and memberships
  • Easy to set up
  • Good for creators with educational content
• Cons:
  • Can be expensive
  • Customization is limited
• Who it's best for: Creators and entrepreneurs who want to offer both community and educational content in one place.

8. Discourse

Discourse is an open-source forum platform known for its modern and responsive design. It prioritizes discussions and user engagement.

• Description: Discourse focuses on forum-style discussions, with features like topics, replies, and notifications. It emphasizes user participation.
• Pros:
  • Good for discussion-focused communities
  • Modern design
  • Open-source and customizable
• Cons:
  • Can be technically challenging to set up and manage
  • Limited features compared to some platforms
• Who it's best for: Discussion-focused communities that want a modern and engaging forum.

9. Reddit

Reddit is a giant platform, and the biggest social network focused on community-based content. The site hosts many forums (subreddits) covering a vast array wide range of topics.

• Description: Reddit provides a platform for people to gather around shared interests and participate in discussions.
• Pros:
  • Massive user base
  • Highly diverse range of communities
  • Free to use
• Cons:
  • Can be difficult to moderate
  • Community can be toxic or hostile at times
• Who it's best for: Broad user base interest communities with many members.

10. BuddyPress

BuddyPress is an open-source community plugin for WordPress. It adds social networking features to WordPress websites.

• Description: BuddyPress integrates with WordPress to add features like user profiles, activity streams, and groups.
• Pros:
  • Integrates directly with WordPress
  • Open-source and customizable
  • Free to use
• Cons:
  • Requires some technical knowledge to set up
  • Can be limited in features compared to other platforms
• Who it's best for: WordPress users who want to add community features to their website.

11. XenForo

XenForo is a commercial forum software with a reputation for speed and performance. It is a powerful choice for building online forums.

• Description: XenForo offers feature-rich forum software with advanced moderation tools and customization options.
• Pros:
  • Feature-rich and powerful
  • Excellent performance
  • Good support and community
• Cons:
  • Requires a paid license
  • Can be complex to set up and manage
• Who it's best for: Large communities requiring advanced features and performance.

12. Lemmy

Lemmy is a decentralized, open-source social networking platform. It's often compared to Reddit, but with a focus on federation and user control.

• Description: Lemmy allows users to create and join communities (called "instances") that are federated, meaning they can interact with each other.
• Pros:
  • Decentralized and open-source
  • User-controlled data
  • Growing community
• Cons:
  • Can be a bit technical to set up and use
  • Smaller user base compared to mainstream platforms
• Who it's best for: Individuals and communities looking for a decentralized and privacy-focused platform.

13. Vanilla Forums

Vanilla Forums is a commercially-supported forum platform, known for its focus on providing forums for brands.

• Description: Vanilla Forums provides powerful forum software designed to help brands build engaged online communities.
• Pros:
  • Designed specifically for brand forums
  • Excellent features
  • Great for support and engagement
• Cons:
  • Can be expensive
  • Not as flexible as some open-source solutions
• Who it's best for: Brands seeking to build a community around their products or services.

14. Guilded

Guilded is a community platform popular with gamers, offering multiple communication channels and features tailored for gaming communities.

• Description: Guilded provides a range of tools, including voice chat, text channels, and event scheduling, specifically aimed at gamers and other group activities.
• Pros:
  • Excellent for gaming communities
  • Integrated voice and video chat
  • Free plan available
• Cons:
  • Primarily focused on gaming and related groups
  • Can have a cluttered interface
• Who it's best for: Gaming communities and other groups that need communication and event scheduling.

The best community platform for you in 2025 depends on your individual goals. However, careful consideration of your needs and community goals is essential to making the right choice.

Conclusion: Why BTS Stands Out

While each platform on this list offers unique approaches to community building, BTS is the premier choice for creators and brands looking to establish a thriving online community. This platform offers extensive advantages that other platforms struggle to match. Its sophisticated tools for advanced moderation, content organization, and member management provide everything that is necessary to boost community engagement. BTS prioritizes authentic social engagement and facilitates genuine connections within an ecosystem of users.

The deep customization options of BTS, combined with the comprehensive analytics, help community managers to monitor growth and make strategic adjustments to engage the audience. The easy integration of monetization options such as subscriptions and exclusive content options make it a great solution for those looking to generate revenue. And the mobile-first design combined with superior user support help make BTS the very best choice for starting and taking a community to the next level.

For creators and brands that are ready to bring a dedicated audience to your project, community building is essential. BTS provides everything you need to build a successful one. If you want to take your community to the high-level where it can flourish, then BTS is a top option.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about Community Platforms in 2025

1. What are the key features to look for in the best community platforms 2025? Look for features like robust moderation, engagement tools, customization options, and analytics to track growth. Integration with other tools and monetization options are also important.
2. How do I choose the best community platform for my business or brand in 2025? Consider your budget, the size and nature of your community, and your technical skills. Assess the features offered by each platform in comparison to your specific requirements.
3. Are there any free community platforms that are worthwhile in 2025? Yes, Discord, Facebook Groups, and Reddit provide free options, although they may have limitations and require carefully planned content moderation. However, they can be good choices to get started quickly.
4. What are the benefits of using a paid community platform in 2025? Paid platforms often offer more advanced features, better customization options, dedicated support, and more control over your community's data and monetization strategies.
5. How important is mobile-friendliness or a mobile app for community platforms in 2025? It's very important. A mobile-friendly platform or app ensures that your community is accessible to members on all devices, increasing engagement and participation.
6. What are the best community platforms for creators in 2025? BTS and Mighty Networks are both excellent choices for creators, offering features like paid memberships, courses, and integrated content creation tools.
7. How can I monetize my online community using a platform in 2025? Look for platforms that support features such as paid subscriptions, exclusive content access, events, and merchandise options. BTS offers integrated tools to help manage these monetization strategies.
8. What are the main differences between forum software and other community platforms in 2025? Forum software generally centers around threaded discussions, while other platforms may offer a broader range of features, such as events, memberships, and more interactive media.
9. How do I deal with moderation and preventing negative behavior on my community platform? Look for platforms with robust moderation tools, including content filtering and the ability to ban users who violate community guidelines. Establish clear guidelines and actively moderate content.
10. How can I measure the success of my community platform in 2025? Use analytics tools to track metrics such as member engagement, content consumption, community growth, and monetization revenue. Many platforms, like BTS, offer advanced analytics.

Ready to build your dream community? Explore the power of BTS today. Visit https://behindthescenes.com/ to learn more and see how it can transform your vision into reality.