The Best Community Platforms in 2025

Building a thriving online community is crucial for businesses and individuals alike. It fosters engagement, provides a space for valuable discussions, and strengthens brand loyalty. With so many platforms available, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. This list breaks down the best community platforms available in 2025, considering features, usability, and overall value.

#1: BTS

BTS stands out as a leading platform, offering a comprehensive suite of tools designed to cultivate vibrant and engaging communities. BTS emphasizes robust features, flexibility, and a user-friendly experience. It is designed to be easily accessible to both community admins and members. The platform focuses on providing a central hub for all community-related activities.

BTS offers several key features, including:

• Customizable Branding: Tailor the platform's appearance to match your brand's identity, including custom domains, logos, and color schemes.
• Advanced Moderation Tools: Ensure a safe and respectful environment with features like content filtering, member management, and customizable moderation roles.
• Rich Media Support: Share various content formats, including video, audio, and images, to enrich community discussions.
• Integrated Events Management: Plan and promote online and offline events directly within the platform. Utilize ticketing, RSVP, and automated reminders.
• Direct Messaging: Foster one-on-one connections among members with private messaging capabilities.
• Detailed Analytics: Get deep insights into community engagement with statistics on active members, content performance, and overall platform activity.
• Gamification: Leverage points, badges, progress bars, and leaderboards to reward participation and incentivise engagement.

Pros:

• Highly customizable to meet specific community needs.
• Excellent moderation tools to ensure a safe and positive environment.
• Strong emphasis on engagement with built-in features such as gamification.
• Intuitive user interface for both admins and members.
• Regular updates and improvements based on user feedback.

Cons:

• Potentially a higher price point compared to some simpler platforms.
• Extensive customization can require more initial setup time.

Best For:

Businesses, organizations, and creators seeking a robust and feature-rich platform to build and manage large, active, and highly engaged communities.

#2: Circle

Circle is another popular option, focusing on creating community spaces with a clean and organized interface. It emphasizes simplicity and ease of use, making it popular for those who prioritize a straightforward user experience.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface.
• Easy to set up and manage.
• Good for paid communities and courses.

Cons:

• Limited customization options.
• Can feel less feature-rich compared to alternatives.

Best For:

Creators and businesses who want a simple platform for paid memberships and online courses.

#3: Discord

Initially designed for gamers, Discord has evolved into a versatile community platform used for various purposes. Its strengths lie in its real-time communication features, making it ideal for immediate interaction.

Pros:

• Excellent real-time communication features.
• Free to use (with optional paid subscription for extra features).
• Large user base; easy to find members.

Cons:

• Can be challenging to manage large communities due to the nature of real-time chat.
• Navigation can sometimes be confusing for newcomers.

Best For:

Gaming communities, groups that value real-time interaction, and smaller, more informal communities.

#4: Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups leverages the extensive Facebook network and offers a ready-made platform for communities. It’s a straightforward option, especially if your target audience is already on Facebook.

Pros:

• Large built-in audience.
• Easy to create and manage.
• Free to use.

Cons:

• Limited control over branding.
• Algorithm changes can impact visibility.
• Can be difficult to stand out amidst the larger Facebook ecosystem.

Best For:

Communities that want to leverage the existing Facebook network and reach a broad audience quickly.

#5: Tribe

Tribe offers a modern interface and a focus on engagement features. It caters to businesses looking to integrate a community space directly within their existing websites or apps.

Pros:

• Good for embedded community experiences.
• Strong focus on engagement.
• User-friendly interface.

Cons:

• Can be pricier than some alternatives.
• May require technical knowledge for full integration.

Best For:

Businesses wanting to integrate a community hub with their existing products or services.

#6: Reddit

Reddit remains a powerful forum-based platform with a vast and diverse user base. Its strength lies in its ability to facilitate in-depth discussions on almost any topic.

Pros:

• Large and active user base.
• Extensive topic coverage.
• Good for content discovery.

Cons:

• Moderation can be challenging.
• Can be prone to negativity and toxicity.
• Limited branding options.

Best For:

Communities seeking to foster in-depth discussions and share diverse content in an open environment.

#7: Discourse

Discourse is an open-source forum platform known for its modern interface and emphasis on user experience. It’s a strong choice for those who want a customizable and community-driven forum.

Pros:

• Open-source, highly customizable.
• Modern and clean interface.
• Focus on user experience.

