# Best Community Software - 2026 Reviews & Pricing

> Find the best Community Software for your organization. Compare top Community Software systems with customer reviews, pricing, and free demos.

Source: https://www.softwareadvice.com/community

---

[Home](https://www.softwareadvice.com/)

/

Community Software

Software Advice offers objective insights based on verified user reviews and independent product and market research. When our advisors match you to a software provider, we may earn a referral fee.

# Best Community Software of 2026

Updated July 1, 2026

On this page

1.  FrontRunners
2.  Popular Comparisons
3.  Buyers Guide
4.  Related Software

Filter products

222 results

### Compare Products

Showing 1 - 25 of 222 products

#### Company Size

-   Self-Employed
    
-   2-10
    
-   11-50
    
-   51-200
    
-   201-500
    
-   501-1000
    
-   1000+
    

#### Pricing Options

-   $$$$$
    
-   $$$$$
    
-   $$$$$
    
-   $$$$$
    
-   $$$$$
    

### Compare Products

Sort by

**Sponsored**: Sorts listings by software vendors running active bidding campaigns, from the highest to lowest bid. Vendors who have paid for placement have a ‘Visit Website’ button, whereas unpaid vendors have a ‘Learn More’ button.  
  
**Reviews**: Sorts listings by the number of user reviews we have published, greatest to least.  
  
**Average Rating**: Sorts listings by overall star rating based on user reviews, highest to lowest.  
  
**Alphabetically (A-Z)**: Sorts listings by product name from A to Z.

4.59

[(92)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/mighty-networks-profile/reviews/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

Mighty Networks is a community management platform. With a Mighty Network, you can bring your courses, memberships, and offers together in a powerful community under your own brand on iOS, Android, and the web. We believe that when you put community at the center of online courses, memberships, and offers, you create magical member experiences just not possible with a chat app or Facebook group. This simple, but profound shift was forged scaling pioneering social platforms like Ning, and today means we've created software, strategy, resources, and education to get you phenomenal results faster and more easily than you can get anywhere else. Mighty Networks connects with Zapier to facilitate integration with various third-party payment or marketing platforms including Stripe, Memberful and Mailchimp. Pricing is available on a monthly or annual subscription and support is extended via phone and email.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/mighty-networks-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Electronic Payments

5.0

Ideation

5.0

Built-in Course Authoring

5.0

Real-Time Chat

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Social Promotion

2.5

Customizable Templates

3.1

Payment Processing

3.2

Moderation

3.5

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/mighty-networks-profile/#key-features)

### Community

$41.00/month

This plan is also available for $41 per month on an annual subscription.

### Courses Plan

$99.00/month

This plan is also available for $99 per month when billed annually.

### Business

$179.00/month

This plan is also available for $179 per month on an annual subscription.

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/mighty-networks-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

4.50

[(2)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/352198-Community-Platform/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Not available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

GrowthZone Community Platform, for associations, empowers you to create a modern, fresh, and vibrant space where connections are meaningful, ideas flourish and collaboration thrives. Leverage cutting-edge technology to facilitate authentic connections and enable seamless collaboration across diverse interests and audiences. GrowthZone Community Platform helps you grow member engagement with an all-in-one interactive community platform. Bring your members together in ways you never thought possible and provide a collaboration tool so good they will never want to leave.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/352198-Community-Platform/)

4.73

[(94)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/145606-Bettermode/reviews/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

Bettermode is an all-in-one customer community platform to engage customers and build meaningful experiences. A community built on Bettermode is a customer hub with many use cases. Product teams collect ideas and feedback. Customer support and success teams build resource centers and knowledge base. Marketing teams communicate with customers, organize events, and scale content creation. Key elements include complete customization, embeddable widgets, modern design, comprehensive API, gamification, analytics, powerful moderation tools, newsletter system, integration with popular tools, and more. Bettermode lets users start a discussion and provides additional functionalities that allow them to ask questions, start polls, organize events, follow people, comment on discussions and share content. In addition, community managers can customize the platform by adding a branded site header and footer. The solution can integrate with multiple tools such as Google Analytics, Slack, HubSpot, Hotjar, and MailChimp. Bettermode's localization capability allows companies to build multilingual communities with 30+ International languages.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/145606-Bettermode/)

### Best rated features:

Document Storage

5.0

User Profiles

5.0

Group Management

5.0

Text Editing

5.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/145606-Bettermode/#key-features)

### Starter

$399.00/month

### Growth

$1,500.00/month

### Enterprise

Custom

Pricing available upon request

For large businesses or those in regulated industries.

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/145606-Bettermode/#pricing-and-plans)

4.0

[(1)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/mobileup-profile/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

MobileUp is a cloud-based solution that provides businesses with tools to design and deploy applications for streamlining event management processes. Professionals can view upcoming event schedules, manage attendees and conduct virtual teleconference meetings on a centralized platform. MobileUp allows organizations to customize applications according to requirements and display event highlights using an image rotation carousel. Managers can create personalized profiles for speakers and conduct live polls or surveys to improve attendee engagement across virtual events. Additionally, it lets users access presentation materials and utilize the built-in directory to retrieve details about exhibitors, sponsors or speakers. MobileUp allows organizations to manage sponsorships and notify participants about event updates or announcements. Pricing is available on request and support is extended via documentation, phone, email and other online measures.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/mobileup-profile/)

### Basic

$100.00/year

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/mobileup-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[Brilliant Directories](https://www.softwareadvice.com/membership-management/brilliant-directories-profile/)

4.77

[(803)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/membership-management/brilliant-directories-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Small businesses

