# Discourse vs Gainsight Customer Communities Comparison
---
## AI Generated Summary
- **G2 reviewers report** that Gainsight Customer Communities excels in providing valuable insights into customer engagement, with users appreciating its ability to connect with customers and gather their opinions on various topics. This feature enhances the overall user experience, making it easier for customer success managers to manage relationships effectively.
- **Users say** that Discourse stands out for its user-friendly interface and extensive customization options, allowing for the creation of diverse topics and categories. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for fostering open discussions and sharing ideas, which users find valuable in a community setting.
- **Reviewers mention** that Gainsight Customer Communities has a higher overall satisfaction score compared to Discourse, indicating a stronger performance in meeting user needs. Users have highlighted the platform's resources as essential for resolving doubts and enhancing their daily operations as customer success managers.
- **According to verified reviews** , Discourse users appreciate the platform's gamification features, such as badges and awards for top contributors, which encourage participation and engagement within the community. This aspect can significantly enhance user interaction and motivation.
- **G2 reviewers note** that while Gainsight Customer Communities has a solid support quality score, Discourse slightly edges it out in terms of administrative ease, making it easier for users to manage their communities. This can be a crucial factor for organizations looking for a straightforward setup and maintenance process.
- **Users highlight** that Gainsight Customer Communities is particularly favored by mid-market companies, while Discourse is more popular among small businesses. This distinction may influence potential buyers based on their organization's size and specific community management needs.



| | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Star Rating** | 4.0 out of 5 | 4.4 out of 5 | 
| **Total Reviews** | 68 | 273 | 
| **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (43.1% of reviews) | Mid-Market (58.9% of reviews) | 
| **Entry Level Price** | $100.00 Per Month | No pricing available | 

---
## Top Pros & Cons

### Discourse

Pros:
- Features (3 reviews)
- Ease of Use (2 reviews)

Cons:
- Content Management (1 reviews)
- Data Loss (1 reviews)

### Gainsight Customer Communities

Pros:
- Ease of Use (9 reviews)
- User Interaction (8 reviews)

Cons:
- Limited Customization (4 reviews)
- Poor Interface Design (3 reviews)

---
## Ratings Comparison
| Rating | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
  | **Meets Requirements** | 8.6 (50 reviews) | 8.3 (205 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Use** | 8.5 (49 reviews) | 8.7 (223 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Setup** | 8.7 (15 reviews) | 8.2 (161 reviews) | 
  | **Ease of Admin** | 9.2 (12 reviews) | 8.6 (146 reviews) | 
  | **Quality of Support** | 8.5 (41 reviews) | 8.8 (207 reviews) | 
  | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 9.2 (11 reviews) | 8.9 (146 reviews) | 
  | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 7.7 (50 reviews) | 8.6 (195 reviews) | 

---
## Pricing

### Discourse

#### Entry-Level Pricing

Plan: Pro

Price: $100.00 Per Month

Key Features:
- See discourse.org for details

[Browse all 3 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/discourse/pricing)

#### Free Trial

Yes

### Gainsight Customer Communities

#### Entry-Level Pricing

No pricing available

#### Free Trial

Yes

---
## Features Comparison By Category

### Q&A Platforms

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Discourse** | N/A | N/A |
| **Gainsight Customer Communities** | N/A | N/A |

#### Account Options

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Single Sign-On (SSO)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Social Login** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Reputation System** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Topic Subscription** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Bookmarking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **History** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Q&A Tools

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Tags** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Commenting System** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Voting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Knowledge Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Embedding** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Formatting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Knowledge Base

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Discourse** | N/A | N/A |
| **Gainsight Customer Communities** | N/A | N/A |

#### Knowledge Pages

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Templates** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **In-Content Feedback** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Versioning and Version History** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Decision Trees** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Duplicate Detection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Editor** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **WYSIWYG Editor** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Rich Text Editor** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Drag & Drop Editor** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Templates** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Surveys & Feedback** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Knowledge Dissemination

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Page Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Permissions** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Knowledge Sharing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Advanced Search** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Browser Extension** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | 
| **Organization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Other Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Knowledge Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Full Text Search** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Web Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Alerts/Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Website Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Social Media Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting/Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Agentic AI - Knowledge Base

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Natural Language Interaction** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-Language** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Additional Functionality

