- Engagement-first platforms: Most tools now bundle forums, polls, AI tools, and event management to drive participation.
- Integrations are essential: Common connections include CRMs, email, and payments—e.g., Mailchimp, Stripe, Zoom, and Eventbrite.
- Wide pricing spectrum: From free options (e.g., Discord, Bettermode) to enterprise suites (Higher Logic Thrive, Glue Up) exceeding $2,500/year.
- AI & automation rise: Platforms like Circle and Kajabi ship AI for content creation and moderation.
- User sentiment split: Lower-priced tools win for simplicity; high-end tools face pushback on cost and complexity.
- Join It stands out for value: Transparent pricing, a 30-day free trial, strong integrations, and a 4.7 rating on SoftwareAdvice with excellent Trustpilot reviews.
Top 15 Community Apps In 2025
In this tech-savvy landscape, we'll unveil the crème de la crème - it means the best of the best in French - of community applications, each with its unique charm and functionality….🚀
From the sleek interface of Mighty Networks to the seamless collaboration in Join It, these apps redefine the way we connect and engage in the virtual universe.🌐
Navigating through the list promises not just a glimpse into the features and pricing structures but also a journey into the heart of online communities.
As we delve into the reviews, you'll discover firsthand insights, shedding light on the user experiences that make these apps stand out.
Prepare for an enlightening expedition! 💡
What is a Community App?
In the dynamic landscape of digital interactions, a community app stands as a virtual space designed to foster
- connections,
- collaboration,
- and engagement
among a group of individuals who share common interests, goals, or affiliations. These apps serve as centralized platforms where community members can communicate, share resources, and participate in discussions, creating a vibrant online ecosystem.
A community app typically features tools and functionalities that facilitate seamless communication, such as
- forums,
- member database management,
- and messaging systems.
It goes beyond mere social networking, aiming to provide a dedicated space tailored to the specific needs of its user base.
The Top Benefits of Using Community Building Software
In the ever-evolving digital landscape of 2025, community-building software has become a cornerstone for fostering connections and collaborations. Here are the key advantages that make these platforms indispensable:
- Improved Engagement: One of the primary goals of community apps is to boost engagement and create a thriving community. With features like polls, surveys, and interactive discussions, members feel more involved, fostering a vibrant and dynamic community spirit.
- Better Organization: Community building software helps in organizing content, discussions, and events. Categorization, tags, and search functionalities ensure that information is easily accessible, contributing to a well-structured community.
- Streamlined Collaboration: These applications facilitate smooth collaboration among community members. Shared documents, collaborative projects, and integrated tools ensure that the collective effort is cohesive and efficient.
For insights on building a successful membership community, we invite you to explore our comprehensive guide.
Join It
Join It is a membership management system aimed at associations, clubs, and non-profits. It offers a unified member database, payment processing, and integrations with Mailchimp, Eventbrite, and Stripe. Join It emphasizes ease of use and transparent pricing with no hidden fees.
Key details
- Designed for associations and clubs to manage memberships and events
- Integrates with popular tools such as Mailchimp, Eventbrite, and Stripe
- Includes digital membership cards and admin seat controls
- Free 30-day trial (no credit card required)
User sentiment
- Users generally praise Join It for its simplicity and value for money
- Reviewers note it “handles membership management with minimal fuss”
- Integrates easily with other services and offers responsive customer support
- Some mention a learning curve, but still appreciate features like automatic renewal reminders and helpful chat support
Pricing Plan
Free Trial: 30-Day Free Trial | No Credit card required
Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is a community platform that allows creators and organizations to combine courses, events, and community interactions under one roof.
Key details
- All-in-one platform for hosting communities, courses, and events with live streaming and chat
- AI-powered tools for course creation and community moderation
- Integrates with Zoom and payment processors
- 14-day free trial (no credit card required)
User sentiment
- Customers appreciate the private space outside of big social media platforms
- Praised for integrating courses, events, and community interactions in one place
- Strong support from the Mighty Networks team
- Flexibility to build communities around specific topics and create a sense of ownership
Pricing Plan
Free Trial: 14-Day Free Trial | No credit card required
Circle
Circle is a modern community platform that combines discussion spaces, courses, live streams, and monetization tools. It provides a unified interface for creators and organizations to build communities and host online events.
Key details
- Community spaces with threaded discussions, live streaming, direct messages, and a website builder
- Course hosting, event management, paid memberships, gamification, and analytics across all plans
- Add-ons such as an email hub and branded mobile apps available for an extra fee
- 14-day free trial (no credit card required)
User sentiment
- Praised for its clean interface, strong course functionality, and ability to manage multiple community spaces under one umbrella
- Easy to moderate discussions and run paid memberships
- Some reviews note that advanced workflows are only available on higher-tier plans
- AI features are still emerging and not yet fully developed
Pricing Plan
Free Trial: 14-Day Free Trial | Credit card required
Bettermode (Tribe)
Bettermode is a white-label community platform built to let businesses host forums, knowledge bases, and product communities in their own environment. It emphasizes customization and API integrations, allowing organizations to create a community experience that matches their brand.