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

✨ TRY 7-DAY FREE TRIAL ✨ — www.BrilliantDirectories.com/Trial —— 🚀 EASY 15-MINUTE SETUP —— With Brilliant Directories, you'll get the basic configuration of your site online within minutes. From there, you can further customize with point-and-click design settings, creating membership plans, and adding your personal touches. Our fully hosted solution means you can focus on what truly matters—growing your community and boosting your revenue. —— 💸 MAXIMIZE RECURRING REVENUE —— Our platform helps you increase your income with automated recurring payments and past-due notifications. Plus, you can tap into multiple revenue streams like paywalls, digital products, and ad placements. Keep your members engaged with a variety of content, including blog posts, discussions, and events, all with customizable access. —— ⚙️ FOR BEGINNERS & DEVELOPERS —— Whether you're a newbie or an experienced developer, Brilliant Directories offers intuitive tools and advanced customization options. Beginners can enjoy a straightforward setup process, while developers can take advantage of custom coding capabilities to enhance their sites. —— 📦 SELL DIGITAL PRODUCTS —— Expand your revenue opportunities by selling digital products with ease. Our platform supports digital product sales, allowing you to monetize e-books, courses, downloadable resources, and more, all seamlessly integrated into your membership site. —— 🌟 BUILD THRIVING COMMUNITIES —— With Brilliant Directories, you’re not just creating a website—you’re building a vibrant, engaged community. Whether you’re starting a fitness club, a local business directory, or a professional association, our intuitive tools and dedicated support make scaling easy, ensuring long-term success. —— 🔧 ALL-IN-ONE SOLUTION —— Say goodbye to the headaches of WordPress. No more worrying about constant updates, broken plugins, or security vulnerabilities. With Brilliant Directories, you get a complete stand-alone solution that eliminates the need for multiple plugins and complex hosting setups. Focus on growing your site while we handle the technical details. —— 📧 BUILT-IN EMAIL MARKETING —— Forget about paying separately for email marketing solutions. Brilliant Directories includes complete emailing features that replace any other service. Send newsletters to thousands of users, manage transactional emails, automate billing reminders, and more—all from one platform. —— 🎉 GET STARTED TODAY —— Our customers love how easy Brilliant Directories is to use and all the built-in features it offers. Join them and discover why we’re a top choice on Software Advice. Give Brilliant Directories a try today and let us help you create a thriving, profitable community. —— ✨ TRY 7-DAY FREE TRIAL ✨ — https://www.BrilliantDirectories.com/Trial... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/membership-management/brilliant-directories-profile/)

### Best rated features:

User Management

5.0

Member Accounts

5.0

Event Calendar

5.0

Moderation

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Mobile App

4.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/membership-management/brilliant-directories-profile/#key-features)

### Lifetime Plan - Best Value

$1,450.00one time

### Monthly Plan - Upgrade to Lifetime Anytimg

$145.00/month

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/membership-management/brilliant-directories-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[ToucanTech](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/toucantech-profile/)

4.90

[(151)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/toucantech-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Value for money

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Not available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

ToucanTech is a community management platform that combines database management, website hosting, communication tools, and engagement features in one system. It is designed for schools, universities, alumni organizations, associations, and membership groups to manage and engage their communities. The platform includes a secure database for storing member records with querying and reporting capabilities. It offers a customizable website builder with branding and layout options, along with an optional private member portal and mobile app. Communication tools allow for sending newsletters and tracking engagement. Event management features support planning and organizing gatherings, while integrated payment processing handles transactions and invoices. The system automatically records member interactions to maintain updated records and provide insights into engagement. Additional tools include group and club management for creating sub-communities and fostering networking. ToucanTech centralizes member interactions in one location, reducing the need for multiple applications. It supports tasks such as data management, event planning, and communication within a single platform.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/toucantech-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Gift Matching Management

5.0

Member Types

5.0

Dues Management

5.0

Committee Management

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Ideation

2.5

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/toucantech-profile/#key-features)

[NiceJob](https://www.softwareadvice.com/review-management/nicejob-profile/)

4.86

[(203)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/review-management/nicejob-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Ease of use

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

NiceJob is a cloud-based reputation management solution that helps organizations manage reviews, referrals and sales. Key features include emailed review invitations, review reminders, reputation monitoring, website integration, SMS messages with photos, custom invite templates, social accounts and more. NiceJob features automated emails and text messages that trigger customers to leave reviews. Reminders are sent if customers don’t leave a review. Users can create customer stories using photos, comments and tags in the reviews. Customer stories can be published to the website and selected stories can be shared to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as well. NiceJob distributes reviews on sites with the help of a review funnel. The solution automates marketing by integrating with apps such as JOBBER, FieldPulse, Zendesk, Quickbooks, Zapier and Housecall Pro. NiceJob provides its services on a monthly subscription basis. Support is provided via email, live chat, online documents and an online help desk.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/review-management/nicejob-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Communication Management

5.0

Social Media Monitoring

5.0

Complaint Monitoring

5.0

Loyalty Program

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Reporting & Statistics

3.0

Alerts/Notifications

3.0

Activity Dashboard

4.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/review-management/nicejob-profile/#key-features)

### Reviews

$75.00/month

\- Get 4x more reviews and up to 2x more customers - Automate review requests and follow-up reminders - Feature reviews on your website with social proof widgets - Automate social sharing of your top reviews - Monitor reviews across the web for quick action... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/review-management/nicejob-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

### Pro

$125.00/month

\- All the benefits of Reviews PLUS: - Generate repeat business with automated booking reminders - Automate customer referrals with referral campaigns - Reward loyal customers with automated gifting - Get in-depth competitor SEO insights and topics tracking - Automate review replies with AI... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/review-management/nicejob-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/review-management/nicejob-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[QuestionPro](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/153082-QuestionPro/)

4.75

[(532)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/153082-QuestionPro/reviews/)

Best for:Customer support

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

QuestionPro is a cloud-based survey and research platform that enables users to create, distribute and analyze surveys, polls, forms and quizzes. It helps organizations gather actionable insights, optimize customer experiences, measure employee engagement and manage online communities. The platform supports several question types, ready-made templates and advanced survey logic including skip logic, branching and question piping. Users can fully customize surveys with logos, colors and layouts and deploy them via email, social media, website pop-ups, or mobile devices. Offline survey collection is also available to capture responses anywhere. QuestionPro includes AI-powered survey creation, allowing users to automatically generate relevant survey questions to save time and improve data quality. It also features AI-driven sentiment analysis, helping organizations understand open-ended feedback and identify key trends. The platform provides real-time dashboards, robust analytics and reporting tools to turn survey data into actionable insights. It integrates with popular tools such as Salesforce, Google Workspace, HubSpot, Tableau and Zapier, making it easy to manage data across the QuestionPro ecosystem or other business platforms. QuestionPro is suitable for individual researchers, small teams, medium businesses and large enterprises. Its versatile suite supports market research, customer experience management, employee experience programs and online community engagement.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/153082-QuestionPro/)

### Best rated features:

NPS Survey Structure

5.0

Search/Filter

5.0

Anonymous Feedback

5.0

Real-Time Data

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Commenting/Notes

3.0

Reminders

4.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/153082-QuestionPro/#key-features)

### Surveys & Research- Essentials

Custom

Pricing available upon request

Limited to 1 user

### Surveys & Research- Team Edition

$83.00/month

From 5+ users, billed annually.

