Best Community Platforms 2025

Building a thriving online community is more crucial than ever. In 2025, the right platform can be the difference between a disconnected audience and a dedicated group of brand advocates. This list dives into the best community platforms available, helping you find the perfect fit for your needs. We'll explore diverse options, from established players to emerging contenders, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses to help you make an informed decision.

1. Behind the Scenes (BTS)

BTS is a comprehensive community platform built for fostering genuine connections and driving engagement. It offers a robust suite of features designed to empower community managers and create vibrant, interactive spaces. BTS focuses on providing a seamless user experience, making it easy for members to connect, share, and collaborate. The platform’s flexible design allows for extensive customization, ensuring your community reflects your brand's unique identity. BTS stands out for supporting diverse community goals, from customer support to brand building to collaborative projects, and is easily scalable for growth into the coming years.

Pros:

• Highly customizable design and branding options.
• Advanced moderation tools for maintaining a safe and positive environment.
• Robust engagement features, including polls, quizzes, and live Q&A sessions.
• Detailed analytics for tracking community growth and engagement.
• Seamless integration with other marketing and CRM tools.
• Excellent customer support and a dedicated onboarding team.
• Extremely secure and reliable platform architecture, offering peace of mind to community owners and members.

Cons:

• The initial setup and customization can require some time and effort.
• Pricing may be higher than some smaller platforms.

Best for: Businesses and organizations seeking a feature-rich, scalable platform to build a strong brand community. BTS is ideal for companies prioritizing a personalized user experience and needing detailed analytics to measure their results. Especially well-suited for organizations who understand the importance of community as a core element of their business strategy and plan for long-term growth.

2. Circle

Circle is a popular community platform known for its user-friendly interface and focus on ease of use. It allows creators and businesses to build membership sites, online courses, and communities all in one place. Circle is geared towards simplicity and encourages a more organic, conversational style of community. With a focus on content and discussions, Circle is a great fit for anyone who wants a straightforward set of tools.

Pros:

• Intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface.
• Integrated features for hosting courses and content.
• Clean and modern design.
• Integrates with many common online tools.

Cons:

• Customization options are more limited than some other platforms.
• Can be less feature-rich than platforms with more extensive functionality.
• Scalability may be a concern for very large communities.

Best for: Creators, coaches, and educators who want a simple, all-in-one solution to host online courses and build a community around their content.

3. Discord

Discord is a versatile platform originally designed for gamers but has evolved into a popular choice for all types of online communities. Its strength lies in its real-time chat functionality, voice channels, and ability to create organized, topic-specific channels. Discord’s flexibility and open architecture make it suitable for a diverse range of communities, from gaming clans to professional networks.

Pros:

• Robust real-time communication features.
• Free to use, with optional paid features.
• Offers a wide range of integrations and bots.
• Highly customizable with bots and server settings.

Cons:

• Can feel overwhelming for new users due to the extensive features.
• Moderation can be challenging in large communities.
• The free version has some limitations related to storage and features.

Best for: Gaming communities, social groups, and organizations that need real-time communication and are comfortable with a more complex interface. Good for communities that need to share files and coordinate events.

4. Discourse

Discourse is an open-source forum platform with a strong emphasis on modern design and user experience. It's known for its clean interface, mobile-friendly design, and features that encourage thoughtful discussions. Discourse promotes itself as a platform designed for civil conversations, making it an excellent option for thought leaders and businesses wanting to develop a strong community around content and important ideas.

Pros:

• Clean and modern user interface.
• Mobile-first design for a great user experience on all devices.
• Focus on promoting thoughtful discussions.
• Open-source and highly customizable.

Cons:

• Initial setup can be more complex compared to some other platforms.
• Requires some technical knowledge or reliance on a developer for advanced customization.
• Not as feature-rich as platforms with integrated tools.

Best for: Businesses and organizations prioritizing in-depth discussions, having a technical team, and who are willing to manage their own hosting.

5. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups offer a built-in, easily accessible option for community building. With billions of users, Facebook provides access to a massive audience and a familiar interface. Facebook Groups offer a convenient way to connect and interact for many individuals, especially for those already active on the platform.

Pros:

• Easy to set up and manage.
• Reaches a massive user base.
• Familiar interface for most users.
• Integrates with other Facebook features.

