I Tried 5 Best WordPress Community Plugins (So You Don’t Have To)

A lot of people try to build online communities in WordPress, but most never gain traction. The problem usually isn’t the idea—it’s the setup. Without the right platform, it’s hard to spark real conversations or keep your members engaged over time.

That’s why choosing the right community plugin matters so much. It can turn a quiet website into an active space where people want to join conversations, share ideas, and keep coming back.

To find out what really works, I’ve spent weeks testing and comparing the top WordPress community plugins available today. I installed each one on a real WordPress site, created test communities, and put them through scenarios that mirror what actual site owners face.

In this post, I’m sharing my top picks to help you create a thriving, vibrant online community.

Quick Overview – The Best WordPress Community Plugins

If you’re in a hurry, here’s my quick pick:

Plugin	Starting Price	Best For	Key Feature
BuddyBoss	$299-$449/year	Building a full-featured social network	Member profiles with customizable fields
MemberPress	Starts at $179.50/year	Creating premium membership communities	Unlimited membership plans with flexible rules
BuddyPress	Free	Building online communities for free	User-created social groups with activity streams
Thrive Comments	$49/year (standalone) or $299/year as part of the Thrive Suite	Boosting comment engagement	Comment upvoting and gamification system
AccessAlly	Starts at $745/year	Online courses with built-in communities	All-in-one membership and LMS system

Why Build an Online Community?

Building an online community can turn your WordPress website into an interactive space where visitors become active participants. Instead of just reading your content and leaving, users can connect and build relationships around your brand.

Here are the main benefits of creating an online community:

• More user engagement: Forums, groups, and member profiles give visitors specific, strong reasons to keep coming back to your community.
• Brand loyalty: Active community members often become your biggest supporters. This may involve taking positive actions like posting comments, engaging with you on social media, or even buying your products. I’ve spoken to many store owners who say their community members are their best repeat customers.
• Your community creates valuable content for you: Every discussion and comment from your members is fresh, user-generated content for your website. Search engines are now giving higher rankings to this type of authentic content, which can improve your SEO and bring more visitors to your site. This is the same model that helps power popular communities like Reddit and Quora.
• Create revenue opportunities: You can set up new income sources like paid memberships, online courses, and members-only content.

Why Use WordPress for Your Online Community?

Building your community on WordPress gives you full control. Everything, from your member data to your content, stays on your site instead of a hosted platform that can change its rules or shut down overnight.

It also keeps your community close to the rest of your website. Members can move easily between your blog, store, and online courses without having to log in to another platform.

Hosted platforms like Discord or Mighty Networks may seem easier at first, but you don’t own the platform, can’t customize it freely, and have to work around their pricing and feature limits. With WordPress, you set the rules and keep full control over how your community grows.

My Testing Methodology for Evaluating Community Plugins

Choosing the wrong community plugin can kill engagement before it even starts. I know this from personal experience: when I first tried to launch a forum, I ended up with silent, empty pages and zero activity.

That’s why I don’t just look at a plugin’s list of features. Instead, I personally build test communities and put each plugin through real-life scenarios that mirror what you’ll face as a site owner.

Here’s how I test every plugin in this review:

• Installation and setup time: I track how long it takes me to get a basic community up and running. I also make a note of any technical roadblocks that might confuse someone who is just starting out.
• User experience testing: I always create a test member account and approach the community just like a new user would. This helps me check if the features feel easy to use, or if they’re confusing.
• Performance impact: I run a website speed test before and after I install the plugin. This is because community features can slow down your site if they’re not set up properly.
• Mobile responsiveness: I test every feature on mobile devices, as most community interactions happen on phones and tablets.
• Scalability potential: I try to simulate what happens when a community grows quickly. In this way, I can see how each plugin handles lots of new members and content.
• Value for money: I compare total cost to capability: upfront license prices, any add-ons you’ll likely need, hosting requirements, and how much you can accomplish at each tier as your community grows.

My main goal is to find plugins that are simple and work well for beginners, but can also grow with your community as you get more members.

1. BuddyBoss: Best WordPress Community Plugin for Building a Full-Featured Social Network

BuddyBoss Pros	✅ All-in-one solution for building social networks ✅ Modern and user-friendly design, right out of the box ✅ Optional mobile app for native community experience ✅ Strong integration with e-learning and membership tools
BuddyBoss Cons	❌ Can be resource-intensive and needs powerful web hosting ❌ Higher cost compared to simpler forum plugins ❌ Mobile app is a separate and significant additional expense
Pricing	$299–$449/year
Best For	Building a comprehensive social network similar to a private Facebook

BuddyBoss is the best community plugin for creating an ‘all-in-one’ social network directly inside your WordPress site. It allows you to build your own social media website, including features such as detailed activity feeds, private messaging, profiles, groups, and events.

I’ve tested BuddyBoss extensively, and it stands out for its clean, modern design and rich user-facing features. For more details, you can see my complete BuddyBoss review.

My Experience

The initial setup process was very straightforward, and I didn’t need any technical expertise to get BuddyBoss up and running. I also really appreciated that the plugin looked great, right out of the box.