### Surveys & Research- Advanced

$99.00/month

Upto 1 user, billed annually.

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/153082-QuestionPro/#pricing-and-plans)

[Preferred Patron Loyalty](https://www.softwareadvice.com/customer-reference-management/preferred-patron-profile/)

4.92

[(109)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/customer-reference-management/preferred-patron-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Features

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

Preferred Patron helps businesses turn one-time customers into repeat customers with loyalty, rewards, messaging, automation, and analytics in one scalable customer retention platform. Built for single-location businesses, growing multi-location brands, franchises, and enterprise programs, Preferred Patron helps teams launch quickly, engage members consistently, and measure what drives return visits, higher spend, and long-term value. Who Preferred Patron is built for: Small businesses and independents launch professional loyalty programs quickly with simple setup, built-in email and SMS, branded member experiences, and practical reporting. Multi-location brands use automation, segmentation, campaign templates, and store-level analytics to keep programs consistent while allowing local offers, events, and promotions. Franchises use role-based access, location hierarchies, shared assets, and templated campaigns so corporate teams can protect the brand while franchisees execute proven playbooks. Enterprises use APIs, KPI reporting, data exports, governance controls, and integrations to connect loyalty data with ecommerce, CRM, BI, and analytics systems. Key capabilities: Loyalty and rewards engine – Create points, cashback, stamp, tiered, milestone, birthday, referral, and member-perk programs. Configure earning rules, redemptions, expirations, bonuses, scheduled offers, auto-issue promotions, and replenishment campaigns. Built-in messaging – Engage members with email, SMS, mobile wallet, and in-app messaging. Automate welcomes, birthdays, win-backs, “miss-you” campaigns, promos, event reminders, and behavior-triggered journeys. Segmentation and automation – Build audiences by visit recency, spend, location, product mix, cohort, membership status, or engagement behavior. Send one-time campaigns or always-on journeys that react to customer activity. Analytics and insights – Track repeat visits, average spend, campaign lift, reward liability, member activity, cohort behavior, SKU performance, and store-level results so teams can see what is working and where to improve. Multi-location management – Maintain brand standards with central templates, shared assets, approval workflows, and corporate guardrails while giving locations flexibility for local calendars, partners, and inventory realities. Kiosk, POS, and check-in options – Support enrollment, check-ins, earning, and redemption through store-front workflows, kiosk enhancements, POS options, and mobile-friendly experiences. APIs and integrations – Connect loyalty data with ecommerce, CRM, analytics, reporting, and other business systems. Export data securely for enterprise reporting. Compliance and deliverability tools – Support consent capture, opt-in management, quiet hours, time-zone handling, and messaging best practices to help protect deliverability, brand reputation, and ROI. Design and branding – Launch with a branded loyalty experience, digital card art, email designs, and campaign creatives. Editions that scale with you: Small Business – Loyalty, messaging, and reporting for 1 to 3 locations. Growth – Advanced automation, larger messaging allowances, and deeper segmentation. Franchise – Multi-location governance, role-based permissions, shared assets, and network-level analytics. Enterprise – APIs, KPI reporting, analytics, data exports, and enterprise controls for high-volume programs. Services that support success: Preferred Patron offers onboarding, migration support, program design guidance, campaign planning, staff and franchisee training, KPI reviews, and ongoing success support. Whether you are a single shop building repeat business or an enterprise standardizing loyalty across hundreds of locations, Preferred Patron gives you a practical customer retention platform built to engage customers, increase repeat visits, and grow long-term loyalty.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/customer-reference-management/preferred-patron-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Point of Sale (POS)

5.0

Activity Tracking

5.0

Customer Activity Tracking

5.0

CRM

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Customer Surveys

3.0

Contact Management

4.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/customer-reference-management/preferred-patron-profile/#key-features)

### Small Business

$29.00/month

Small Businesses & Independents 1-5 Locations No member limit SMS & Email Marketing Included White-Labeled... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/customer-reference-management/preferred-patron-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

### Growth

$199.00/month

Mid-Market | Multi-location Businesses Advanced Features Unlimited Members SMS & Email Marketing Included White-Labeled... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/customer-reference-management/preferred-patron-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

### Enterprise

$10,000.00/month

Large and High-volume Businesses Multi-Location & Multi-Region 75 - 300 Location Allowance 250,000 - 1,000,000 Members White-Labeled... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/customer-reference-management/preferred-patron-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/customer-reference-management/preferred-patron-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[Instagram](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/instagram-profile/)

4.68

[(5184)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/instagram-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Photos/Images

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Not available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

Instagram is a social media application that enables businesses to manage content, create and edit posts and monitor customer engagement. It lets users share photos and videos, comment on other users’ posts, send private messages and search posts using custom keywords. Instagram allows marketers to gain insights into followers’ behavior and track the performance of posts and stories. Users can utilize editing tools and apply a variety of filters such as adjustment of exposure, brightness, or contrast on photos or videos before posting. Additionally, content specialists can use the application to add texts and drawings to photos or videos, remove audio files and upload digital content in bulk. Instagram allows organizations to set up and run online campaigns, promote selected posts and target audiences based on locations, interests, demographics, and more. It is available to users for free and support is extended via various online measures.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/instagram-profile/)

### What users love

-   Visual storytelling and sharing options
-   User-friendly and intuitive interface
-   Versatile multimedia sharing platform

### To take in mind

-   Security and account control issues
-   Algorithm and content quality frustrations
-   Addiction and mental health concerns

### Best rated features:

Social Advertising

4.9

Photos/Images

4.8

Mobile Access

4.8

Blogs

4.7

### Worst rated features:

Automated Scheduling

3.8

Discussions/Forums

3.8

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/instagram-profile/#key-features)

[ThoughtFarmer](https://www.softwareadvice.com/portal/thoughtfarmer-profile/)

4.82

[(118)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/portal/thoughtfarmer-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Features

