Building an engaging online community can be a game-changer for your website. A community focus can range from social to professional networking and everything in between!
WordPress holds 62.7% of the CMS market share. WordPress provides a wide array of powerful plugins and themes, both free and paid, from companies around the world.
These plugins and themes are essential for building your unique social network or community website on WordPress.
Since social networks are centered around communication, you’ll need a community website platform that not only lets your users log in but also offers features for community members to communicate, interact with different types of content, join groups, and more.
Fortunately, there are a number of community plugins available for WordPress that can save you time and money by providing these functionalities.
Let’s explore some of the top community and social plugins for WordPress:
- What Is an Online Community Plugin?
- Best WordPress Community Plugins
- Best Free WordPress Community Plugins
- Best Paid WordPress Community Plugins
- How To Choose The Best WordPress Community Plugin
- How Cloudways Simplifies Using WordPress Community Plugins?
- Build and host your WordPress community effortlessly with Cloudways
- Wrapping Up – The Best WordPress Community Plugins
What Is an Online Community Plugin?
Community plugins are like pre-built toolkits for your WordPress site. They let you add features that allow members to interact and connect. Building a community website can be a huge task. Luckily, there are a number of WordPress community plugins available that can handle the hard work for you. These plugins offer ready-made features, and many of them are free to start with.
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Best WordPress Community Plugins
We have listed the 13 best WordPress community plugins that can be very helpful for your community websites.
Best Free WordPress Community Plugins
1. BuddyPress
BuddyPress is well known for creating community websites on WordPress. Created by the team for WordPress, it blends in smoothly. Provides a variety of functions. For large groups, BuddyPress can be used extensively to meet your requirements.
Features
- Customizable profiles with avatars and cover images.
- Real-time updates and notifications, similar to social media feeds.
- User Groups: Create public, private, or hidden groups with separate activity streams and forums.
- Allows users to communicate privately, supporting multiple recipients.
- Users receive notifications for new messages, mentions, and other interactions.
Review and Ratings
BuddyPress has 4.5/5 stars on WordPress.org. it is praised for its flexibility and extensive support network.
Pricing
The BuddyPress community plugin is available for FREE.
2. wpForo Forum
wpForo Forum is the top WordPress forum plugin. This WordPress forum plugin provides everything you need to establish a productive and professional community.
Its aesthetic design and extensive feature set make it ideal for establishing a vibrant community. Members can customize their forum experience according to their preferences.
Features
- It offers various forum layouts, such as extended, simplified, and question-and-answer.
- Create custom profile fields for users to enhance personalization.
- Built with SEO best practices to help your forums rank well in search engines.
- Comes with various styles and color schemes to match your website’s look.
- Enable reputation points, badges, and user rankings to encourage participation.
Review and Ratings
wpForo gets a strong 4.8/5 stars on WordPress.org. It is lauded for its comprehensive features and user-friendly design.
Pricing
wpForo community plugin is available for FREE.
3. bbPress
bbPress is a lightweight forum plugin that integrates seamlessly with WordPress. It’s known for its simplicity and speed, making it a popular choice for adding forums to any WordPress site.
bbPress is developed by the same team as WordPress, ensuring smooth integration and regular updates.
Features and Ratings
- Easy to set up and manage, with a straightforward user interface.
- Comes with basic templates that can be customized to fit your site’s design.
- Built-in tools to help moderate forums and prevent spam.
- Users can subscribe to forums and topics to receive email notifications.
- Designed to be lightweight and fast, ensuring your forums don’t slow down your site.
Review and Ratings
bbPress has a rating of 4.3/5 stars on WordPress.org and is praised for its ease of use and tight integration with WordPress.
Pricing
bbPress is Free and listed at WordPress.org.
Best Paid WordPress Community Plugins
1. Paid Membership Subscriptions
The Paid Membership Subscriptions plugin is a tool for creating and managing subscription-based content. It’s ideal for websites seeking to generate revenue from their community via membership packages. The plugin’s user-friendly interface simplifies the process of establishing paid memberships.
Features
- Create multiple membership levels with different access privileges.
- Restrict access to posts, pages, and custom content types based on membership level.
- Supports major payment gateways, including PayPal and Stripe.
- Customize registration and login forms to match your site’s design.
- Easy to manage members, track payments, and offer discount codes.
Review and Ratings
The Paid Membership Subscriptions has a rating of 4.7/5 stars on WordPress.org. It’s highly regarded for its ease of use and robust feature set.
Pricing
The pricing for beginners and solo creators starts from €99/year and goes up to €299/year, which includes additional features.
2. Profile Builder
Profile Builder is a WordPress plugin that manages user profiles and registrations. Like other plugins on this list, it provides a range of customization features.
It is ideal for websites looking to offer users a profile experience. The plugin allows users to edit their profiles, register, and log in from the end, empowering them with account management capabilities.
Features
- Define and assign custom user roles with specific permissions.
- Allow users to register on the front-end with customizable registration forms.
