# Discourse, vBulletin Cloud vs Higher Logic Thrive Comparison | | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Star Rating** | 4.0 out of 5 | 4.0 out of 5 | 4.4 out of 5 | | **Total Reviews** | 68 | 10 | 435 | | **Largest Market Segment** | Small-Business (43.1% of reviews) | Small-Business (70.0% of reviews) | Small-Business (54.9% of reviews) | | **Entry Level Price** | $20.00 Per Month | No pricing available | 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) ### vBulletin Cloud **Not enough data** ### Higher Logic Thrive Pros: - Customer Support (7 reviews) - User Interaction (6 reviews) Cons: - Poor Interface Design (3 reviews) - Learning Curve (2 reviews) --- ## Ratings Comparison | Rating | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Meets Requirements** | 8.6 (50 reviews) | 8.3 (7 reviews) | 8.5 (376 reviews) | | **Ease of Use** | 8.5 (49 reviews) | 8.1 (7 reviews) | 8.1 (378 reviews) | | **Ease of Setup** | 8.7 (15 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.8 (236 reviews) | | **Ease of Admin** | 9.2 (12 reviews) | Not enough data | 8.2 (248 reviews) | | **Quality of Support** | 8.5 (41 reviews) | 8.1 (7 reviews) | 9.0 (366 reviews) | | **Has the product been a good partner in doing business?** | 9.2 (11 reviews) | Not enough data | 9.0 (242 reviews) | | **Product Direction (% positive)** | 7.7 (50 reviews) | 6.1 (6 reviews) | 9.2 (358 reviews) | --- ## Pricing ### Discourse #### Entry-Level Pricing Plan: Starter Price: $20.00 Per Month Key Features: - See discourse.org for details [Browse all 4 editions](https://www.g2.com/products/discourse/pricing) #### Free Trial Yes ### vBulletin Cloud #### Entry-Level Pricing No pricing available #### Free Trial No information available ### Higher Logic Thrive #### Entry-Level Pricing No pricing available #### Free Trial No information available --- ## Features Comparison By Category ### Marketing Automation | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **Discourse** | N/A | N/A | | **vBulletin Cloud** | N/A | N/A | | **Higher Logic Thrive** | 8.3/10 | 175 | #### Email Marketing | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Building and Personalizing Emails** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.7 (155 reviews) | | **Sending Outbound Emails** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 9.0 (157 reviews) | | **Manage Email Deliverability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.6 (154 reviews) | | **Automated Email Responses** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.4 (89 reviews) | #### Online Marketing | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Landing Pages and Forms** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.8 (87 reviews) | | **Dynamic Content** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (86 reviews) | | **A/B Testing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.6 (108 reviews) | | **Mobile Optimized** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (128 reviews) | | **Search Tracking and Optimization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (78 reviews) | #### Lead Management | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Marketing Lead Database** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.9 (58 reviews) | | **Data Quality Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.0 (68 reviews) | | **Segmentation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.5 (77 reviews) | | **Lead Scoring and Grading** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.4 (42 reviews) | | **Lead Nurturing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (42 reviews) | | **Online Behavior Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.4 (65 reviews) | | **Automated Alerts and Tasks** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (42 reviews) | | **CRM Lead Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.9 (52 reviews) | #### Campaign Management | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Program Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Event / Webinar Marketing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.3 (61 reviews) | | **Calendaring** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Budgeting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | #### Social | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Social Listening** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Social Sharing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Social Campaigns** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Social Media Engagement** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **Social Media Advertising** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | #### Reporting & Analytics | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Basic Reporting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.5 (147 reviews) | | **Web Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **ROI Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.5 (57 reviews) | | **Revenue Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | | **SEO / Keyword Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Feature Not Available | #### Platform | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Customization ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (69 reviews) | | **Workflow Capability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.0 (62 reviews) | | **User, Role, and Access Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.7 (75 reviews) | | **Internationalization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (31 reviews) | | **Sandbox / Test Environments** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.5 (36 reviews) | | **Performance and Reliability** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.8 (78 reviews) | | **Output Document Generation** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.7 (39 reviews) | #### Agentic AI - Marketing Automation | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Multi-step Planning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Integration | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Data Import & Export Tools** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.2 (72 reviews) | | **Integration APIs** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.1 (58 reviews) | | **Breadth of Partner Applications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.9 (41 reviews) | ### Q&A Platforms | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **Discourse** | N/A | N/A | | **vBulletin Cloud** | N/A | N/A | | **Higher Logic Thrive** | N/A | N/A | #### Account Options | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Single Sign-On (SSO)** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Social Login** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Reputation System** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Topic Subscription** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Bookmarking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **History** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Q&A Tools | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Tags** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Commenting System** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Voting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Knowledge Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Embedding** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Formatting** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | ### Knowledge Base | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **Discourse** | N/A | N/A | | **vBulletin Cloud** | N/A | N/A | | **Higher Logic Thrive** | N/A | N/A | #### Knowledge Pages | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Templates** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **In-Content Feedback** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Versioning and Version History** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Decision Trees** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Duplicate Detection** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Content Editor** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Knowledge Dissemination | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Page Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Permissions** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Knowledge Sharing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Advanced Search** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Browser Extension** | Feature Not Available | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Organization** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Other Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Knowledge Integrations** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Agentic AI - Knowledge Base | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Adaptive Learning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Natural Language Interaction** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | ### Online Community Management | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **Discourse** | 8.3/10 | 45 | | **vBulletin Cloud** | N/A | N/A | | **Higher Logic Thrive** | 7.4/10 | 83 | #### Community Building | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Member Profiles** | 8.4 (29 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.8 (59 reviews) | | **Email & Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 8.0 (14 reviews) | | **Member Discovery** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Member Referrals** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Community Spaces** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Paid Memberships** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Multimedia Sharing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Courses** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Community Improvement | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Gamification** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.9 (18 reviews) | | **Polls & Questions** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 6.7 (13 reviews) | | **Automation Rules** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Customer Analytics | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Community Insights** | 8.2 (30 reviews) | Feature Not Available | 7.7 (48 reviews) | | **Community Engagement Analytics** | 8.8 (32 reviews) | Feature Not Available | 8.0 (61 reviews) | | **Downloadable Reports** | 8.0 (29 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.8 (63 reviews) | | **ROI Tracking** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.0 (27 reviews) | #### Community Management | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Community Feeds & Discussions** | 8.2 (29 reviews) | Not enough data | 7.6 (48 reviews) | | **Live Streaming** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Chat & Messaging** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Events Management** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Admin Roles & Permissions** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Agentic AI - Online Community Management | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Autonomous Task Execution** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.3 (5 reviews) | | **Multi-step Planning** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 6.3 (5 reviews) | | **Cross-system Integration** | Not enough data | Not enough data | 7.3 (5 reviews) | | **Natural Language Interaction** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Proactive Assistance** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Decision Making** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | ### Knowledge Management | Product | Score | Reviews | |---|---|---| | **Discourse** | N/A | N/A | | **vBulletin Cloud** | N/A | N/A | | **Higher Logic Thrive** | N/A | N/A | #### Knowledge Base | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Q & A** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Link Sharing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Searchable** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Security | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Verification** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Role-Based Permission** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Public vs Private** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Content | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Trackable Analytics** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Import** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **File Viewing** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Update Notifications** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | #### Communication | Feature | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Social Features** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Tagging ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Upload ** | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data | | **Comments** | Not enough data | 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) **Unique to Higher Logic Thrive (1):** [Marketing Automation Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/marketing-automation) --- ## Reviewer Demographics ### By Company Size | Segment | Discourse | vBulletin Cloud | Higher Logic Thrive | |---|---|---|---| | **Small-Business** | 43.1% | 70.0% | 54.9% | | **Mid-Market** | 36.9% | 20.0% | 39.4% | | **Enterprise** | 20.0% | 10.0% | 5.6% | ### 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% #### vBulletin Cloud - **Information Technology and Services:** 20.0% - **Research:** 10.0% - **Public Relations and Communications:** 10.0% - **Online Media:** 10.0% - **Oil & Energy:** 10.0% - **Consumer Electronics:** 10.0% - **Computer Software:** 10.0% - **Computer & Network Security:** 10.0% - **Automotive:** 10.0% #### Higher Logic Thrive - **Non-Profit Organization Management:** 36.2% - **Hospital & Health Care:** 5.6% - **Marketing and Advertising:** 4.9% - **Education Management:** 4.5% - **Higher Education:** 2.8% - **Financial Services:** 2.6% - **Legal Services:** 2.3% - **Research:** 2.1% - **Insurance:** 1.9% - **Computer Software:** 1.9% - **Other:** 35.2% --- ## Alternatives ### Alternatives to Discourse - [Bettermode](https://www.g2.com/products/bettermode/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (118 reviews) - [Mighty Networks](https://www.g2.com/products/mighty-networks/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (691 reviews) - [Stack Overflow Internal](https://www.g2.com/products/stack-overflow-internal/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (792 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) - [Gainsight Customer Communities](https://www.g2.com/products/gainsight-customer-communities/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (253 reviews) - [Circle](https://www.g2.com/products/circle-so-circle/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (476 reviews) - [Hivebrite](https://www.g2.com/products/hivebrite/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (212 reviews) - [Confluence](https://www.g2.com/products/confluence/reviews) — 4.1/5 stars (4348 reviews) - [Webex Events & Webinars](https://www.g2.com/products/webex-events-webinars/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1077 reviews) ### Alternatives to vBulletin Cloud - [Influitive](https://www.g2.com/products/jigsaw-interactive-influitive/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (396 reviews) - [Circle](https://www.g2.com/products/circle-so-circle/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (476 reviews) - [Mighty Networks](https://www.g2.com/products/mighty-networks/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (691 reviews) - [Webex Events & Webinars](https://www.g2.com/products/webex-events-webinars/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1077 reviews) - [BigMarker](https://www.g2.com/products/bigmarker/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (445 reviews) - [Thinkific](https://www.g2.com/products/thinkific/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (400 reviews) - [Gainsight Customer Communities](https://www.g2.com/products/gainsight-customer-communities/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (253 reviews) - [Hivebrite](https://www.g2.com/products/hivebrite/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (212 reviews) - [Uuki](https://www.g2.com/products/vadoo-uuki/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (178 reviews) - [TrueLoyal](https://www.g2.com/products/trueloyal/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (159 reviews) ### Alternatives to Higher Logic Thrive - [Mighty Networks](https://www.g2.com/products/mighty-networks/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (691 reviews) - [Influitive](https://www.g2.com/products/jigsaw-interactive-influitive/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (396 reviews) - [Gainsight Customer Communities](https://www.g2.com/products/gainsight-customer-communities/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (253 reviews) - [Hivebrite](https://www.g2.com/products/hivebrite/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (212 reviews) - [Bettermode](https://www.g2.com/products/bettermode/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (118 reviews) - [Webex Events & Webinars](https://www.g2.com/products/webex-events-webinars/reviews) — 4.6/5 stars (1077 reviews) - [Circle](https://www.g2.com/products/circle-so-circle/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (476 reviews) - [HubSpot Marketing Hub](https://www.g2.com/products/hubspot-marketing-hub/reviews) — 4.4/5 stars (14735 reviews) - [BigMarker](https://www.g2.com/products/bigmarker/reviews) — 4.7/5 stars (445 reviews) - [Thinkific](https://www.g2.com/products/thinkific/reviews) — 4.5/5 stars (400 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..." ### vBulletin Cloud No discussions available for this product. ### Higher Logic Thrive - Title: [What is Higher Logic Thrive used for?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-higher-logic-thrive-used-for) — 1 comment *(includes official response)* > **Top comment:** "Higher Logic Thrive is used by associations to strengthen member engagement, acquire new members, and retain existing members. " - Title: [What is an online community platform?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-an-online-community-platform) — 1 comment *(includes official response)* > **Top comment:** "An online community is a dedicated online space created by an organization where users can connect with each other and with you." - Title: [What is the main function of online community groups?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-the-main-function-of-online-community-groups) — 1 comment *(includes official response)* > **Top comment:** "Online communities build a sense of belonging that delivers a lasting impact. An impact that helps to foster engagement, build support, enhance connection..." - Title: [How much does higher logic cost?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-much-does-higher-logic-cost) — 1 comment *(includes official response)* > **Top comment:** "Higher Logic Thrive is designed to fit your needs with flexible pricing for associations of all sizes. Our team would be happy to start the conversation and..." - Title: [What benefits do these users get from the online community?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-benefits-do-these-users-get-from-the-online-community) — 1 comment *(includes official response)* > **Top comment:** "We often hear from our association customers that their community has become their members’ number one benefit. In an online member community, your members..." --- **Source:** [G2.com](https://www.g2.com) | [Comparison Page](https://www.g2.com/compare/discourse-vs-vbulletin-cloud-vs-higher-logic-thrive)