Leaving Facebook Groups and Taking Your Community With You: Where to Head Next in 2025
Thinking of leaving Facebook is practically a national pastime in the US. And since 2025 started, thousands of people — and businesses of all sizes — are actually doing it.
According to Meta, of its over 3 billion users, “More than 200 million businesses use our apps every month to create virtual storefronts and reach customers.” And that was in 2022.
That’s a lot of businesses relying on one quirky tech billionaire’s whims to be able to maintain their operations. And that’s not sitting right with people. Even if only 10% end up exiting for somewhere else, that’s a few million Facebook Groups ranging anywhere from 10 to a million people, and another few million business pages with potential advertisers.
According to TechCrunch, breakout searches for how to leave Facebook are up 5,000%. New platforms are getting the door-buster treatment, and almost everyone is wondering where to go — to hang out, to advertise, to get news or meet friends, but most of all — to find community.
Sliding Into Your Next Chapter Like…
As someone who has designed and managed online communities since 2007, I’ve guided numerous businesses through platform transitions. In the early days, I was helping business owners transition from forums, message boards and pricey custom-built solutions to Facebook after the social network launched its Groups feature in 2010. But since 2016, that trend has reversed.
The key to a successful move is a strong strategy. When you understand what your community needs to thrive and the experience you want to foster, selecting a platform that aligns with those needs is an easier task. My goal with this guide is to help you make an informed decision about your community’s future home.
*Note: This article contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through these links.
Business Owners Are Leaving Facebook — Some Not by Choice
The desire among business owners to leave Facebook is not new. Even as someone who hosts my own community on Facebook, I believe the decision to stay or go is worth considering at least once a year.
The most objective reason to leave Facebook? It’s rented land. You don’t own it. You can’t control it. That’s a sizable risk for any businesses, especially ones that rely on their communities to attract, nurture and convert leads, or to deliver paid content or services.
I have seen business owners with huge Facebook communities lose their groups and accounts with no warning.
Worried about your group’s future and not sure what to do? Let’s talk. Schedule a session so we can walk through your business case together.
That Parent Group with Cath Hakanson had 211,000 members relying on it for age-appropriate sex education when Meta shut it down without warning. Cath, a public health educator and nurse, found herself scrambling to correct the error that led to her account being banned and the group taken offline. A primary source of lead generation for Sex Ed Rescue, the group contained years of resources and a robust FAQ library. A key pillar of Cath’s business went up in smoke overnight.
Kelly Holmes used Facebook Groups to host communities associated with her paid courses. Right in the middle of launching a new cohort of her Sticky SEO course, she lost all access to her communities. So while she should have been welcoming new students in her program and supporting their success, she was stuck seeking out Facebook alternatives and rushing the migration of her communities to a different platform.
These are two stories among thousands, and they should prompt all of us to think through the impacts we might face if we lost access to Facebook.
In 2025, Meta’s decision to end its third-party fact-checking program in favor of a community-driven moderation practice has led to another Facebook exodus. Not only is Meta eliminating its use of professional fact-checkers, it’s rolling back its policies on harmful content to pre-pandemic standards.
While this change likely would have saved Kelly and Cath from losing access to their groups, other business owners find their values no longer align with Meta’s policies on protected speech.
How to Manage Risk With Preparation and Reflection
Love it or hate it, one thing you can’t deny is that half the world’s population has a Facebook account. They understand how it works.
That means Facebook is likely already part of their everyday lives and your group is only one click away from whatever brought them there in the first place.
So when evaluating whether to leave, don’t make the mistake of thinking your options boil down to Facebook vs. “not Facebook.”
You need to think about what other platforms your members are already using, what they consider easy to use, and what might be most convenient.
Next, you need to create a list of your requirements. Which features are non-negotiable necessities for your community? Do you need to host live calls, upload recordings, and organize content by topic? Do you need threaded conversations, the ability to tag members, and the option for private messages?
Also think about what you don’t want your community to have. For instance, some platforms allow for complete anonymity and others require identity verification. Maybe you want a text-only platform that doesn’t support images or video. Or maybe you don’t want private messages of any sort — between you and members, or between members and each other.
