Best Online Community Management Software
Online community management software creates a digital space to engage, host, and manage an online community. In an online community, members can discuss their thoughts and ideas around shared interests.
Businesses use online community management platforms to create a centralized digital space for productive discussions with their employees or customers and to gain feedback on ideas, products, or services. As a result, companies can address support issues, measure satisfaction, track activity, build stronger relationships with community members, and ultimately gain strategic insights to improve community engagement.
Online community management platforms are used across several industries and departments to support specific business goals for employees and customers. Whether it’s customer support, marketing, or product development, there are many cross-organization benefits from online communities. These tools often integrate with CMS tools to share, store, and manage digital content and help desk software to provide community members with FAQ, Q and A tools, and minor troubleshooting solutions.
Community management software is typically a website-compatible community platform that is easily hosted on a desktop but can also offer a branded mobile app version that is easier for mobile users to engage and stay connected.
To qualify for inclusion in the Online Community Management category, a product must:
Featured Online Community Management Software At A Glance
G2 takes pride in showing unbiased reviews on user satisfaction in our ratings and reports. We do not allow paid placements in any of our ratings, rankings, or reports. Learn about our scoring methodologies.
The most popular all-in-one community platform for creators and entrepreneurs. Nearly $500M in creator earnings on Mighty. With Mighty, you can bring your courses, memberships, and offers together
37,988 Twitter followers
Circle is the world’s leading all-in-one branded community platform. Circle enables you to bring together your community, events, and courses — all under your own brand. Circle customers range fro
14,580 Twitter followers
What is Hivebrite? Hivebrite is a flexible, intelligent community platform that helps organizations build, manage, and grow impactful communities. Designed to adapt and scale, Hivebrite simplifies op
1,098 Twitter followers
Webex Events and Webinars are two powerful workflows in the Webex Suite, designed to help customers host in-person, virtual, and hybrid interactive experiences. Webex Events (formerly Socio) is a
Webex Events & Webinars is a platform designed for managing large-scale conferences and community events, offering features such as reliable streaming, strong security controls, and tools for engaging global audiences. Users like the platform's intuitive interface, extensive customization options, and the ability to streamline the event organization process for both organizers and attendees, making it easy to tailor each event's setup to unique requirements. Users mentioned that the first-time setup for Webex Events & Webinars could be improved, as it requires some initial learning to navigate effectively, and the platform offers limited customization options.
721,498 Twitter followers
Gainsight Customer Communities is a modern community destination that brings customers, teams, and resources together in one centralized, branded location, empowering self-service, scaling customer en
13,171 Twitter followers
Viafoura is a digital experience company that helps brands activate their audiences through a suite of engagement and personalization solutions, maximizing conversions of unknown to known users. We
1,773 Twitter followers
Bevy.com is a complete AI-driven community platform unifying events, discussions and data. Bevy incorporates a variety of tools to plan, promote, and execute virtual and in-person events and is a flex
3,676 Twitter followers
Bettermode is an all-in-one customer community platform designed to help businesses enhance customer experience, foster engagement, and cultivate meaningful relationships with their audience. This pla
5,934 Twitter followers
Glue Up is an all-in-one CRM platform designed to help associations, Chambers of Commerce and other member-based organizations build and grow their communities through events, memberships, and various
Glue Up is a community platform that allows users to create subgroups, conduct surveys, create event pages, send targeted emails, and facilitate member interactions. Users like the wide range of features, the user-friendly interface, the quick customer support response, and the potential for member engagement that Glue Up offers. Users mentioned that the website's backend is not very user-friendly, setting up payment accounts and DNS can be a long process, and there is a learning curve to fully understand and utilize all the features.
888 Twitter followers
Commune is the brand advocacy platform for B2C companies that grows revenue by increasing UGC on social media and improving LTV through building a community of consumer advocates. First released in 2
Graduway is an alumni engagement and community networking platform from Gravyty that helps educational institutions and nonprofit organizations build, manage, and grow relationships with their alumni,
Build an internet business in one minute Nas.io is the fastest way to turn an idea into income. Type what you want to build and our AI Co-Founder drafts your product, landing page and promotion pla
410 Twitter followers
Café is your Workplace Engagement Hub that boosts belonging across teams by encouraging in-person meetings. With Café, you give employees better visibility over “Who’s where” and “Who’s who” and empow
BigMarker is the world's most customizable platform for webinars, virtual, and in-person events. We combine cutting-edge video technology with advanced marketing and interactive tools to deliver one-o
BigMarker is a platform used for hosting virtual webinars and generating leads, offering features such as polls, live chat, Q&A, customizable branding, and security features. Users frequently mention the high levels of customization, user-friendly interface, responsive customer support, and the convenience of having end-to-end tools for promoting and running events in one place. Users mentioned issues such as a confusing user interface on the admin side, limited flexibility in customizing page templates, occasional platform glitches, and problems with email syncing and delivery.
