Operations and commerce software · Researched comparison
Best Platforms to Build an Online Community in 2026
The best pick for most creators who want a dated low start is Skool Hobby at $9 per month (Skool pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026). Heartbeat Build is the pick when you want a community product at $40 per month billed annually, or $49 billed monthly (Heartbeat pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026). Circle Professional at $89 per month is the pick when you need a broader community business suite (Circle pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
By The Computer Manual Editorial Team · Published 14 Nov 2026 · Last verified 14 Nov 2026
We may earn from affiliate links. A commercial relationship does not change the ranking on the page.
Key takeaways
Skool Hobby is $9 per month and Pro is $99 per month (Skool pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Heartbeat Build is $49 per month, or $40 per month billed annually as $490. Grow is $149, or $124 billed annually as $1,490 (Heartbeat pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Mighty Networks Launch is $79 per month, or $950 per year. Scale is $179 per month and Growth is $354 per month (Mighty Networks pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Circle Professional is $89 per month, Business is $199 and Scale is $419 (Circle pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Discourse Pro is $100 per month and Business is $500 per month (Discourse pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Tool
Best for
Standout feature
Starting price (checked 14 Nov 2026)
Free plan or trial
1 Skool
Creators who want a low dated start for courses and community
Hobby and Pro monthly rates
Hobby $9 per month, checked 14 Nov 2026
Trial listed as try for free
2 Heartbeat
Creators who want a focused community product at a mid public rate
Build and Grow annual and monthly rates
Build $40 per month, billed annually, checked 14 Nov 2026
See official page
3 Mighty Networks
Creators who want community, courses and events in one brand space
Launch, Scale and Growth rates
Launch $79 per month, or $950 per year, checked 14 Nov 2026
Free trial listed
4 Circle
Operators who need a broader community business suite
Professional, Business and Scale rates
Professional $89 per month, checked 14 Nov 2026
Free trial listed on Professional and Business
5 Discourse
Teams that want a classic forum platform at a public hosted rate
Pro and Business monthly rates
Pro $100 per month, checked 14 Nov 2026
Free trial listed
How we picked
We considered 8 community platforms and shortlisted 5. We read official pricing pages on 14 Nov 2026 and applied the weights in how we score tools. This guide sits in operations and commerce software. Rankings are editorial.
01
Skool
Best for: Creators who want a low dated start for courses and community
Skool Hobby is $9 per month and Pro is $99 per month (Skool pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026). The page described unlimited members, courses and videos on both plans, and mentioned two months free on a yearly path.
A transaction fee is mentioned on the page. Confirm the current fee, because it can matter more than the $9 headline once payments start.
Pros
$9 is the lowest dated start in this table.
Courses and community sit together.
Pro at $99 is a clear step if Hobby is too limited.
Cons
A transaction fee can change the real take-home (Skool pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
The product style may not fit a professional association or a large forum.
You should confirm current plan limits at checkout, because the page is short.
Price: Hobby is $9 per month, and Pro is $99 per month (Skool pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Skip it if you needed a full community business suite with workflows and APIs.
Verdict. Skool is the default when a creator wants the lowest dated start for a course-plus-community space.
02
Heartbeat
Best for: Creators who want a focused community product at a mid public rate
Heartbeat Build is $49 per month, or $40 per month billed annually as $490 (Heartbeat pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Grow is $149 per month, or $124 billed annually as $1,490. The page described annual billing as including two months free on those columns.
Pros
Annual and monthly rates are both printed.
$40 annually is far below Circle Professional or Mighty Launch.
Grow is a public next step if Build is too small.
Cons
$40 still assumes you will stay a year (Heartbeat pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
It may include branding or feature limits you should read before you buy.
A large community business may still need Circle or Mighty later.
Price: Build is $40 per month billed annually, or $49 monthly (Heartbeat pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Skip it if you only wanted a $9 course community and will not use a mid-tier product.
Verdict. Heartbeat is the pick when you want a dedicated community tool and can fund the $40 annual rate.
03
Mighty Networks
Best for: Creators who want community, courses and events in one brand space
Mighty Networks Launch is $79 per month, or $950 per year (Mighty Networks pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Scale is $179 per month and Growth is $354 per month. The yearly Launch total of $950 is a shade cheaper than 12 times $79.
Pros
Launch has both monthly and yearly figures.
Courses and events are part of the product story, not only a forum.
