11 best online community platforms for creators

Discover how some of the most popular online communities compare and which characteristics to consider when a creator.

TL;DR

See how popular online community platforms stack up

Community-based online communities can be a great opportunity to help your clients, connect with your audience and make recurring revenue. Setting up your community on the right platform gives the foundation you need, regardless of where your creative travels.

Read on to find out how these 11 popular platforms measure up to:

• Facebook groups
• Patreon
• Circle
• Discord
• Discourse
• Tribe
• BuddyBoss
• Mighty Networks
• Higher Logic
• Slack

Let's find the perfect solution to help make your web community shine.

There was a time when I was invited to a friends' dinner celebration. I wasn't aware of all the other guests. But the moment someone started an argument about plants in the house We all chatted for hours.

Thanks to our shared fascination with succulents and monsteras, I have learned some interesting plant information and came off feeling refreshed.

If people are connected by the same interests or objectives it's like magic.

As an artist, you are given the possibility of curating this kind of experience for your readers as well as customers, friends, and fans through the help of an online community.

The process of selecting the ideal website platform could be a daunting task. Nobody wants to waste endlessly navigating sales pages We'll spare you some time.

This article will go over the essential factors to consider and some of the top online communities that allow creators to share their work. Let's get started.

What features to be looking for when choosing an online community platform

Based on their comments and feedback, we found that efficient online community platforms should include these elements:

It is the platform that houses the entirety of your work as a creator:Ideally, you should be able to manage your community on the internet, market digital goods, create your site, and provide services from one platform. This way, customers don't have to log into multiple platforms to experience your content.

Members are able to interact with one another and also the person who created it:Community is all about interaction, and your website should make it easy for people to chat with each other and with you.

60% of consumers are looking for brands to engage with their customers  as well, and your online community can be the perfect place to accomplish this.

Conversations are recorded and searchable.There's nothing more frustrating than having to answer the same question repeatedly. Make your community more efficient and relevant by using search functions that ensure conversations don't go unnoticed over time.

Moderation tools:The top communities will be secure and fun for all. Moderation tools make that possible. Being able to block harmful users and take down content that is in violation of your policies keeps your community secure.

Creators may charge users for access and offer different tiers: Your platform should allow for premium plans, along with free memberships to community groups. The availability of options will mean you won't have to migrate as the business grows.

Cost:The platform you use must be priced at a cost which is suitable for the business you are running. Pay attention to charges for transactions since they could eat away at your earnings as your community grows.

Although there are some free community-based tools however, they are often limited in features. When calculating the price, consider the cost of any additional tools from third parties you'll need to make the system work as you'd like.

With these features in mind we'll take a look at a few of the best communities for entrepreneurs and creators.

    Pricing is correct at the time of publication , but can change at any time.    

11 of the best community websites online for creators

#1

What are the benefits of 's community tool? All of it in one place provides a seamless customer experience since they don't need to log into dozens of applications. With a single sign-on you can provide your customers with everything they require.

There aren't any algorithms or distractions to contend with.

Within your community, you can organize content by topic as well as share announcements. You can also upload rich media files like pictures and videos. The members of your community can interact with you via postings, comments and even likes. There's an area to post resources, such as course materials as well as products.

People can create member profiles by putting in their social media accounts to expand their professional network. There are also search features and moderation tools to keep your space safe.

Here are popular use cases that you can use in your own community

Create a customer community around your products and courses so students can interact with what you teach.

Offer customer support for your online business.

Make connections with people who share the same topics as you.

Get financial support from your largest fans. Perfect for musicians, artists, filmmakers, writers and many other entrepreneurs with a creative flair.

    community pros and cons    

Pros:

Make communities that are free and/or paid that offer different price tiers

Easily add resources like course materials and other products to your community

Sell your digital products including webinars, services, and products all from one central location

Cons:

If you love coding and building custom tools for your business, community-based turnkey solutions won't be the ideal fit for you.

#2 Facebook groups

What are the features of Facebook groups? With 2.91 billion active monthly users , it's likely your perfect community members are using Facebook.

New followers can discover your Facebook page using the integrated search tools You'll also get useful tools like live-streaming as well as content moderation and polls.

But on the other hand there's always a chance to be up against algorithms if you host your community via social media. The posts you post may only get seen by a smaller portion of your followers but you don't have control over whom sees what.

Creators Jill as well as Jeffrey Dalton from The Whole Food Plant Based Cooking Show moved their community away from social networks to increase visibility The show's creators Jill and Jeffrey Dalton have moved away from social media for.

Facebook is a social media platform. Facebook it isn't possible to create membership tiers or charge for community access, making the process of monetizing difficult. You also can't use an individual domain, or even create an white-label community service if that's what your business needs.

