Facebook groups have been a popular way for people to connect in online communities around shared interests for years. However, recent changes to Facebook‘s algorithms have made organic reach and engagement in groups more difficult. Additionally, privacy concerns and lack of control are causing some group creators to look for alternatives.
Fortunately, there are now many excellent Facebook group alternatives available in 2024 catering to all kinds of communities – free and paid, large and small. In this comprehensive guide, we will compare the top 12 platforms that can replace or complement your Facebook groups this year.
Top Facebook Group Alternative Platforms
1. Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is an all-in-one community platform built specifically to help creators and businesses build engaged membership sites. With flexible plans and tons of built-in features like subgroups, events, courses, and webinars, Mighty Networks makes it easy to transition an existing Facebook community.
Key Features:
- Custom branding and domains
- Paid memberships and subscriptions
- Native mobile apps
- Live streaming
- Multi-admin tools
- Built-in subgroup creation
- Integrations (Zoom, Mailchimp, etc)
Pricing: Starts free and paid plans are $33-$99/month
2. Circle
Circle is a community platform by Meta (formerly Facebook) that allows creators to easily set up membership subscriptions. If you have an existing following, Circle‘s focus on community interaction and exclusivity makes it worth exploring.
Key Features:
- Group audio rooms
- Community currency and badges
- Member profiles and social graph
- iOS and Android apps
- Paid memberships
Pricing: Free to start, 5% platform fees after payout threshold
3. Discord
Known originally as a chat platform for gamers, Discord has evolved into a robust community solution used by all kinds of groups thanks to its seamless user experience across devices.
Key Features:
- Organized into servers with multiple text and voice channels
- Robust permissions for admins
- Syncs across devices
- Active ecosystem of bots & integrations
- Up to 50MB file sharing
Pricing: Generous free plan, Nitro paid plans start at $3/month
4. Slack
Slack is a great option for professional communities wanting to collaborate effectively. While not focused solely on community building, Slack channels can foster rich member engagement.
Key Features:
- Searchable message history
- Customizable notifications
- Third-party integrations (Asana, Dropbox etc)
- Audio/video calling
- Advanced security
Pricing: Free and paid plans from $8->$15/user/month
5. Tribe
Tribe offers enterprise-level online community software suited for large brands who want a customized and private space to interact with customers.
Key Features:
- Flexible architecture with "Spaces"
- Gamification and loyalty programs
- Advanced analytics
- Role-based access control
- Single sign-on integration
Pricing: Custom quote (typically $1500+ a month)
6. Kajabi
Kajabi is best known as an all-in-one knowledge commerce platform but their Community product feature allows course creators to easily build member forums.
Key Features:
- Integrates tightly with Kajabi courses
- Group messaging
- Member profiles and feeds
- Mobile app for access
Pricing: Included in Kajabi plans from $119/month
7. Patreon
For creators with an engaged following, Patreon can help transition your superfans from a Facebook group to a paid membership site fueled by exclusive content and community.
Key Features:
- Build patron-only Discord servers
- Gate website content for patrons
- Offer patron benefits like merch, downloads etc
- Fans support through small recurring payments
Pricing: 5-12% fees, light plan free
8. Reddit
Veteran social platform Reddit allows endless topics for users to geek out on in highly focused subreddits. The platform skews towards free community exchange rather than paid memberships.
Key Features:
- Anyone can start a subreddit
- Thousands of active communities
- Democratic voting on posts and comments
- Anonymity by default
Pricing: Free, ad-free Reddit Premium $5.99/month
9. WhatsApp
WhatsApp offers private group messaging at scale. While more conversational than a traditional online community, WhatsApp groups are widely used by close-knit communities.
Key Features:
- Encrypted messaging
- Support for 256 users per group
- Media sharing
- Admin controls over membership
- Free mobile app
Pricing: Free
10. LinkedIn Groups
Professional network LinkedIn offers public and private groups where job-minded folks can discuss within their industries.
Key Features:
- Connect with your industry
- Share news and advice
- Searchable by group
- Private or public groups
Pricing: Free groups with premium LinkedIn account features
11. Discourse
Discourse offers open-source forum software that can be self-hosted or hosted via their official Discourse hosting solution.
Key Features:
- Multiple forum structure
- Real-time updates
- Open source extensibility
- Translator integration
Pricing: Free software, paid hosting $100+/month
12. Facebook (still!)
While Facebook group changes have upset some administrators, for many community builders Facebook groups do the job perfectly well for free. Leveraging groups alongside a dedicated membership platform can be a solid approach.
Key Features:
- Billions of built-in users
- Simple tools admins know already
- Events integration
- Media sharing
- Discovery from News Feed
Pricing: Free
Choosing the Best Alternative Facebook Group Platform
When choosing a new home for your online community, first take time to analyze your goals, audience and monetization plans closely.
- Do you need a way to charge membership dues or subscriptions? Platforms like Mighty Networks, Circle, and Tribe have this built-in.
- Is having full control over data and community crucial? Self-hosted options like Discourse may be preferable.
- Are you migrating an existing audience or starting fresh? Migrating users is easier on some platforms over others.
- Do you plan to incorporate community chat into a broader business, like courses or streaming? Choose an integrated solution like Kajabi or Patreon.
Most importantly, pay close attention to engagement options – do members have sufficient ways to connect beyond just scrolling a feed? Can moderation keep conversations productive and on-topic? How do notifications and side features bring the community to life?
While early days, many Facebook group alternatives are gaining steam and offer compelling ways to charge memberships, stimulate activity and foster connections beyond what Facebook groups can offer directly.
Rather than view this shift as doom and gloom for communities relying on Facebook, it is better to see it as an opening of new opportunities. Combining classic Facebook techniques with modern community platforms gives builders the best of both worlds.
The above overview of the 12 best Facebook group alternative platforms in 2024 should provide a good starting point to find the right new home for your community as we kick off an exciting new year!
