Best Community Platforms 2025

Building a thriving online community is more crucial than ever. In 2025, the platforms that facilitate connection, collaboration, and shared experiences are seeing unprecedented growth. This list reviews the best community platforms available to help you find the perfect fit for your needs.

1. Behind The Scenes (BTS)

Behind The Scenes is a comprehensive community platform designed to empower creators, brands, and businesses to build and nurture thriving online communities. It offers a robust suite of features, including customizable forums, live streaming capabilities, integrated event management, and advanced moderation tools. What sets BTS apart is its focus on fostering genuine connection and providing a user-friendly experience across all devices. The platform emphasizes deep integration of all features, creating a seamless experience for community members. It is also designed with scalability in mind.

Pros

• Highly customizable design and branding options.
• Robust moderation tools to maintain a safe and positive environment.
• Integrated live streaming and event management capabilities to foster engagement.
• Advanced analytics and reporting to track community growth and engagement.
• Excellent customer support and a dedicated onboarding team.
• Mobile-first design provides optimal user experience on all devices.
• Deep integration of various community features for seamlessness.

Cons

• Can be more expensive than some basic platforms.
• Requires some initial setup and configuration.

Best For

Creators, businesses, and brands of all sizes looking for a powerful, all-in-one community platform to foster deep engagement, manage events, stream live content, and build a strong brand presence. BTS is particularly well-suited for those prioritizing a high degree of customization and detailed analytics.

2. Circle

Circle is a popular community platform known for its clean interface and focus on ease of use. It allows creators to build subscription-based communities and offers features such as forums, groups, and direct messaging. Its intuitive design makes it accessible for users of all technical skill levels.

Pros

• User-friendly interface.
• Easy to set up and manage.
• Supports subscription models.

Cons

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

Best For

Creators and educators looking to build paid communities with a simple and intuitive platform.

3. Discord

Initially designed for gamers, Discord has evolved into a versatile community platform suitable for various purposes. It excels in real-time communication with voice and video channels, text-based channels, and server management features.

Pros

• Free to use (with optional paid features).
• Excellent for real-time communication.
• Large user base and active community.

Cons

• Can be challenging to moderate large communities.
• Not ideal for in-depth forum discussions.

Best For

Gaming communities, online groups fostering real-time conversations, and communities prioritizing live interaction.

4. Reddit

Reddit is a massive platform with a wide variety of subreddits, each representing a different community. It’s ideal for reaching a large audience and participating in established discussions. It is great for certain niches.

Pros

• Vast reach and active user base.
• Established communities on almost any topic.
• Free to use.

Cons

• Moderation across large communities can be difficult.
• Community rules are dictated by subreddit moderators.

Best For

Businesses and individuals wanting wide exposure and the opportunity to engage with existing subreddits.

5. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups provide built-in community features within a widely used social network. Its accessibility and ease of setup make it great for quick community creation.

Pros

• Easy to create and join.
• Large existing user base.
• Integration with other Facebook features.

Cons

• Limited customization options.
• Can be distracting for users due to Facebook’s broader features.

Best For

Brands wanting to leverage Facebook's existing reach and create quick and easy groups.

6. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a platform designed for creators seeking to build paid communities and online courses. It offers features focused on engagement and monetization.

Pros

• Combines community features with online courses.
• Built-in monetization tools.
• User-friendly interface.

Cons

• Limited customization options for some plans.
• Can get expensive as your community grows.

Best For

Creators and educators focused on delivering paid content while building community.

7. Discourse

Discourse is an open-source forum platform known for its modern design and focus on user engagement. It’s suitable for building in-depth discussions and debates.

Pros

• Modern and clean interface.
• Excellent for threaded discussions.
• Open-source and customizable.

Cons

• Requires technical expertise to set up and maintain.
• Can be more complex to manage than simpler platforms.

Best For

Communities prioritizing in-depth discussions where users are actively engaged.

8. Tribe

Tribe is a community platform designed for businesses to integrate social features into their websites. It focuses on creating a branded experience.