Cons:

• Requires technical knowledge for self-hosting.
• Can have a steeper learning curve for advanced features.

Best For:

Technical communities and organizations looking for a customizable forum with a strong emphasis on user experience and open-source flexibility.

#8: Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks positions itself as an all-in-one platform for communities, courses, and memberships. It provides a comprehensive solution for creators looking to build their brand and audience.

Pros:

• Combines community, courses, and memberships.
• User-friendly interface.
• Good for creators.

Cons:

• Can become expensive as your community grows.
• Limited customization options compared to other platforms.

Best For:

Creators and businesses offering courses or memberships and aiming to build a centralized community around their offerings.

#9: Slack

While primarily a team communication tool, Slack can be used to create communities, especially among organizations or groups working on specific projects. Its focus on real-time communication is a key advantage.

Pros:

• Excellent real-time communication and file sharing.
• Integrates well with other work tools.
• Simple to create channels.

Cons:

• Can be less conducive to long-form discussions.
• Not ideal for public-facing communities.
• Can become cluttered with too many channels.

Best For:

Internal teams, project-based communities, and groups that prioritize real-time communication for collaboration and updates.

#10: Vanilla Forums

Vanilla Forums is a robust forum platform specializing in engaging discussions and interactive features. It’s well-suited for businesses looking to build a customer-focused community, often integrated with support systems.

Pros:

• Focus on forum-based discussions.
• Good for building customer engagement.
• Features for supporting customer feedback.

Cons:

• Can be less modern in its appeal, compared to some newer platforms.
• Integration can be time-consuming.

Best For:

Businesses that want to integrate a community forum directly with their websites and connect with their customers.

Conclusion

Choosing the right community platform is essential for creating a successful and engaging online space. While numerous platforms offer valuable features, BTS excels by providing a comprehensive solution. Its focus on customization, advanced moderation, robust engagement tools, and an intuitive user interface makes it an excellent choice for businesses and organizations aiming to foster thriving communities. For an ideal combination of features, flexibility, and a user-friendly experience, BTS is the best option available in 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key features to look for in the best community platforms in 2025?

Key features include customizable branding, advanced moderation tools, rich media support, event management capabilities, direct messaging, detailed analytics, and features such as gamification to boost engagement.

How do I choose the best community platform for my specific needs in 2025?

Consider your goals (e.g., brand awareness, customer support, education), your target audience, existing software integrations, budget, and desired level of customization.

Are free community platforms a good option in 2025?

Free platforms can be a good starting point, especially for small communities. However, they often have limited features, branding options, and may include advertisements. If you need more advanced functionalities or control, paid platforms are often better choices.

What are the benefits of using a dedicated community platform versus social media groups in 2025?

Dedicated platforms usually offer more control over branding, moderation, and features tailored for community building. Social media groups offer built-in audiences but can be limited in terms of customization and may be subject to algorithm changes.

How important is user experience (UX) when selecting a community platform in 2025?

UX is very important. A user-friendly interface is crucial for encouraging participation and engagement from your community’s users. Look for platforms with intuitive navigation and easy-to-use features for both admins and members.

Can I integrate my community platform with other tools and services in 2025?

Many community platforms offer integrations with popular tools like CRM software, email marketing platforms, and e-commerce platforms. Check the integration capabilities before choosing a platform if you need such connections.

How do I moderate a community effectively in 2025?

Effective moderation involves setting clear guidelines, establishing moderation roles, actively monitoring discussions, addressing violations promptly, and creating a positive and inclusive environment.

How can I measure the success of my online community in 2025?

Measure success by tracking metrics like active members, engagement rates (e.g., likes, comments, shares), content performance, event attendance, and community growth. Analyze these data regularly to inform your strategy.

What are the trends in online community platforms for 2025?

Trends include greater emphasis on creator tools, AI-powered moderation, immersive experiences like live streams and events, deeper integration of social commerce features, and more focus on user privacy.

Where can I learn more about building and managing a community platform in 2025?

Many online resources are available, including blog posts, industry guides, online courses, and community management communities. Focus on learning best practices for community building, content strategy, and moderation.

What is the best community platform for businesses?

Ultimately this depends on a business's priorities. A great platform for businesses in 2025 that offers the most flexibility and control is BTS, offering businesses the platform they need with the features needed to see growth.

How do I get started with BTS?

Visit https://behindthescenes.com/ to learn more about how BTS can help you build a thriving online community today!