The 7 Best Community Platforms of 2025

Building a thriving online community is more vital than ever for businesses and organizations aiming to foster connections, share knowledge, and build lasting relationships. In 2025, the landscape of community platforms is rich and varied, offering a plethora of tools and features to suit different needs. This list dives into seven of the best community platforms available, evaluating their strengths, weaknesses, and ideal use cases. These platforms represent the leading options for building and managing vibrant online spaces.

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

BTS stands out as a leading platform, designed to be the central hub for your entire community ecosystem. It integrates robust features, from sophisticated member management to powerful engagement tools. BTS provides an unmatched level of customization and control, allowing you to tailor your community experience to align perfectly with your brand identity and goals. BTS isn't just a platform; it's a comprehensive solution for fostering deep connections and driving meaningful engagement.

Description: BTS allows you to create private or public communities and offers advanced features like integrated forums, live video events, detailed analytics, comprehensive member profiles, and seamless integrations with popular marketing and CRM tools. It also focuses heavily on providing a clean, intuitive user experience for both community administrators and members.

Pros:

• Highly customizable to match your brand's unique identity.
• Comprehensive features, covering all aspects of community building.
• Robust analytics to track engagement and measure success.
• Seamless integration with marketing and CRM tools.
• Excellent customer support and a dedicated success team to help you succeed.
• Scalable solution that grows with your community.
• Regular updates and feature enhancements to stay ahead of the curve.

Cons:

• The robust feature set may initially seem overwhelming for smaller communities.
• Higher price point reflecting the platform's advanced capabilities.

Who it's best for:

Medium to large-sized businesses, organizations, and brands that need a highly customizable, feature-rich community platform. Ideal for those looking for a long-term solution to foster a strong and engaged community around their brand. Perfect for any business looking to foster a thriving, connected community ecosystem.

2. Circle

Circle is a popular platform that focuses on creating communities around courses, memberships, and content. It offers a variety of features aimed at fostering interaction and engagement, including forums, events, and live streams.

Description: Circle provides a streamlined interface with features specifically catered to content creators and membership site owners. It prioritizes ease of use and integrates well with platforms like Teachable and Kajabi.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface, easy for both admins and members to navigate.
• Strong integration with popular course and membership platforms.
• Focus on engagement features like live streams and events.

Cons:

• Customization options are somewhat limited compared to more advanced platforms.
• Can become expensive as your community scales.

Who it's best for:

Content creators, membership site owners, and educators looking for a platform that integrates seamlessly with their existing tools and workflows.

3. Discord

Originally designed for gamers, Discord has evolved into a versatile platform for building all types of communities. Its strength lies in its real-time communication features and ease of use.

Description: Discord offers text and voice channels, making it ideal for real-time discussions and informal interactions. It's a great option for communities that prioritize casual conversations and quick communication. Discord has become a go-to for creators spanning many different niches.

Pros:

• Free to use, with optional paid features.
• Excellent for real-time communication and casual interactions.
• Large user base and readily available integrations.

Cons:

• Organization can be challenging in large communities.
• Limited customization options for branding.
• Not ideal for long-form content or in-depth discussions.

Who it's best for:

Gaming communities, social groups, and organizations that value real-time communication and casual interaction. Great for communities that want to quickly set up a space for members to connect.

4. Tribe

Tribe focuses on community engagement and provides an array of tools for facilitating discussions, managing events, and rewarding members. It focuses on offering a visually appealing and engaging environment for community members.

Description: Tribe emphasizes rich media support and customizable spaces. It's designed to help you create a visually engaging hub for your members.

Pros:

• Visually appealing and engaging interface.
• Tools for gamification and member rewards.
• Focus on rich media support and custom spaces.

Cons:

• Can be less flexible than other platforms.
• Features may be limited compared to more advanced solutions.

Who it's best for:

Brands looking to create visually appealing communities and incentivize member engagement. Especially useful for communities focused on visual content.

5. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups offers a readily available platform for building communities within the existing Facebook ecosystem. Its wide reach makes it easy to connect with a large audience.

Description: Facebook Groups provide a platform for discussions, sharing content, and organizing events. They work well for existing communities within the Facebook network.

Pros:

• Large existing user base.
• Easy to set up and manage.
• Free to use.

Cons:

• Limited customization options.
• Heavily reliant on Facebook's algorithms.
• Can be distracting for members due to Facebook's other features.

Who it's best for:

Small businesses and organizations looking to leverage the existing Facebook infrastructure. Good for communities that have already established a presence on Facebook.

