The 7 Best WordPress Community Plugins: My Practical Rankings

I wanted to create an online community for my photography clients. Nothing fancy – just a place to share their work, ask questions and socialize.

I spent three days comparing platforms. There are tabs everywhere, tables with functions, test accounts whose passwords I have forgotten.

Each option had the same problem: I would be renting space on someone else’s platform.

So I would accept any algorithm changes, surprise price increases or limited customization options. And when the platform closed or changed direction, my community disappeared too.

Then I realized that WordPress was already doing everything I needed. I simply needed the right community plugins to transform my existing website into a space that I actually owned.

That’s why I researched, tested, compared and rated the best community plugins for WordPress so you don’t have to. Check out my detailed list below.

Key insights

• I’ll show you how to turn WordPress into a thriving community space with member profiles, discussion forums, and private groups
• We’re discussing a completely free solution that supports more than 8.1 million user profiles on WordPress.org (yes, really free forever).
• I’ll tell you which plugin you can use to build social networks, sell courses AND run coaching programs all in one place without having to juggle multiple tools
• I tested seven community builders – three cost nothing, four offer premium features that might be worth the investment
• I’ll show you the honest trade-offs between sophisticated paid solutions and powerful free options so you can choose what actually meets your needs

Table of contents

If you don’t have time to go through the entire list, here is a table of contents that lists all community plugins at once. Additionally, you can click on any tool you want to read to jump to that section.

🔍 Click here to see my testing methodology

Here’s exactly how I evaluate each community plugin:

• Setup time and ease: How long does it take from installation to a functioning community? Can beginners use the plugin without developer help?
• Core features: Member profiles, activity feeds, groups, forums, private messages – what’s included?
• Scalability: Does it work smoothly with 100 members? What about 1,000? 10,000+?
• Performance Impact: Page load times with active plugin, tested with GTmetrix on multiple hosting environments
• Member experience: Do members find it intuitive? Are there points of friction that destroy engagement?
• Design and customization: Out-of-the-box appearance, theme compatibility and how much design work is required?
• Integrations: Does it work with membership plugins, LMS platforms, payment gateways and email marketing tools?
• Support quality: Response times, documentation quality, community forums, available tutorials

Tools I use:

• Mobile testing on iOS and Android devices
• GTmetrix for performance testing and load time analysis
• Multiple hosting environments – shared hosting, VPS and managed WordPress hosting for real-world performance testing
• Real member feedback from testing communities I’ve built
• Cross-browser testing (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)

Why trust IsItWP?

At IsItWP, we’ve been the go-to source for the WordPress community since 2009, helping over 2 million users choose better plugins and tools.

Unlike review sites that never actually use the products, we build real communities, test every feature thoroughly, and provide ongoing WordPress advice to thousands of website owners.

I’ve found that WordPress offers community solutions for every budget and skill level. With some plugins you get complete social networks like Facebook.

Others focus on simple forums or member profiles. The right choice depends on whether you want to create a discussion area, sell courses with community features, or create a professional networking site.

If you want to specifically monetize your community, check out the best WordPress membership plugins that integrate with these community builders.

Here’s how the top community plugins compare:

Plugin	Best for	Free version	Ease of use	Evaluation	Starting price
🥇 BuddyBoss	Course communities	✅	Simply	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Free/$299/year
🥈 MemberPress	Selling memberships/courses	❌	Simply	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	$199.50/year
🥉 BuddyPress	DIYers on a budget	✅	Moderate	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Free forever
4. Thrive Comments	Engaging comment sections	❌	Simply	⭐⭐⭐⭐	$49/year
5. AccessAlly	Power user with CRM	❌	Progressive	⭐⭐⭐⭐	$495/year
6. bbPress	Simple forums	✅	Simply	⭐⭐⭐	Free forever
7. Ultimate Member	Profile oriented websites	✅	Simply	⭐⭐⭐	$276/year

Now let’s dive into this detailed list of WordPress community plugins.

1. BuddyBoss ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Free platform supports over 8.1 million profiles | Good for: Course creators and membership communities

BuddyBoss is the best community plugin especially if you want to create a Facebook style website on your WordPress course site.

