Best Social Networking Software in 2026
Updated
In short: HumHub is ranked #1 of 23 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of NodeBB and Circle. The best-ranked option with a free plan is NodeBB. The lowest first paid tier on this page is BuddyBoss Platform at $8.25/mo.
Social networking software supports communities and member interaction, with listed features that can help you compare how platforms fit your audience. Look at moderation tools and community analytics alongside private-community support, mobile apps and single sign-on. Deployment options and members included add practical context, while free-plan availability and paid-from pricing help frame cost. HumHub, NodeBB and Circle lead the ranked entries, followed by Discourse and PeopleGrove Engagement Hub. Consider the kind of community you need to operate and weigh the listed access, management and scale details against that use.
23 social networking software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Members included | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HumHub | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 2 | NodeBB | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $20/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 3 | Circle | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $89/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 4 | Discourse | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $100/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 5 | PeopleGrove Engagement Hub | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 6 |  Oxwall | 5.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 7 |  ProfileGrid | 5.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $79/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 8 | BuddyBoss Platform | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $8.25/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 9 |  BuddyPress | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 10 | Heartbeat | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $19/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 11 | Elgg | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 12 |  Geneva | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 13 | Mighty Networks | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $79/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 14 | SocialEngine | 5.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $29/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 15 | Bettermode | 5.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $399/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 16 | Disciple | 5.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $599/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 17 | Hivebrite | 5.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 18 | NING | 5.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $12.50/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 19 |  Higher Logic Thrive | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 20 |  Khoros Communities | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 21 | Skool | 5.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $9/mo | No | — | — | View |
| 22 | Almabase | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
| 23 |  Momentive Community | 5.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | — | View |
Is your platform 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 Inferse?
HumHub is ranked #1 of 23 with a score of 7.3. NodeBB is second and Circle 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 on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.