When I tested its activity feeds, I was impressed by how seamlessly recent posts and comments flowed across all areas of my community.

I also liked that you can create an online school with collaborative learning, gamification, and an engaging student dashboard to improve the learner experience.

Another benefit is that BuddyBoss allows you to turn your community website into an app. This can be a great option for boosting engagement and getting more signups.

Just keep in mind that BuddyBoss tends to use a lot of server resources, so you’ll need powerful WordPress hosting to run it well. I recommend using Rapyd Cloud hosting since they have a plan designed specifically for BuddyBoss.

Why I Recommend BuddyBoss: This plugin creates an easy-to-use social network experience for your visitors. In my opinion, BuddyBoss’s biggest strength is combining all the essential community features into one modern, well-integrated platform.

2. MemberPress: Best for Creating a Premium Membership Community

MemberPress Pros	✅ Easy to set up and manage for beginners ✅ Flexible content access rules ✅ Seamless integration with other community plugins ✅ Courses addon for learning communities
MemberPress Cons	❌ No free version available ❌ Not designed for creating social media websites
Pricing	Starts at $179.50/year
Best For	Building paid membership communities with exclusive content access

MemberPress is a powerful membership plugin that allows you to set up premium membership communities. It gives you precise control over who sees your content, including online courses, videos, and members-only discussion forums.

At WPBeginner, we use MemberPress for our video training site, even though the content is free. This proves you can use MemberPress to manage any kind of community, no matter whether you charge a fee or not.

For more details on our experience, see our complete MemberPress review.

My Experience

When I set up MemberPress on my website, the installation process was incredibly straightforward. MemberPress showed me how to create membership tiers and set access rules without any confusion.

Unlike other membership plugins I’ve tried, MemberPress made it simple to restrict specific pages and posts. I could easily decide which content members could access with just a few clicks.

The integration with payment gateways like Stripe worked without any technical headaches.

I experimented with setting up different payment options, and the whole process was incredibly straightforward.

I also really like MemberPress’ drip content feature. It lets you schedule lessons to be released slowly over time, which is a great way to keep members engaged over the long term.

Plus, it supports many different integrations, including with online community software like BuddyBoss, BuddyPress, and Discord.

Why I Recommend MemberPress: This plugin makes it easy to create any kind of community membership website. MemberPress also works perfectly with other community tools you might want to add later on.

3. BuddyPress: Best for Building a Free Social Network

BuddyPress Pros	✅ 100% free and open-source ✅ Very flexible and customizable for different community types ✅ Integrates seamlessly with bbPress for discussion forums
BuddyPress Cons	❌ Basic default design that relies heavily on your WordPress theme ❌ Key features like monetization require additional plugins ❌ Limited advanced features
Pricing	Free
Best For	Best free option for building social networks with member profiles and groups

BuddyPress is the best free and open-source tool for creating social networks. It gives you basic online community features without any licensing costs.

Unlike premium alternatives I’ve tested, BuddyPress focuses on providing a stable, solid foundation rather than lots of flashy features.

My Experience

I used BuddyPress to build a test site where WordPress fans could connect with each other. BuddyPress immediately gave me reliable features like group creation, friendship systems, and member notifications right out of the box.

BuddyPress’ core features worked very well, letting me create public, private, and hidden groups without any difficult setup.

I also easily integrated it with the free bbPress plugin to add discussion forums directly inside my social groups. I believe this combination is key, as it makes the community experience feel more complete.

Keep in mind that the default styling is basic, which I think is a fair trade-off for being free. For site owners who are comfortable with adding some minor styling changes, BuddyPress is a great option.

Why I Recommend BuddyPress: This plugin gives you essential social features completely free. Overall, BuddyPress is perfect if you’re on a tight budget or just starting out.

4. Thrive Comments: Best WordPress Community Plugin for Boosting Engagement

Thrive Comments Pros	✅ Transforms standard comments into interactive discussions ✅ Gamification features encourage user participation ✅ Post-comment actions help convert readers into subscribers
Thrive Comments Cons	❌ Can add extra weight to high-traffic pages ❌ Engagement data may be lost if you deactivate the plugin ❌ No free plugin version
Pricing	$49/year (standalone) or $299/year as part of the Thrive Suite
Best For	Converting a blog comments section into a community hub that drives engagement and captures leads

Thrive Comments is the best solution for turning your regular blog comment section into an engaging community space.

Instead of the basic WordPress comments that most visitors simply ignore, Thrive creates an interactive environment where readers genuinely want to participate. For example, it includes comment likes / dislikes, comment badges, and more.

For more about our experience with Thrive Comments, see our full Thrive Themes Suite review.

My Experience

To test how well Thrive Comments performs, I loaded a review page that I had intentionally filled with over 300 comments. Thrive’s built-in lazy loading feature worked exactly as advertised, keeping the initial page load fast and snappy.

Plus, I liked that Thrive Comments includes handy upvoting and downvoting features that help highlight the most valuable responses. Quality comments naturally rise to the top, encouraging better discussions.

During my testing, I also found Thrive’s built-in gamification system to be very effective at encouraging participation.