This community building platform gives you a complete social network instantly.

For example, member profiles with cover photos, activity feeds showing what everyone is doing, private groups for different topics, and direct messages between members.

Everything you want from a social platform, but everything is yours.

I love how BuddyBoss never limits your growth. You get unlimited members, unlimited groups, unlimited courses, and unlimited admins at every pricing level.

I’ve seen “unlimited” claims before that were actually capped at 1,000 members or charged extra for team access. BuddyBoss means unlimited.

The real advantage lies in how it works with online course platforms.

First of all, deep integration with LearnDash turns your courses into social learning experiences.

This allows students to discuss lessons in groups, share their progress in their profiles and network beyond the course material.

Additionally, the higher pricing tiers include native mobile apps. With this, your members download an iOS or Android app with your branding that syncs in real-time with your WordPress site.

No coding required.

My experience with BuddyBoss

I built a private community for a coaching program with 200 members who were frustrated with the limitations of their Facebook group.

Building the base community took less than two hours. I activated the core components, profiles, groups and activity feeds and members were able to start interacting immediately.

The activity feed became the heartbeat of the community. Members posted daily updates, shared wins and asked questions.

Additionally, the Private Groups feature allows me to create separate rooms for different coaching cohorts without the need for separate Facebook groups or managing multiple platforms.

In the end, members prefer it to the Facebook group they have been using for months. We saw this in action as engagement skyrocketed compared to Facebook.

► Advantages

• You instantly get a complete social network with all the features you expect from Facebook Groups, but under your control
• The free version is really powerful enough for most small communities, so you can get started without spending a dime
• Unlimited members and groups means you’ll never hit a cap as your community grows
• Deep integrations with course plugins make it perfect if you teach online

► Disadvantages

• The sheer number of features can be overwhelming when you first launch (I recommend enabling one component at a time).
• Premium features like the mobile app and custom theme require paid plans
• Some advanced customizations still require technical knowledge or hiring a developer if you want to perfect them
• Performance may slow on cheaper hosting with large, active communities (upgrade to better hosting as you grow).

My verdict: BuddyBoss eliminates the question “Where should I build my community?” Ask. If you create courses, run coaching programs, or build a learning community, this manages social networks and education in one place.

For more information, check out my BuddyBoss review.

Prices: Free plugin available; Pro starts at $299/year

Start here with BuddyBoss

2. MemberPress ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Billions in sales processed | Ideal for: Selling courses and memberships

MemberPress surprised me by packing everything into one plugin instead of forcing you to juggle multiple tools.

Above all, the complete LMS (Learning Management System) is integrated directly into MemberPress.

You can create courses with drag-and-drop curriculum builders, create lessons, add tests, and issue certificates. All without installing LearnDash or any other separate course plugin.

MemberPress has an interesting feature called ClubSuite that allows you to add forums and private messages between members.

Most impressively, this feature also creates an extensive directory that allows members to search for other members and everything in between directly on your membership site.

Most plugins require you to install BuddyPress or bbPress separately to use community features. MemberPress simply turns them on.

Additionally, you can run coaching programs with the growth plan. It allows you to track customer milestones, manage habits, and organize cohorts. This is perfect for trainers who need more than just delivering courses.

Additionally, ReadyLaunch’s easy setup feature makes it easy to set up your website and courses and start selling them right away.

Simply select a template, customize it visually and you’re done. No weeks of design work or hiring developers.

My experience with MemberPress

I migrated my online course from Teachable to MemberPress to save the $5,000 per year I had to pay in platform fees.

ReadyLaunch had my new website ready for sale in less than a day. I selected a course template, imported my content, connected Stripe, and went live. The visual builder meant zero coding.

The biggest gain came from retaining 100% of sales. Most course creation plugins take a percentage of each sale. With MemberPress, I paid a flat annual fee regardless of how much I earned.

Course completion rates improved after adding ClubCircles forums, part of ClubSuite features, where students helped each other.

Ultimately, community features transformed isolated course attendance into collaborative learning. This led to more courses completed and, above all, more motivated students.