And finally, think about cost. While most of us think of cost in terms of dollars invested, time and energy are currency as well. Few free platforms offer the rich portfolio of features available in Facebook groups. But even if you do find a zero-fee platform, you need to figure out how much time it’ll take to set up and migrate your members over.
Understanding your “must have,” “may have,” and “must not have” requirements will narrow the number of platforms to consider and give you a standard to use in evaluating them.
If there is even a tiny chance you might consider moving your community from Facebook, take steps now to get ready.
Increase the portability of your community:
- Get community members on your email list
- Back up all content in your group (especially videos) to your hard drive or cloud-based storage account
These are good practices no matter what you decide to do. Even if Facebook is your favorite place to play, the platform goes down from time to time. Meta experiences global app outages a couple of times a year. Anyone with a major community event during those outage periods can tell you how devastating they were without a back-up plan.
The Biggest Cost of Moving Your Facebook Group May Be Dropoff
Migration between platforms is always a challenge. No matter how hard you try to prepare, there is almost always going to be at least one unexpected consequence of your move.
For most community leaders, the biggest issue is member loss. It takes intentional effort and clear, consistent communication to manage the change associated with moving a community from one platform to another, and you can’t force people to move if they don’t want to.
“Every group I’ve seen leave Facebook has lost at least 50% of its members.” — Tonya Kubo Share on XThe most common reasons members don’t move with the group to a new platform are:
- Resistance to change
- Perception of difficulty
- Overwhelm
- Unawareness
We have to acknowledge it is always easier to stay put than it is to move. Most people are already overwhelmed by the amount of logins and passwords they have to remember. The idea of learning a new platform and managing new login credentials is too much of a burden.
Many community leaders who migrate their group away from Facebook believe that their true fans will follow no matter what, so they aren’t worried about those who stay behind.
One client of mine recently closed her free Facebook group in favor of starting a paid membership on a different platform. While it was hard for her to leave behind an active, engaged group with thousands of members, making the switch allowed her to downsize her community management team.
While only 100 people joined her paid community, those 100 people were responsible for $1,000 in monthly recurring revenue. By contrast, she was paying $2,800 per month for moderation of her free group.
So while losing members might not feel good, it’s not always bad. Take some time to objectively consider whether your business would suffer with fewer people in your community.
If you’re relying on your Facebook Group for recurring revenue, you have a different level of risk to consider than someone who is hosting public-service communities.
5 Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Next Community Platform
With dozens of community platforms available, choosing your next online home can feel overwhelming. Rather than getting caught up in feature comparisons or falling for persuasive sales pitches, start by evaluating platforms through the lens of what matters most: your community’s needs and your business goals.
Writing and creativity coach Bronwyn Emery, a member of The Secret to Thriving Online Communities, admits to feeling lost when it comes to Facebook alternatives.
“WhatsApp looks like a good solution, but the majority of my members dislike that it’s a Meta product and don’t want to use it,” she said. “An equal amount dislikes Slack because they use it at work. Others refuse to use Discord because of bad experiences. Strong feelings abound.”
Here are five key factors to consider when selecting your next community platform:
1. Member Experience
You can’t have a community without members, which makes member experience the most critical factor in evaluating potential platforms for your group or membership.
The first question to ask yourself is how tech-savvy are your members? Technical comfort level is important to consider because if members can’t figure out how to log in, or navigate the platform, they will never be able to participate. If your members already struggle with basic Facebook features, a more complex platform will be intimidating.
You also need to think about how and when your members access your community. If they are relying heavily on phones or tablets, you need a robust mobile experience that’s quick and easy to use. But if they are desk workers who spend a majority of their time in front of a desktop or laptop computer, you need a browser-based platform or one with a full-featured desktop app. And if your members are on the go, you need to look at platforms that make it easy to navigate between mobile and desktop interfaces.
Finally, think through your members’ engagement preferences (i.e. how they interact in the community). If they favor real-time communication, you probably need a platform that supports livestream video and private messaging between members. If they want to have text-based topical conversations, threaded discussion features will be important. Understanding how your members like to engage helps narrow down platform options that support their preferred communication styles.