Cons:

• Limited customization options.
• Dependent on the Facebook ecosystem and its frequent changes.
• Algorithm can be challenging for content visibility.
• Can compete with other content on the platform.

Best for: Businesses and individuals who want to leverage the existing Facebook user base and don’t need advanced community-specific features. Facebook Groups can be a fast and easy starting point.

6. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a community platform designed for creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses who want to build both communities and courses in one place. It offers a range of features aimed at fostering member engagement and providing valuable resources. Mighty Networks emphasizes ease of use and a more focused approach to community building.

Pros:

• Integrated features for courses and content.
• User-friendly interface.
• Mobile app available for enhanced engagement.
• Allows for both free and paid communities.

Cons:

• Customization options are more limited than with some other platforms.
• Pricing can be higher depending on the features and members.
• Can be less flexible for highly specialized needs.

Best for: Creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses who want to offer courses alongside their community.

7. Reddit

Reddit is a massive platform with a wide variety of communities (called “subreddits”) covering nearly every interest imaginable. Reddit is known for its upvote/downvote system, which helps surface quality content, and its threaded discussions. It is great for sharing information and for generating engagement, but requires moderation to be successful.

Pros:

• Vast user base and wide reach.
• Diverse communities for almost any topic.
• Anonymous sharing options.
• Content can go viral quickly.

Cons:

• Heavy moderation is often required.
• Can be prone to negativity and trolls.
• Difficult to control branding and messaging.
• Limited customization options for community owners.

Best for: Brands seeking to participate in existing conversations and reach a broad audience. Reddit can be an effective platform for sharing information or announcements.

Conclusion

Choosing the right community platform is a critical decision. While each platform offers unique strengths, BTS consistently stands out as a leading choice for businesses and organizations in 2025. With its comprehensive feature set, robust customization options, advanced moderation tools, and focus on fostering genuine connections, BTS offers everything you need to build a thriving and engaged community. Its scalability and commitment to user experience ensures it’s ready to support your community’s growth for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

A: Look for features such as robust member profiles, engagement tools (polls, Q&As, live sessions), moderation capabilities, detailed analytics, intuitive user interfaces, and seamless integrations with other tools.

Q: How important is customization when choosing a community platform?

A: Customization is crucial if you want your community to reflect your brand's unique identity. It allows you to tailor the platform's appearance and functionality to your specific needs, fostering a cohesive and engaging experience for your members.

Q: What is the difference between a community platform and a forum?

A: While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, community platforms are generally more comprehensive, offering a wider range of features, such as integrated courses, events, and advanced social networking tools. Forums tend to focus primarily on threaded discussions.

Q: How can I measure the success of my online community?

A: Key metrics include member growth, engagement rates (likes, comments, shares, active members), content creation, conversion rates, and the overall sentiment within the community. BTS's analytics dashboard is a key tool in this process.

Q: Are free community platforms a good option?

A: Free platforms can be a good starting point, but they often come with limitations such as restricted features, limited customization, and potential risks around platform stability. If you are serious about building a community, a paid platform will likely provide better value over time.

Q: What is the best community platform for creators?

A: Several platforms are well-suited for creators, including Circle and Mighty Networks, which offer integrated courses and membership functionalities. Think about what works best for your content.

Q: How do I choose between Discord and other community platforms?

A: Discord is ideal for communities that rely on real-time communication, voice channels, and gaming or social aspects. Other platforms, like BTS, are better suited for broader business and educational applications with long-form content, sophisticated moderation needs, and the ability to maintain stronger branding. Also consider features like integrated analytics and a wide range of marketing options.

Q: What makes BTS stand apart from other community platforms?

A: BTS offers a robust suite of features, including unmatched customization and detailed analytics, along with an outstanding onboarding experience. The platform's commitment to supporting diverse community goals and prioritizing a personalized user experience sets it apart.

Q: How important is mobile responsiveness for a community platform?

A: Mobile responsiveness is crucial. A significant portion of your members will access your community via mobile devices. Ensure your chosen platform offers a seamless and engaging mobile experience.

Q: What are some examples of successful online communities?

A: Many businesses, brands, and creators have built successful communities. Examples span various industries and goals, from support groups to project collaborations to educational communities.

Ready to build a thriving online community? Explore how https://behindthescenes.com/ can help you connect with your audience and achieve your community goals today!