Best Social Networking Software in 2026
Updated
In short: HumHub is ranked #1 of 23 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Oxwall and BuddyBoss Platform. The best-ranked option with a free plan is BuddyBoss Platform. The lowest first paid tier on this page is BuddyBoss Platform at $8.25/mo.
Social networking software can help bring members together in communities, with tools for access, moderation, and engagement. Compared on community analytics, moderation tools, and private communities, the entries also differ in deployment, mobile apps, and single sign-on. Members included, free plans, and paid-from pricing add useful scale and cost considerations. HumHub and Oxwall begin the ranking, followed by BuddyBoss Platform and Geneva; Heartbeat and Circle are also among the first entries. Consider the kind of community you want to support, then compare the listed features and plan details against its needs.
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 | HumHub | 7.8 | — | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 2 |  Oxwall | 7.6 | — | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 3 | BuddyBoss Platform | 7.5 | $8.25/mo | Yes | — | — | Yes | Yes | — | View |
| 4 |  Geneva | 7.2 | Free | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 5 | Heartbeat | 7.1 | $19/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 6 | Circle | 7.0 | $89/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 7 | Mighty Networks | 7.0 | $79/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 8 | SocialEngine | 7.0 | $29/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 9 | Hivebrite | 6.9 | — | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 10 | Disciple | 6.8 | $599/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 11 |  Higher Logic Thrive | 6.8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 12 | Skool | 6.7 | $9/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 13 | Discourse | 6.3 | $100/mo | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 14 | NodeBB | 6.3 | $20/mo | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 15 | PeopleGrove Engagement Hub | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 16 |  ProfileGrid | 6.0 | $79/mo | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 17 |  BuddyPress | 5.9 | — | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 18 | Elgg | 5.7 | — | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 19 | Bettermode | 5.4 | $399/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 20 |  Khoros Communities | 5.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 21 | NING | 5.3 | $12.50/mo | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 22 | Almabase | 5.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 23 |  Momentive Community | 5.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 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 Samsung Mobile US Press?
HumHub is ranked #1 of 23 with a score of 7.8. Oxwall 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 mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.