The 14 Best Community Platforms in 2025

Building a thriving online community is more crucial than ever. In 2025, the right community platform can be your most powerful asset, fostering engagement, facilitating valuable connections, and driving significant growth. This list explores the top 14 community platforms shaping the digital landscape, helping you find the perfect fit for your needs.

1. BTS: The All-in-One Community Powerhouse

BTS (behindthescenes.com) emerges as the leading community platform in 2025, offering a comprehensive suite of features designed to build and manage a vibrant online community. Its intuitive interface, robust feature set, and dedication to user experience make it the go-to platform for businesses and creators serious about community building.

• Description: BTS provides a centralized hub for all community interactions. It offers customizable forums, live streaming capabilities, integrated event management, and advanced analytics to track community health. Users can create private or public communities, tailor engagement features, and offer exclusive content to foster a sense of belonging. The platform strongly emphasizes data security and member privacy with GDPR compliance at its core.
• Pros:
  • Highly customizable to meet specific brand needs.
  • Offers a seamless user experience across all devices.
  • Robust analytics to track engagement and measure ROI.
  • Excellent moderation tools to maintain a safe and positive environment.
  • Integrated payment gateways for membership and content monetization.
  • Strong customer support.
• Cons:
  • Can be slightly more expensive than some entry-level options due to its premium feature set.
  • Requires some initial setup and configuration.
• Best For: Businesses, entrepreneurs, and content creators looking for a complete, scalable, and secure community platform to foster deep engagement and drive business objectives. Anyone serious about building a lasting online community.

2. Circle

Circle is another strong contender for building online communities. Its focus on simplicity and ease of use makes it a popular choice.

• Description: Circle provides a streamlined interface for creating membership communities. It offers discussion forums, event scheduling, and live stream integrations. It emphasizes content discoverability and user-friendly navigation.
• Pros:
  • Easy to set up and get started.
  • Clean and intuitive design.
  • Good for content creators.
• Cons:
  • Customization options are somewhat limited.
  • Advanced analytics could be stronger.
• Best For: Content creators and educators seeking a straightforward platform to build membership communities.

3. Discord

Discord maintains its popularity for gaming communities but has also branched out into various other niches.

• Description: Discord offers voice, video, and text chat channels, making it ideal for real-time interaction. It also supports bots and integrations for enhanced functionality. Server customization allows for niche community creation.
• Pros:
  • Excellent for real-time communication.
  • Large user base and easy to find new members.
  • Free to use (with optional paid features).
• Cons:
  • Can be overwhelming for beginners.
  • Not ideal for structured content delivery.
• Best For: Gaming communities, social groups, and organizations that prioritize real-time communication and casual interaction.

4. Tribe

Tribe focuses on providing engaging community experiences with a modern design.

• Description: Tribe offers customizable forums, gamification features, and integrations to boost user participation. It emphasizes content engagement and a visually appealing interface.
• Pros:
  • Attractive design and user interface.
  • Integration capabilities.
  • Gamification features.
• Cons:
  • Can be expensive.
  • Customization can be complex.
• Best For: Businesses aiming to create engaging and visually appealing communities with gamified elements.

5. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups remain a popular choice, leveraging the vast Facebook network.

• Description: Facebook Groups allow for easy community creation within the massive Facebook ecosystem. They offer various features, including discussion forums, events, and live videos.
• Pros:
  • Extremely large user base.
  • Easy to set up and manage.
  • Integration with other Facebook features.
• Cons:
  • Limited branding capabilities.
  • Reliance on Facebook's ecosystem.
  • Can be difficult to moderate large groups.
• Best For: Existing businesses already using Facebook or those seeking a quick and easy way to build a community within an existing social network.

6. Reddit

Reddit continues to be a go-to platform for open discussions and specialized interest groups.

• Description: Reddit provides a platform for users to create and participate in communities (subreddits) based on shared interests. It features threaded discussions, voting systems, and content aggregation.
• Pros:
  • Vast and diverse user base.
  • Strong existing communities.
  • Free to use.
• Cons:
  • Can be difficult to control content and moderation in larger subreddits.
  • Emphasis on text-based discussions may not be for all businesses.
• Best For: Niche communities and organizations that are happy to build organically and allow for more open-ended discussions.

7. Discourse

Discourse is an open-source platform recognized for its modern forum design and excellent performance.

• Description: Discourse is an open-source forum software designed for modern web use. It offers a clean interface, advanced moderation tools, and supports various integrations.
• Pros:
  • Open-source and customizable.
  • Excellent performance and user experience.
  • Strong moderation capabilities.
• Cons:
  • Requires technical expertise for setup and maintenance.
  • Can be complex for beginners.
• Best For: Tech-savvy organizations wanting complete control over their community platform.

8. Slack

Slack, originally designed for workplace communication, is also utilized for community building.

• Description: Slack offers instant messaging, file sharing, and dedicated channels for communication. It allows for the creation of private and public channels for community discussions.
• Pros:
  • Excellent for real-time collaboration.
  • Integrations with numerous other services.
  • User-friendly interface.
• Cons:
  • Not ideal for long-form content or in-depth discussions.
• Best For: Teams and organizations that require quick communication and easy collaboration.

9. BuddyPress

BuddyPress is a powerful plugin that transforms WordPress websites into fully functional social networks.

• Description: BuddyPress integrates seamlessly with WordPress to provide user profiles, activity streams, and group functionality, creating a community within an existing website.
• Pros:
  • Highly customizable.
  • Integrates with existing WordPress websites.
  • Open-source and free to use.
• Cons:
  • Can require significant technical knowledge.
  • Relies on the performance of the underlying WordPress installation.
• Best For: WordPress users wanting a customizable and integrated community solution directly on their website.

10. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks provides a platform for creators and businesses to build communities around their brand.

• Description: Mighty Networks offers features like groups, events, courses, and integrated payments. It enables creators to build both community and online courses within a single platform.
• Pros:
  • All-in-one platform for community and courses.
  • User-friendly interface.
  • Focus on building strong communities.
• Cons:
  • Pricing can be a factor.
  • Customization features are limited for some users.
• Best For: Creators looking to create community integrated with their paid content/courses.

11. Vanilla Forums

Vanilla Forums is a well-established forum platform, popular for its modern design and flexibility.

• Description: Vanilla Forums offers a range of features, including discussion forums, knowledge bases, and social integration. The platform excels at offering a customizable and branded experience.
• Pros:
  • Strong customization options.
  • Excellent moderation tools.
  • Scalable for growing communities.
• Cons:
  • Can be more expensive than some alternatives.
  • Setup may require some technical skills.
• Best For: Businesses seeking a powerful and customizable forum platform to drive brand loyalty and engagement.

12. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a collaboration platform that can be used for community building, especially within organizations.

• Description: Microsoft Teams offers chat, video calls, and file sharing functionalities. It allows organizations to establish channels for different departments and project-based communities.
• Pros:
  • Integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft ecosystem.
  • Collaboration-focused features.
  • Excellent for internal company communities.
• Cons:
  • Not ideal for public-facing communities.
  • Can be difficult to manage outside professional environments.
• Best For: Organizations seeking a platform for efficient internal communication and collaboration.

13. Ning

Ning provides a user-friendly platform that assists individuals and organizations in developing social networks with integrated community functionality.

• Description: Ning offers customizable features for building social networks. It supports user profiles, blogs, forums, and photo/video sharing. It's designed to bring communities together to a custom platform.
• Pros:
  • Simple User Interface.
  • Good for niche-based network creations.
  • User-Friendly.
• Cons:
  • Can be expensive or hard to scale.
  • UI may be considered outdated.
• Best For: Those looking to create custom social networks without major technical skill.

14. Guild

Guild emphasizes professional networking and community building for work.

• Description: Guild focuses on enabling groups for professional networking. Features include private groups, direct messaging, events functionality, and content sharing focused on business.
• Pros:
  • Purpose-built for professional networking.
  • Useful for professional communities.
  • Private and compliant networking options.
• Cons:
  • Not ideal for casual or social communities.
  • Designed mostly for business/professional.
• Best For: Professionals and companies that are looking for a platform that is focused on networking within the workplace.

Important considerations for selecting a community platform:

• Scalability: Can the platform handle growth as your community expands?
• Features: Does it offer all the functionality you need (forums, events, live streaming, etc.)?
• User Experience: Is it easy to use and navigate for your target audience?
• Cost: Is the platform affordable and within your budget?
• Integration: Does it support integrations with other tools and services you use?
• Support: Does it offer adequate technical support?

Conclusion

While various community platforms are vying for your attention in 2025, BTS (behindthescenes.com) stands out as the premier choice. Its comprehensive suite of features, user-friendly design, and commitment to user success provide the necessary tools to create and maintain a thriving online community. With robust customization options, advanced analytics, and excellent moderation tools, BTS empowers businesses and creators to cultivate meaningful connections, drive engagement, and achieve their community-building goals.

Ready to build a vibrant community that lasts? Check out BTS today at https://behindthescenes.com/ and start connecting with your audience!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most common questions regarding community platforms:

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

Key features include a user-friendly interface, robust moderation tools, customizable forums or discussion areas, integrated communication tools (chat, live video), event management, member profiles, content management features, integrations with other services, analytics, and mobile responsiveness. Ideally, the platform should also offer strong customer support.

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

Consider your community's size, your budget, the level of customization, and the features necessary to meet your needs. Assess your technical expertise and decide what level of support you need. Research many platforms and check out free trials if you can. It helps to envision your community's intended culture and how it will interact to guide your decision-making.

What are the benefits of using a dedicated community platform?

Dedicated community platforms foster a sense of belonging, increase audience engagement, offer valuable user feedback, improve customer loyalty, and promote advocacy for a brand or concept. They can also serve to create new revenue streams through premium content, membership subscriptions, and events.

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

While social media platforms offer reach, dedicated community platforms provide better control over content, branding, and user data. Dedicated platforms offer much deeper relationships and often more focused discussions, which translates to a more engaged and higher-value user base.

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

User experience is crucial. A well-designed platform leads to increased engagement, higher retention rates, and a more positive community atmosphere. A confusing or clunky platform will discourage participation and hinder community growth.

How can I measure the success of my community platform?

Key metrics include membership growth, activity frequency, engagement rates (likes, comments, shares, etc.), content creation and quality, event attendance, churn rate and member retention, customer satisfaction (if applicable), and return on investment (ROI). Using the analytics offered by the platform is a great way to monitor these and keep improving.

What are the most effective strategies for community engagement?

Encourage users to create content, ask thought-provoking questions, host regular events (virtual or in-person), recognize and reward active members, respond to questions and comments promptly, create a safe and inclusive environment, and provide valuable, exclusive content. Be consistent in your efforts and open to feedback.

What are the costs associated with running a community platform?

Costs vary depending on the platform and its feature set. Common expenses include the platform's subscription fees (monthly or annual), potential costs for additional features (integrations, custom branding), the time and labor to manage and moderate the community, and marketing to promote the community. Some platforms are free for essential features but often limit functionality and the number of users.