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

ThoughtFarmer is a best-in-class intranet platform that helps organizations connect employees, streamline internal communication, and build a vibrant workplace culture. Designed for today’s hybrid and remote teams, ThoughtFarmer combines powerful, easy-to-use features like document management, news publishing, team directories, and online forms—all in one centralized hub. Whether you’re looking to improve employee engagement, simplify knowledge sharing, or bring your company values to life, ThoughtFarmer makes it simple. With 240+ powerful features, it helps teams stay connected, aligned, and engaged—whether working remotely, in-office, or hybrid. Creating and managing content is simple with drag-and-drop page templates and integrated media galleries. Document management tools let users upload, preview, edit, and organize documents, photos, and videos—complete with version control and customizable permissions. Employees can quickly find what they need through an integrated search engine with intuitive filtering, bookmarking, and customizable navigation. For internal communication and culture, ThoughtFarmer offers a dynamic social feed with shout-outs, @mentions, commenting, and activity streams—perfect for sharing announcements, recognizing employees, and building community. An interactive org chart makes it easy to visualize connections across locations, departments, and teams, with rich employee cards that include titles, contact details, and photos. Trusted by organizations worldwide, we help teams stay informed, aligned, and connected.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/portal/thoughtfarmer-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Blogs

5.0

Single Sign On

5.0

Configurable Workflow

5.0

Employee Portal

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Customizable Templates

3.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/portal/thoughtfarmer-profile/#key-features)

### Business

$6.00/month

As low as $6 per user per month (500+ employees). All features included, backed by our award-winning support, and 90-day risk-free guarantee.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/portal/thoughtfarmer-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/portal/thoughtfarmer-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[Slack](https://www.softwareadvice.com/remote-support/slack-profile/)

4.66

[(24134)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/remote-support/slack-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Group Messaging

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

Slack is a cloud-based project collaboration and team interaction tool designed to facilitate communication across organizations. The solution caters to various industries, including media, research, technology, education, financial services, retail, transport, and logistics. Slack provides public channels for members across organizations to start conversations. Private channels enable interaction within smaller teams, and direct channels help send messages directly to colleagues. Slack incorporates feeds from social media into the application and blends them with ongoing conversations in various channels. Files such as PDFs, images, documents, and spreadsheets can be shared via drag and drop. Slack archives messages, notifications, files (as well as the contents of files) and projects, all of which can be searched for later. Slack allows users to customize their notifications and reduce their scope. All changes are reflected in the native applications available for iOS and Android.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/remote-support/slack-profile/)

### What users love

-   Organized and central team messaging
-   User-friendly and intuitive interface
-   Streamlined project collaboration tools

### To take in mind

-   Message overload and history limits
-   Overwhelming notification volume
-   Restrictive free plan and high cost

### Best rated features:

Natural Language Processing

5.0

Scheduling

5.0

Private Chat

5.0

Recording

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Call Recording

3.0

Transcripts/Chat History

3.8

To-Do List

3.8

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/remote-support/slack-profile/#key-features)

### Free

Custom

Pricing available upon request

### Pro

$8.75/month

### Business+

$15.00/month

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/remote-support/slack-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[Uscreen](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-management/uscreen-video-platform-profile/)

4.77

[(128)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-management/uscreen-video-platform-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Electronic Payments

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

Uscreen is an all-in-one membership platform built for video creators to launch paid memberships that include an on-demand video library, live streaming capabilities, and their own community space, all in their own branded site and OTT apps. By using Uscreen, creators can build a stronger brand, create a more loyal community, and maintain a sustainable business.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-management/uscreen-video-platform-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Closed Captions

5.0

Membership Management

5.0

Multi-Channel Distribution

5.0

Reminders

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Metadata Management

3.5

Social Media Integration

3.5

Reporting & Statistics

4.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-management/uscreen-video-platform-profile/#key-features)

### Growth Plan

$199.00/month

Start earning recurring revenue with seamless video streaming. Receive a 20% discount to $149/month on any annual plans.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-management/uscreen-video-platform-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

### App Essentials Plan

$499.00/month

Build your brand & boost retention with mobile apps. Optimize your plan with Add-Ons for enhanced value. Receive a 20% discount to $449/month on any annual plans.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-management/uscreen-video-platform-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

### Uscreen Plus

Custom

Pricing available upon request

Contact Uscreen for pricing details.

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-management/uscreen-video-platform-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[Heights Platform](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/heights-platform-profile/)

4.89

[(71)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/heights-platform-profile/reviews/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

The Heights Platform provides all of the tools you need to create and sell your own online courses, challenges, memberships, private communities, coaching, digital downloads and content bundles. Our all-in-one solution is built for the creator who wants to share their knowledge with their learners.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/heights-platform-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Discussions/Forums

5.0

Billing & Invoicing

5.0

Membership Management

5.0

Reporting & Statistics

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Engagement Tracking

3.0

Course Authoring

3.0

Mobile Access

3.5

Course Tracking

4.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/heights-platform-profile/#key-features)

### Challenge

$29.00/month

The Challenge plan is also available for $19 per month with annual billing and comes with 30 days free trial.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/heights-platform-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

### Basic

$49.00/month

The Basic plan is available at $39/month when billed annually (20% discount).

### Pro

$99.00/month

The Pro plan comes at $79 per month when billed annually. Additionally, free 30 days trial is also available.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/heights-platform-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/lms/heights-platform-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[AlumnForce](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/alumnforce-profile/)

4.77

[(92)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/alumnforce-profile/reviews/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

AlumnForce is a cloud-based alumni success platform, designed to help build online alumni communities and engage students, alumni, teachers and recruiters within one central platform. The solution allows educational institutions and alumni communities to build a custom online network by combining features such as an online directory, online event ticketing, user management, newsletter management, job boards, surveys and polls, membership management, and more. AlumnForce can be used to locate lost alumni with graduate tracking tools, an online directory, and a "wanted" feature for searching for inactive members. The platform can also be used to help alumni find jobs using features such as an integrated CV bank, employability reporting, company profiles, internship agreements, a job board and recruiter accounts.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/alumnforce-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Document Storage

5.0

Real-Time Chat

5.0

Search/Filter

5.0

Tagging

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Mobile Access

4.0

API

4.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/alumnforce-profile/#key-features)

