I used to think building a community just meant “posting consistently” and praying someone commented. Spoiler: it doesn’t work that way. Whether you're a startup founder, a SaaS marketer, or a creator trying to keep your small community of audience from turning into a ghost town, community management is hard.
Before I got into content marketing, I dipped my toes into the community world and quickly realized that building real connections takes more than good vibes and emojis. So, I did what marketers do best: I over-researched like crazy. I compared 20+ tools to find the best online community management software to keep people engaged, active, and actually coming back.
Of course, there's Slack, Reddit, Discord, and even Facebook Groups, but most of those weren’t built to scale or support the kind of branded, intentional community experience I was after.
In this list, I’m breaking down the standouts, from sleek all-in-one platforms to lightweight tools perfect for early-stage communities. Whether you're focused on user growth, member retention, or just want a place your community actually wants to hang out in, there's something here for you.
*These are the top-rated products in the online community management software category, according to G2 Grid Reports. I have mentioned the starting price of their monthly paid plans for easy comparison, wherever applicable.
At its core, I see community management software as a platform that helps me build, host, and grow a digital space where my audience can actually connect, not just with my brand, but with each other.
For me, it’s been the difference between a scattered set of conversations and a real sense of belonging. Think forums, events, DMs, content hubs, and member profiles, all in one place. It feels less like a group chat and more like a fully-equipped clubhouse for your people.
The best online community management software doesn’t just give you a space. It helps you run it without losing your mind. I am talking about features like moderation tools to keep things civil, analytics to see what’s working, email or CRM integrations to stay connected, event hosting to bring people together, and sometimes even monetization options.
Whether you're trying to activate users after sign-up, create a loyal following around your content, or build a customer community that runs on peer-to-peer support, the right software makes a massive difference. It becomes less about managing chaos, and more about scaling connection. For me, it’s not just about sparking conversations, it’s about building a system that drives growth, earns trust, and makes people want to come back.
I started my research by digging into G2’s category for online community management software. I filtered for tools with consistently high satisfaction scores, a solid volume of real-user reviews, and strong momentum in the space.
From there, I looked closely at each platform’s feature set. I prioritized tools that offered strong engagement and moderation features, customization flexibility, built-in event or content hosting, and meaningful analytics. I also checked how well they played with the rest of the tools like Slack, HubSpot, Salesforce, and even Zapier for automation.
In cases where I couldn't personally test the tool due to limited access, I consulted a professional with hands-on experience and validated their insights using G2 reviews. The screenshots featured in this article may mix those captured during evaluation and those obtained from the vendor's G2 page.
I’ve researched tons of community platforms while building spaces that actually thrive. These are the core things I always look for and why they matter to me.
After digging into over 20 platforms, I landed on the 5 best online community management tools. None of them are perfect, but each one offers something unique to the table and covers the essentials really well.
The list below contains genuine user reviews from the online community management software category. To be included in this category, a solution must:
*This data was pulled from G2 in 2025. Some reviews may have been edited for clarity.
Mighty Networks immediately caught my attention, not just because of its sleek design, but because it consistently tops the G2 Grid for online community management software. I wanted to see what all the buzz was about, and whether it could actually deliver on building a thriving, all-in-one digital community. And it does deliver.
When I first set up my space on Mighty Networks during my free trial, it honestly felt like the platform was one step ahead of me. As soon as I shared my community’s purpose, it generated a sleek, branded mockup, complete with imagery, tagline, and structure, almost magically.
The built-in AI chatbot cohost was actually useful, guiding me through setup with plain-language answers and clickable suggestions. It’s clear Mighty leans hard into AI to make onboarding smooth, and for someone juggling multiple tools, that felt like a breath of fresh air.
What I really like is how all-in-one it feels. I could create spaces for different groups, host challenges, add collections, and even build an event calendar — all without needing extra plugins or Zapier hacks. The platform is also visually engaging.
You can tweak colors, branding, role names, and navigation so it feels less like a cookie-cutter forum and more like a destination. G2 reviewers echoed this too. Many praised how intuitive and professional it feels once set up. One person even mentioned running an entire e-learning course and social community under one roof.
That said, it’s not without quirks. Several users pointed out (and I noticed this too) that there's a learning curve. The interface is polished, but it can feel layered — especially for non-tech-savvy folks when trying to work with some advanced features.
Also, pricing came up in reviews a few times. It’s not the cheapest option, and some useful features are gated behind higher-tier plans. So if you’re bootstrapping, you’ll want to be strategic.