15,759 Twitter followers
Clowder® by ASI is the leading engagement platform for communities, transforming member communication for associations. Clowder offers personalized, branded mobile apps designed to drive year-roun
5,759 Twitter followers
Learn More About Online Community Management Software
Online Community Management software buying insights at a glance
Online community management software enables organizations to design, govern, and scale owned digital spaces where customers and members interact. As engagement expands beyond simple forums into support deflection, product feedback, education, and advocacy, manual approaches introduce inconsistency and moderation risk. A dedicated community management platform centralizes conversations, content, and governance, allowing teams to operationalize engagement across customer community software and enterprise community platforms rather than treating community as a side project.
Based on 500 G2 reviews, buyers most often adopt online community management to improve retention, reduce support load through peer-to-peer answers, and create structured feedback loops with product teams. Overall satisfaction is strong at 4.54/5 stars, with ~92% of reviews rating 4+ stars. Users rate Meets Requirements and Ease of Use highest, while Ease of Setup and Ease of Admin lag, reflecting a category that delivers clear value once properly configured. Likelihood to recommend reinforces that well-run community management becomes a durable growth lever.
Pricing is typically subscription-based, with costs driven by the number of admins and members, branding and white-labeling, analytics depth, automation, and security features like SSO. When comparing affordable community management platforms for small business with enterprise community platforms, buyers should factor in not just licensing, but the ongoing operational effort required to moderate, analyze, and continuously evolve the community.
Top 5 FAQs from software buyers:
- What’s the best online community management tool for driving ongoing engagement?
- Which community management features matter most for moderation at scale?
- How do customer community software platforms integrate with help desk and CRM tools?
- What should I budget for affordable community management platforms for small business vs. enterprise community platforms?
- How long does it take to migrate members and content from an existing community?
G2’s top-rated PSA software includes Mighty Networks, Circle, Hivebrite and Webex Events & Webinars. (Source)
What are the top-reviewed Online Community Management on G2?
- Number of Reviews: 544
- Satisfaction: 100
- Market Score: 92
- G2 Score: 96
- Number of Reviews: 217
- Satisfaction: 98
- Market Score: 88
- G2 Score: 93
- Number of Reviews: 147
- Satisfaction: 67
- Market Score: 84
- G2 Score: 76
Gainsight Customer Communities
- Number of Reviews: 247
- Satisfaction: 62
- Market Score: 90
- G2 Score: 76
- Number of Reviews: 82
- Satisfaction: 53
- Market Score: 94
- G2 Score: 73
Satisfaction reflects user-reported ratings across factors such as ease of use, feature fit, and quality of support. (Source 2)
Market Presence scores combine review volume, third-party signals, and overall market visibility. (Source 2)
G2 Score is a weighted composite of Satisfaction and Market Presence. (Source 2)
Learn how G2 scores products. (Source 1)
What I Often See in Online Community Management
Feedback Pros: What Users Consistently Appreciate
- A personal, constantly improving platform that simplifies community management through automation
- “I really appreciate Mighty's personal approach and the easy access to their entire team through the Mighty Community. They are always working to improve the platform, regularly updating it to address user needs and respond to feedback. In just the year that I’ve been using Mighty, I’ve noticed a significant increase in features in a short period of time. As someone who manages our Community full-time, I’ve been able to automate many of my daily tasks, which has freed up my time and energy to focus on more exciting, larger projects and initiatives for our members.” - Jennifer L., Mighty Networks Review
- A visually polished, flexible platform that streamlines workflows and strengthens member engagement
- “I really appreciate Circle for its aesthetic appeal and functionality, particularly the directory, which is visually pleasing and user-driven. Circle simplifies our workflow with its ease of use and the ability to communicate effectively within the platform. Its APIs, even through third-party tools like Zapier, facilitate seamless integration with other tools we rely on, such as Eventbrite and Square. I love the flexibility it offers to brand cover images, which allows us to refresh the look of the community space effortlessly and recognize sponsors prominently. I'm excited about the potential for Circle to enhance member engagement and retention, increase member lifetime value and provide sponsors with greater visibility and meaningful connections with our audience. Overall, these features significantly contribute to the attractiveness and utility of Circle for our community management needs.” - Andrea T., Circle Review
- Easy onboarding with intuitive navigation keeps members participating
- “This tool is ready to use and integrates seamlessly with our website, making it simple to showcase and manage a variety of events. I appreciate its intuitive interface for event registration, as well as its flexible design, which can be customized to suit the specific requirements of each event.” - Tosh A., Webex Events & Webinars Review