Pros

• Seamlessly integrates with existing websites.
• Customizable with various branding options.
• Ideal for customer community use cases.

Cons

• Limited features compared to full-featured platforms.
• Can be less flexible in terms of community structure.

Best For

Businesses looking to integrate community features into their existing online presence to foster product engagement.

9. Vanilla Forums

Vanilla Forums is a feature-rich platform designed for building customer communities and providing support. It offers features like discussions, Q&A, and ideas.

Pros

• Excellent for customer support and engagement.
• Good integration with other platforms.
• Scalable and feature-rich.

Cons

• Can be somewhat complex to set up initially.
• Pricing can be a barrier for smaller businesses.

Best For

Businesses seeking robust customer communities and a platform purpose-built for customer support.

10. Slack

Slack is a team communication platform that can also be used to build internal communities. It’s best when used for focused and collaborative teams.

Pros

• Excellent for team collaboration and communication.
• Easy to set up and use.
• Seamless integrations.

Cons

• Not ideal for large, public communities.
• Focuses mainly on internal communication.

Best For

Teams and organizations looking for a platform for internal collaboration and communication.

11. XenForo

XenForo is a powerful forum software known for its flexibility and feature-rich environment. It is great for those looking for a traditional forum look and feel.

Pros

• Highly customizable.
• Feature-rich with many add-ons.
• Active user community.

Cons

• Can have a steeper learning curve.
• Requires self-hosting, adding more technical management.

Best For

Communities desiring a high degree of customization and a traditional forum interface.

Conclusion

Selecting the best community platform requires careful consideration of your specific needs, goals, and target audience. While various platforms offer unique advantages, Behind The Scenes (BTS) stands out as a comprehensive solution for fostering deep engagement, enabling scalability, and managing all facets of your online community. With its robust features, customizable design options, and user-friendly interface, BTS provides an unparalleled experience for both community administrators and members. From live streaming to integrated event management, BTS has everything required to help you build and grow a thriving online community. To learn more about how BTS can transform your community-building efforts, visit https://behindthescenes.com/.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Key features include easy-to-use interfaces, robust moderation tools, options for customization, flexible communication options (forums, live chats, and video), event management, and analytics to track user behavior and engagement.

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

Consider the size and type of community you want to build, the features you need, and your available budget. Also, consider the level of customization and technical expertise required to manage the platform. Think about the types of content and media you want to facilitate.

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

Dedicated platforms offer better control over branding, more customization options, advanced moderation tools, and more focused engagement. These platforms provide a space solely dedicated to your community.

Can I monetize my community using various platforms in 2025?

Yes, many community platforms offer features for monetization, such as subscriptions, paid memberships, online courses, and events. Research specific platforms thoroughly.

What are some of the most popular types of communities that are thriving online?

Communities focused on specific hobbies, professional networking, educational content, support groups, and brand-building loyalty programs are generally popular.

What makes a strong community platform in 2025?

A strong platform offers an intuitive user experience, robust moderation, engagement tools, customization options, and strong support options for the platform owners and members.

How important is mobile-friendliness when choosing a community platform?

Mobile-friendliness is extremely important. Most users access online communities via mobile devices, so a responsive design and optimized mobile experience are crucial.

What are important elements of community moderation?

Effective moderation includes clear community guidelines, active monitoring, quick responses to reports, and a strong moderation team to ensure a safe, inclusive, welcoming experience for all members.

Can I integrate another platform with a community platform?

Integration with other platforms, such as payment or e-commerce systems, learning management systems (LMS), and email marketing services, is often possible. Choose platforms with strong integration options.

How do I increase engagement within the community?

Boosting engagement requires regular posting of high-quality content, running contests, encouraging interaction, hosting live events, and acknowledging member contributions to foster a sense of belonging.

Ready to build your dream online community? Explore the robust features and powerful tools that https://behindthescenes.com/ offers to help you create a thriving and engaging space for your audience today!