Still, I think Mighty Networks is a solid pick if you’re looking for something more powerful than a Facebook Group but less chaotic than Slack or Discord. It’s great for community-led brands, coaches, educators, and even product communities that need more structure.
If you're building a space where people gather, learn, and grow together and you want it to look and feel like you, Mighty’s definitely worth exploring.
"Mighty Networks is simple and intuitive. There are plug and play options as well as combinations of features and enhancements that can be turned on in a toggle-switch. The Strategy Options behind HOW you want to run your community is endless and keeps community members engaged.
The team at Mighty is friendly and down to earth - they GET what you need and HOW to pull it off, and that's important in a community software that you notice the changes are coming and enhancements are made FROM the other community founders - the ECOSYSTEM of Community Needs builds the Community - it's a beautiful energy of founders helping founders.."
- Mighty Networks Review, Michelle P.
"There are some areas that could be improved… first off, it was very difficult to get real-time answers to questions and reach a human being for urgent questions after signing up.
Also, after the special offer expires, I do think the pricing is a bit steep considering my community plan does not have many features I am able to use (i.e., courses, adding pages, and other buttons that I can see, but are greyed out). Additionally, while the platform offers great features, the user interface could be more intuitive— some aspects, like creating payment plans and automation features, require a learning curve. Overall, it is a powerful tool for community-driven businesses and well worth considering if you’re looking to build an engaging community."
- Mighty Networks Review, Jessica G.
On a budget? Explore the top free online community management tools.
Circle feels like a platform built with intention, not just for building community, but for building your kind of community.
From the moment I jumped in, I was guided by a structured checklist that actually helped me get started, not just tick boxes. It gave me a sense of clarity as I explored all the tools, and there are a lot.
I was surprised (in a good way) by how feature-rich it is. From course hosting and event management to AI agents and automated workflows, Circle packs in serious functionality that creators and community-led brands will appreciate.
What stood out to me, and clearly to many G2 reviewers too, is how everything in Circle feels connected. You can create private spaces, segment your audience, onboard members with custom flows, and even launch challenges or gated content — all without needing five different apps or a tech team on standby. It’s polished, clean, and easy to brand as your own.
But if I had to nitpick, I’d say Circle can get a little pricey depending on the features you need, especially if you’re a solo creator or just starting out. Some of the more advanced tools, like branded mobile apps, automation, and AI agents, are behind higher-tier plans, so you’ll want to weigh what’s essential versus nice to have.
Also, based on user reviews, a few folks wished for more flexibility around layout and customization. Some expected a better mobile app experience. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it's worth noting if you’re coming in with a very specific feature wishlist.
That said, if you’re serious about building a structured, scalable, and interactive space, whether for courses, memberships, coaching, or faith-based communities (which several G2 users mentioned), Circle is absolutely worth the time investment.
I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a professional-grade platform that still feels intuitive and modern once you get the hang of it.
"Circle is an excellent platform for organizing a community around your course, passion, or whatever else you have to offer. They're super responsive to customer problems and ideas for new features.
They make it very easy to incentivize users to take part and to broadcast new content and opportunities."
- Circle Review, Matt Y.
"While there are various price plans, some features are locked behind the more expensive tiers and not best suited for solo founders."
- Circle Review, Justin H.
Read our complete guide on how to build an online community and generate the engagement you want.
I’ve always known Gainsight as a leader in customer success software, so I was curious to see how their community platform stacks up when I saw it on the G2 grid report, especially when it comes to creating spaces that drive product adoption, peer support, and long-term engagement, and it did not disappoint.
While I didn’t get to try Gainsight Customer Communities firsthand, I spent time exploring real communities built on it, and they’re impressive. From Miro’s well-organized discussion boards to Gong’s feedback loops and Zapier’s vibrant user ecosystem, it’s clear that Gainsight gives brands the tools to build highly structured and interactive customer hubs.
If you’re focused on scaling engagement and enabling peer-to-peer support at scale, it checks a lot of boxes, according to me.
What stood out to me (and clearly to reviewers, too) is how much the platform does under the hood. You’re not just getting a forum — you’re getting deep integration options, knowledge base capabilities, product ideation boards, and community analytics.
Users on G2 also pointed out how intuitive the UI is for members once it’s live, making it easier to encourage contributions and collaboration. And from a support standpoint, several reviews highlighted reliability and fast response times.
But not everything is turnkey. Few users noted that customization options can feel limited if you’re trying to brand it beyond standard themes or workflows.
Another thing I noticed from user reviews is that while the platform is functional, the UI could be more polished. Some users felt the design wasn’t as modern or intuitive as they'd hoped. It works, but there’s room for refinement.