► Advantages

• MemberPress is a truly complete package with memberships, courses, community forums, coaching tools and partners without the need for separate plugins
• The Launch plan lets you start with minimal upfront costs and then upgrade to eliminate transaction fees as you grow
• ClubSuite gives you Facebook Group-style community features without having to install BuddyPress or mess with additional plugins
• ReadyLaunch allows you to sell within 24 hours, which is incredible for beginners who just want to get started

► Disadvantages

• There is no free version that you can try before purchasing. However, they offer a 14-day money-back guarantee if it doesn’t work
• The transaction fee for the Launch plan adds up quickly when you are profitable
• Community features like ClubCircles forums are only available on the Growth plan
• Some advanced features, such as the affiliate program and API access, are only available on the Top Scale plan

My verdict: MemberPress works best if you sell courses or memberships and want community features without plugin overload. The all-in-one approach means less troubleshooting and faster setup.

For more information, see my MemberPress review.

Compare MemberPress to WishList Member and MemberPress to Ultimate Membership Pro if you’re still deciding between membership plugins.

Prices: Starting at $199.50/year

If this is right for you, check out our MemberPress coupon page to find the best deals.

Get started with MemberPress here

3. BuddyPress ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Over 200,000 active installs | Ideal for: price-conscious DIY enthusiasts

BuddyPress stands out as one of the best community plugins because it has great features and is 100% free forever with no premium upsells or feature limitations.

BuddyPress is developed by the same team that works on WordPress. This means it adheres to WordPress coding standards and won’t mess up your website.

It also operates major websites, including more than 8.1 million user profiles on WordPress.org. Think about it; When scaled to millions of users for WordPress official website, it will handle the growth of your community.

Of particular note is the modular component system, which allows you to activate only what you need.

Do you want profiles and groups but not messages? Just check these boxes. This keeps your website lean and fast instead of loading features you’ll never use.

Additionally, BuddyPress has 1,200 free extension plugins in the WordPress repository. Do you need a specific feature? Someone probably already built it for free. So you don’t have to start from scratch.

My experience with BuddyPress

I needed to add member profiles and groups to my WordPress blog without breaking my zero budget.

The setup took 30 minutes. I installed it and enabled only the components I wanted (profiles, groups, activity stream) and members could start interacting immediately.

No configuration issues or paid theme requirements.

We got members joining and interacting through profiles and discussion groups. I like how the activity stream shows everything that’s happening in the community in one feed.

The best part? No ongoing costs for community functions.

► Advantages

• BuddyPress is 100% free forever with no premium upsells, which is incredible considering the features you get
• It was built by WordPress core staff, so you can be sure that it is coded properly and will be maintained long-term along with WordPress updates
• The modular system means you only activate the functions you need, keeping your website fast and clear
• With over 1,200 free extensions available, you can add almost any functionality you can imagine without spending any money

► Disadvantages

• The default design looks quite simple and outdated compared to modern social networks like Facebook
• For a professional look that meets modern expectations, you will probably need to purchase a BuddyPress compatible theme
• Technical knowledge may be required for setup and customization as there is no setup wizard to guide beginners through the process
• No official support – You rely on community forums for help, which can be slow compared to paid support

My verdict: BuddyPress offers serious community features for free. Perfect for DIYers who are familiar with WordPress and want proven software without monthly fees.

Prices: Free forever

Get started with BuddyPress here

Premium Comment Engagement | Best for: Bloggers building an engaged audience

Thrive comments turns boring comment sections into community spaces that readers actually want to participate in. That’s why it’s on this list.

The upvote and downvote system works like Reddit. This means the best comments automatically rise to the top, rewarding helpful contributors and filtering out noise. Your most engaged readers will be recognized naturally.

Interactive websites always lead to more engagement. And the gamification badges that Thrive Comments offers encourage participation.

For example, you can set up award badges for first comment, tenth comment, most upvotes, etc. Whatever milestones are important for your website.

I noticed that just by adding badges, comment frequency doubled.

That’s not all: the post-comment actions feature immediately leads to engaged readers.

You can display an offer, redirect to related content, or show prompts to share on social networks. They do this right after someone comments and engages the most.

