TL;DR - Invision Community
- Self-hosted and cloud community platform with forums, blogs, galleries, clubs, and commerce
- Self-hosted from $19/mo or $199/year; cloud and enterprise plans custom-priced
- Best for organizations wanting a full-featured, self-hosted community with built-in monetization
Pricing: Paid only
Best for: Enterprises & pros
3.8/5 across review platforms
What is Invision Community?
Invision Community (IPS) is a self-hosted and cloud-hosted community platform combining forums, blogs, galleries, clubs, and commerce in a single suite. It powers discussion forums with rich WYSIWYG editing, moderation tools, and gamification features like ranks, badges, and leaderboards. Built-in monetization through member subscriptions and ecommerce, plus social login support for Facebook, Google, and Twitter, make it a complete solution for organizations building branded online communities. With 15+ years of development, IPS serves everything from gaming communities to enterprise support forums.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Full community suite: forums, blogs, galleries, clubs, and commerce in one platform
- Self-hosted option gives complete control over data and customization
- Mature, battle-tested platform with 15+ years of development
- Built-in monetization eliminates need for third-party payment plugins
- Gamification features drive engagement without additional tools
- Active marketplace of themes and plugins extends functionality
Cons
- Self-hosted requires PHP/MySQL server administration skills
- Design feels dated compared to modern community platforms like Circle
- Self-hosted licensing requires annual renewal at $199/year
- Limited modern features like real-time chat or video compared to newer tools
- Smaller developer community than open-source alternatives like Discourse
Ratings Across the Web
3.8(18 reviews)
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Discussion forums with WYSIWYG editor and topic managementBlogs, galleries, and file sharing applicationsClubs for member-created sub-communitiesGamification with ranks, badges, and leaderboardsBuilt-in ecommerce and member subscription monetizationSocial login (Facebook, Google, Twitter) and SSO supportAdvanced moderation tools with automated content filteringCustomizable themes with drag-and-drop layout editorSelf-hosted and cloud-hosted deployment optionsREST API and third-party marketplace for plugins
Pricing
Paid
Invision Community offers paid plans. Visit their website for current pricing details.
Reviews
3.8/5
Across 18 verified user reviews on capterra, sourceforge
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Invision Community FAQ
How does Invision Community support building a branded online community?
Invision Community provides a comprehensive suite of tools including forums, blogs, galleries, clubs, and commerce, all within a single platform. It supports branded online communities through features like social login integration with Facebook, Google, and Twitter, and offers a marketplace for themes to customize the look and feel.
Which teams or organizations benefit most from Invision Community?
Organizations looking to build a comprehensive, branded online community with integrated forums, blogs, and monetization capabilities would find Invision Community suitable. It serves a wide range of uses, from gaming communities to enterprise support forums, due to its mature and battle-tested platform.
How does Invision Community compare to Discourse regarding modern features?
Invision Community, while mature, has more limited modern features like real-time chat or video compared to newer tools like Discourse. Discourse also benefits from a larger developer community, whereas Invision Community's developer community is smaller.
What kind of administrative skills are necessary for the self-hosted version of Invision Community?
The self-hosted version of Invision Community requires PHP and MySQL server administration skills. This is because users have complete control over their data and customization, which necessitates managing the underlying server environment.
Does Invision Community include a free tier?
No, Invision Community is a paid product and does not include a permanently free tier. Its licensing for self-hosted options requires an annual renewal.
How does Invision Community help drive user engagement?
Invision Community drives user engagement through built-in gamification features such as ranks, badges, and leaderboards. It also offers rich WYSIWYG editing and robust moderation tools to foster active discussions.
Can users monetize their community directly within Invision Community?
Yes, Invision Community includes built-in monetization features through member subscriptions and ecommerce. This eliminates the need for third-party payment plugins to generate revenue from the community.
Source: invisioncommunity.com