Still, Gainsight feels like a great choice for SaaS companies, customer success teams, and enterprise organizations that are ready to scale community programs alongside their product.
So if you're building a customer-centric experience that blends self-service, knowledge sharing, and engagement, I'd say the Gainsight platform has a lot of potential.
"It supports my company's goals - Gainsight CC is sympathetic to a SAAS community's objectives and goals: their list of SAAS customers using their product illustrates this. From the beginning, they were able to easily shape the success plan for my new community and immediately understood the priorities and mission that we were aiming to achieve.
The integration with Salesforce has also made life easier for us, so we can maintain our knowledge base there. I've had an excellent CSM, Vishwas Katti, working with me too, and Hugo in Support is both a credit to the team."
- Gainsight Customer Communities Review, Sarah M.
"One thing I don't like is that the platform can feel a bit too basic sometimes. I wish there were more advanced features or customization options, which could make it even easier to use."
- Gainsight Customer Communities Review, Giorgos V.
Related: Learn how AI enhances customer self-service, support, and retention.
Webex Events & Webinars isn’t your typical online community management tool, and honestly, that’s not what it’s trying to be. From what I understood, it’s built for hosting structured, high-impact, multi-session experiences like internal kickoffs, conferences, trainings, and virtual or hybrid events.
In my opinion, Webex leans more toward event marketing and enterprise communications than everyday community engagement. But it earns a spot on my list because I know many organizations use large-scale events as a powerful way to build and energize their broader communities.
What really stands out to me in user reviews is how feature-rich and reliable the platform is for end-to-end event planning. People appreciate its intuitive registration system, solid reporting features, and support team that actually shows up when needed.
The ability to manage everything from badges and session content to speakers and attendees under one umbrella gives it a real operational edge, especially for more complex, multi-track events.
But, it's not without some wrinkles. From what I saw in user reviews, some folks felt that Webex Events & Webinars could benefit from a few more built-in features to match the flexibility of newer event platforms.
There were also mentions of limited customization options, especially when trying to tailor the experience beyond standard templates or workflows. That said, these didn’t seem like dealbreakers for most users, and many still found the platform reliable and effective for delivering professional, high-impact virtual events.
So my final recommendation? If you're looking to build a lively discussion forum or daily peer-to-peer community, Webex probably isn’t the best fit.
But if you need a rock-solid platform for hosting virtual trainings, running high-stakes webinars, or pulling off your next big hybrid event without duct-taping together a dozen tools, this one’s worth a serious look.
I'd recommend it to teams that care more about structured engagement and scale than casual, ongoing community chatter.
"It's the best software to manage all interactive events and webinars all in one go. It's super easy and the best source of customer interaction and integration."
- Webex Events & Webinars Review, Kritik C.
"The only thing I do not like about Webex is its UI and UX, which are quite basic. Additionally, the host features are quite limited, giving less liberty and control."
- Webex Events & Webinars Review, Utkarsh K.
Hivebrite was one of those platforms I kept hearing about whenever people talked about serious, all-in-one community management, so I wanted to see what makes it such a go-to for mission-driven organizations.
I didn’t get a chance to try Hivebrite myself, but just from exploring its feature set and reading through user reviews, it’s clear this is one of the more full-featured platforms out there.
From member management and segmentation to custom branding, event ticketing, it really feels like Hivebrite covers all the bases you’d expect from a modern online community solution. And the reviews definitely reflect that
Users consistently mentioned how versatile the platform is and how helpful the Hivebrite team is when it comes to onboarding and support. Several even called it a “one-stop shop” for community managers, which says a lot.
That said, from what I saw in user reviews, some folks did mention that a few features feel like they were built with specific use cases in mind, which can mean they’re a bit rigid or not fully customizable out of the box.
A couple of reviewers also pointed out that while Hivebrite is packed with functionality, you may occasionally have to rely on workarounds to achieve exactly what you want. It’s not a major issue, but it’s something to be aware of if you’re expecting a fully tailored solution.
On the whole, Hivebrite feels like a great fit for organizations that need a structured, centralized hub to manage everything from events and mentorship to member directories.
If I were running an association, nonprofit, alumni network, or any kind of mission-driven community, this is the kind of platform I’d seriously consider to keep everything running smoothly under one roof.
"The community platform solution that Hivebrite offers is extensive in terms of features and supports community management from start to finish. The platform and features are very customisable, so you can adapt it to the needs and branding of your organisation, making it seem like a custom platform to your users.
The features we like best and use most are events (+ registrations), a social wall to publish messages, 121 networking/matchmaking, and private groups.
