Sneha Karnani
7.8/10
(Expert Score)
Product is rated as #7 in category Community Platform
Discourse is a powerful and versatile forum software designed to foster engaging and civilized discussions within online communities.
PROS:
- Versatile Platform
- Customization Options
- Integrated Experience
- Powerful Moderation Tools
- Data Ownership
CONS:
- Learning Curve
- Self-Hosted Setup
- Customization Complexity
- Limited Native Mobile App
- Community Size
Details about Discourse
Discourse is a powerful and versatile forum software designed to foster engaging and civilized discussions within online communities. With its wide range of features and customizable options, Discourse provides a platform that connects people and encourages meaningful conversations.
Whether you need a mailing list, a discussion forum, a long-form chat room, or more, Discourse has you covered. It caters to various use cases, allowing you to track product feature requests, share your latest creations, and facilitate knowledge-building within your community.
One of the key strengths of Discourse lies in its ability to be customized according to your brand and integrated with your existing tech stack. You can maintain a consistent look and feel for your forum while optimizing its features to enhance user engagement.
The platform offers an integrated experience for both quick chats and thoughtful discussions, enabling community members to build relationships and exchange knowledge. With its powerful moderation tools, Discourse ensures that discussions remain healthy and on-track, providing the best possible environment for constructive conversations.
Discourse stands out for its commitment to openness and data ownership. As an open-source software, the entire Discourse codebase is freely available to the public, ensuring transparency and continuous improvement. Moreover, you retain full ownership of your forum’s data, with no lock-in, hidden fees, or data sent to advertisers. You have unlimited access to your community’s conversation history, empowering you with valuable insights.
Key Features of Discourse:
- Versatile Use Cases: Discourse serves as a versatile platform that can be used as a mailing list, discussion forum, long-form chat room, and more. It is built to facilitate discussions and connections within communities.
- Customization Options: With Discourse, you have endless ways to customize your forum. You can keep it on brand, integrate it with your existing tech stack, and optimize its features to enhance engagement and user experience.
- Integrated Chat and Discussions: Discourse provides an integrated experience for both quick chats and thoughtful discussions. This allows community members to build relationships while simultaneously sharing knowledge and insights.
- Powerful Moderation Tools: Discourse offers best-in-class moderation tools to keep discussions healthy and on-track. These tools enable community managers to maintain a positive and constructive environment for users.
- Open Source and Data Ownership: The entire Discourse codebase is open and freely available to the public. This commitment to open source ensures transparency and continuous improvement. Additionally, Discourse guarantees that you retain full ownership of your data, with no lock-in, hidden fees, or data sent to advertisers.
- Unlimited Conversation History: Discourse ensures that you always have full access to your community’s conversation history. This feature allows you to review past discussions, extract valuable insights, and maintain a comprehensive record of your community’s interactions.
- World-Class Hosted Customer Support: Discourse provides exceptional customer support through its responsive and helpful technical advocates. With their assistance, no problem goes unconquered, ensuring a smooth and successful community-building experience.
- Trusted by a Diverse Customer Base: Discourse is trusted by over 20,000 online communities of all sizes and shapes. Renowned entrepreneurs, developers, and community strategists have praised Discourse for its reliability, continuous innovation, and user-centric approach.
With world-class hosted customer support, Discourse is always by your side to conquer any challenges you may encounter. The team is known for its responsiveness and helpfulness, ensuring that you receive the assistance you need when you need it.
Trusted by over 20,000 online communities of all shapes and sizes, Discourse has earned praise from renowned entrepreneurs, developers, and community strategists. Its reliability, continuous innovation, and user-centric approach have made it a top choice for many.
Discourse is the go-to platform for building thriving and civilized communities. It offers a wealth of features, customization options, and moderation tools to facilitate meaningful discussions and knowledge-sharing. With its open-source nature, data ownership, and exceptional customer support, Discourse provides a reliable and empowering experience for community builders worldwide.
Price Plans of Discourse
Discourse offers the following price plans and subscription details:
- Basic Plan: Price: $50/month (50% off for the first year, $25/month)
- Standard Plan: Price: $100/month
- Business Plan: Price: $300/month
- Enterprise Plan: Pricing: Contact for details.
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FAQs related of Discourse
What is Discourse and what does it offer?
Discourse is a modern forum software designed for building civilized communities. It provides features for discussion, connection, customization, and powerful moderation tools.
How can Discourse help me build a thriving community?