    Facebook Group Pros and Cons    

Pros:

It is possible to have unlimited group members

A majority of users are already familiar with the platform

Access to live streaming, rich media uploads, and moderation tools

Cons:

Your posts may not be displayed to every one of your fans

The platform can be distracting and result in lower involvement

It's difficult to earn money for your community as well as create pay subscriptions

There are no custom domains, or white labeling

Questions about platform ethics and privacy

How much do Facebook groups cost? Facebook group membership is free to join.

#3 Patreon

Patreon makes it easy for customers to back your work financially. Musicians, artists and other creatives are able to establish subscription plans for their followers that they are able to join. In exchange for their support, members get access to exclusive information.

What's the functions of Patreon? While Patreon was never intended to function as a community forum per se members can participate in the site by leaving comments on the creator's blog posts, and also receiving messages via email.

There's a downside to this: there aren't any free tiers available on Patreon which means you're able to only make a premium online community. If you were looking to create an open community to increase the customer experience or to serve as a complement to your online course, Patreon wouldn't be the ideal choice.

Although Patreon does not charge any fee for joining, they take a share of any revenue you earn through the platform for their fees. If the size of your community grows it could result in an impact on your profits.

    Patreon Pros and Cons    

Pros:

Create paid membership tiers to earn recurring income

Sign up for free

Connect with your members via messages, emails, and postings

Cons:

Community plans are not free.

Patreon charges transaction fees for all earnings that you earn through the platform

    How much will Patreon price?    

Lite: 5% of the monthly income you earn on Patreon

Pro: 8percent of your monthly income you earn on Patreon

Premium: 12percent of your amount you earn each month on Patreon

#4 Circle

Circle is an easy-to-use software ideal for those who require features for community members.

What are the benefits of Circle? Circle makes it easy to offer open and private areas for organizing cohorts of students. You can create different subscription plans and create a member directory Chat privately, or use chat rooms for groups and create events with private event spaces.

Professional plan users can host live video streams, and Circle has many integration options so that it is possible to connect it to applications you're already using.

However, Circle doesn't have a integrated system to sell courses and premium products which is why you'll have to connect other tools for that to be possible.

Although Circle does have handy features for managing your online community, users must pay transaction costs in addition to a fixed monthly rate. There are also limits to storage capacities and this could cause problems when you need to share massive video or image files.

    Circle communities' pros and pros and    

Pros:

Create free or paid community memberships with several options for subscriptions

Live streaming and run events on the platform

Public and private community spaces

Cons:

There are no built-in tools to sell digital downloads, courses, and coaching

Creators pay monthly fees , as do transaction fees

Storage restrictions

    How much does Circle cost?    

Basic: $39/month

Professional: $79/month

Enterprise: $399/month

#5 Discord

Discord was initially created to allow group of friends could stream video games and chat simultaneously, but you could also make use of it to establish your own community online.

What exactly are functions that Discord offers? Discord allows you to establish channels for different topics, converse with members, and run group audio and video calls. It is possible to create private channels and even grant custom permissions for members.

Although the base Discord software is completely free to use, there's no direct way to charge for membership in a Discord group. Pricing plans are difficult, as is the fact that it's not possible to create a native sales page or sell digital items.

You may need to connect third-party tools to get this functionality. Discord is a great chat tool but isn't the ideal choice for those who do not require software for managing content, event management systems, or community tiers that are paid.

    Discord pros and cons    

Pros:

Basic chatroom tool is accessible for use at no cost

Group audio and video calls

Create channels for different topics and private spaces

Cons:

It is only possible to create community for free since there's not an easy way to charge users

No sales pages or storefronts to promote your community

There are no built-in tools to sell digital downloads, classes, as well as coaching

    How much does Discord cost?    

Free

Discord Nitro Classic: $49.99/year

Discord Nitro: $99.99/year

#6 Discourse

Discourse is a simple community chat application that is focused on chats.

What's the capabilities in Discourse? With Discourse, you can create private spaces, upload file attachments, make polls and create invite-only communities. It is also possible to install themes for different looks.

This discussion forum software notifies members when they're mentioned in a post and provides users with useful moderation tools and analytics.

However, Discourse creators don't have the capability to natively sell digital downloads , products or services therefore you'll need to connect with additional tools. If you want to create subscription-based communities or paid communities it is necessary to install additional plugins.

Although the base Discourse software is open source and available for free to download on Github but setting it up on a self-hosted server isn't easy. The paid plans take care of the techie details for you.

    Pros and cons of the language    

Pros:

Make public and private areas to members

Members are notified when somebody mentions them in a tag or reply

Design different looks in your community using themes

Cons:

No built-in ability to sell digital products

You'll need integrations if you would like to establish a paid community

Best for creators who are technologically adept.

    How much does Discourse cost?    

Free plus the costs of self-hosting

Standard: $100/month

Business: $300/month

Enterprise: Custom pricing

#7 Tribe.so

Tribe is a customizable community platform used by businesses as well as by brands.

What are the features of Tribe? Users on Tribe can set up endless spaces, create tags for posts according to categories and interest, and set up either private or public communities. Community modes and management tools.