2. Feature Requirements
After you’ve designed your non-negotiable member experience, you have your own custom set of criteria to drive platform selection.
Not every platform excels at content management, for instance. Some prioritize the flow of conversation. So when you look at your ideal member experience, think about whether you need organized resources, searchable content archives, or the ability to categorize discussions.
Also think about the volume of content you need in your community. Communities with years of archives have different platform needs than those whose focus is on recent content or limited-time access to content. Likewise, communities that lean heavily on video or robust guides need different upload and storage space limits than others.
If live events are central to your community engagement strategy, you’ll need a platform that supports streaming or virtual events without requiring multiple third-party tools. You might also need features that support event scheduling, calendar integration, attendance tracking or even ticket sales.
For communities focused on education or skill development, you might need course delivery features like modules and lessons, progress tracking, quizzes, gamification, or certificate generation.
3. Business Model
Though not all communities are directly monetized, most businesses have some type of connection between their community and revenue. Knowing yours determines your platform needs too.
If you charge for access, you need to decide if you want payments integrated into your community platform or not. If the answer is yes, you’ll need a platform that supports secure payment processing and member management. Platforms that can track your member-related revenue, lifetime member value, and average membership lifespan help you make well-informed business decisions.
For communities built around learning, you might want a platform that integrates course delivery with community features. If you sell downloadable resources, the ideal platform should be able to host and deliver digital products securely.
While tools like Zapier and Pabbly Connect will allow you to integrate various software tools to automate your community workflows, they add complexity. And complexity adds expense. So if simple is your goal, you’ll want to look at platforms with direct integration to the tools and features you value most.
Your business model also determines the measurements of success you rely on for your community. When you figure out which metrics matter most to your business goals, you have the criteria you need to evaluate the analytics and insights offered by alternative platforms.
Being able to track content performance supports any goals around learning and application for your members. Platforms with features that measure content effectiveness make it easier for you to refine your strategy.
4. Budget Considerations
While it’s important you understand the true cost of community platform migration, don’t make the mistake of assuming that Facebook is free. Hosting and leading communities carry a cost regardless of platform. Facebook may not charge you a fee to build a community, but every Facebook Group requires an investment of time and energy from its leaders. And if your group is large or requires payment for access, you might need to hire staff to support you in delivering the member experience you want.
Time (along with energy) is its own form of currency. — Tonya Kubo Share on XThough the costs of running a group on Facebook can be hidden, alternative platforms are usually explicit in their fee structures.
Platforms base their fees on a variety of factors:
- Features (video hosting, white labeling, customer support, payment processing, etc.)
- Number of community spaces
- Member capacity
- Size of admin or moderator team
There are freemium models that offer free access to a basic level of service, charging for additional features. Some platforms offer lifetime licenses, while many charge monthly or annual service fees. Remember to factor in pricing tiers as your community grows.
If you need additional software to support community functions, include those costs in your budget considerations. And don’t forget to factor in whether you’ll need professional help with design, migration, setup, or customization.
Time (along with energy) is its own form of currency. Every new system has a learning curve for you, your team and your members. Moving existing content and setting up new systems takes considerable effort. So does supporting your community through the transition.
6. Growth Plans
Before going through the effort of migrating your community to a new platform, make sure to mentally kick the can down the road. Don’t be shortsighted in your evaluation. Think beyond your current needs and find out how well the alternative platforms can support your potential growth. You’ll want to think through not just member capacity but also how well features scale as the community grows.
Take a look at each platform’s roadmap for feature expansion. If platforms regularly update with new and improved features, they have a greater chance of growing with your group. Also, a platform lacking a desired feature might still be a good choice if they are actively working to add that feature in the next year or two.
It’s normal to look at whether platforms integrate with your current tech stack, but don’t forget to investigate whether they connect with tools you might need in the future as well.
New platforms are emerging all the time. New isn’t always a bad thing, but if you’re moving an established community to a new platform, make sure you’re confident the platform has the stability and sustainability you need.