- Users can edit their profiles from the front end, including personal information and avatars.
- Enable or disable form fields based on user input or role.
- Customize email notifications sent to users during registration and profile updates.
Review and Ratings
Profile Builder has a 4.6/5 star rating on WordPress.org. It is well known for its flexibility and ease of use.
Pricing
The pricing for beginners and solo creators starts at €99/year and goes up to €299/year.
3. Youzify
Youzify, formerly known as Youzer, is a premium plugin that focuses on creating beautiful and engaging user profiles. It offers a wide range of social features and is highly customizable, making it a top choice for building a social community.
Features
- Extensive customization options, including custom profile fields, tabs, and widgets.
- Users can create a dynamic activity wall to post updates, photos, and videos.
- It supports private messages between users and offers options for group conversations.
- Integrates with membership plugins to offer paid membership options.
- Comes with various widgets and shortcodes for displaying user information and activities.
Review and Ratings
Youzify is highly praised for its design and comprehensive feature set which gets it a strong rating of 4.7/5 on WordPress.org.
Pricing
Youzify – BuddyPress Community & WordPress User Profile Plugin costs $49 on codecanyon.
4. PeepSo
PeepSo is a social networking plugin that transforms your WordPress site into a full-fledged social network. It offers features similar to Facebook, making it an excellent choice for creating a social community.
Features
- Users can post updates, photos, videos, and more, with options to comment and like.
- Customizable profiles with privacy settings, avatars, and cover photos.
- Create groups with specific interests, complete with their own activity streams.
- Users can add friends, send messages, and see updates from their network.
- Real-time notifications for new messages, friend requests, and group activities.
Review and Ratings
PeepSo gets a rating of 4.5/5 on WordPress.org. It is noted for its ease of use and Facebook-like experience.
Pricing
PeepSo is a Free plugin with premium services starting from $199 per website.
5. SureMembers
SureMembers is designed to create secure membership sites. It offers a range of features for managing member access and content restrictions, making it ideal for monetizing your community.
Features
- Allow users to create different membership levels with distinct access rights.
- Restrict access to specific content, ensuring only members can view premium posts or pages.
- Easily integrate with payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe for subscription management.
- Efficiently manage users, track subscriptions, and communicate with members.
- Customize registration and login forms to suit your brand and user experience.
Review and Ratings
SureMembers has a rating of 4.5/5 stars on WordPress.org. It is appreciated for its robust features and ease of use.
Pricing
SureMembers subscription starts from $69/yr for bloggers, individuals & solopreneurs, going up to $149/yr, ideal for agencies and professionals with clients.
6. JetEngine
JetEngine is a powerful plugin for adding dynamic content to your WordPress site. It’s particularly useful for creating custom post types, listings, and complex content structures. JetEngine is part of the Crocoblock suite, known for high-quality WordPress tools.
Features
- Easily create custom post types and taxonomies to organize your content.
- Build and manage forms from the front end, allowing users to submit content or profiles.
- Display dynamic content based on user interactions or specific conditions.
- Create stylish listing grids for displaying posts, products, or any custom content.
- Extensive options for customizing the appearance and behavior of your dynamic content.
Review and Ratings
JetEngine is highly regarded for its versatility and powerful features, getting it a strong 4.9/5 rating on WordPress.org.
Pricing
JetEngine is available for $43 per year on its website.
7. ProfileGrid
ProfileGrid offers a unique blend of membership and community features. It’s ideal for creating user profiles and groups, allowing users to connect and interact. The plugin also includes content restriction options, making it suitable for paid memberships.
Features and Ratings
- Create groups with unique settings, permissions, and membership criteria.
- Customizable profiles with options for bio, avatar, and social links.
- Enable social activities, allowing users to post updates and interact with each other.
- Users can send private messages, fostering one-on-one communication.
- Restrict access to certain content based on group membership or user roles.
Review and Ratings
ProfileGrid has a rating of 4.4/5 stars on WordPress.org. It is well known for its comprehensive feature set and ease of use.
Pricing
ProfileGrid is available for Free, whereas a few premium extensions start at $79.
8. MemberPress
MemberPress is a robust membership plugin designed to help you build and manage membership sites. It offers comprehensive access control, allowing you to monetize your content effectively. With various features for managing subscriptions and members, it’s a top choice for serious membership sites.
Features
- Easily restrict access to posts, pages, and custom content types.
- Set up recurring payments, manage billing cycles, and offer trials.
- Payment Gateway Integration: Supports major payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net.
- Create and manage discount codes and special offers.
- Track member activity, revenue, and subscription trends with comprehensive reporting tools.
Review and Ratings
MemberPress is highly praised for its feature set and ease of use, earning it 4.8/5 stars on WordPress.org.
Pricing
MemberPress pricing starts from $179.50/yr and goes up to $399.50/yr.
9. Content Censor
Content Censor is a unique plugin focused on moderating user-generated content. It’s essential for maintaining a safe and respectful community environment. The plugin allows you to filter out inappropriate content and ensure that discussions remain civil.
