Great “Ask David!” question. The short answer: If you want a self-hosted platform that gives you full control and comes with social networking features built in – such as member profiles, activity feeds, forums, messaging, and media sharing – UltimateWB is one of the best options available. It allows you to launch quickly, customize freely, and fully own your community without relying on third-party platforms or plugins.
And the expanded answer…
Analyzing the best platform to create an online community website
Choosing the best platform to build an online community depends on what kind of community you want to create, how much control you need, and how you plan to grow it over time.
Some platforms focus on simplicity and hosted convenience, while others prioritize flexibility, ownership, and long-term scalability. Understanding these differences upfront can save you from painful migrations later.
Related: Wix Forums App Removed: What Happened, and What’s the Best Alternative?
What Makes a Good Online Community Platform?
Before comparing specific tools, it’s important to understand what actually matters when building a successful community.
Core Features to Look For
A strong community platform should support:
- Member profiles and user accounts
- Discussion tools (forums, comments, replies, groups)
- Engagement features like likes, reactions, notifications, and feeds
- Private messaging or direct communication
- Media sharing (photos, videos, audio, links)
- Moderation and admin controls
- Scalability as your community grows
Just as important as features are the tradeoffs behind them.
Common Types of Community Platforms
1. Hosted Community Platforms
These are services where everything is hosted and managed for you.
Pros
- Fast setup
- No server management
- Built-in monetization tools
Cons
- Limited customization
- Ongoing monthly fees
- Platform lock-in
- Limited data ownership
These are often a good fit for creators who want a simple membership community and don’t need deep customization.
Related: Why So Many Businesses Are Switching from Hosted Platforms to Self-Hosted Builders
2. Open-Source or Forum-Focused Platforms
Examples include traditional forum software and discussion-centric tools.
Pros
- Full ownership of data
- Highly customizable
- Strong discussion features
Cons
- Often forum-first, not social-first
- Can require technical setup
- Limited built-in social networking features
These work well for discussion-heavy communities but may feel dated or fragmented for modern social engagement.
3. Plugin-Based Website Builders
Many people try to build communities by stacking plugins on top of a general website platform.
Pros
- Flexible with enough configuration
- Works well if you already have an existing site
Cons
- Plugin conflicts
- Performance issues
- Security and maintenance overhead
- Features spread across multiple vendors
Over time, plugin-based setups often become harder to manage as communities grow.
Related: Why Relying on WordPress Plugins Can Backfire (And How to Avoid It)
4. All-in-One Community Platforms
This is where platforms like UltimateWB stand out.
Instead of relying on plugins or external services, everything is built directly into the system.
Pros
- Social networking features included by default
- Full website + community in one platform
- No plugin dependency
- Full data ownership
- High customization potential
Cons
Requires self-hostingSelf-hosting is not required! You can host with UltimateWB web hosting plans and get free installation of your purchased (and downloadable!) software onto your server, plus free SSL, custom email, and traffic statistics. You can also opt to go with UltimateWB Cloud plans, to get the website builder coupled with the hosting (SaaS plan).- More powerful than some users initially need – this is obviously not a con, but what to put here, haha. You just turn on/off the features that you want to use.
It is really hard to think of a con of using UltimateWB for your online community. I’ve used it for many social networks myself, and the features make it super easy to make your website fun and interactive.
Why UltimateWB Is a Strong Choice for Online Communities
UltimateWB is designed specifically for building full-featured online communities and social networks, not just forums or memberships.
It includes:
- Member profiles and connections
- Activity feeds and engagement tools
- Forums, groups, and discussions
- Private messaging
- Media sharing (photos, videos, audio, files)
- Leaderboards and reputation systems
- Full admin control and customization
Because everything is integrated, you don’t have to worry about stitching together plugins, managing compatibility issues, or losing control of your data.
You can launch quickly using templates (run the Templates Generator), then customize deeply as your community grows.
When UltimateWB Makes the Most Sense
UltimateWB is especially well-suited if:
- You want to own your platform and data
- You plan to grow and scale your community
- You want social networking features, not just forums
- You prefer an all-in-one system instead of plugins
- You want flexibility for future features and monetization
It’s a strong option for brands, organizations, startups, and developers who want long-term control without sacrificing ease of use.
Final Takeaway
There’s no single “best” community platform for everyone.
Hosted platforms are convenient but limiting.
Forum-only software is powerful but narrow.
Plugin-based solutions can work, but often become complex over time.
If your goal is to build a modern, flexible, self-hosted online community with full social features built in, UltimateWB offers one of the most complete and scalable solutions available.
Got a techy/website question? Whether it’s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the “Ask David!” form. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB “Ask David!” section.