Key details
- Provides discussion forums, knowledge base, events, and private groups in a fully customizable interface
- Offers advanced moderation tools, analytics, custom domains, and single sign-on (SSO)
- Starter plan is free; paid tiers add more customization and integrations
User sentiment
- Customers highlight ease of setup and a high level of customizability
- Responsive support team receives frequent praise
- API and integrations make it easy to embed community features into existing products
- Noted for having a low learning curve while still offering powerful configuration options
Pricing Plan
Free trial: The platform offers a free Starter plan rather than a time‑limited trial. Upgrading to the Pro plan does not currently include a separate free‑trial period.
Kajabi
Kajabi is a well-known all-in-one platform for creating, marketing, and selling online courses and memberships. It bundles website building, email marketing, coaching tools, and community features into one subscription.
Key details
- Integrates website building, digital products, payment processing, and community features
- Offers pipelines for marketing automation, AI-assisted course outline creation, podcasts, webinars, and mobile apps
- Free trial (typically 14 days) but requires a credit card; no long-term free plan
User sentiment
- Praised for being an all-in-one solution and easy to use for hosting courses and communities
- Positive feedback highlights the ability to build a learning library and accept payments quickly
- Criticized for being expensive for non-profits and restrictive in certain features
- Some users mention it’s not ideal for beginners and the absence of a free version is a drawback
Pricing Plan
Free Trial: 14-Day Free Trial | Credit card required
Wild Apricot
Wild Apricot is cloud-based software for associations, clubs, and nonprofits that need to manage memberships, events, and websites. It offers a 60-day free trial and tiered pricing based on the number of contacts.
Key details
- Provides online membership database, event registrations, website builder, email campaigns, and payment processing
- All plans include the same features; pricing scales with contact count
- 60-day free trial with no credit card required
User sentiment
- Customers value Wild Apricot as a one-stop shop for membership management, event organization, and website hosting
- Some users find it difficult to customize website pages
- Complaints about declining customer support following Personify’s acquisition
- Negative reviews also mention conflicting instructions from support representatives
Pricing Plan
Free Trial: 60-Day Free Trial | No Credit card required
Slack
Slack
Slack is a widely used collaboration and messaging platform for teams. It offers channels, direct messaging, voice and video huddles, and deep integrations with thousands of apps.
Key details
- Provides messaging channels, file sharing, voice/video huddles, and up to 90-day message history on the free plan
- Integrates with thousands of business apps; advanced features include Slack AI summarization and automation
- Paid plans support unlimited message history, unlimited integrations, external messaging, and enterprise-grade security
User sentiment
- Praised for intuitive communication tools (channels, direct messages, huddles) and a broad integration ecosystem
- Free plan seen as limited due to 90-day message history
- Paid plans are often considered expensive compared to alternatives
- Audio/video quality is weaker than dedicated meeting platforms
- Constant notifications can feel distracting for some users
Pricing Plan
Free Trial: No Free Trial Available
Discord
Discord is a real-time voice, video, and text chat platform originally built for gaming communities and now used across education, business, and social groups. The free version includes robust features, while paid subscriptions (Nitro) unlock cosmetic upgrades and higher upload limits.
Key details
- Supports private or public servers with text, voice, and video channels
- Includes roles, permissions, screen sharing, and bot integrations
- Nitro subscriptions provide larger file uploads, animated avatars, HD streaming, and server boosts
- No general free trial; promotional trials are occasionally offered through partners
User sentiment
- Excels at seamless communication across text, voice, and video
- Loved for organized servers with multiple channels and flexible bot integrations
- Smooth experience across desktop and mobile devices
- Criticisms include performance issues on large servers, limited file uploads without Nitro, and complex moderation tools
- Users also mention notification overload and ongoing privacy concerns
Pricing Plan
Free Trial: No Free Trial Available
Disciple
Disciple is a white-label community platform that lets brands launch their own mobile and web apps. It focuses on flexibility and ownership, giving organizations full control of branding, data, and monetization.
Key details
- Provides mobile and web apps with unlimited members, courses, livestreaming, and push notifications
- Includes dedicated account manager and support
- Monetization options through subscriptions and paywalls
- Annual billing includes a two-month discount compared with monthly billing
User sentiment
- Praised for intuitive, customizable spaces and strong engagement tools
- Users value the dedicated account manager and hands-on support
- Some reviewers note that it can be expensive
- Certain customers found it wasn’t the right fit for their business and switched to competitors
Pricing Plan
Free trial: There is no free trial; customers book a demo and start a paid subscription (confirmed by Capterra’s pricing page)
Podia
Podia is an all-in-one platform for creators to sell online courses, digital downloads, coaching, and memberships. It offers a simple interface and built-in email marketing.