Users can earn badges based on their activity, which adds an element of fun that keeps people coming back to engage and see their progress.

I was also really impressed by the post-comment actions, which instantly turn engaged commenters into potential email subscribers. After someone leaves a thoughtful comment, you can automatically redirect them to a special thank you page or show them an optin form.

Why I Recommend Thrive Comments: This plugin successfully turns your passive blog readers into active community members. Plus, its ability to capture email subscribers from your most engaged visitors is a huge bonus.

5. AccessAlly: Best WordPress Plugin for All-in-One Courses and Communities

AccessAlly Pros	✅ Combines membership, course, and community features in one platform ✅ Built-in CommunityAlly add-on adds group feeds, discussions, and member directories ✅ Excellent for gamification, progress tracking, and engagement challenges ✅ CRM and email automation integrations
AccessAlly Cons	❌ Has a steep learning curve ❌ Community features require the CommunityAlly add-on ❌ More expensive than other community plugins
Pricing	Starts at $745/year
Best For	Coaches, educators, and membership site owners who want courses, communities, and automation in one tool

AccessAlly is one of the most complete WordPress solutions for building online learning communities. Its CommunityAlly add-on allows you to set up group feeds, member profiles, and discussion areas directly inside your online course or membership area.

My Experience

To test AccessAlly, I tried building a small group learning community with discussion groups linked to specific courses. Setting it up took more time than with simpler plugins, but the extra control over structure made it worth it.

Each group automatically added or removed members based on course enrollment, and users could post updates or start discussions inside their cohort.

I also liked that AccessAlly includes strong gamification tools. I was able to award points when members completed lessons or participated in discussions, and set up leaderboards for each community.

Just keep in mind that AccessAlly is more expensive and complex than some of the other community plugins on this list. I think it could be worth it for larger companies or professional coaches, but it may not be the best fit for small businesses.

Why I Recommend AccessAlly: It’s ideal for managing courses, memberships, and community spaces in one system. AccessAlly offers deeper engagement tools than most LMS or membership plugins, and its automation options make it easy to grow an active, loyal community over time.

Other Community Plugins I Tested

If you’re still exploring your options, here are a few other plugins worth mentioning.

These didn’t make my top recommendations, but they can work well in specific situations or for smaller projects.

wpForo Forum

Best For: Traditional forums and discussion boards

ProfileGrid

Best For: Small social networks and member directories

Ultimate Member

Best For: Membership sites with social profile features

FluentCommunity

Best For: All-in-one social community and course platform.

What Is the Best WordPress Community Plugin?

The best plugin for you really depends on what kind of community you’re trying to build. This will vary depending on whether you want to focus on online training, selling premium content, creating a free social network, or something else entirely.

Here is a quick summary:

• If you want to build a social network on WordPress, then BuddyBoss is my top pick. It’s an all-in-one solution that promises to transform your site into an engaging community, similar to a private Facebook that you fully own.
• If you want to create a premium, paid community, then MemberPress really stands out. It’s what I recommend if you need simple-to-use content restriction and powerful subscription management.
• If you want to focus on online learning, then AccessAlly is my top pick. It allows you to build communities within your online courses and encourage group learning.
• If you want to build a community without paying any license fees, BuddyPress is the perfect option. This free, open-source foundation gives you core features like profiles, groups, and activity feeds. I also recommend adding the free bbPress plugin if you need discussion forums.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Communities

Choosing the right tools for your online community can be confusing, so it’s completely normal to still have some questions.

To help you out, I’ve gathered answers to the most common questions our readers ask us about running a community on WordPress.

Do I need special hosting for running online communities on WordPress?

Yes, you’ll need reliable, high-performance hosting for running an active WordPress community. Community plugins process constant activity, like posts, messages, and notifications, that can quickly slow down basic shared hosting.

I recommend Rapyd Cloud. It’s built for high-traffic, dynamic websites and handled resource-heavy plugins like BuddyBoss smoothly in my tests.

Can I monetize my WordPress community?

Yes, absolutely! In my experience, the best way to make money online is by using a membership plugin to sell access to your content or community groups.

Tools like MemberPress and AccessAlly all provide the necessary features to handle this. These plugins offer simple subscription management, detailed content protection to lock down exclusive posts, and other features you need to run a successful paid community.

Which is the best free WordPress community plugin?

BuddyPress is the best free option. It’s open source and very well-documented by the larger WordPress community.

More Resources for Building WordPress Communities

My biggest advice is to remember that these plugins are just the starting point. Building a successful WordPress community requires finding the right mix of tools, smart hosting, and genuine engagement strategies.

With that said, I recommend using the resources below to improve your site and grow your brand-new community:

• The Ultimate Guide to Boost WordPress Speed & Performance
• Best Membership Site Examples That You Should Check Out
• How to Make a Social Media Website (Beginner’s Guide)
• How to Increase Your Blog Traffic – The Easy Way
• Tested and Easy Ways to Grow Your Email List Faster
• How to Create Your Own Private Community with WordPress
• Best Online Community Platforms (Pros and Cons)

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