Discourse Review: Is It The Right Online Community Management Software For Your Team?
Best for SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise
Free Trial Available
GDPR
SOC 2Starts from $20 / month when yearly
WD
Frostbite
CarTalk
CCP Games
Code SchoolTrusted by many companies including WD
Overview
Pricing
Features
Buyer feedback
Alternatives
Customers
Security & Compliance
Support
FAQ
Blogs
What is Discourse?
Discourse is a cutting-edge communication platform that integrates with leading providers like WordPress, GitHub, Slack, and more. With single sign-on, it allows teams to collaborate efficiently, summarise articles, and engage with the community while receiving notifications of spam, hazardous content violations, or resolution of conflicts. It enables users to stay connected on Android and iOS devices and enjoy useful features like Quote Notifications, Mobile Optimisation, and Social Logins. Quote Notifications allow users to be notified
Pricing
Starts from $20 / month when yearly
Free Trial available
Best For
Suited for solo users, small teams, SMBs, and enterprise
Security & Compliance
SOC 2GDPRSSO & MFA supported
Data residency:Global
Platform
Web + mobile app (iOS & Android)
Discourse was reviewed internally using user feedback, in-house testing, and market research to assess its performance, reliability, and user experience. Learn how we review products and our evaluation process.
Who should consider Discourse
- Use cases
- Online community management, Customer support forums, Product feedback and engagement
- Team types
- Community managers, Customer support teams
- Company size
- 51-500 employees, 500+ employees
- Workflow style
- Flexible and configurable
- Setup complexity
- Medium
Why teams choose Discourse
Strong integration capabilities with platforms like WordPress, GitHub, and Slack
Mobile optimization with Android and iOS support
Effective spam and hazardous content detection
Is Discourse right for you?
Best for managing integrated online communities with strong moderation features.
Choose Discourse if
- You need seamless integration with platforms like WordPress, GitHub, and Slack.
- Your team requires mobile access on Android and iOS for community engagement.
- Effective spam and hazardous content detection is critical for your community safety.
Consider alternatives if
- Your organization is a very small business or startup with minimal community needs.
- You require transparent pricing and a straightforward setup process without sales consultation.
What buyers should know before shortlisting Discourse
Discourse is a modern communication platform that enhances collaboration through its integrations and mobile optimization. It is particularly effective for teams looking to streamline their communication processes.
Discourse pros and cons
- Discourse pros
Strong integration capabilities with platforms like WordPress, GitHub, and Slack
Mobile optimization with Android and iOS support
Effective spam and hazardous content detection
- Discourse cons
Relatively low user rating (2.5 out of 5) indicating potential usability or reliability issues
Pricing is not transparent and may require sales consultation
Ready to try it?
Get started with Discourse
Start your free trial — no credit card required.
Still comparing?
See how it stacks up
Compare Discourse side-by-side with top Online Community Management Software alternatives.
What is the pricing of Discourse?
Discourse Pricing Plans
Starter
$20
/month
Unlimited members
2 staff
20k monthly pageviews
discourse.group domain
Pro
$100
/month
Unlimited members
5 staff
100k monthly pageviews
Custom domain
16 plugins
Show more +
Business
$500
/month
Unlimited members
15 staff
500k monthly pageviews
Custom domain
26 plugins
Show more +
Enterprise
Custom
Unlimited members
Unlimited staff
1M+ monthly pageviews
Custom domain
50+ plugins
Show more +
Discourse reviews and ratings
Buyer sentiment
Mixed to negative user sentiment with concerns about usability and satisfaction despite strong integration features.
What buyers like
- Integration with popular platforms
- Mobile accessibility
- Spam and content moderation
Common complaints
- Usability issues
- Pricing transparency
What users are saying
SL
Sarah L
03/14/23
"Truly a place to build civilized conversations- with lots of customizations!"
What do you like best about Discourse? We chose Discourse about five years ago because we wanted to create a place for an in-depth conversation about ...
Read more
SL
Sarah L
03/14/23
"Truly a place to build civilized conversations- with lots of customizations!"
What do you like best about Discourse? We chose Discourse about five years ago because we wanted to create a place for an in-depth conversation about ...
Read more
SL
Sara L
03/08/23
"Discourse- the community platform you never knew you would love so much!"
What do you like best about Discourse? I have worked with a number of all inclusive, expensive, enterprise level community platforms. I was unaware of ...
Read more
MC
Michael C
03/03/23
"Great for community discussions and announcements"
What do you like best about Discourse? Discourse is really easy to use and allows an open discussion in a forum style platform. It's quite ...
Read more
MC
Michael C
03/03/23
"Great for community discussions and announcements"
What do you like best about Discourse? Discourse is really easy to use and allows an open discussion in a forum style platform. It's quite ...
Read more
FS
Filippo S
09/25/22
"Well structured discussion forum"
What do you like best about Discourse? main resource for internal communication and support outside of live channels What do you dislike about ...
Read more
What are the features of Discourse?
Alert Notifications are an essential feature of software that provide users with real-time updates and important information. These notifica…
Community management is a crucial feature that facilitates effective communication and collaboration among members of a community. It is a c…
Material management is the end-to-end acquiring, designing, processing, and distributing of content. It is a set of methods and technologies…
Event management is a crucial aspect for any business or organization that aims to host a successful event. It encompasses a range of activi…
Membership management is a crucial feature in software that is designed to help organizations effectively manage their members or customers.…
Two Factor Authentication, also known as 2FA, is a security feature that adds an extra layer of protection to your online accounts. It requi…
Discourse security and data handling
Key compliance certifications and security features for IT and security teams evaluating Discourse.
Certifications
Security features
Developer & data
Alternatives to Discourse
Discourse Customers
WD
Frostbite
CarTalk
CCP Games
Code School
Discourse Support Options
Frequently Asked Questions About Discourse
Common questions buyers ask before choosing Discourse.
Discourse is a Online Community Management Software. Discourse offers Alert Notifications, Membership Management, Event Management, Two Factor Authentication (2FA), Content Management and many more functionalities.
Discourse is a strong fit if: You need seamless integration with platforms like WordPress, GitHub, and Slack.; Your team requires mobile access on Android and iOS for community engagement.. Consider alternatives if: Your organization is a very small business or startup with minimal community needs.; You require transparent pricing and a straightforward setup process without sales consultation..
Buyers commonly note the following limitations of Discourse: Relatively low user rating (2.5 out of 5) indicating potential usability or reliability issues; Pricing is not transparent and may require sales consultation; Limited information on advanced features or customization in the provided data.
Some top alternatives to Discourse includes 360dialog, nativeMsg, Little SaaS Communication, Bundeling and Consider.
Discourse offers Free Trial, Subscription, Quotation Based pricing models
The starting price of Discourse is $20/month when yearly
Ready to try it?
Get started with Discourse
Start your free trial — no credit card required.
Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].