Additionally, social login with Facebook and Google eliminates friction. Readers can comment without creating separate accounts or remembering passwords.

I replaced the standard WordPress comments on my blog and watched engagement explode.

Setup took 15 minutes as all I had to do was install, activate and configure the badges I wanted. What I really liked is that all existing comments were retained, but new features were immediately added.

Comments per post improved within a few weeks. This was partly due to the upvoting system, which showed the most helpful answers and encouraged quality over quantity.

The biggest surprise came from the post-comment lightboxes. After commenting, I saw a simple email signup. This encouraged first-time commenters to become email subscribers.

► Advantages

• Thrive Comments transforms boring comment sections into engaging community spaces with upvoting, badges, and post-comment actions that actually lead to conversions
• The social login option significantly reduces friction for first-time commenters because they don’t have to create accounts or remember passwords
• You can automatically display offers or related content right after someone comments, which is great for converting engaged readers

► Disadvantages

• There is no free version to try, but you can purchase a standalone plugin and cancel within a year if you are not satisfied
• Too many comments can slow page loading times
• Limited to Facebook, Google, and Twitter for social logins – no LinkedIn, GitHub, or other platform options

My verdict: Thrive Comments is best for bloggers who want better blog engagement and conversion in their comment sections. The upvoting and the badges create a natural community motivation.

Prices: Starting at $49/year; Or as part of Thrive Suitefrom $299/year

Start here with Thrive Comments

5. AccessAlly ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Professional automation platform | Best for: Power users with CRM needs

AccessAlly dominates as a community plugin if you need serious automation coupled with your email marketing CRM.

Through deep integration with ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, Keap, and Ontraport, student behavior automatically triggers specific actions.

Has anyone completed Lesson 5? Automatically tag them, unlock bonus content and send congratulations. No Zapier connection required.

The annual flat fee includes an unlimited number of courses, members and administrators. This means your costs remain predictable, whether you have 100 or 10,000 students.

The integrated affiliate system saves you from paying for separate affiliate plugins. This feature allows you to start your affiliate program from day one with commissions recorded automatically.

Additionally, gamification features like points, badges, and leaderboards increase engagement without additional plugins.

My experience with AccessAlly

I migrated a customer’s course from MemberMouse to gain deeper automation control.

Since it was not a new platform, it took a week to set up with migration support. During this time they imported content, members and purchase history.

See, the technical parts that would have stressed me out were handled professionally.

Adding gamification badges increased course completion rates. This is because students competed to obtain achievements, which resulted in them making consistent progress in the modules.

► Advantages

• AccessAlly is exceptionally powerful for automation lovers who want student behavior to automatically trigger specific emails, content releases, and experiences
• Thanks to the annual flat fee with unlimited courses and members, your costs remain predictable even during strong growth
• The integrated affiliate management saves you from paying for separate affiliate plugins such as Easy Affiliate or PartnerWP
• The migration assistant makes switching from platforms like Teachable or Kajabi relatively painless with professional support

► Disadvantages

• AccessAlly is definitely not the cheapest option. Compared to alternatives, it is a significant investment
• You really need a supported CRM to take full advantage of it, which increases the overall cost
• The learning curve is steeper than simpler plugins – ideal for power users, can be overwhelming for beginners
• No transaction-based pricing option like MemberPress, so the upfront commitment is higher

My verdict: AccessAlly is great for professional course creators who need powerful automation coupled with their CRM. The complexity pays off when you do serious operations.

Prices: Starting at $495/year

Start here with AccessAlly

6. bbPress ⭐⭐⭐

Over 300,000 active installs | Best for: Simple forum needs

bbPress comes from the same team that developed WordPress itself, Automattic.

This means it is coded properly, follows WordPress standards, and does not conflict with your theme or other top plugins. The familiar WordPress interface means no learning curve.

Why is bbPress one of the best forum plugins?

bbPress remains lightweight and fast. Forums can block websites with heavy code. But bbPress consumes minimal resources and works smoothly even on budget hosting.

The complete freedom of zero costs also helps. You get unlimited forums, topics, and answers without spending a dime or encountering feature limitations.