Once you have your own custom set of criteria to use in evaluating alternative community platforms, it’s time to make your decision.
Create a requirements list with your must-have features, use free trials to take each platform for a test drive, factor all expenses — including hidden costs — and then plan your migration.
Need guidance on planning your platform migration? Book a session to discuss your community needs, desires and timeline.
Managing a Successful Transition for Your Community Requires Time and Intention
The decision to leave Facebook often comes at the same time an alternative community platform is selected, but not always. You can decide today that you want to move your group away from Facebook without knowing where you want to go from here.
What you can’t do, though, (at least, not well) is move successfully without a transition plan.
If you have already selected your chosen software platform, you can complete your community migration project in three to six months. If the move is confirmed but the platform is still up for discussion, you might need 12 to 18 months for your migration project.
No matter what, make sure you have a timeline mapped out that includes content back-up and transfer, internal and external communication strategy, member support plan and how you’ll approach migrating the content.
For some communities, you can flip a switch from closing one group to starting another. Other communities might require you to run the group simultaneously on two platforms as you work to transition members from Facebook to their new home before phasing out Facebook completely.
Top Alternative Community Platforms to Consider for Free and Paid Groups
The landscape of community platforms has evolved significantly in recent years, offering more options than ever for community builders. Gone are the days when your choice was between Facebook, an antiquated forum, and a custom-built solution.
We now have several choices of third-party platforms and customized solutions of varying complexity and investment cost. Each platform comes with its own strengths, limitations, and ideal use cases.
Rather than providing an exhaustive list of every available platform, this article focuses on the most feasible alternatives to Facebook based on standard community models across industries.
I’ve organized these platforms into three categories:
- Free Communities — for groups that don’t require monetization features
- Paid Communities — for membership programs and premium offerings
- Emerging Platforms — newer options showing promise for specific use cases
When evaluating each platform, consider not just the features and pricing, but how well it aligns with your community’s culture and your members’ technical comfort level.
Free Alternatives to Facebook Groups
While Facebook Groups are free, they’re not the only no-cost option for building an engaged online community. The platforms in this section offer robust features without requiring payment, though some have paid tiers for premium features
As already mentioned above, look beyond the “free” label to consider the total cost of ownership with free platforms. Think about the time investment required for setup and management, any limitations that might affect your community’s growth, and whether premium features may become necessary as your community evolves. “Free” shouldn’t mean sacrificing the core features you need to build meaningful connections among your members.
The following platforms have proven track records for hosting active, engaged communities without requiring upfront financial investment. Let’s explore each option to help you find the right fit for your community’s needs.
Discord
Originally built as a game in 2015, Discord has evolved into a versatile platform that excels at fostering active, engaged communities. Its channel-based organization, combined with voice and video capabilities, makes it feel more like a virtual hangout than a traditional forum. While the platform’s casual nature and gaming roots might not suit every business, communities that embrace Discord’s unique culture often find their members developing stronger bonds through its interactive features.
Perfect for:
- Tech-savvy communities catering to students, creatives, gamers, and tech experts and enthusiasts.
Key Features:
- Voice and video channels
- Live chat with threading
- Role-based permissions
- Server customization
- Rich bot ecosystem
- Screen sharing
- File sharing
Strengths:
- Excellent mobile experience
- Highly customizable
- Strong community tools
- Robust features
- Active developer community
Weaknesses:
- Steep learning curve for non-technical users
- Can feel too casual for professional communities
- Chat-first format can make content hard to find later
- Limited content organization options
Cost: Free with optional premium features
LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups, which date back to 2004, leverage the power of the world’s largest professional network to create focused spaces for industry-specific discussions and networking.
These groups benefit from built-in professional context — members are already on LinkedIn for business purposes, with their professional profiles readily available. While the platform’s engagement features are relatively basic compared to dedicated community solutions, LinkedIn Groups can excel at facilitating professional discussions and thought leadership.
They’re particularly effective for B2B communities, industry associations, alumni groups, and professional networks where members’ career identities are central to their participation.