Cons: Where Many Platforms Fall Short
- Frustration with plan limitations, pricing barriers, and time-intensive setup
- “I am frustrated by the limitations in the Mighty Networks business plan, which restrict access to certain features unless I upgrade to a more costly Path to Pro plan. As a small business owner, the high cost of this plan makes it difficult to access features that seem essential and standard, like certain automations, which should be available to everyone. Additionally, the initial setup of Mighty Networks, while technically straightforward, is quite time-consuming. They don’t emphasize how much effort goes into setting it up beautifully with features like images, courses, and monthly themes. I wish there was an integrated library or easier access to visual resources to streamline this process.” - Julia H., Mighty Networks Review
- Powerful capabilities with an initial learning curve
- “It’s a powerful platform, but it can feel complex at first — the setup and customization take time, and some features require a learning curve to use effectively.” - Jamie V., Hivebrite Review
- Limited advanced features and customization depth
- “One thing I don't like is that the platform can feel a bit too basic sometimes. I wish there were more advanced features or customization options, which could make it even easier to use.” - Giorgos V., Gainsight Customer Communities Review
My Expert Takeaway on Online Community Management Software
Based on G2 reviews, online community management delivers the most durable value when organizations treat community as an operating discipline rather than a content or engagement tactic. High-performing teams establish structure early, clearly defining member roles, designated spaces or groups, moderation rules, and a lightweight taxonomy, which reduces friction later as engagement scales.
Teams that see the strongest outcomes strike a balance between engagement flexibility and operational control. While rich interaction features matter, long-term adoption depends on whether community managers can run the platform without excessive manual effort. The most effective implementations tightly integrate online community management with adjacent workflows, support deflection and escalation, marketing-led advocacy and events, and product feedback and beta programs, so conversations consistently translate into action.
For buyers evaluating affordable community management platforms for small businesses versus enterprise community platforms, the real decision point is governance, not just price. Smaller teams often win by prioritizing speed and low administrative overhead, while larger or customer-facing organizations benefit from permissions, SSO, auditability, and reporting that allow customer community software to function as a system of record. The right fit depends on how central the community is to your operating model and the level of complexity you need to manage as it grows.
Online Community Management Software FAQs
What is online community management?
Online community management is the practice of creating and maintaining a digital space where members interact, ask questions, share knowledge, attend events, and provide feedback. It includes moderation, content programming, member onboarding, analytics, and governance. In software terms, it often means using a platform to centralize discussions, member profiles, resources, and engagement workflows, allowing the community to scale reliably.
How to manage online communities?
Start with structure (spaces, rules, roles), then establish recurring rhythms (welcome flows, weekly prompts, events, and support patterns). Set clear moderation policies and escalation paths. Track participation metrics (active members, posts, response time, unanswered questions) and adjust programming based on what actually drives return visits. The most effective teams connect the community to support, product, and marketing workflows.
What is the purpose of an online community?
The purpose is to establish an ongoing, owned relationship with your customers, members, or employees. Communities reduce support load through peer-to-peer answers, increase retention by building belonging, and generate product insights through continuous feedback. For many organizations, they also become an advocacy and education channel—helping users learn faster, connect with peers, and stay engaged beyond individual transactions.
What are the key features of community management software?
Core features typically include discussion spaces, member profiles and directories, role-based permissions, moderation tools, notifications, analytics, and content management (posts, resources, announcements). Many platforms add events, courses, direct messaging, and integrations with CRM/help desk tools. For larger orgs, SSO, advanced governance controls, and deeper reporting become critical to scale safely and consistently.
What are the benefits of adopting community management software?
The biggest benefits are scalable engagement and operational efficiency. You get one place to host discussions, organize content, and manage members, reducing fragmentation across email and social channels. Many teams also see support deflection, faster response times, stronger loyalty, and better product feedback. Over time, a well-run community becomes a compounding asset that lowers acquisition costs and improves retention.