Although Tribe is a good choice for a community with beneficial community-building features, a downside is that there's no integrated method to create subscription plans for paid members. If you'd like to create your community entirely or partly paid, you have integrate with third party integrations.

The same is true for selling digital items, and you'll have to join other tools when this is included in your product range.

    Pros and cons of Tribe    

Pros:

Post tags for simple organizing

Private and public communities

Unlimited space

Modifications to the theme's layout, sidebars, and header

Cons:

It is necessary to integrate integrations in order to build paid-membership communities.

No built-in way to sell digital downloads or products

    What's the price of Tribe Cost?    

Basic: Free up to 100 people

Plus: $59/month

Premium: $239/month

Enterprise: Custom pricing

#8 BuddyBoss

BuddyBoss is the name of a WordPress plugin that lets you create an online community for your personal website.

What are the features of BuddyBoss? With BuddyBoss you are able to build activities feeds, construct an online directory of members, and create separate forums and groups.

Creators can include blog functions as well as charge for access to community as well as sell digital goods through additional integrations. The basic idea is that BuddyBoss allows you to build an entire WordPress website to serve your audience.

You'll enjoy a lot of options, building it all yourself can get complicated quickly. It is possible that you will need additional paid tools to get everything you require that could have an arduous learning curve.

    BuddyBoss Pros and Cons    

Pros:

A lot of flexibility as you can build on WordPress and add features you'd like to integrate with

Create an activity feed and the member directory of your community

Cons:

Utilizing a variety of third-party software could be costly and hard to keep track of as you progress

Extra charges like hosting for websites and domain name registration

    How much does BuddyBoss cost?    

One site A website costs $228 a year

Five websites for $ 288/year

Ten websites: $388/year

#9 Mighty Networks

With Mighty Networks, you can make paid and free communities, with unlimited membership.

What exactly are capabilities of Mighty Networks? This online community software allows the hosting of events as well as broadcast live stream in real-time for up to 4 hours per month, according to the plans.

However, Mighty Networks has storage restrictions on every plan. Additionally, they charge a 3 percent transaction fee for the course and community purchase, which is expensive when you consider that you pay a flat rate to use the platform.

    Mighty Networks pros and pros and    

Pros:

Memberships to the community are paid and free.

Unlimited members

Events are hosted and you can run live streams

Create a sales page to promote your community

Cons:

Storage limits

Transfer fees are plus a flat monthly charge

    How much will Mighty Networks cost?    

Community plan Cost: $39/month

Business plan 119 dollars per month

#10 Higher Logic

Higher Logic is an online community forum tool designed for business.

What's the benefits that are available with Higher Logic? With Higher Logic, you can keep a database of data for customers to use, develop your own self-service knowledge database keeping members up to date with your projects.

It's not clear if you are able to offer subscriptions, or plans that are paid for with Higher Logic. If you want to make a charge for your group, you might have to integrate a separate software.

    Higher Logic pros and cons    

Pros:

Build a customer library

Create a knowledge base for your group members

Run virtual events

Community automation and personalized workflows

Cons:

Designed for larger organizations and corporations, in contrast to the independent creators

Pricing information isn't easily accessible

How much does Higher Logic cost? Higher Logic doesn't list prices on their website. It is necessary to set up an appointment with them to talk about plans and packages.

#11 Slack

The original purpose of Slack was for remote teams. Utilized by large and small corporate alike, Slack typically is a chat tool for workplaces however it could also be used to create online community.

What's the features of Slack? With Slack, you can create public and private channels for any topic you wish to are discussing. Additionally, you can make messages available to groups and individuals.

The software integrates with plenty of tools that are popular, and the mobile apps are available to iOS and Android.

The downside to using Slack as an online social network is it's not possible to directly charge for access or establish membership tiers. There's no public-facing website or sales page, making community-building a challenge.

You can also only search through the 10,000 most recent messages on the basic plan. This will be quick in the event that your community expands but over time, important information could get lost.

If you exceed the free plans that you are on, you will be charged the monthly cost per user. This could be cost-prohibitive for larger communities.

    Slack's pros and cons    

Pros:

Chat-based software that is well-organized and has well-planned conversations

Private and public channels

Individual and group messages

In-app audio and video calls

Cons:

The free plan is limited to how many messages you can find

No option to charge to access

No sales pages or websites to promote your community

On the paid plans, the cost is per user

    How much does Slack cost?    

Free

Pro: $8/month per user

Business: $15/month per user

Enterprise: Custom pricing

Choosing the right online community platform is important for your business

Locating the best place to host your community online could transform your online community from being good to extraordinary. The ideal platform will offer the following key features:

The platform connects the work you do as a creator and provides a user-friendly experience.

Members are able to interact with one another.

Conversations are saved and searchable.

Admins have moderation and membership management tools.

Access can be charged and provide different levels of service.

It is possible to run your community at an affordable cost.

We have designed a way to examine all these boxes and more.