So it’s time to build a community. You’ve been bit by the bug. You know how amazing it can be to create an online community, and add things like online courses and/or virtual events. Maybe you even want your own white-label app so that your community members can come together completely under your brand.

Awesome.

Let's talk software.

Higher Logic is a community software that was created for two primary markets: Higher Logic Thrive is geared towards associations while Higher Logic Vanilla's community engine can add a forum to a website or app.

While it’s a good basic platform, there are some Higher Logic competitors that offer more features for building your community, and at a better price.

In this article we’re going to introduce you to 5 Higher Logic alternatives and walk you through what each one can do for you.

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Ranked #1 community management software by G2

Mighty Networks is G2's #1 community platform that can mix in courses, content, and commerce on your own platform.

Mighty gives you:

• AI-boosted engagement: surfaces member connections, helps with profiles, starts conversations, and makes your writing better.

• Flexible Spaces: let you choose what you need to build, like feeds, courses, events, chats, or resources.

• Unmatched member-to-member connections: offer threaded conversations, real-time chat, DMs, @mentions, emojis, questions, and polls.

• Collaborative gamification: creates connection instead of competition with peer recognitions, awards, leaderboards, and unlocks.

• Built-in community management: with moderation tools, 1-click member re-engagement, and custom new member journeys.

Many of the "premium" features on Higher Logic come standard on a Mighty Network.

Mighty Networks also has some great features that Higher Logic doesn’t, including native live streaming and a full LMS system for building beautiful courses.

It also gives you more ways to monetize, you can sell access to events, courses, custom subgroups, or your whole community.

On top of live streaming, its native event platform also has RSVPs, event communities and messaging, and a 1-click Zoom scheduling function built in.

When it comes to apps, Mighty Networks’ native app works for every single community. BUT, for established brands and organizations, we’ll also work with you to create your own white-label app totally under your brand through Mighty Pro.

Mighty Pro has built custom apps for brands and thought leaders like Tony Robbins, the TedX community, and Cambridge University’s research network.

If you’re looking for a totally branded white-label app, schedule a call with us.

Features

• AI-powered community building capability

• Short & long-term content

• Video posts

• Polls & Q&As

• Full notification system

• Easy moderation

• Native livestreaming

• Course platform (for either prerecorded or live courses)

• Easy subscription management

• Collect payments in different currencies

• Rich events with Zoom integration

• Branded subgroups

• White-label apps

Add a forum to a corporate website

One of the things Higher Logic does through their Vanilla Forums brand is to add a forum function to an existing corporate website. If this is what you’re looking for, Bettermode might be a good choice.

Bettermode gives you the tools to build forum discussions, organize them into “spaces,” and post different kinds of content like images and videos. As a white-label platform, it comes with the option to add your own branding and custom domain and some useful integrations like Slack and Google Analytics. Like Mighty Networks, it also gives you some useful moderation tools like keyword blocking and post-hiding and lets you tag content.

Bettermode doesn't come with an app; it's web-focused.

Bettermode is not an all-in-one platform, and it’s missing features like native events or built-in courses. But it’s a good option for companies that only want a forum solution and nothing else – say for a customer community.

The online place to find offline people

Geneva Chat is another Higher Logic alternative that gives you space to build a community. It offers an all-in-one communication app that brings together forums, chat, video, and live streaming functions. It’s got a lot to offer as a community platform, giving you the space to schedule and host integrated events and build out forum discussion boards. It’s well-designed and modern, giving you a lot of content features Higher Logic doesn’t like audio rooms or native video meetings.

The only downside to Geneva is its lack of options for monetization. If you’re looking to build a business or sell memberships, Geneva doesn’t really give you much functionality. They’ve recently added token-gating, which is a really neat Web 3 application – you can connect your digital wallet to it. BUT the token-gating isn’t a replacement for a proper point of sale that lets you collect membership fees or dues on your community platform, a feature many other community platforms have.

Disciple is a white-label community-building app out of the UK that’s one of the Higher Logic alternatives. With Disciple you can create content and live stream within the app. Disciple also has an LMS, giving you the option to build courses for your members, which is a great feature and one that Higher Logic doesn’t have. Like Mighty Networks, the Disciple app has built in live streaming.

Disciple’s cost structure is based on charging more every time you add more features, members, and admins, meaning that it can get expensive pretty quick. For example, you need to pay hundreds extra to get an app with your community. While the app comes with some great features, other Higher Logic alternatives come with apps built-in at every price point. This makes Disciple a competitor, but more expensive. And instead of giving you unlimited features to grow with, you need to keep paying extra as your community grows and needs more.

Hivebrite is a community software and Higher Logic alternative that’s geared towards non-profits and alumni groups. With a community engine that works in multiple languages, Hivebrite has a good basic platform for creating and connecting your members. Hivebrite also has a lot of built-in native emailing options to reach your members and a Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) built in that helps you track your members. For events, Hivebrite can handle virtual or in-person events, with ticketing, registration, payment, QR codes, and directories.

Hivebrite doesn't have native livestreaming, it relies on a Zoom integration.

Hivebrite is a reasonable alternative to Higher Logic, but with the better options above it only comes in at number 5 on this list.

If you’re looking for an awesome alternative to Higher Logic for your community, come try out Mighty Networks! We’ve built an awesome, all-in-one platform that grows with you. With native live streaming, amazing courses, integrated events, and a beautiful community platform that works on every device. There’s a reason Mighty Network is ranked the #1 community software by G2.

But don’t take our word for it! You can try it free for yourself for 14 days and see what all the fuss is about.

Ready to launch your community?