### Basic

$4,990.00

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/alumnforce-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[Influitive](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/advocatehub-profile/)

4.70

[(247)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/advocatehub-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Value for money

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Not available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

Influitive is an engagement and advocacy software that helps organizations manage a group of "on-demand" advocates. Influitive AdvocateHub’s features include engagement of advocates with targets and interactive challenges, exclusivity, recognition and rewards, building a community and experience, referral engine, track and measure, integration and campaign management. Influitive provides customized challenges to advocates on their preferences, demography and past behavior. These challenges educate advocates, collect feedback, share NPS surveys and give them a mission to complete. Its community-building feature helps advocates in creating profiles and allows them to share, collaborate and plan meetups with other people in the network. In addition, Influitive AdvocateHub integrates with customer relationship management (CRM), marketing automation and reference program integrations such as Salesforce, Marketo, HubSpot, Gravy, Zapire, and TrustRadius. Influitive is available as an iOS and Android application.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/advocatehub-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Event Triggered Actions

5.0

Reporting & Statistics

5.0

Campaign Management

5.0

Event Management

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Single Sign On

3.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/advocatehub-profile/#key-features)

[Re:amaze](https://www.softwareadvice.com/service-desk/reamaze-profile/)

4.85

[(53)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/service-desk/reamaze-profile/reviews/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

Reamaze is a cloud-based help desk and customer messaging solution that helps businesses support, engage and convert customers using a single app. It’s suitable for businesses across industries such as higher education, retail, food and beverage, health care and more. Key features include multi-channel communication, automated routing and issue tracking, knowledge base management and also live chat. Reamaze features a shared inbox that allows teams to manage interactions with customers from various channels such as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Twitter and SMS messages. Users can also monitor customers in real time, keep track of their activities and send canned responses to specific queries. Additionally, Reamaze features a self-service portal, customizable branding capabilities, email integration and a digital storage space for documents. Mobile applications for iOS and Android devices are also offered. Services are offered on a monthly subscription basis that includes support via email, FAQs and online live chat.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/service-desk/reamaze-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Automated Routing

5.0

Real-Time Monitoring

5.0

Autoresponders

5.0

Interaction Tracking

5.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/service-desk/reamaze-profile/#key-features)

### Basic

$29.00/month

All features in basic for $59 flat rate per month for unlimited team members. 14-Day free trial is also available.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/service-desk/reamaze-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

### Pro

$49.00/month

14-Day free trial is also available.

### Plus

$69.00/month

14-Day free trial is also available.

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/service-desk/reamaze-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[Invent App](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hybrid-event/invent-app-profile/)

4.88

[(42)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hybrid-event/invent-app-profile/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

Invent App solutions help companies and event organizers promote, plan and hold digitalized events. It provides web and mobile applications (available on Android and iOS) to support the organization of any type of event: virtual conferences, hybrid congresses, in-person business seminars, etc. The platform is designed to suit the branding and colors of companies for a unique app that strengthens their identity. A great panel of widgets such as agenda management, one-to-one meeting, interactivity and feedback offer an immersive experience for attendees and better insights into opinions about the event. Check-in and self check-in features help event organizers monitor the attendance of participants; they also have the opportunity to share updates thanks to push notifications during the event. Other features such as gallery, newsfeed or information pages enable users have the best experience of events; the platform also provides detailed analytics functions once events are done. Invent App uses the integration of third-party software such as Whereby and Zoom for videoconference sessions.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hybrid-event/invent-app-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Email Templates

5.0

Reporting & Statistics

5.0

Sponsorship Management

5.0

Social Promotion

5.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hybrid-event/invent-app-profile/#key-features)

### Plan

Custom

Pricing available upon request

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hybrid-event/invent-app-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[Connecteam](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/connecteam-profile/)

4.64

[(5293)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/connecteam-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Mid-size businesses

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

Connecteam was designed and built as a true all-in-one solution. Easily engage and manage non-desk employees with a true all-in-one mobile app. Connecteam offers a powerful, mobile-first platform that helps improve communication, enhance daily processes and save time. Connecteam is trusted by over 50,000 companies and is used by more than 100,000 employees worldwide. Starts at just $29/month for up to 30 users - sign up now and start your free 14-day trial! Running a business is hard and at times overwhelming. That’s why we created Connecteam, so businesses can easily communicate, operate and train their deskless teams, no matter where they are. Our mission is to help businesses thrive by taking away the daily hustle and complexities of managing teams so they can have the peace of mind to grow and run their business. We focus on everything employees and managers need to better manage their day to day, in one easy to use platform: multiple tools to enhance employee communication and engagement, employee training and onboarding, employees scheduling, time tracking, timesheets management, digital checklists and forms, task management, HR and welfare, knowledge centers, files storage, and much more! Ensure a secure and easy login for system admins with Active Directory Single Sign-On (SSO). And the best part? Connecteam works like lego. Every business can activate the features it needs and highly customize them for the best fit.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/connecteam-profile/)

### What users love

-   Intuitive and accessible interface
-   Streamlined scheduling and tracking
-   Centralized team coordination tools

### To take in mind

-   Limited forms and reporting flexibility
-   Complex and escalating pricing structure
-   Inconsistent mobile and desktop experience

### Best rated features:

Orientation Workflow Management

5.0

Multi-Location

5.0

Geolocation

5.0

Blogs

5.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/connecteam-profile/#key-features)

### Basic

$29.00/month

This package is available for $29/month billed annually or $35/month billed monthly. The price is for the first 30 users, $0.5/month for each additional user.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/connecteam-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

### Advanced

$49.00/month

Price is for the first 30 users, $1.5/month for each additional user.

### Expert

$99.00/month

Price is for the first 30 users, $3/month for each additional user.

