Best Social Networking Software in 2026
Updated
In short: NodeBB is ranked #1 of 23 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of HumHub and BuddyBoss Platform. The best-ranked option with a free plan is HumHub. The lowest first paid tier on this page is BuddyBoss Platform at $8.25/mo.
Whether you are supporting a member community or a broader social network, compare the features for participation and oversight. Community analytics, moderation tools and private communities are listed alongside deployment, mobile apps and single sign-on. Members included, free-plan availability and starting paid prices can help you compare access and plan details. NodeBB, HumHub and BuddyBoss Platform lead the ranking, followed by Oxwall and PeopleGrove Engagement Hub. Match the listed access and community features to the kind of network you intend to support.
23 social networking software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | App | Score | From | Free plan | Paid from | Members included | Private communities | Mobile apps | Single sign-on | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NodeBB | 6.6 | $20/mo | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 2 | HumHub | 6.5 | — | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 3 | BuddyBoss Platform | 6.4 | $8.25/mo | Yes | — | — | Yes | Yes | — | View |
| 4 |  Oxwall | 6.4 | — | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 5 | PeopleGrove Engagement Hub | 6.4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 6 | Discourse | 6.3 | $100/mo | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 7 |  BuddyPress | 6.2 | — | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 8 |  Geneva | 6.2 | Free | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 9 |  ProfileGrid | 6.2 | $79/mo | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 10 | Elgg | 6.1 | — | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 11 | Circle | 5.3 | $89/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 12 |  Higher Logic Thrive | 5.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 13 |  Khoros Communities | 5.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 14 | SocialEngine | 5.2 | $29/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 15 | Almabase | 5.1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 16 | Disciple | 5.1 | $599/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 17 | Heartbeat | 5.1 | $19/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 18 | Hivebrite | 5.1 | — | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 19 | Mighty Networks | 5.1 | $79/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 20 |  Momentive Community | 5.1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 21 | Skool | 5.0 | $9/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 22 | Bettermode | 4.9 | $399/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 23 | NING | 4.9 | $12.50/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which social networking software is ranked first on Freedom251?
NodeBB is ranked #1 of 23 with a score of 6.6. HumHub is second and BuddyBoss Platform third.
How many of these have a free plan?
6 of the 23 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, BuddyBoss Platform has the lowest first paid tier we found: $8.25/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.