Top 10 Online Community Platforms for Creators in 2024

With a plethora of platforms available, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. In this guide, we compare the top 10 online community platforms for 2024 that are designed to help creators, influencers, coaches, and brands grow their communities, foster engagement, and generate income. Let’s explore each platform’s key features, benefits, pricing, and what makes them stand out.

1. Socially.so

Socially.so is a robust online community platform that provides creators with all the tools needed to build, manage, and monetize their communities. It's perfect for influencers, content creators, and coaches who want a comprehensive platform with flexibility and scalability.

• Key Features:

  • Customizable Community Spaces: Create branded spaces tailored to your audience’s needs.

  • Content Monetization Options: Includes features for subscriptions, gated content, and merchandise sales.

  • Engagement Tools: Polls, live chats, events, and forums to keep the community active and engaged.

  • Analytics Dashboard: Provides deep insights into member engagement and content performance.

• Benefits:

  • Great for creators who want to maintain control over their community design and user experience.

  • Supports multiple revenue streams, including direct donations, subscriptions, and affiliate marketing.

• Pricing: Offers a variety of pricing plans to cater to different community sizes and needs. Offers lifetime plans on and off, refer socially.so

2. Patreon

Patreon is one of the most popular platforms for creators looking to build a subscription-based community. It allows creators to offer exclusive content and perks to their subscribers in exchange for a monthly fee.

• Key Features:

  • Membership Tiers: Offer multiple membership levels with varying benefits.

  • Content Locking: Easily restrict content access to paying members.

  • Integration with Other Tools: Seamlessly integrates with Discord, YouTube, and other platforms.

• Benefits:

  • Ideal for content creators, artists, podcasters, and educators looking to monetize their work through fan support.

  • A well-known platform with a large user base, making it easier to attract new members.

• Pricing: Charges a commission on earnings, with plans ranging from 5% to 12% of monthly income.

3. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks provides a powerful platform for building branded communities with a focus on courses, memberships, and events. It is designed for creators who want to offer both free and paid content within a single ecosystem.

• Key Features:

  • Branded Mobile Apps: Launch your own branded app to provide a seamless experience.

  • Course Creation Tools: Built-in tools for creating and selling online courses.

  • Rich Community Features: Includes discussion boards, events, groups, and direct messaging.

• Benefits:

  • All-in-one platform for community engagement, content distribution, and monetization.

  • Suitable for creators, coaches, and educators focusing on both community and course sales.

• Pricing: Starts at $89/month with additional charges for advanced features like course sales and white-label apps.

4. Circle

Circle is a modern community platform that integrates well with existing tools, making it perfect for creators who want a dedicated space for their audience without moving away from platforms they already use.

• Key Features:

  • Seamless Integrations: Connects easily with Notion, ConvertKit, Slack, and more.

  • Customizable Spaces: Create private or public spaces for discussions, courses, or content sharing.

  • Event Hosting: Built-in support for live events, webinars, and workshops.

• Benefits:

  • Clean, user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate for both creators and members.

  • Highly flexible, catering to different types of communities from education to fandoms.

• Pricing: Starts at $39/month with scalable options based on community size and needs.

5. Discord

Originally designed for gamers, Discord has evolved into a versatile community-building platform that many creators use for its robust communication features.

• Key Features:

  • Real-Time Chat: Text, voice, and video channels for direct and group conversations.

  • Bot Integrations: Use bots to automate tasks, moderate chats, and enhance engagement.

  • Role-Based Permissions: Manage access and permissions to different parts of your server.

• Benefits:

  • Free to use with optional paid boosts for enhanced features.

  • Great for communities that thrive on real-time interaction and tight-knit engagement.

• Pricing: Free, with optional Nitro boosts for additional server customization.

6. Kajabi

Kajabi is a premium platform that combines community-building tools with course creation, marketing automation, and website management, making it ideal for creators with a strong focus on digital products.

• Key Features:

  • All-in-One Solution: Manage your website, courses, and community from one dashboard.

  • Sales Funnels and Marketing Automation: Integrated tools to help convert visitors into members.

  • Community Forums and Member Areas: Provide private spaces for your community members to engage.

• Benefits:

  • Comprehensive solution for content creators, coaches, and entrepreneurs selling digital products.

  • High-quality customer support and a range of resources to help you succeed.

• Pricing: Starts at $149/month, with a 14-day free trial.

7. Facebook Groups

While not as feature-rich as dedicated community platforms, Facebook Groups remain popular due to their simplicity and massive user base.

• Key Features:

  • Ease of Access: Most users are already on Facebook, making it easy to join groups.

  • Content Moderation Tools: Built-in tools for managing posts, comments, and member behavior.

  • Event and Poll Features: Encourage engagement with polls, Q&A, and live video.

• Benefits:

  • Free to use and easy to set up, with a wide range of users familiar with the interface.

  • Great for creators who want to keep their community engagement simple and accessible.

• Pricing: Free to use, with paid options available for ads and promotions.

8. Tribe

Tribe is a customizable community platform designed for brands and creators who want to embed a community directly into their website or app.

• Key Features:

  • Embeddable Widgets: Integrate community features into existing websites or apps.

  • Customization Options: High level of customization to match your brand’s look and feel.

  • Gamification and Rewards: Use points, badges, and leaderboards to encourage engagement.

• Benefits:

  • Perfect for creators who want a community platform that feels like a natural extension of their brand.

  • Supports advanced integrations with tools like Slack, Zapier, and HubSpot.

• Pricing: Starts at $59/month for basic features, with enterprise options available.

9. Substack

Substack has quickly become a favorite among writers and content creators who want to build a newsletter-based community. It allows creators to offer free or paid subscriptions to their written content.

• Key Features:

  • Email Newsletter Platform: Create and send newsletters directly to subscribers.

  • Monetization Options: Charge for subscriptions or offer tiered memberships.

  • Built-In Community Features: Engage readers through comments and direct responses.

• Benefits:

  • Ideal for bloggers, journalists, and writers who want a direct relationship with their audience.

  • Low entry barrier with a user-friendly interface.

• Pricing: Substack takes 10% of your subscription earnings.

10. Discourse

Discourse is a powerful, open-source forum software ideal for building a community-focused on discussion and collaboration.

• Key Features:

  • Customizable Forums: Organize discussions into categories, tags, and groups.

  • Extensive Moderation Tools: Manage content and user behavior effectively.

  • Plugin Support: Extend functionality with plugins for features like chat, calendars, and more.

• Benefits:

  • Great for communities centered around discussions, knowledge sharing, and collaboration.

  • Highly customizable and scalable, suitable for both small and large communities.

• Pricing: Free for self-hosting, with hosted options starting at $100/month.

Conclusion

Choosing the right online community platform depends on your specific needs, the type of content you create, and how you want to engage with your audience. Whether you prioritize flexibility with Socially.so, simplicity with Facebook Groups, or monetization through Patreon or Mighty Networks, there’s a platform tailored to help you grow your community and achieve your goals in 2024.

Evaluate these options based on your content strategy, audience needs, and monetization plans to find the best fit for your creative journey. Happy community building!