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/connecteam-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[Raklet](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/raklet-profile/)

4.71

[(92)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/raklet-profile/reviews/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

Raklet is a cloud-based club and event management solution that provides an integrated workflow for maintaining a contact database, collecting payments, organizing events and automating email and SMS communication. Raklet enhances member management by offering customer relationship management (CRM) for record-keeping and encourages community engagement with private social networks and smart forms for gathering member information. A dashboard provides a timeline of recent community activity and an at-a-glance view of organizational performance. Data stored with Raklet is secure and kept private and support is available at any time by email or phone. Membership fees, donations or ticket sales can be collected through the platform, and communications can be improved through rich email messages. Raklet operates on a tiered pricing model, offering a free plan for organizations with fewer than 1000 contacts and additional price points designed for small to midsize businesses. Raklet also collects transaction fees for payments received through the platform. It features Android, Windows Phone and iOS mobile apps.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/raklet-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Reporting/Analytics

5.0

Property Database

5.0

Engagement Tracking

5.0

CRM

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Accounting

1.0

Document Management

2.5

Campaign Management

3.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/raklet-profile/#key-features)

### Free

$0.00/month

Pricing is available for free. This plan offers 50 contacts.

### Essentials

$59.00/month

Pricing starts at $59/month. This plan offers 1000 contacts.

### Professional

$119.00/month

Pricing starts at $119/month. This plan offers 2000 contacts.

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/raklet-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[Spacebring](https://www.softwareadvice.com/space-management/spacebring-profile/)

4.91

[(33)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/space-management/spacebring-profile/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

Spacebring helps coworking space operators deliver superior member service through automated operations, built-in AI, and an admin mobile app. The platform helps operators serve customers faster, reduce admin chores, and streamline operations, while delivering a seamless branded customer experience to sign up, book, pay, and get support with ease. The result is efficient operations, faster service, and a better member experience across every location.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/space-management/spacebring-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Visitor Tracking

5.0

Facility Scheduling

5.0

Real-Time Notifications

5.0

Self Check-In/Check-Out

5.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/space-management/spacebring-profile/#key-features)

### Business

€175.00/month

Everything you need to offer superior member service, automate billing, and foster community. Add locations and members as you grow.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/space-management/spacebring-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

### Enterprise

Custom

Pricing available upon request

Expand to multiple locations with hundreds of members.

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/space-management/spacebring-profile/#pricing-and-plans)

[VeryConnect](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/veryconnect-profile/)

4.86

[(37)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/veryconnect-profile/reviews/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Not available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

VeryConnect is a connected membership platform that unifies your CRM, events, communications, payments and website. Because everything lives in one place, you stop losing data at the handoffs between disconnected systems. That means you get a real, complete picture of member engagement, not a fragmented guess. You can see which members are thriving, which are quietly drifting, and where to act, before it becomes a retention problem.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/veryconnect-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Segmentation

5.0

Member Directory

5.0

Activity/News Feed

5.0

Real-Time Chat

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Access Controls/Permissions

2.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/veryconnect-profile/#key-features)

[Mygate](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/489522-MyGate/)

4.75

[(63)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/489522-MyGate/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Available

Free version: Available

Software Advice Summary

Mygate is an all-in-one community ERP built to simplify and automate every aspect of apartment management for owners, tenants and management committees. Mygate’s expertise lies in accounting, billing, invoicing, vendor management, helpdesk, asset tracking, communication, compliance, and amenities under one integrated system built specifically for RWAs & treasurers.. It is also known for its visitor management and security ERP capabilities. Trusted by 5 mn+ residents across 27k+ housing societies in 50+ cities, it is the most widely adopted platform. With a 250+ feature suite, Mygate helps RWAs manage all operations efficiently. ₹9,000 Cr in invoices processed, ₹4,500 Cr in dues managed, 60 lakh+ helpdesk tickets resolved, 15 lakh+ amenity bookings, & 100 Cr+ entries validated annually. Its robust accounting module handles invoicing, TDS, GST, reconciliation, budgeting, audit trails, and vendor payments. Mygate’s system understands the nuances of gated community finances from corpus tracking to penalty logic to compliance-ready reporting, making it the best accounting software in this category. Beyond finance, it powers communication, bookings, polling, staff attendance, asset tracking, & more. Rated 4.6 on the Play Store & 4.7 on App Store, Mygate continues to lead in innovation, depth, & adoption. It is the only community management ERP at scale that combines financial accuracy, operational transparency, and resident experience on one platform It is the only community management ERP at scale that combines financial accuracy, operational transparency, and resident experience on one platform. Its strengths lie in providing continuity in association processes, handling a wide range of management tasks, and serving as a one-stop portal for community needs. If you need a comprehensive solution for all your apartment management needs, from billing to communication, Mygate is a strong option. Why Mygate Stands Out: 1. Covers 250+ features across accounting, communication, and community engagement. 2. Handles every aspect of society management within one secure platform. 3. Prevents data loss during committee changeovers. 4. Reduces manual work, increases accuracy, and ensures process continuity. 5. Trusted by over 30,000 societies across India for reliability and scalability.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/489522-MyGate/)

### Best rated features:

Owner Portal

5.0

Property Database

5.0

Reminders

5.0

Accounting

5.0

### Worst rated features:

ID Scanning

3.5

General Ledger

4.0

Emergency Notification

4.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/489522-MyGate/#key-features)

### Basic

Custom

Pricing available upon request

[See full pricing details](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/489522-MyGate/#pricing-and-plans)

[Almabase](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/almabase-profile/)

4.69

[(144)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/almabase-profile/reviews/)

Best for:Ease of use

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Not available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