Features
- Automatically filter and block specific keywords in user-generated content.
- Set up rules for content moderation, including auto-flagging and manual review.
- Notify admins and moderators when flagged content is posted.
- Works seamlessly with other community plugins to enhance moderation capabilities.
- Define custom rules and actions for different types of content and user behavior.
Review and Ratings
Content Censor is rated 4.2/5 stars on WordPress.org and is valued for its ability to help maintain community standards.
Pricing
Content Censor offers pricing plans based on your needs, starting at $29 per site and going up to $129 for unlimited sites.
10. Nextend Social Login and Register
Nextend Social Login and Register is a powerful plugin that simplifies user registration and login processes. Enabling social media login options, Nextend Social Login and Register enhances user experience and boosts engagement on your website.
Features
- It allows users to log in and register using their social media accounts (Facebook, Google, Twitter, etc.).
- Seamless integration with existing user accounts.
- Customizable login buttons and templates to match your site’s design.
- Option to configure different settings for each social media platform.
- Supports automatic user registration and profile linking for returning visitors.
Review and Ratings
Nextend Social Login and Register has a rating of 4.4/5 stars on WordPress.org. Users appreciate its ease of use and the convenience it offers for both site visitors and administrators.
Pricing
Nextend Social Login and Register is a Free plugin that offers a range of pricing plans for its premium services, starting from $49 for a single site license and up to $249 for unlimited sites.
How To Choose The Best WordPress Community Plugin
Before choosing a plugin, it’s crucial to understand the specific features of your community. Here are some essential features to consider:
- User Profiles and Registration: Look for plugins that offer customizable registration forms and profile fields.
- Forums and Discussion Boards: If your community revolves around discussions, ensure the plugin offers robust forum features, including thread management, moderation tools, and user tagging.
- Private Messaging and Notifications: Choose a plugin with private messaging and notification systems. This keeps users informed and engaged.
- Activity Feeds: Look for plugins that offer activity feeds that display recent activities, updates, and posts, keeping the community engaged and informed.
- Content Sharing and Media Support: If users need to share images, videos, or other media, ensure the plugin supports media uploads and has a user-friendly interface.
- Monetization Options: For those looking to monetize their community, consider plugins that support paid memberships, subscriptions, or integration with payment gateways.
- Privacy and Security: Privacy and security are critical. Look for plugins that offer robust security features, privacy settings, and GDPR compliance.
- Customizability and Design: The plugin should be customizable to match your website’s design and branding. Check if it offers themes, templates, or compatibility with popular page builders.
How Cloudways Simplifies Using WordPress Community Plugins?
Before we talk about how Cloudways simplifies the process, we need to know some of the common challenges associated with using WordPress community plugins, which include:
- Compatibility Issues: Not all plugins work seamlessly with different WordPress versions, themes, or other plugins.
- Performance Impact: Some plugins can slow down your website if not optimized correctly.
- Security Risks: Outdated or poorly coded plugins can pose security threats.
- Manual Updates: Keeping plugins up-to-date requires constant monitoring and manual updates.
Cloudways addresses these challenges head-on by providing a user-friendly platform that simplifies the management of WordPress community plugins:
- Managed Hosting: Cloudways takes care of server management, allowing you to focus on your website content.
- Performance Optimization: Cloudways applications are designed with built-in caching and content delivery networks (CDN), ensuring websites with heavy community traffic run efficiently.
- Automated Updates: Cloudways add-on SafeUpdates updates your plugins automatically, ensuring optimal performance and security.
- Git Integration: You can set up automatic deployments where every push to your Git repository triggers a deployment on Cloudways. This ensures that your website is always up-to-date with the latest code changes.
Build and host your WordPress community effortlessly with Cloudways.
Explore top community plugins and experience superior hosting for a seamless setup!
Wrapping Up – The Best WordPress Community Plugins
Choosing the right community plugin can help you improve your WordPress site’s engagement and interaction. This ultimately leads to recurring traffic, which in turn leads to endless possibilities for monetizing your efforts.
When selecting the best plugin for your site, consider your community’s specific requirements, the features that will drive engagement, and how well the plugin integrates with your existing setup.
As you move forward, keep your community’s evolving needs in mind and be prepared to adapt as necessary. With the right tools at your disposal, you can build a thriving online community.
Q) How do I add a community to WordPress?
A) To add a community to WordPress, you can use a community plugin such as BuddyPress or bbPress. Alternatively, you can hire a developer to create custom functionality for your needs.
Q) Is the PeepSo plugin free?
A) PeepSo is a Free plugin with premium services starting from $199 per website.
Q) Is the BuddyPress plugin free?
A) Yes! The BuddyPress community plugin is available for FREE.
Inshal Ali
Inshal is a Content Marketer at Cloudways. With background in computer science, skill of content and a whole lot of creativity, he helps business reach the sky and go beyond through content that speaks the language of their customers. Apart from work, you will see him mostly in some online games or on a football field.