Perfect for:
- Industry associations
- Professional networks
- B2B communities
- Thought leadership groups
Key Features:
- Professional networking
- Content sharing
- Discussions
- Member profiles
- Job sharing
Strengths:
- Built-in professional network
- Natural business context
- Strong personal branding
- Good for lead generation
- Professional atmosphere
Weaknesses:
- Limited engagement features
- Minimal customization
- Basic moderation tools
- Low organic reach
- No monetization options
Cost: Free
Slack
Slack is another community platform that rose from the ashes of a failed video game. Launched in 2013, Slack was designed to transform productivity by eliminating the need for emails and meetings in the workplace.
Known primarily as a business communication tool, Slack’s clean interface and robust organization features make it an excellent choice for professional communities that value structured discussions. The platform’s powerful search capabilities and integrations with business tools create an environment where meaningful conversations can be easily referenced later.
Content strategist Lacy Boggs hosts her Thought Leader Lab community on Slack.
“I like it because I am already used to it for client work and other groups,” she said. “It’s easy to have threaded conversations and create separate channels for different conversations. However, I don’t like that it’s very manual to remove people once they leave the community.”
Though designed for workplace teams, community-focused groups can leverage Slack’s familiar interface to create spaces where professionals naturally engage during their workday.
Perfect for:
- Professional networks
- Industry groups
- Project-based communities
- Support communities
Key Features:
- Channel-based organization
- Robust search capabilities
- Rich integrations
- Direct messaging
- Video/audio clips
- Custom emoji/reactions
Strengths:
- Familiar to professionals
- Excellent threading
- Strong file sharing
- Clean, professional interface
- Enterprise-grade security
Weaknesses:
- 90-day message history limits on free plan
- Per-user pricing gets expensive
- Basic community features
- No native video events
- Limited member discovery
- Can get unwieldy with more than 1,000 members
Cost: Free plan available, paid from $7.25/user/month
Telegram
Telegram offers a unique blend of messaging app convenience with powerful broadcast capabilities, making it especially appealing for information-sharing communities and international audiences. It’s not designed for two-way, interactive conversations. The platform launched in 2013 as a vehicle for communication without government interference. Telegram’s commitment to privacy and security, combined with its ability to handle large groups, creates an environment where members feel safe while staying informed.
While Telegram may lack some of the sophisticated organization features of dedicated community platforms, its speed, reliability, and support for rich media make it particularly effective for communities that prioritize rapid information sharing and mobile-first communication. The platform’s bot ecosystem also allows for creative automation of community management tasks.
Perfect for:
- Distribution of news and information
- International communities
- Privacy-focused groups
- Large broadcast channels
Key Features:
- Encrypted messaging
- Broadcast channels
- Large file sharing
- Polls and quizzes
- Voice chats
- Bots for automation
Strengths:
- Strong privacy features
- Excellent mobile apps
- No content algorithm
- Fast and reliable
- Large file sharing
Weaknesses:
- Limited community tools
- Basic content organization
- Hard to foster deep discussions
- No native monetization
- Limited analytics
Cost: Free, with premium features available
Platform Options for Paid Communities
When your community is core to your business model or requires premium features, paid platforms offer sophisticated tools and greater control over the member experience. These platforms typically combine community features with additional functionality like course hosting, content management, and monetization options.
While the monthly costs may seem significant compared to Facebook’s free offering, paid platforms often provide value through purpose-built features that can enhance member engagement, simplify administration, and create new revenue opportunities. The key is choosing a platform whose features align with your specific needs and revenue model, rather than paying for capabilities you won’t use.
The following platforms each excel in different areas, from comprehensive business solutions to specialized community tools. Consider your budget, technical requirements, and growth plans as you evaluate these options.
Circle
Circle represents the evolution of purpose-built community platforms, designed specifically for creators, course providers, and membership site owners. It strikes a balance between sophisticated features and user-friendly design, offering the structure of a learning management system with the engagement features of a social platform.
Circle’s spaces concept allows you to segment discussions and content in a way that feels natural while maintaining clear organization. The platform’s focus on professional community building is evident in every feature, from its clean aesthetic to its powerful moderation tools.