Almabase - Comprehensive Alumni Engagement and Fundraising Platform Crafted for alumni relations and fundraising teams within HigherEd, K12 schools, and nonprofit organizations, Almabase is designed to help institutions of all sizes enhance engagement and streamline their programs. Our all-in-one engagement & fundraising platform empowers your team to know your community better with with data-driven insights, foster meaningful connections from the initial engagement to donation, and build a stronger sense of community through integrated, user-friendly features. Key Features: 1. Digital Engagement: Scale personalized, self-serve engagement across alumni, parents, and supporters. Our tools help you build lasting relationships through customized outreach, ensuring continuous and meaningful engagement with thousands of constituents in education and nonprofit sectors. 2. Event Management: Simplify event planning, execution, and tracking with features designed to handle the complexities of large-scale events—whether in-person or virtual. From scheduling and invitations to real-time attendance tracking, Almabase ensures smooth event management for institutions of all sizes. 3. Online Giving: Enhance your fundraising efforts with highly customizable online giving pages. Almabase amplifies urgency and participation by offering secure, easy-to-navigate donation platforms that drive more contributions, specifically designed for education and nonprofit fundraising. 4. Seamless CRM Integration: Integrate Almabase with popular CRMs such as Raiser’s Edge NXT, Blackbaud, Salesforce, and Ellucian. Our seamless sync capabilities ensure alumni and donor information, including social media data, is automatically updated, keeping your records accurate and your communications personalized. 5. Smart Automation: Reduce manual workloads and improve operational efficiency with automation for data syncing, event management, and communications. Almabase automates routine tasks, enabling your team to focus on higher-level strategy while minimizing errors. 6. Security and Compliance: Maintain high standards of security and compliance. Our platform protects sensitive alumni and donor data, ensuring your institution meets necessary regulations and standards. 7. Scalability: Built to support your institution's growth, Almabase can handle increasing engagement and fundraising needs, making it a future-proof solution for your alumni relations and fundraising efforts. Benefits: 1. Enhanced Alumni Experience: Provide a fully branded and engaging experience for your alumni, enhancing their satisfaction and loyalty. 2. Simplified Donor Management: Our all-in-one platform simplifies donor management, making it easier to track and nurture relationships with constituents. 3. Up-to-Date Alumni Information: Keep information current with automatic updates from integrated CRMs and social media platforms. 4. Bi-Directional Sync: Simplify data processes with true bi-directional sync with your CRM, ensuring consistency and accuracy across all platforms. 5. Automated Newsletters: Run personalized, automated newsletters that keep alumni informed and engaged with your institution's latest news and events. 6. Unified Engagement Reporting: Unify engagement reporting across channels and programs, providing comprehensive insights into alumni interactions and contributions. 7. Social Media Engagement: Measure and analyze engagement on social media platforms, refining outreach strategies. Who Uses Almabase? Almabase is ideal for development and constituent relations teams within universities, K-12 schools, and alumni associations. More than 250 schools, colleges, and universities leverage Almabase to power their alumni engagement and fundraising initiatives. Designed to meet the unique needs of educational institutions, Almabase provides the tools and insights necessary to build strong, lasting relationships with alumni and drive successful fundraising campaigns.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/almabase-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Mentoring Program Management

5.0

Mentor/Coach Matching

5.0

Access Controls/Permissions

5.0

Receipt Management

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Mobile Giving

3.0

Moderation

3.0

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/almabase-profile/#key-features)

[Staffbase](https://www.softwareadvice.com/intranet/staffbase-profile/)

4.74

[(80)](https://www.softwareadvice.com/intranet/staffbase-profile/reviews/)

### Pricing availability

Free trial: Not available

Free version: Not available

Software Advice Summary

Staffbase is the first AI-native employee experience platform. Staffbase enables HR, IT and internal communication teams to reach, connect and engage all employees - from headquarters to the frontline. Our multi-channel solution connects companies through a fully-branded employee app, a modern intranet, an email newsletter solution, SMS, digital signage, Microsoft 365 integrations – and through new agentic experiences such as personalized podcasts and a conversational assistant. All channels are powered by a single platform with an end-to-end AI foundation. Communicators across an organization can use Staffbase to deliver targeted, hyper-personalized content to employees wherever they are and in over 75 languages. For employees, Staffbase is the front-door to their digital employee experience, where they can access company information, business applications and other resources and tools for their daily work. Staffbase aligns employees behind a common purposes and drives, engagement, productivity and retention. Serving 2,000 customers in over 50 countries, including Adidas, Alaska Airlines, DHL, MAN Truck & Bus, and Whataburger, Staffbase connects over 16m employees globally. Staffbase was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Chemnitz, Germany, and New York City. It is a global business with over 750 employees and major locations in Germany, the UK, the United States and Australia.... [Read more](https://www.softwareadvice.com/intranet/staffbase-profile/)

### Best rated features:

Customizable Branding

5.0

Engagement Tracking

5.0

Communication Management

5.0

Multi-Language

5.0

### Worst rated features:

Training Management

3.6

Time Off Management

3.7

Calendar Management

3.7

Search/Filter

3.8

[See all features](https://www.softwareadvice.com/intranet/staffbase-profile/#key-features)

1

[2](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/?page=2)[3](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/?page=3)[4](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/?page=4)[5](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/?page=5)

...

[9](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/?page=9)

## Popular Comparisons

[

Connecteam vs Slack

](https://www.softwareadvice.com/hr/connecteam-profile/vs/slack/)

## Your Guide to Top Community Software, March 2025

Software Advice uses reviews from real software users to highlight the top-rated Community products in North America.

[Learn how products are chosen](https://www.softwareadvice.com/legal-page/frontrunners-methodology/)

#### Explore FrontRunners

-   [Almabase](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/almabase-profile/)
-   [Brilliant Directories](https://www.softwareadvice.com/membership-management/brilliant-directories-profile/)
-   [Circle](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/circle-profile/)
-   [Discord](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/discord-profile/)
-   [ExpertVoice](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/readypulse-profile/)
-   [Flock](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/165028-Flock/)
-   [Glue Up](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/glue-up-profile/)
-   [Influitive](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/advocatehub-profile/)
-   [MeltingSpot](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/meltingspot-profile/)
-   [Microsoft Viva Engage](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/yammer-profile/)
-   [Raklet](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/raklet-profile/)
-   [Slack](https://www.softwareadvice.com/remote-support/slack-profile/)
-   [ThoughtFarmer](https://www.softwareadvice.com/portal/thoughtfarmer-profile/)
-   [ToucanTech](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/toucantech-profile/)
-   [Uscreen](https://www.softwareadvice.com/video-management/uscreen-video-platform-profile/)
-   [uuki](https://www.softwareadvice.com/community/uuki-profile/)
-   [Vaave](https://www.softwareadvice.com/nonprofit/vaave-profile/)
-   [Webex Suite](https://www.softwareadvice.com/voip/webex-profile/)
-   [Workplace from Meta](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/165817-Workplace/)
-   [Zelos Team Management](https://www.softwareadvice.com/gamification/zelos-profile/)
-   [Zendesk Suite](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/26892-Zendesk/)

“Usability” includes user ratings for Functionality and Ease of Use.

“Customer Satisfaction” includes user ratings for Customer Support, Likelihood to Recommend and Value for Money.

Reviews analysis period: The reviews analysis period spans two years and ends the 15th of the month prior to publication.

Online communities provide a platform for individuals to connect around a shared interest, goal or activity. Users form a network, develop relationships and collaborate by sharing information and engaging with content.