Additionally, the BuddyPress integration works smoothly. Each BuddyPress group can automatically have its own forum, ideal for community sites that need organized discussions.

My experience with bbPress

I needed a support forum for my plugin documentation site without complex features or ongoing costs.

Setup took 20 minutes from installation to the first live forum. I created forums in my WordPress admin, set permissions and was done. The interface felt natural as it reflects WordPress post creation.

Afterwards, the community members answered support topics themselves, which reduced my workload. The forum became a self-service knowledge base, reducing my email volume for direct support.

To ensure everything was free, Akismet (also free) took perfect care of spam filtering. Together they ensured that I didn’t have to pay for a support solution that actually worked.

► Advantages

• bbPress is completely free and remains lightning fast even with thousands of forum topics, unlike more extensive alternatives that slow down websites
• It was created by the WordPress creators, so you can be sure that it is maintained with WordPress updates and works properly
• The user interface feels like WordPress. If you can write a blog post, you can use bbPress forums without learning new software
• Perfect for simple use cases like support forums, FAQs or adding discussions to existing content without complexity

► Disadvantages

• The design is quite simple and looks dated compared to modern forum software like Discourse or even wpForo
• Limited features compared to full forums – no reactions, advanced moderation tools, or built-in modern social features
• No private messaging system – users can only post publicly (pair with BuddyPress if you need private messaging)

My verdict: bbPress handles simple forum requests for free. Perfect for support forums, question and answer areas, or basic community discussions without feature overload.

Prices: Free forever

Start here with bbPress

7. Ultimate Member ⭐⭐⭐

Over 200,000 active installs | Best for: Profile-oriented membership sites

Ultimate Member creates beautiful member profiles instantly and without any design work.

Member profiles with cover photos, avatars and custom fields are automatically displayed after activation. The modern design looks professional out of the box, unlike most plugins that require theme customization.

Why is Ultimate Member one of the best profile plugins?

I like how the frontend registration and login forms keep members away from the WordPress admin screens. This increases your security and reduces attack gaps.

In fact, everything happens on your branded pages, ensuring a professional member experience from sign-up to daily use.

The searchable member directory system allows members to find and connect with one another. Multiple directory views and filtering options allow navigation of large member databases.

Additionally, the extension ecosystem offers you over 30 official extensions as well as hundreds of third-party integrations.

My experience with Ultimate Member

I created a professional networking site for local business owners in need of member profiles and directories.

The setup took an hour. I created registration forms, customized profile fields, and configured the directory. The visual form builder made everything intuitive.

The community grew because the searchable directory allows entrepreneurs to find others in their industry or location. The profile completion rate has improved because the interface has simplified it.

The free version initially did everything we needed. As the community grew, we added the bbPress forum and private messaging extension using paid add-ons.

► Advantages

• The free version is incredibly powerful with profiles, registration forms and member directories – you can do a lot without paying
• Ultimate Member creates really beautiful, modern-looking profiles and directories right out of the box, with no design work required
• The expansion system means you only pay for the features you actually need and don’t have to buy everything upfront
• The front-end only user experience means members never see confusing WordPress admin screens and everything stays branded and professional

► Disadvantages

• The features add up quickly if you need multiple extensions – private messages, forums, followers and social login each cost separately
• The extension ecosystem can feel fragmented as you manage multiple separate plugins that require individual updates
• Some important features, such as: B. private messages should be integrated into the core due to their importance

My verdict: Ultimate Member excels at profile-oriented sites where member directories and professional-looking profiles are most important. Start free and add extensions as you grow.

Prices: Free plugin available; Pro from $276/year

Get started here with Ultimate Member

There you have it! My ultimate list of the best WordPress community plugins. But we’re not done yet! Next, let’s look at some community tools that were just missing from the list.

These plugins didn’t make it into my top 7, but are worth considering for certain situations.

Paid Memberships Pro ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Paid Memberships Pro offers a completely free membership plugin that is a great alternative to MemberPress.

It manages content limits, subscription billing, and membership tiers without charging for core features.

The interface is less sophisticated than MemberPress and you need separate plugins for courses or forums.

However, if you just need basic membership features on a tight budget, it works reliably.

