What are the most affordable community management platforms for small businesses?

I’m looking for a budget-friendly platform to build and manage an online community. We need something easy to use, flexible enough to grow with us, and ideally priced for startups or small teams.

If you’ve used any of the tools below, I’d love to hear about your experience—especially when it comes to cost, ease of setup, and overall value for money.

These are the top options we’re exploring from the online community management software category:

• Circle — Offers a simple interface and flexible pricing. How well does it scale for small teams adding more members and features over time?
• Mighty Networks — Known for bundling community, courses, and events. How does it compare in terms of cost versus functionality?
• Gainsight Customer Communities — More common in B2B, but is it viable for a smaller operation with limited budget and resources?
• Webex Events & Webinars — Powerful for virtual events. Can it be used affordably for long-term community hosting or is it best for one-off experiences?
• Bevy — Built for large-scale, event-driven communities. Is there a lightweight version that makes sense for small business use?

• Which platform gave you the most value at a lower price point?
• Were there any hidden fees, upgrade pressure, or limitations in the free/entry-level plans?
• How did support, onboarding, and integrations factor into the price?
• Would you recommend it to another small business just getting started?

Appreciate any tips or feedback. Insights from other small teams would be especially helpful.