Community software helps businesses build and develop these forums, cultivate followers and maintain memberships. These tools automate administrative processes and provide businesses with actionable data on metrics and trends such as site activity and user engagement.

There are a variety of solutions on the market designed to serve every type of business need, including brand building, customer support and many more.

We’ve created this guide to help you better understand the community software market so you can select the right tool for your organization. Whether you’re looking to invest in community software for the first time or looking to replace your current system, this guide can help you make a more informed purchase decision.

Here's what we'll cover:

[What Is Community Software?](#WhatIsCommunitySoftware)

[Key Features of Community Software](#KeyFeaturesofCommunitySoftware)

[Types of Community Software](#TypesofCommunitySoftware)

[Key Considerations for Community Software Buyers](#KeyConsiderationsforCommunitySoftwareBuyers)

## What Is Community Software?

Businesses and associations build online communities to achieve several goals:

-   Increase brand awareness
    
-   Grow their customer base
    
-   Support customers throughout the entire customer life cycle (i.e., considering, purchasing, using, maintaining and/or replacing a product or service)
    
-   Provide a forum for discussion/feedback regarding products and/or services
    

Of course, first and foremost, communities should provide value to the end user.

Community software solutions help businesses build, launch, manage and measure the effectiveness of their online communities so as to strive for continuous improvement, i.e., provide the most value to the customer.

Example forum report using Socious

## Key Features of Community Software

Look for the following community software capabilities as you compare solutions:

**Member management**

Enable users to create profiles, join groups and/or chapters. Often includes search functionality or a directory. Can include membership dues management (works with merchant account platforms) to manage paid memberships.

**Content management**

Create web content and track how users interact with different types of content. Can include process documentation, wikis, articles and more. Set up online and emailed content alerts for when content is added or updated.

**Forums and discussion boards**

Facilitate communication and collaboration among users, allowing them to follow threads, share ideas, post questions and respond to inquires. Includes features such as @ mentions, the ability to like and/or share posts, insert emojis, add tags and other classifications to posts and archive discussions. Often includes the ability to send private messages as well.

**Blog creation and management**

Set up blogs for your business, employees or individual members. Allow users to create and share content, organize content using tags and other classifications and subscribe to blogs. Includes security settings, user permissions and the ability to turn commenting on or off.

**Gamification/crowdsourcing**

Increase user engagement in your community with tools such as gamification, contests, surveys and/or polls. Invite users to post scores on their profile or share to their social networks.

**Media libraries**

Upload and store files in a centralized, searchable location. Features often include customizable user permissions, share settings and the ability to turn on/off commenting. Enlist users in library maintenance by allowing them to tag out of date files, broken links etc.

**Event management**

Showcase events and conferences and work with your partners to cultivate sponsorships and your customers to build out your attendees. Features include online registration, agenda/calendar building and payment management.

**Reporting and analytics**

Includes dashboards and reports for several metrics, including member activity, site interactions, content shares and many more. Schedule one-off or recurring reports, view data in various graphical displays and export data to Excel. Create custom reports to track trends unique to your business or industry.

## Types of Community Software:

Community software can create and manage several types of communities. These can generally be grouped as follows:

**Internal business tools.** This includes communities designed to facilitate collaboration among employees and crowdsource ideas to solve internal business issues. They can also act as an internal knowledge center where employees can access reference material, join relevant groups and search for important business documentation and processes. Can also include professional development and training.

Capabilities might include:

-   Employee directory
    
-   Wikis
    
-   Talent referral
    
-   Opinion surveys and polls
    

**Business-to-consumer (B2C).** This includes a variety of communities designed to help businesses engage with current and prospective clients, most often centered around business development/sales, customer relationship management, support and training. Can also host reviews of products and services. Non-profit and professional development associations can also use this software to engage with members or users rather than customers.

Capabilities likely include:

-   Branded blog, news, and/or social network
    
-   Forums and discussion boards
    
-   Content and media library
    
-   Group/chapter management
    
-   Event management
    

**Business-to-business (B2B).**

B2B communities enable businesses to interact with other organizations in their industry, most often through partner programs and industry and awareness brand marketing. This resource can be helpful when highlighting new programs, product releases and updates as well as when creating and/or responding to RFPs.

Capabilities often include:

-   Business profiles
    
-   Product/service videos
    
-   Document sharing
    
-   Event management/sponsorship tools
    

**Consumer-to-consumer.** This category includes communities built by consumers to serve and engage with other consumers, such as interest-based communities (e.g., sports, video games, city/geographical involvement etc.), professional development associations and product/service reviews forums.

Capabilities might include:

-   Member profiles
    
-   Group/chapter management
    
-   Forums and discussion boards
    
-   Private messaging
    
-   Content management
    

Additionally, it’s possible (and likely) for a hybrid community to exist within any of these categories. An example of this is when customers interact with each other and the business joins in on the discussion.

Each community will require member management and offer some degree of reporting/analytics for administrative members. As the primary goal for these systems is to provide value to end users, it’s important to chose a solution with reporting functionality that supports your business and industry requirements.

## Key Considerations for Community Software Buyers

Keep the following purchase considerations in mind as you compare solutions:

**Open-source community software.** There are several open-source solutions on the market that can help you get an online community set up with lower upfront costs than you’d have with a paid solution.

However, you will require an IT staff to host and maintain the system, which means, as one vendor states on their website “you break it, you fix it.” You also have limited support, training and customer service options with open source tools, so consider the needs of both your administrative and end users before choosing this option.

**Integration with existing business software.** Integration allows for seamless data transfer between applications, which is a chief concern when using disparate systems. Look for tools that integrate with your existing business applications (e.g., your CRM, marketing, help desk and social media accounts) to save time and reduce duplicate data entry.

**Actionable insights/reporting.** The key with reporting is to gain actionable insights. Your community software should help you strive for continuous improvement so as to provide the most value to your end user, so you should supplement your reporting strategy with feedback loops. Additionally, look for trends that allow you to enhance and tailor the user experience to each member group, which can lead to increased and prolonged membership.

### Related Community Software

-   [Collaboration Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/collaboration/)
-   [Directory Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/4765-directory/)
-   [Knowledge Management Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/help-desk/knowledge-management-comparison/)
-   [Social Networking Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/social-networking/)