Perfect for:
- Online courses
- Membership sites
- Professional communities
- Learning communities
Key Features:
- Spaces organization
- Rich text editor
- Live streaming
- Direct messaging
- Custom domains
- SSO options
Strengths:
- Clean interface
- Strong organization
- Good engagement tools
- Professional look
- Regular updates
Weaknesses:
- Higher price point
- Learning curve
- Limited integrations
- Basic mobile apps
- No free plan
Cost: Starts at $39/month
Heartbeat
Heartbeat brings an intimate, boutique approach to online community building. The platform’s design philosophy prioritizes meaningful connections over massive scale, making it ideal for premium communities and high-touch coaching programs. Its clean, modern interface removes common friction points that can hinder engagement in other platforms.
Jolene Underwood, a trauma therapist, Christian growth coach and creative ally in The Secret to Thriving Online Communities (STTOC), has been an early adopter of Heartbeat.
“I love Heartbeat for the rich community-focused features and supportive owners who know how to listen to their community of users,” she said. “The app offers easy navigation to discussion threads, video course libraries, documents, and links. As an added bonus, you can set up voice rooms for members to engage with one another using voice & video without having their own Zoom account.”
STTOC members can watch a free Heartbeat tutorial from Jolene inside the group.
The Playhouse, hosted by brand strategist and designer Deanna Seymour, is one of my favorite Heartbeat communities.
While it might not offer the extensive feature set of larger platforms, its focused approach to fostering genuine connections makes it perfect for community leaders who prioritize quality of interaction over quantity.
Perfect for:
- Coaching programs
- Mastermind groups
- Premium communities
- Small groups
Key Features:
- Clean design
- Mobile-first
- Activity feeds
- Direct messaging
- Member profiles
Strengths:
- User-friendly
- Fosters connection
- Modern interface
- Good engagement
- Regular updates
Weaknesses:
- Limited integrations
- Newer platform
- Basic features
- Higher price point
- Small ecosystem
Cost: Starts at $49/month
Kajabi
Kajabi stands out as a comprehensive business platform that includes community features as part of its larger ecosystem. It’s built for creators who want to run their entire online business — from courses and coaching, to marketing and community — in one place.
Author/Speaker Kathi Lipp hosts her Red House Writers Collective and Clutter Free for Life membership communities on both Kajabi and Facebook. All paid membership content and coaching call recordings are uploaded to their respective Kajabi platform membership portals
Its community features aren’t as sophisticated as dedicated platforms and the interactivity is limited. For Kathi’s communities, members prefer the interactivity of the Facebook groups over the community features of Kajabi.
However, Kajabi’s strength lies in its integration of community with other business functions. It allows for almost seamless automation of membership enrollment, onboarding and fulfillment. This makes it particularly valuable for course creators and digital product sellers who want to build some level of community around their offerings without managing multiple platforms.
Perfect for:
- Course businesses
- Membership sites
- Digital product empires
- Marketing-focused creators
Key Features:
- Course delivery
- Marketing automation
- Website builder
- Email marketing
- Pipeline builder
Strengths:
- Comprehensive tools
- Strong marketing
- Good analytics
- Professional look
- Regular updates
Weaknesses:
- Expensive
- Complex setup
- Overwhelming features
- Basic community tools
- Steep learning curve
Cost: Starts at $149/month
Membership.io (formerly Searchie)
In 2024, the Searchie platform rebranded to Membership.io. Co-founded by membership expert Stu McLaren, Membership.io provides a unified experience that revolutionizes how communities interact with content through its AI-powered search and organization capabilities.
The platform excels at making large amounts of video and audio content discoverable and accessible, which is particularly valuable for knowledge-based communities. Its ability to transcribe and index multimedia content sets it apart from traditional community platforms. While community features are evolving, the platform already makes it easier to navigate extensive learning resources or multimedia content libraries.
Perfect for:
- Membership communities with robust content libraries and learning pathways, especially those that rely heavily on video content.