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Search/Filter** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **AI Copilot** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Commenting/Notes** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Publishing Options** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting & Statistics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Library** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Document Classification** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Drag & Drop** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **API** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Branding** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **SEO Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Real-Time Reporting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Generative AI** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Self Service Portal** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Widgets** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Mobile Interface** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Catalog Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Online Forums** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Email Alerts** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Collaboration Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Mobile Alerts** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Dashboard** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Feedback Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Document Storage** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **User Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Live Chat** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Chatbot** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Knowledge Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Wiki** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Text Editing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **SSL Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Reports** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Fields** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Import/Export** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Single Sign On** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Workflow Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Knowledge Base Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Discussions/Forums** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Dashboard** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Calendar Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Communication Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Document Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Online Community Management

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Discourse** | 8.3/10 | 45 |
| **Gainsight Customer Communities** | 7.6/10 | 160 |

#### Community Building

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Member Profiles** | 8.4 (29 reviews) | 7.1 (82 reviews) | 
| **Real-Time Notifications** | Not enough data | 7.7 (55 reviews) | 
| **Member Discovery** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Member Referrals** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Community Spaces** | Not enough data | 10.0 (6 reviews) | 
| **Paid Memberships** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multimedia Sharing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Courses** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Alerts/Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Community Improvement

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Gamification** | Not enough data | 7.9 (54 reviews) | 
| **Polls & Questions** | Not enough data | 6.8 (48 reviews) | 
| **Automation Rules** | Not enough data | 8.0 (5 reviews) | 

#### Customer Analytics

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Community Insights** | 8.2 (30 reviews) | 7.7 (91 reviews) | 
| **Community Engagement Analytics** | 8.8 (32 reviews) | 8.1 (113 reviews) | 
| **Downloadable Reports** | 8.0 (29 reviews) | 7.3 (105 reviews) | 
| **ROI Tracking** | Not enough data | 7.2 (83 reviews) | 
| **Engagement Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Community Management

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Community Feeds & Discussions** | 8.2 (29 reviews) | 8.2 (100 reviews) | 
| **Live Streaming** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Chat & Messaging** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Events Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Admin Roles & Permissions** | Not enough data | 6.7 (5 reviews) | 
| **Knowledge Base Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Group Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Feedback Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Membership Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Email Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Website Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Communication Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **User Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Calendar Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Agentic AI - Online Community Management

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-step Planning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | 6.7 (10 reviews) | 
| **Natural Language Interaction** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Social Media Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Third-Party Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Multi-Language** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Additional Functionality

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Activity Dashboard** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Generative AI** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Single Sign On** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Email Reminders** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **API** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Discussions/Forums** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Ideation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Personalization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting & Statistics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Contact Database** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Moderation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **@mentions** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Member Directory** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Mobile Access** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Filtering** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Import/Export** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Commenting/Notes** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Document Storage** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Branding** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **AI Copilot** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Drag & Drop** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **SSL Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Templates** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

### Knowledge Management

| Product | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| **Discourse** | N/A | N/A |
| **Gainsight Customer Communities** | N/A | N/A |

#### Knowledge Base

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Q & A** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Link Sharing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Searchable** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Security

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Verification** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Role-Based Permission** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Public vs Private** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Content

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Trackable Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Import** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **File Viewing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Update Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Communication

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Social Features** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Tagging ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Upload ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Comments** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

#### Additional Functionality

| Feature | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Collaboration Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **SSL Security** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Reporting & Statistics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Reports** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Fields** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Customizable Branding** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Data Import/Export** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Single Sign On** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Content Library** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Workflow Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Text Editing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Widgets** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Generative AI** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Knowledge Base Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Discussions/Forums** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **API** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Live Chat** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Activity Dashboard** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **AI Copilot** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Calendar Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Drag & Drop** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Self Service Portal** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Communication Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Commenting/Notes** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Catalog Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 
| **Document Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 

---
## Categories
**Shared Categories (1):** [Online Community Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/online-community-management)

**Unique to Discourse (2):** [Knowledge Base Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/knowledge-base-software), [Q&A Platforms ](https://www.g2.com/categories/q-a-platforms)



---
## Reviewer Demographics

### By Company Size

| Segment | Discourse | Gainsight Customer Communities | 
|---|---|---|
| **Small-Business** | 43.1% | 16.0% | 
| **Mid-Market** | 36.9% | 58.9% | 
| **Enterprise** | 20.0% | 25.1% | 

### By Industry

#### Discourse

- **Computer Software:** 10.8%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 9.2%
- **Entertainment:** 7.7%
- **Hospital & Health Care:** 6.2%
- **Non-Profit Organization Management:** 4.6%
- **Accounting:** 3.1%
- **Apparel & Fashion:** 3.1%
- **Business Supplies and Equipment:** 3.1%
- **Design:** 3.1%
- **Education Management:** 3.1%
- **Other:** 46.2%

