NodeBB
8.4#6 in community platformsFrom $20 a monthFree planWebAPILinuxmacOS
VisitNodeBB vs Open Social
Open Social
6.7#11 in community building platformsFree planFree planAndroidiOSWebAPI
VisitWhat both publish
| Fact | NodeBB | Open Social |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | NodeBB describes forums as useful for brand communities and product support boards. | The maker describes its platform as supporting cross-organisation collaboration and complex, multi-layered organizational structures. |
| Company | NodeBB says it was founded in 2014 by three developers and identifies the company as NodeBB, Inc. | Open Social describes itself as a Dutch company with exclusively Dutch investors and identifies Amsterdam, The Netherlands as its base. |
| Product | NodeBB is a community discussion platform for forums and online communities. | Open Social is a Community Collaboration Platform for organizations to connect, engage and collaborate within their communities. |
| Security | NodeBB operates a bug bounty program, but eligible testing is limited to try.nodebb.org and third-party plugins are excluded. | The maker says it is ISO 27001 certified; its Cloud Platform page also cites GDPR standards and isolated single-tenant hosting. |
| Support | Paid hosting plans list priority support, and NodeBB also points users to its community support forum. | SaaS customers can receive professional support and enterprise services including maintenance, security audits, performance optimization and developer training. |
NodeBB plans
- Starter$20 a month
- Hamlet$100 a month
- Village$250 a month
- City$750 a month
- Self-hostedFree
- Enterprise SolutionsPriced on request
Open Social plans
- Community Management System (open-source core)Free
Pick NodeBB if…
NodeBB may suit organizations creating member forums, brand communities, or product support boards. It offers both hosted plans and free self-hosting, with installation options across several operating systems and cloud deployment.
Pick Open Social if…
Open Social suits organizations coordinating communities across teams or complex structures. The free Drupal core may suit organizations able to implement and host it themselves; SaaS customers can receive hosting and professional support.