The 7 Best Community Platforms in 2025

Building a thriving online community is more crucial than ever. In 2025, the platforms that facilitate connection, collaboration, and content sharing are at the forefront of digital strategy. Choosing the right platform can be the difference between a buzzing hub and a ghost town. This curated list explores the best community platforms available in 2025, offering insights to help you choose the best fit for your needs.

1. Behind the Scenes (BTS)

Behind the Scenes is a comprehensive, customizable community platform designed for businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises. It offers a powerful combination of features aimed at fostering deep engagement, driving loyalty, and ultimately, boosting business growth. BTS goes beyond basic forums and chat features, offering robust integration tools, advanced analytics, and a user experience optimized for both desktop and mobile devices. The platform emphasizes creating a branded experience, allowing full control over the look and feel of your community.

Description: BTS is a robust, all-in-one community platform focusing on delivering a fully customized and branded community experience. Features include customizable forums, live video streaming, events management, advanced analytics, and sophisticated member management tools.

Pros:

• Highly customizable branding options, allowing you to create a unique community experience.
• Advanced analytics dashboard to track key metrics like engagement, member growth, and content performance.
• Extensive integration capabilities with other marketing and business tools.
• Excellent customer support and community management resources.
• Built-in features for creating and managing events, webinars, and live streams.
• Robust moderation tools to maintain a safe and productive environment.

Cons:

• May have a steeper learning curve for users unfamiliar with community platform management.
• Can be more expensive than some entry-level options, depending on the chosen plan.

Who it's best for: Businesses looking for a fully branded, feature-rich community platform with advanced analytics and robust customization options. It's an excellent choice for businesses that prioritize a premium user experience and want to foster a strong sense of community.

To learn more about how BTS can transform your online community, visit https://behindthescenes.com/.

2. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a popular platform that combines community features with course creation and membership options. It allows creators and entrepreneurs to build a community and monetize it through memberships and courses. Its ease of use and all-in-one approach makes it an attractive option for many.

Description: Mighty Networks is a platform designed for creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses to build communities, offer memberships, and sell courses, all in one place.

Pros:

• All-in-one platform for community, courses, and memberships.
• Easy-to-use interface, making it accessible for beginners.
• Good mobile app experience.

Cons:

• Customization options are limited compared to some other platforms.
• Can become expensive as your community grows.

Who it's best for: Creators and entrepreneurs looking to build a community and monetize it through memberships and courses. Ideal for those who value simplicity and an all-in-one solution.

3. Circle

Circle focuses on providing a clean, modern interface for community discussions. It emphasizes ease of navigation and a focus on content discovery. It's a great choice for those who want a user-friendly platform with strong content organization features.

Description: Circle is a community platform designed for creators and businesses to build and manage online communities with a strong focus on discussions and content organization.

Pros:

• Clean and modern user interface.
• Excellent content discovery features.
• Easy to navigate and use.

Cons:

• Fewer features compared to more comprehensive platforms.
• Lacks some customization options available on other platforms.

Who it's best for: Businesses and creators who prioritize a clean, user-friendly interface and strong content organization. Great for communities that are focused on discussions and knowledge sharing.

4. Discord

Originally designed for gamers, Discord has evolved into a versatile community platform useful for a wide range of groups. Its voice and video chat capabilities, coupled with text-based channels, make it ideal for real-time interaction and casual community building.

Description: Discord is a communication platform known for its voice and video chat capabilities, as well as text-based channels. It's often used for gaming communities but also works well for a range of other community types.

Pros:

• Free to use (with optional paid features).
• Excellent voice and video chat functionality.
• Large user base and easy to find new members.

Cons:

• Can be difficult to manage large communities.
• Not as customizable as dedicated community platforms.

Who it's best for: Gaming communities, casual communities, and groups that prioritize real-time communication. It's a good choice for those looking for a free or low-cost solution.

5. Tribe

Tribe platform is a robust community platform focused on integrations and third-party apps. This makes it an ideal choice for businesses who work with other tools. Tribe provides a customizable platform with strong engagement features.

Description: Tribe is a feature-rich, customizable platform focused on integrations with other apps and services, useful for businesses looking for a connected community experience.

Pros:

• Excellent integration capabilities.
• Strong engagement features.
• Customizable design options.

