Discourse starts at $25/month on the Starter plan.
Verified Sep 2026 from the official pricing page.
Is Discourse worth the price?
Discourse's pricing is quite generous, especially with the free self-hosted option.
The Starter tier at $25/month is very accessible for small communities, while the Standard tier at $100/month offers good value for growing communities. It's best for organizations that prioritize community building and want a robust, feature-rich forum solution.
Pricing Plans
14-day Free TrialSelf-Hosted
Free
Open source
- 100% free
- Full control
- Community support
Starter
$25/month
Basic hosting
- Managed hosting
- Basic plugins
- Email support
Standard
$100/month
Growing communities
- More plugins
- Priority support
Business
$300/month
High traffic
- Enterprise plugins
- SLA
- Dedicated support
How Discourse compares
2 of 6 direct competitors offer a free plan.
| Tool | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|---|---|
| Discourse | $25/month, billing unit not specified | Yes |
| Circle | $89/month, billing unit not specified | No |
| Discord | $2.99/month, billing unit not specified | Yes |
| Mighty Networks | $41/month, billing unit not specified | No |
| Bettermode | $19/month, billing unit not specified | Yes |
| Heartbeat | Contact sales | No |
| Hivebrite | No public price | No |
Discourse Pricing FAQ
How much does Discourse cost?
Discourse starts at $25/month on the Starter plan. It offers 3 paid tiers ranging from $25/month to $300/month. A free plan is also available.
Does Discourse have a free plan?
Yes. Discourse offers a free plan called "Self-Hosted". It includes: 100% free, Full control, Community support.
Does Discourse offer a free trial?
Yes. Discourse offers a free trial lasting 14 days.
What is the cheapest Discourse paid plan?
The cheapest paid plan for Discourse is "Starter" at $25/month. Key features include: Managed hosting, Basic plugins, Email support.
What are alternatives to Discourse?
Alternatives to Discourse include Circle, Discord, Mighty Networks, Bettermode. Circle starts at $89/month, billing unit not specified; Discord starts at $2.99/month, billing unit not specified; Mighty Networks starts at $41/month, billing unit not specified.
Discourse alternatives
Direct competitors. Starting prices match the table above.
Sources
- Official Discourse pricing: discourse.org/pricing (verified Sep 2026)
- Cite this data: Toolradar, Discourse pricing verified Sep 2026, toolradar.com/tools/discourse/pricing
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