Restrict Content Pro ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Restrict Content Pro focuses on simple content restrictions without the complexity of full membership systems.

It’s lighter than MemberPress or AccessAlly, making it perfect for sites that only need to provide some content behind registration or payment.

The streamlined approach means faster setup and fewer configuration hassles. You forego advanced features like drip content and detailed analytics, but gain in simplicity and speed.

ProfilePress ⭐⭐⭐

ProfilePress creates custom registration forms, login pages, and user profiles, similar to Ultimate Member.

The free version includes frontend profile editing and custom registration fields. It’s less powerful than Ultimate Member, but some find the interface more intuitive.

The drag-and-drop form builder works well for basic profile customization. It’s worth testing whether Ultimate Member feels too complex for your needs.

Choosing the wrong community plugin means having to rebuild everything later. Here’s how to find the right solution for your needs.

Choose based on your primary goal

Building a course community

• BuddyBoss or MemberPress work best when students need to interact beyond the course content.
  • BuddyBoss tightly integrates with LearnDash for social learning.
  • MemberPress includes the LMS and community functions in one plugin. Both create spaces where students discuss lessons, share progress, and help each other succeed.

When you create online courses, community features significantly improve completion rates.

Selling Memberships or Content

• MemberPress or AccessAlly Sell ​​better than pure community plugins.
  • MemberPress allows you to sell within 24 hours with ReadyLaunch.
  • AccessAlly offers more automation but requires CRM knowledge.

Both protect content, process payments, and manage subscriptions while adding community features.

Adding a discussion to your blog

• Thrive comments turns comment sections into engagement engines.
  • The upvoting, badges and post-comment campaigns transform passive readers into active participants.
  • Perfect for bloggers who want better engagement without building full community websites.
• bbPress Works if you need simple forums for blog discussions or support questions.
  • It’s lighter and still focuses on threaded conversations.

Creating member networks or directories

• Ultimate Member Excellent when profile visibility is most important.
  • It’s great for professional networks, alumni groups, local business directories – anywhere people need to find and connect based on profile information.

Operating a pure social network

• BuddyBoss or BuddyPress Providing Facebook-style features.
  • Activity feeds, friend connections, private groups, messaging, everything you need for social networking.
  • BuddyBoss adds Polish and mobile apps.
  • BuddyPress offers you the same foundation for free.

Choose according to your technical comfort level

Complete beginners

• MemberPress Get online faster with ReadyLaunch.
  • Select a template, customize it, and launch it.
• Or Ultimate Memberif you only need profiles and directories – activate and profiles will be displayed automatically.

Convenient DIY

• BuddyPress And bbPress work great if you are familiar with installing plugins, customizing WordPress, and troubleshooting.
• Thrive comments is simple enough for anyone who can install WordPress plugins.

Power users and developers

• AccessAlly unlocks the full power of automation when you understand CRM systems and marketing automation.
• BuddyBoss Works well if you hire developers for custom features.

Well done! You now have a detailed list of the seven best community plugins and bonus plugins and how to choose one according to your needs.

If something is unclear, check out the frequently asked questions below.

Yes, if you want to have control over the future of your community.

Building a WordPress community requires more initial setup than joining Facebook groups. You’ll spend time configuring plugins, customizing the theme, and learning how it all comes together. This preparatory work pays off in the long term.

You own the data, control the functions and set the rules. Algorithm changes don’t destroy your reach overnight.

If you’re budget-conscious, start with free BuddyPress. You get proven social networking software for free. Add bbPress for forums and Ultimate Member for profiles – a complete community stack without spending any money.

Choose MemberPress or BuddyBoss if you sell content. Both include everything needed for monetization as well as community features. MemberPress focuses on sales, BuddyBoss adds social learning.

The plugins exist. The community wants to come together. The only question is whether you own this space or rent it from platforms that can change the conditions at any time.

Build your community on WordPress. You won’t regret having control of your own platform.

Are you ready to take your community to the next level? These resources will help you add powerful features and expand your platform.

These articles will help you not only build a fantastic community, but also manage it more efficiently. Now let’s discuss. Is there a community plugin that I think I missed? I’m all ears.