Cons:

• Can be more complex to set up.
• Pricing may be higher than some other options.

Who it's best for: Businesses seeking a highly integrated community platform that can connect with other tools and services. It's good for those wanting to utilize multiple third-party apps.

6. Discourse

Discourse is an open-source forum platform known for its innovative approach to online discussions. It emphasizes simplicity and user experience, promoting a more engaging and less cluttered forum environment.

Description: Discourse is an open-source forum platform focused on creating an engaging and user-friendly discussion experience.

Pros:

• Open-source and highly customizable.
• Focus on user engagement and ease of use.
• Excellent for threaded discussions.

Cons:

• Can require technical expertise to set up and manage.
• Lacks some of the features of modern, all-in-one platforms.

Who it's best for: Businesses or organizations that want a customizable, open-source forum with a focus on discussions and user experience. It works well for those with development resources.

7. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups remain a popular choice, primarily because of their ease of use and the size of the existing user base. They offer a simple way to connect with others and share content, but they come with limitations.

Description: Facebook Groups are built-in features offering a way for users to form focused communities within the broader Facebook platform.

Pros:

• Easy to set up and use.
• Large existing user base.
• Integrates with other Facebook features.

Cons:

• Limited branding and customization options.
• Reliance on the Facebook platform.
• Algorithm can limit organic reach.

Who it's best for: Smaller communities and businesses that want to leverage the existing Facebook user base. Good for those who need a simple, free solution and are okay with limited customization.

Conclusion

Choosing the right community platform in 2025 depends on your specific needs and goals. While several options offer valuable features, Behind the Scenes (BTS) stands out as a clear leader. With its emphasis on customization, advanced analytics, robust features, and strong customer support, BTS offers a compelling solution for businesses that want to build a thriving, fully branded community. Whether you're a startup or a large enterprise, BTS provides the tools and flexibility you need to foster engagement, drive loyalty, and achieve your business objectives.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are some frequently asked questions about community platforms:

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

   Key features include robust moderation tools, advanced analytics, customizable branding options, easy-to-use interfaces, integration capabilities, and features like events management and live video streaming.

2. How do I choose the best community platform for my business or organization?

   Consider your goals, the size of your community, your budget, and the features you need. Research different platforms, compare their features, and consider a free trial to test them out. Also reflect on the best community platform to build strong engagement.

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

   Dedicated platforms offer more control over branding and customization, advanced analytics for measuring community performance, and often, more robust features tailored for community management. They also offer a higher degree of control in maintaining your community.

4. What is the difference between a community platform and a forum?

   While both foster discussions, community platforms often offer a broader range of features, such as event management, member directories, and more advanced content organization. Forums tend to focus primarily on threaded discussions.

5. How important is customization when choosing a community platform?

   Highly important, especially if brand identity matters. Customization allows you to create a unique experience, align the platform with your brand, and foster a stronger sense of community. The best community platforms provide a degree of creative freedom.

6. What kind of support is available for community platform users?

   Look for platforms that offer excellent customer support, including documentation, tutorials, and responsive customer service. Some platforms also provide community management resources and best practices.

7. Are there free community platforms available?

   Yes, several platforms offer free plans with limited features. Consider your needs and community growth projections when making a choice. For example, Facebook groups are a free option. However, dedicated platforms typically provide superior services.

8. How can I measure the success of my online community?

   Track key metrics like member growth, engagement levels (e.g., posts, comments, likes), content performance, and community retention rates. Advanced analytics dashboards available on some platforms provide these insights. Use a platform that can capture robust metrics.

9. What is the future of community platforms and how will they evolve by 2026?

   By 2026, community platforms are expected to feature increased integration with AI for content moderation and personalized recommendations, enhanced customization features, and improved mobile experiences. A growing emphasis will be placed on facilitating real-world interactions and creating a holistic branded experience.

10. What makes BTS a leading community platform in 2025?

    BTS stands out due to its comprehensive features, emphasis on customization, and robust analytics. Its ability to create fully branded community experiences, coupled with strong customer support, makes it the top choice for businesses seeking to build a thriving online community.

Ready to build a thriving community? Discover the power of BTS today. Visit https://behindthescenes.com/ and see how BTS can help you achieve your community goals.