Key Features:
- AI-powered search
- Video transcription
- Content organization
- Custom portals
- Analytics
- Custom learning pathways
Strengths:
- Powerful search
- Content discovery
- Video handling
- Organized library
- Member tracking
Weaknesses:
- Complex setup
- Higher learning curve
- Price point
- Limited social features
- New platform
Cost: Starts at $49/month
Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks positions itself as a comprehensive community platform built for creators and brands who want to bring courses, content, and community together in one place under their own brand.
The platform emphasizes the power of bringing members together through shared interests, learning, and community-driven experiences. Unlike social media platforms that prioritize content feeds, Mighty Networks focuses on fostering genuine connections through features like member categories, sub-groups, and location-based networking.
Its native mobile app capabilities and course integration make it particularly appealing for course creators, coaches, and membership site owners who want to build a branded alternative to Facebook Groups. While the learning curve can be steeper than some platforms, Mighty Networks’ robust feature set supports sophisticated community design and monetization strategies.
Perfect for:
- Course creators, membership site owners, and brands building comprehensive communities
Key Features:
- Branded mobile app options
- Built-in course platform
- Member directories and categories
- Location-based networking
- Activity tracking
- Live streaming
- Rich media support
- Discussion forums
- Event management
- Monetization tools
Pros:
- All-in-one platform (community, courses, content)
- Strong branding options
- Mobile-first design
- Good member discovery features
- Multiple monetization options
- Sophisticated group organization
- No algorithm determining content reach
- Single sign-on for all features
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve for admins
- Higher price point for full features
- Limited third-party integrations
- Mobile app adds significant cost
- Can feel overwhelming for members
- Basic analytics on lower tiers
- May require member behavior change from Facebook
Pricing: Starts at $33/month
Podia
Podia delivers a streamlined, all-in-one solution for creators who want to sell digital products while maintaining an active community. The platform’s strength lies in its simplicity — everything from your courses to your downloads to your community lives in one place, with a single login for your members.
Mary Williams of Sensible Woo launched her first community on Podia and has this to say about the platform:
“They’re budget-friendly and the community portion functions similarly to Slack. But there are a lot of small settings that can make it messy to implement. The good thing is that you can also sell paid products, offer coupons, and invite an affiliate network to sell for you. The email function is best saved for students of your products. For email marketing, I would still use Kit.”
While its community features aren’t as extensive as dedicated community platforms, Podia’s integrated approach means you can seamlessly combine community engagement with content delivery. You can even use it for your website. This makes it particularly attractive for course creators and digital product sellers who want to reduce complexity in their tech stack while still fostering meaningful connections among their customers.
Perfect for:
- Course creators
- Digital product sellers
- Membership sites
- Online coaches
Key Features:
- Course hosting
- Digital downloads
- Email marketing
- Community space
- Affiliate tools
Strengths:
- All-in-one solution
- Affordable pricing
- Easy to use
- Good support
- No transaction fees
Weaknesses:
- Basic community features
- Limited customization
- Simple design options
- Basic analytics
- Limited integrations
Cost: Starts at $39/month
The perfect platform is the one that works for you and members. — Tonya Kubo Share on XEmerging Online Community Platforms Worth Watching
Like anything in the technology space, the community platform landscape continues to evolve. Innovative new solutions emerge every year to address gaps in the market. What these platforms lack in established history, they make up for in innovation. A new platform usually brings a fresh approach to current community trends.
Weigh the potential benefits of emerging platforms against the risks. Expect attractive pricing and innovative features. And prepare for growing pains as the platform matures. Some community leaders find success by being early adopters. Others prefer to wait until platforms are more established.
The following platforms show promise. Take a look to see if their unique features align with your community’s needs.
MemberVault
MemberVault takes an innovative approach to community engagement by gamifying the member experience. The platform’s unique progress tracking and engagement-based access features make it especially appealing for digital product creators and course providers who want to encourage active participation.
Designed as a content delivery platform, MemberVault’s community features are new. However, you can already see the focus on creating an interactive experience where members feel rewarded for their engagement. This gamification approach can transform passive content consumption into an active learning journey.
