Discourse

Civilized Discussion.

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Overview

Discourse is a modern, open-source forum software that is designed for building vibrant and engaging online communities. It offers a clean and intuitive interface, real-time updates, and a range of features to facilitate discussions and collaboration. Discourse can be self-hosted or used as a managed service, making it a flexible option for businesses, organizations, and individuals.

✨ Key Features

  • Modern discussion forum
  • Real-time updates and notifications
  • Trust levels and user moderation
  • Extensive plugin architecture
  • Social logins and SSO
  • Mobile-friendly design
  • Built-in spam protection
  • Rich text editor with markdown support

🎯 Key Differentiators

  • Modern and user-friendly interface
  • Open-source and highly extensible
  • Strong focus on fostering civilized and productive discussions

Unique Value: A modern, open-source platform for building engaging and civilized online communities.

🎯 Use Cases (4)

Building online discussion forums Creating customer support communities Developing internal team communication platforms Fostering communities around products or interests

✅ Best For

  • Powering the community forums for major open-source projects
  • Creating a support community for a popular SaaS product
  • Building a private discussion forum for a membership organization

💡 Check With Vendor

Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:

  • Simple, static websites
  • Real-time chat applications (though it has chat-like features)

🏆 Alternatives

Vanilla Forums phpBB vBulletin

Offers a more modern user experience and better performance than many traditional forum software options.

💻 Platforms

Web API

🔌 Integrations

Slack WordPress Zendesk GitHub Patreon Zapier API

🛟 Support Options

  • ✓ Email Support
  • ✓ Dedicated Support (Business and Enterprise tier)

🔒 Compliance & Security

✓ GDPR ✓ SSO

💰 Pricing

$100.00/mo
Free Tier Available

✓ 14-day free trial

Free tier: Self-hosted open-source version is free

Visit Discourse Website →