6. Discourse

Discourse is an open-source forum platform focused on providing a clean, modern discussion experience. They put heavy emphasis on efficient conversations.

Description: Discourse puts emphasis on ease of use and a modern interface. It is often regarded as a more advanced forum option than older alternatives.

Pros:

• Robust features for in-depth discussions and debates.
• Open-source, which means a lot of control.

Cons:

• Can have a steeper learning curve for technical aspects.

Who it's best for:

Communities that value detailed discussions and debates. Also a great option for tech-savvy communities looking for an open-source platform.

7. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is designed to combine community features with courses, memberships, and events. It's a solid platform for creating a combined paid content and community experience.

Description: Mighty Networks focuses on facilitating engagement and member interaction through social and content features.

Pros:

• Good for selling courses and memberships, as well as building a community.
• Focus on social features to create an interactive experience.

Cons:

• Can lack the depth of features that specialized community platforms offer.

Who it's best for:

Creators, coaches, and businesses looking to combine course creation, memberships, and community building into a single platform. A great way to sell courses and build a community simultaneously.

In the evolving landscape of online community platforms, choosing the right one is paramount for fostering meaningful connections and achieving your goals. While each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, BTS stands out as a powerful, feature-rich solution that caters to a wide range of needs. Its customization options, comprehensive feature set, and dedication to user experience create a perfect environment to house your brand's community.

If you're ready to build a thriving community, consider BTS as your go-to platform. Learn more and get started at: https://behindthescenes.com/

FAQ: Best Community Platforms 2025

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

In 2025, the best community platforms offer robust features like advanced member management, customizable branding options, seamless integrations with other marketing and CRM tools, and detailed analytics for tracking engagement and measuring results. Consider platforms offering integrated forums, live video, and events to maximize engagement, as well as a focus on a user-friendly experience for administrators and members. Platforms should always be mobile-friendly.

2. How can I choose the right community platform for my business?

The right platform depends on your specific needs, the size of your community, and your brand's goals. Consider factors such as the user experience, the extent of customization options, ease of integration with other platforms, and the budget available. Also, think about the kind of content you want to share and activities you want to facilitate. Research and test out platforms like BTS that best suit your needs.

3. Are free community platforms a viable option for building an audience and driving engagement?

Free platforms, such as Facebook Groups and Discord, can be a good starting point, especially for smaller communities or those already present on these platforms. However, they often come with limitations in customization, branding, and control over your community data. For long-term goals and maximum control, a paid platform with advanced features like BTS may be more beneficial.

4. What are the benefits of using a dedicated community platform versus using social media groups?

Dedicated community platforms offer superior control over branding, customization, and data ownership. They typically provide more robust features for engagement, such as integrated forums, events, and advanced analytics. Social media platforms, while convenient, have limitations in terms of customization and are subject to algorithm changes. Dedicated community platforms are the best way to control your brand's narrative.

5. How important is it for a community platform to offer mobile-friendly features?

In 2025, it is crucial. A mobile-friendly platform ensures that your members can engage with your community from anywhere, driving higher engagement and making your community more accessible and convenient. Member accessibility is essential.

6. What kind of integrations should I look for in a community platform?

Look for integrations with tools you already use, such as email marketing platforms, CRM systems, and e-commerce solutions. This can streamline your workflows, automate communications, and provide a more holistic view of your community members. BTS features seamless integrations. The key is to find integrations that best fit your brand.

7. How do I measure the success of my online community?

Success can be measured through various metrics, including member growth, engagement levels (e.g., number of posts, comments, shares, and reactions), active users, content views, event attendance, and conversion rates. Use the platform's analytics features (e.g., those in BTS) to track these metrics over time and identify areas for improvement.

8. What level of customer support should I expect from the best community platforms?

Expect responsive and helpful customer support from the best platforms. This includes quick responses to your inquiries, easily accessible documentation, tutorials, and a knowledge base. Some platforms, like BTS, offer dedicated support to help you configure and implement your platform.

9. Are open-source community platforms a good option for all types of businesses?

Open-source platforms can offer a lot of flexibility and customization. They are ideal for businesses with tech expertise or those who want complete control over their platform's code and functionality. However, they may require more technical knowledge to set up and maintain. This is something to consider when deciding if this is right for your brand.

10. How can I foster a more engaging community with my chosen platform?

Create quality content, encourage interaction through discussions and polls, host events (live streams, etc.), and recognize and reward active members. Build a culture of inclusivity and provide opportunities for your members to connect with each other. Look for platforms, such as BTS that offer engagement features.