Scale and Growth are public if you outgrow Launch.
Cons
$79 or $950 is higher than Skool Hobby or Heartbeat Build (Mighty Networks pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Growth at $354 is a different spend class.
Example revenue figures on the page are marketing copy, not a guarantee, so we do not treat them as pricing evidence.
Price: Launch is $79 per month, or $950 per year (Mighty Networks pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Skip it if you only needed a $9 or $40 start and have no courses or events to run yet.
Verdict. Mighty Networks is the pick when community, courses and events should share one branded space and you can fund Launch.
04
Circle
Best for: Operators who need a broader community business suite
Circle Professional is $89 per month, Business is $199 and Scale is $419 (Circle pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Extra Circle AI credits were listed at $10 per 1,000 on the Professional, Business and Scale columns we read.
Pros
Three public monthly tiers make the step-up clear.
Business and Scale exist when workflows and higher limits matter.
AI credit overage has a published unit price.
Cons
$89 is higher than Skool, Heartbeat and Mighty Launch's yearly path (Circle pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Add-on credits can raise the headline.
You may pay for a suite you will not use in month one.
Price: Professional is $89 per month, Business is $199 and Scale is $419 (Circle pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Skip it if you are still testing whether a community will exist at all.
Verdict. Circle is the pick when you need a community business suite and can fund Professional or higher.
05
Discourse
Best for: Teams that want a classic forum platform at a public hosted rate
Discourse Pro is $100 per month and Business is $500 per month, with prices in USD (Discourse pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
The Pro column we read described a growing community that needs better tools to scale. Business is positioned for a community that is a core channel.
Pros
Two public hosted rates are easy to budget.
It is a real forum platform, not only a course community.
A trial is listed, with no credit card required up front according to the page.
Cons
$100 is higher than most creator starters in this table (Discourse pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Business at $500 is a large step.
If you wanted courses and payments more than a forum, this is the wrong shape of product.
Price: Pro is $100 per month, and Business is $500 per month (Discourse pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Skip it if you wanted a creator course community rather than a forum.
Verdict. Discourse is the pick when a hosted forum, not a course platform, is the actual job.
A 12-month creator bill
Skool Hobby at $9 per month is $108 a year, before any transaction fee (Skool pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026). Heartbeat Build billed annually is $490 (Heartbeat pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026). Mighty Launch yearly is $950 (Mighty Networks pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026). Circle Professional at $89 is $1,068 if you pay that rate for 12 months (Circle pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Start at the lowest plan that can host the community you already have, not the suite you might need after a later launch.
What is the cheapest dated community platform here?
Skool Hobby at $9 per month is the lowest dated start we recorded (Skool pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026). Read the transaction fee before you treat $9 as the full cost.
Should a professional association buy Skool?
Not automatically. Skool is built for creator communities and courses. A professional or large forum may fit Discourse Pro at $100, or Circle if you need a broader suite.
Is Heartbeat cheaper than Circle?
On the public rates we dated, yes. Heartbeat Build is $40 per month annually, while Circle Professional is $89 (Heartbeat pricing and Circle pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026). Feature needs can still justify Circle.
Does Mighty Networks have a yearly Launch price?
Yes. Launch is $79 per month or $950 per year (Mighty Networks pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
What to check before you buy
Decide whether you are building a course community, a branded network or a forum.
Start on the lowest dated plan that holds your current members.
Read transaction fees and payment integrations.
Check data export if you leave.
Confirm mobile apps, events and courses you actually need.
Test permissions for moderators.
Re-check the plan when paid memberships start, because fees then matter more than the base.
FAQ
What is the best platform to build an online community in 2026?
Skool Hobby is the best pick for most creators who want a dated low start, at $9 per month (Skool pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026). Choose Heartbeat Build at $40 per month annually for a dedicated community product, or Circle if you need a broader suite.
How much is Heartbeat?
Build is $49 per month, or $40 billed annually as $490. Grow is $149, or $124 billed annually as $1,490 (Heartbeat pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
How much is Circle?
Professional is $89 per month, Business is $199 and Scale is $419 (Circle pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026). Extra AI credits were listed at $10 per 1,000.
How much is Discourse?
Pro is $100 per month and Business is $500 per month (Discourse pricing, checked 14 Nov 2026).
Does this list follow another site's commercial order?
No. The order is editorial. Similar topics may exist on other sites. Those lists do not set the ranks here.
