Comparing the Top Community Platforms - Which one is best for you?!

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Looking for the top community platforms to build a thriving online community in 2025? Feeling overwhelmed by all the community platform options out there? I’ve tested the top ones so you don’t have to — here’s what to know before you choose.

In this video, I review and compare the following top community platforms for online businesses:

✅ Kajabi

✅ Circle

✅ Skool

✅ Mighty Networks

✅ Facebook Groups

I dive into key features like live streaming, gamification, mobile apps, pricing, and customization - so you can choose the right platform for your course, membership, or brand community.

Hit play or read the post below:

1. Kajabi

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for courses, memberships, email marketing, and more. Its built-in community feature makes it easy to keep everything under one roof.

Pricing

• Kickstarter plan: $89/month
  

Interface & Features

Kajabi’s community area is clean, simple, and easy to navigate.

• Main feed for posts and polls

• Announcements bar at the top for important updates

• Challenges with step-by-step action items to help members make progress

Live Meetups & Streaming

Kajabi lets you host live streams and meetups directly inside your community:

• Record sessions without leaving the platform (replays are saved automatically)

• Chat functionality and breakout groups for small group discussions

• RSVP and calendar integration

• Limit: 200 participants per live session
  

Gamification

Kajabi has a leaderboard that awards points, badges, and rewards:

• Points assigned for activities like completing challenges

• Custom badges for specific milestones

• Rewards triggered by points, purchases, or lesson completions
  

Organization & Access Control

• Scheduled posts to plan ahead

• Access groups to organize members into different tiers or course-specific spaces
  

Messaging & 1:1 Video Calls

• Private member messaging

• Quick one-on-one video calls

Branding & Mobile App

• Customizable colors to match your brand

• Kajabi mobile app included

• Custom branded app available for $1,099/month
  

💡 Best for: If you want one platform to run your entire business — courses, email, and community — Kajabi keeps everything connected and streamlined.

2. Circle

Circle is a community-first platform, meaning it’s built specifically for engagement and customization.

Pricing

• $89/month (annual) or $99/month (monthly)

Customization

• Create “spaces” and “space groups” to organize your community

• Show certain content to specific members for tiered access

Live Streaming

• Built-in live rooms (up to 30 attendees)

• Live streams (up to 100 attendees, with upgrade options)

• Record sessions directly in the platform
  

Gamification & Automations

• Points and levels for member engagement

• Workflows to automate actions when members level up (e.g., send messages, unlock content, give rewards)

• Automated welcome messages and onboarding sequences
  

Courses & Payments

• Host courses inside Circle

• Accept payments directly
  

Mobile App

• Circle app available for members

• Custom branded app option (pricing not listed)
  

💡 Best for: Businesses that already have course hosting and email marketing set up but want a powerful, customizable community platform.

3. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks combines community building with course hosting and gamification.

Pricing

• Community Plan: $49/month

• Courses + Community Plan: $119/month
  

User Experience

• Can feel cluttered at first but offers powerful features once you learn the layout

• Discovery feature makes it easy for members to connect with others
  

Live Streaming

• Built-in streaming for events, Q&As, and calls

• Auto-recording and standard live features
  

Courses

• Create sections, lessons, quizzes

• Upload video directly to the platform
  

Gamification & Engagement

• Tracks member streaks for consistent activity

• Community values let members give points to recognize others

• Badges for achievements

• Automations that trigger rewards when lessons are completed
  

Communication

• Private messaging and video chat
  

💡 Best for: Communities that thrive on gamification and peer-to-peer engagement.

4. Skool

Skool is a simple, fast-to-set-up platform with a heavy focus on gamification.

Pricing

• $99/month (all features, unlimited members)
  

Features

• Post updates, polls, and resources

• Host courses (videos must be hosted externally, e.g., YouTube, then linked in)

• Gate course access based on level, purchase, or time

Calendar & Events

• Event calendar for members

• No built-in live streaming (requires Zoom, Google Meet, etc.)
  

Gamification

• Points, levels, and leaderboards

• Customizable level names

• Limited customization beyond gamification
  

Mobile App

• Skool mobile app for members

• No custom branded app option
  
  

💡 Best for: Those who want a lightweight, easy-to-use platform and are happy to use other tools for email marketing and video hosting.

5. Facebook Groups (Free Option)

Facebook Groups are still a free, easy way to start a community, though they’re less effective than they used to be.

Pros

• Free and widely familiar

• Easy to post content, polls, and go live

• Members are likely already using Facebook
  

Cons

• Organic reach has dropped significantly

• No ability to share screen and camera simultaneously during lives

• External tools like Streamyard are needed for more advanced live sessions

• Limited branding and customization
  

💡 Best for: A starter community with minimal costs, especially if your audience is already active on Facebook.

Final Recommendations

If you want one tool that can run your entire business - including your courses, email marketing, and community - go with Kajabi. It will simplify your tech setup, reduce headaches, and keep everything in one place.

If you already have your courses and email marketing platform in place but want to add a powerful, customizable community feature, try Circle.

Every platform I’ve shared here has its own strengths, so take advantage of their free trials and see which one feels like the best fit for you and your audience.

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