#### Gainsight Customer Communities

- **Computer Software:** 37.0%
- **Information Technology and Services:** 19.3%
- **Telecommunications:** 7.8%
- **Computer & Network Security:** 3.3%
- **Marketing and Advertising:** 2.6%
- **Internet:** 2.2%
- **E-Learning:** 1.9%
- **Financial Services:** 1.9%
- **Music:** 1.9%
- **Education Management:** 1.5%
- **Other:** 20.7%

---
## Alternatives

### Alternatives to Discourse

- [Bettermode](https://www.g2.com/products/bettermode/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (117 reviews)
- [Mighty Networks](https://www.g2.com/products/mighty-networks/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (768 reviews)
- [Higher Logic Thrive](https://www.g2.com/products/higher-logic-thrive/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (435 reviews)
- [Stack Internal](https://www.g2.com/products/stack-internal/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (794 reviews)
- [Influitive](https://www.g2.com/products/jigsaw-interactive-influitive/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (396 reviews)
- [Higher Logic Vanilla](https://www.g2.com/products/higher-logic-vanilla/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (99 reviews)
- [Circle](https://www.g2.com/products/circle-so-circle/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (515 reviews)
- [Hivebrite](https://www.g2.com/products/hivebrite/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (228 reviews)
- [Confluence](https://www.g2.com/products/confluence/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (4368 reviews)
- [Webex Events & Webinars](https://www.g2.com/products/webex-events-webinars/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1079 reviews)

### Alternatives to Gainsight Customer Communities

- [Higher Logic Thrive](https://www.g2.com/products/higher-logic-thrive/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (435 reviews)
- [Influitive](https://www.g2.com/products/jigsaw-interactive-influitive/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (396 reviews)
- [Bettermode](https://www.g2.com/products/bettermode/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (117 reviews)
- [Higher Logic Vanilla](https://www.g2.com/products/higher-logic-vanilla/reviews) — 4.3/5 stars (99 reviews)
- [Mighty Networks](https://www.g2.com/products/mighty-networks/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (768 reviews)
- [Circle](https://www.g2.com/products/circle-so-circle/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (515 reviews)
- [Hivebrite](https://www.g2.com/products/hivebrite/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (228 reviews)
- [Webex Events & Webinars](https://www.g2.com/products/webex-events-webinars/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1079 reviews)
- [Forj](https://www.g2.com/products/forj/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (81 reviews)
- [Thinkific](https://www.g2.com/products/thinkific/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (405 reviews)

---
## Top Discussions

### Discourse

- Title: [How do I set up a forum discourse?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-do-i-set-up-a-forum-discourse) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Setting up a Discourse forum can be a complex process with many different options and configurations depending on your specific needs. Luckily, there are..."
- Title: [How much does Discourse cost?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-much-does-discourse-cost) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Discourse offers a range of pricing options to fit the needs of different organizations and communities. For small communities, there is a free plan with..."
- Title: [What is a discourse server?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-a-discourse-server) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "A Discourse server is a type of web server that is used to host and manage online communities and discussions. Discourse is an open-source software platform..."
- Title: [What is discourse app?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-discourse-app) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Discourse app is a mobile application for iOS and Android that enables users to access and interact with online communities and forums powered by the..."

### Gainsight Customer Communities

- Title: [Can an Insided community (especially with your community powered knowledge base) exist as a bolt on, alongside an online help centre, or for real success, does a company need to commit to the community as the online resource for customer support?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/25155-can-an-insided-community-especially-with-your-community-powered-knowledge-base-exist-as-a-bolt-on-alongside-an-online-help-centre-or-for-real-success-does-a-company-need-to-commit-to-the-community-as-the-online-resource-for-customer-support) — 2 comments, 1 upvote *(includes official response)*
  > **Top comment:** "Defining community success will depend upon the business's community goals; every company is different. We have found customers can be successful with both..."
- Title: [What does inSided Online Community Platform do?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-does-insided-online-community-platform-do) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "Platform for hosting online community - including forums, events, updates, and feature requests."
- Title: [What is a community platform?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/insided-online-community-platform-what-is-a-community-platform) — 1 comment
  > **Top comment:** "An online space to host a community of users based around a common goal, creating the ability for users to connect, collaborate, and build relationships with..."

---
**Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/discourse-vs-gainsight-customer-communities)