Discourse offers features tailored to different use cases, allowing you to track product feature requests, share creations, engage in discussions, and foster relationships among members.
Can I customize my Discourse forum to align with my brand?
Yes, Discourse provides endless ways to customize your forum. You can keep it on brand, integrate with your tech stack, and optimize forum features to enhance engagement.
Does Discourse support both quick chats and long-form discussions?
Absolutely! Discourse offers an integrated experience for both quick chats and thoughtful discussions. Members can build relationships while your community builds knowledge.
Are there powerful moderation tools available in Discourse?
Yes, Discourse provides best-in-class moderation tools to keep discussions healthy and on-track. These tools help maintain a positive community environment.
Is Discourse an open-source forum software?
Yes, Discourse is 100% free and open-source forum software. The entire codebase is open and freely available to the public forever.
What are the advantages of owning a community on Discourse?
When you own a community on Discourse, you retain full ownership of your data, have portable data across different hosting options, and enjoy unlimited conversation history access.
Does Discourse provide world-class hosted customer support?
Absolutely! Discourse offers responsive and helpful technical advocates to provide world-class hosted customer support. They are there to assist you with any problems or inquiries.
Can I see examples of successful communities powered by Discourse?
Yes, Discourse powers over 20,000 online communities of various shapes and sizes. You can explore their success stories and see the diverse range of communities thriving on the platform.
How many new Discourse forums are created every day?
On average, 50 new Discourse forums are created every day, highlighting the platform’s popularity and suitability for building communities.
Can Discourse handle large amounts of user-generated content?
Certainly! Discourse is built to handle high volumes of user-generated content. It served over 3.4 million posts and 520 million page views in May alone on its hosting.
What subscription plans and pricing options does Discourse offer?
Discourse offers four subscription plans: Basic, Standard, Business, and Enterprise. The pricing details and features vary across these plans. It’s recommended to review the pricing page for specific information.
Can I try Discourse before making a purchase?
Absolutely! Discourse offers a free 14-day trial for all its subscription plans. This allows you to explore the platform and its features before making a decision.
Can I switch between different Discourse plans?
Yes, you can upgrade or downgrade your Discourse plan at any time. If you wish to switch plans, you can contact their support team, and they will assist you with the transition.
Can I migrate from self-hosted Discourse to Discourse's hosting?
Certainly! Discourse offers seamless migration from self-hosted instances to their hosting service. They take care of the migration process, ensuring a smooth transition.
What happens if my Discourse forum exceeds the plan limits?
If your Discourse forum consistently exceeds the plan limits, the Discourse team will contact you to discuss flexible upgrade options. Your site will not stop working due to exceeding the limits.
Can I back up and migrate my Discourse data to a different host?
Yes, your Discourse data always belongs to you. You can back up all your Discourse data from your web browser and easily migrate to or from any cloud provider as per your needs.
Are there educational or non-profit discounts available for Discourse?
Yes, Discourse offers an 85% discount for legally recognized educational institutions and a 50% discount for legally recognized non-profit organizations exempt from federal taxes.
Is self-hosting Discourse a viable option for budget-conscious users?
Definitely! Discourse is free and open-source software, which means you can self-host it on your own server. This option is suitable for those who prefer full control or have budget considerations.
DoesDiscourse provide support for Single Sign-On (SSO) authentication?
Yes, Discourse supports integration with Single Sign-On (SSO) through its DiscourseConnect feature. This allows you to integrate your community with existing authentication systems.
Can I integrate Discourse with external authentication providers like Facebook, Google, and Twitter?
Absolutely! Discourse offers support for authentication via popular platforms such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter. This allows users to log in using their existing social media accounts.
Does Discourse provide integration with popular learning management systems (LMS)?
Yes, Discourse supports integration with learning management systems through the LTI 1.3 standard for authentication. This enables seamless integration with various LMS platforms.
Can I customize the functionality of my Discourse forum using plugins?
Certainly! Discourse offers a wide range of plugins that allow you to add extra features and functionalities to your forum. These plugins cover areas such as gamification, content moderation, and more.
What support options are available with Discourse plans?
Discourse provides different levels of support depending on the plan. Basic plans come with community support, while higher-tier plans offer dedicated email support and priority email support from a team spanning 15 time zones.
Can I receive custom design work for my Discourse forum?
Yes, Discourse offers custom design work as part of their plans. If you require specific design customization or branding for your forum, their team can assist you in achieving your desired look and feel.
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