Perfect for:
- Digital product sellers
- Course creators
- Membership sites
- Content libraries
Key Features:
- Progress tracking
- Gamification
- Affiliate tools
- Content library
- Member engagement
Strengths:
- Innovative features
- Good engagement
- Fair pricing
- Regular updates
- Strong support
Weaknesses:
- Evolving platform
- Limited design options
- Basic community tools
- Learning curve
- New features in beta
Cost: $19/month
Skool
Skool reimagines online communities through the lens of accountability and learning. The platform combines traditional community features with tools specifically designed to support goal achievement and skill development. Its built-in gamification and progress tracking features create natural engagement opportunities while helping members stay motivated.
Though relatively new to the market, Skool’s fresh approach to community engagement makes it worth considering for groups focused on personal or professional development.
Perfect for:
- Learning communities
- Accountability groups
- Coaching programs
- Course communities
Key Features:
- Gamification
- Course hosting
- Calendar integration
- Progress tracking
- Member profiles
Strengths:
- Modern interface
- Good engagement
- Regular updates
- Strong features
- Active development
Weaknesses:
- New platform
- Higher price point
- Limited integrations
- Small ecosystem
- Basic analytics
Cost: $99/month
WhatsApp via Nas.io
WhatsApp via Nas.io offers an interesting hybrid approach, bringing monetization and management features to the familiar WhatsApp environment. This combination makes it particularly appealing for creators who want to monetize their community while maintaining the informal, accessible nature of WhatsApp conversations.
The platform leverages WhatsApp’s ease of use, while adding the structure needed for running a professional community. This approach can be especially effective for international audiences or markets where WhatsApp is the primary communication tool.
Matt Navarra’s Geekout Pro community is hosted on WhatsApp via Nas.io.
Perfect for:
- Mobile communities
- International groups
- Small communities
- Personal brands
Key Features:
- WhatsApp integration
- Payment processing
- Member management
- Analytics
- Monetization
Strengths:
- Familiar interface
- Low barrier to entry
- Good mobile experience
- Easy setup
- Fair pricing
Weaknesses:
- Limited organization
- Basic features
- New platform
- WhatsApp limitations
- Small ecosystem
Cost: Free to start, percentage of transactions
How to Choose Your Next Community Platform
When it comes to choosing the best platform for your online community, I always say: start with your people. The perfect platform is the one that works for you and members while fulfilling the purpose and promise of your community.
Here’s what I recommend for next steps if you decide to take your community off of Facebook:
Go Where Your Members Already Are
Consider your members’ existing digital habits and comfort level. If they’re active LinkedIn professionals or Slack power users, those platforms might feel more natural than a standalone community site. And if they aren’t active on other platforms, think about which alternatives offer a similar experience to Facebook Groups. If you want to avoid unnecessary barriers to participation, you need to do what you can to reduce the friction your members experience.
Choose Features That Support Your Strategy
While features are important, they should serve your community’s purpose. Does your strategy rely heavily on live video? Make sure your platform supports quality streaming. Do you need organized resource libraries? Look for strong content management. Let your community goals drive feature requirements, not the other way around.
Align With Your Business Model
Your platform should support how you monetize your community, whether through membership fees, course sales, or other revenue streams. Some platforms make it easy to charge for access or integrate with your existing offers. Others might require cobbling together multiple tools, increasing both cost and complexity.
Maintain Appropriate Control
Different platforms offer varying levels of moderation and governance capabilities. Facebook’s AI moderation can flag innocent conversations. Private platforms will give you greater control, but that might require active hands-on management. Consider the nature of your discussions and your compliance requirements when evaluating moderation tools.
Plan for Sustainable Growth
Choose a platform that can grow with your community. Will it support your projected member count? Can you add features or integrations as needed? The right platform evolves with you, supporting new offerings and engagement strategies without requiring another migration.
At the end of the day, your community platform is just a tool. What really matters is how you use it to create connection and foster belonging. So pick something that works for you and your members right now, with potential to evolve as your group grows. But know that nothing is forever. You can always switch if your needs change down the line.
Want help evaluating your options? Reach out to book time and discuss your community goals and priorities.