The admin panel is intuitive, and there are many helpful articles and FAQs. In terms of user experience, Hivebrite has improved this part of the platform a lot. We now rarely have downtime, and the design looks fresher than it did a couple of years ago.
The support from the success managers and tech support team is great. They are friendly and very responsive. Overall, the platform is nice and of good quality for the price."
- Hivebrite Review, Linn V.
"Given HiveBrite is a Saas, the customization is sometimes limited. Certain changes to or additional features can be requested, but won't be developed if not many customers have a similar request. It is also possible that you are paying for features that you won't be using, while additional new features sometimes require an additional fee.
The system tends to have bugs. The implementation with existing company software is not always possible or requires additional solutions. It is not possible to implement social media pixels, which might make tracking of ad campaigns harder."
- Hivebrite Review, Marie-Aline K.
Looking for more ways to support and scale your customer relationships? Explore the best customer success software to drive retention, boost adoption, and support your users at every stage of their journey.
Online community management software helps organizations create, manage, and grow digital spaces where members can connect, collaborate, and share content. These platforms often include tools for forums, events, messaging, content publishing, analytics, and membership management. Whether you're running a nonprofit, alumni network, or customer success community, the right platform can make all the difference in engagement and retention.
While social media platforms offer broad reach, community management software gives you full control over branding, member experience, and data. Tools like Hivebrite or Mighty Networks allow you to create segmented member groups, gated content, custom branding, and robust analytics — things you just can’t do on Facebook Groups.
Yes. You can, and many do, especially for fast-paced or niche groups. Slack is popular for professional communities, while Discord tends to attract more casual or creator-driven audiences. However, these tools lack broader community features like public pages, SEO, event ticketing, or advanced analytics — things you'd typically find in dedicated community platforms.
The best online community platforms offer a mix of flexibility and structure. Look for features like member directories, customizable profiles, event and content management, engagement analytics, and integrations with tools you already use. If you're exploring platforms, compare options like Hivebrite, Circle, and Mighty Networks to see which fits your needs.
Absolutely. Many companies use community platforms to improve onboarding, reduce support costs, and boost adoption. For example, tools like Gainsight Customer Communities are built specifically to align community engagement with customer success outcomes.
Yes, especially if your community plays a role in customer success, brand loyalty, or peer support. A good community platform can reduce support tickets, increase product adoption, and even drive sales. The ROI becomes clear when you can track engagement, automate communication, and align member activity with your business goals.
If you're just getting started, there are a few free options that can help you build a community without upfront costs. Platforms like Facebook Groups, Reddit, Quora Spaces, Discord, and even Slack are commonly used by early-stage communities.
While these tools aren’t traditional community management software, they offer discussion spaces, notifications, and moderation features that can get the job done. However, they come with limitations, like a lack of branding, limited analytics, and little control over member data.
As your community grows, you may want to move to a dedicated platform like Circle, Mighty Networks, or Hivebrite for more structure, flexibility, and scalability.
If you're a small team just getting started, platforms like Circle and Skool are popular for their simplicity, quick setup, and relatively low cost. They offer core features like discussion spaces, events, and member directories without overwhelming you with enterprise-level complexity. As your needs grow, you can scale into more robust platforms like Hivebrite or Mighty Networks.
`Both Circle and Mighty Networks are popular for building online communities, but they cater to slightly different use cases. Circle tends to offer more flexibility for creators and educators who want modular spaces, while Mighty Networks leans into an all-in-one ecosystem with native course tools, events, and mobile apps. It really depends on how you plan to engage your audience.
Mighty Networks is built around community-first engagement, with strong tools for courses, events, and memberships all in one place. Kajabi, on the other hand, is more course-centric, built primarily for selling and delivering online content. Skool keeps things lightweight — it's popular for creators who want a clean, gamified community space with built-in courses and discussions. The right choice depends on whether you're leading with content, connection, or simplicity.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned digging into all these platforms, it’s that building an online community isn’t just about where it lives, it’s about how well the space supports real connections.
Whether you’re nurturing loyal customers, rallying your nonprofit base, or launching a creator-led membership hub, the right platform should make people feel like they belong and give you the tools to scale that feeling.
Every tool I looked at has its own vibe. Some are sleek and modular, others are packed with enterprise features, and a few just make setup feel way easier than expected.
But the biggest takeaway? Pick the platform that matches your community's energy, not just your checklist. Because when it clicks for them, that’s when it starts working for you.
Want to take your community engagement even further? Check out our guide on customer experience strategies and learn how to turn meaningful interactions into long-term loyalty.
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