Key details
- Provides website builder, online store, email marketing, blogging, webinars, and digital downloads
- Plans include unlimited products and members; transaction fees vary by plan
- Free 30-day trial with full access to all features
User sentiment
- Praised as a great starting platform for building and hosting courses and communities
- Users highlight ease of use and integrated tools
- Criticisms include limited website customization, occasional bugs, and weak customer communication
Pricing Plan
Free trial: 30 days
Heartbeat
Heartbeat is a community platform that combines chat, forums, events, courses, payments, and automation in one workspace. It targets creators and organizations seeking a unified hub for their communities.
Key details
- Includes chat channels, threaded forums, events calendar, course builder, payments, and automated workflows
- Allows custom domains, integrations, white-label email, and embed widgets
- 14-day free trial; no credit card required
User sentiment
- Praised for offering a more focused alternative to Facebook groups
- Discussions are organized like Slack channels, making them easier to follow
- Appreciated for notification management that avoids overwhelming users
- Positive feedback highlights the new course feature and use of voice notes to boost engagement
Pricing Plan
Free Trial: 14-Day Free Trial | No Credit card required
Graduway
Graduway is an alumni and career networking platform used by educational institutions to connect alumni, students, and mentors.
Key details
- Cloud-based alumni networking platform offering mentorship programs, events, job boards, and fundraising tools
- Integrates with CRM systems; includes directory and mobile app for alumni engagement
- Offers a free trial
User sentiment
- Praised for enhancing alumni services and strong CRM integrations
- Appreciated for ease of use and integration with LinkedIn/Facebook
- Useful features include directories and events, though some institutions find it challenging to drive initial sign-ups
- Criticism includes lengthy migration times and aggressive upselling practices
Free Trial: Available
Higher Logic Thrive
Higher Logic Thrive is a suite of community and marketing automation products targeted at associations and B2B organizations. Pricing is largely quote-based, and the vendor does not publish detailed pricing or offer a free trial.
Key details
- Combines community platform, marketing automation, and member engagement tools
- Features include discussion forums, newsletters, events, member directories, and analytics
- Requires a setup fee; no free trial or free version
User sentiment
- Praised by some reviewers as cost-effective compared to competitors like Khoros
- Considered fairly priced for the range of features offered
- Criticized for a cumbersome, bug-prone design interface
- Users report poor customer support and frequent technical errors
- Complaints include difficulties editing pages, saving work, and meeting deadlines, leaving some to feel the product is overpriced given the issues
Pricing Plan
- Community/Marketing Suite – Quote-based
Free Trial: No
Uuki
Uuki is a community platform geared toward creators and brands looking for a simple, affordable solution. It allows members to engage in discussions, events, and paid spaces, and supports monetization via subscriptions and one-time purchases.
Key details
- Offers discussion forums, events, membership subscriptions, and monetization tools
- Supports custom domains, private spaces, polls, and weekly digest emails
- Includes a 14-day free trial
User sentiment
- Praised for excellent value due to affordability and feature-rich plans
- Users appreciate its intuitive interface, strong discussion features, and modern design
- Some drawbacks include extra fees for full white-labeling and sales commissions
Pricing Plan
Free Trial: No Free Trial Available.
Glue Up
Glue Up is an all-in-one CRM and community management platform designed for associations, chambers of commerce, and member-based organizations.
Key details
- Combines membership management, event management, payment processing, and community engagement in one system
- Provides private social networking, groups, direct messaging, business card exchange, and automated invoicing
- Includes GDPR and PCI DSS compliance
- Pricing is opaque and quote-based; no free trial available
User sentiment
- Strengths include its all-in-one platform and networking tools
- Criticized for opaque, high pricing and significant setup/add-on costs
- Website builder described as outdated and inflexible
- Mobile apps can be slow or buggy
- Additional reviews note robust membership and event management but highlight slow navigation, basic reporting, poor email deliverability, and slow customer support
Pricing Plan
- Glue Up – Starting at $2,500/year
Free Trial: No Free Trial Available.
Guides from the Experts
Through our work with 4,000+ organizations - we’ve put together helpful guides to assist; regardless of where you are on your journey.
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A Complete Guide to Membership Organizations
Everything you need to know to manage and grow your membership business
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Maximize Membership Retention: 10 Proven Strategies
Tried and true strategies that not only win membership, but keep them
Build a Membership Website: A Step-by-Step Guide
Your one-stop resource for knowing all the features your modern membership website needs
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