Create a Community-Based Website: Is BuddyPress Still Worth It In 2025

When I first tried to create a community-based website, I imagined it would be as easy as launching a Facebook Group—but on my own platform. Reality hit quickly: choosing the right software can make or break your online community. That’s when I revisited BuddyPress, a name that’s been around since the early days of WordPress.

But here’s the big question—is BuddyPress still worth it in 2025, or has it been outclassed by newer, more polished solutions like BuddyBoss, PeepSo, or Circle? I spent several weeks testing BuddyPress and its modern competitors to find out. My goal: to help beginners, small business owners, and creators like you decide which platform makes the most sense today.

This post isn’t a marketing pitch. It’s an honest, field-tested review from someone who built communities using all these tools—broken themes, plugin conflicts, and all. If you’ve ever wondered whether you should still use BuddyPress to create a community-based website, this is your deep-dive answer.

What Is BuddyPress, Really?

When people think of BuddyPress, they often imagine an outdated WordPress plugin gathering digital dust. But that’s not quite fair. BuddyPress was the pioneer in community-based plugins for WordPress. Originally launched in 2008 by Automattic, it allowed site owners to add social networking features—user profiles, activity streams, private messaging, and groups—directly into a WordPress site.

I reinstalled BuddyPress recently to see how it holds up today. The installation is still seamless: just install the plugin, activate components, and boom—you have a basic community. It integrates natively with WordPress themes, meaning you don’t need to leave the WordPress ecosystem to create a community-based website.

However, the interface hasn’t evolved much. While functional, it feels dated compared to modern UX expectations. Think of it like early Facebook circa 2010—familiar but clunky.

The Core Components That Still Work

• Activity Streams: A central feed where members can post updates.
• User Profiles: Each member gets a customizable profile.
• Groups: Members can create and join interest-based groups.
• Private Messaging: One-on-one communication is built in.
• Notifications: Users get alerts for mentions and messages.

That’s the solid foundation that still works—and works well—for free. For developers or anyone comfortable customizing WordPress, it’s a powerful base to create a community-based website without paying subscription fees.

Why People Still Consider BuddyPress in 2025

Even in an era dominated by sleek, hosted community platforms, BuddyPress remains relevant for a few good reasons.

1. Full Ownership and Control

When you use BuddyPress, everything lives on your own server. You control user data, privacy policies, backups, and monetization. That’s a huge plus if you care about data sovereignty or don’t want to rely on a third-party platform. For anyone trying to create a community-based website that aligns with GDPR or other data protection rules, BuddyPress gives unmatched autonomy.

2. Deep Integration With WordPress

If you already use WordPress for content or courses (say, with LearnDash or WooCommerce), BuddyPress fits like a glove. You can add user communities, group discussions, or social feeds right next to your existing content. That continuity can be a big advantage.

3. The Developer Ecosystem

BuddyPress may not look flashy, but it’s incredibly extensible. You can extend it using hundreds of add-ons—many of them free. From profile customization to gamification, the plugin community is still active. I found dozens of new extensions released in the past year alone.

Still, the question remains: Is “free and flexible” enough to compete with the modern, all-in-one alternatives?

The Modern Contenders: Testing the Alternatives

Over the past two months, I tested four major alternatives to BuddyPress to see how they compare in 2025. Here’s my take on each one, starting with the most obvious successor.

BuddyBoss: The Premium Evolution of BuddyPress

Best For: Businesses, educators, and creators who want a sleek, branded experience.

BuddyBoss is essentially BuddyPress 2.0—rebuilt and refined. It started as a theme built on top of BuddyPress, but over time evolved into a standalone, premium solution. I personally migrated an older BuddyPress site to BuddyBoss for this test.

The difference? Night and day.

The interface feels modern, navigation is intuitive, and mobile responsiveness is outstanding. Everything BuddyPress lacked in polish, BuddyBoss delivers.

Pricing

• BuddyBoss Platform: Free (limited features)
• BuddyBoss Theme + Platform Pro: $228/year (includes support, updates, and full integrations)

Why I Picked It

I wanted to see if BuddyBoss truly justified its price tag—and it does. The platform includes native integrations with LearnDash, WooCommerce, MemberPress, and more. For anyone looking to create a community-based website tied to courses or memberships, BuddyBoss offers a cohesive ecosystem.

Key Features

• Clean modern UI
• Native mobile app builder (optional add-on)
• Built-in gamification
• Private & public groups
• Deep integration with LMS and eCommerce tools

Pros

• Polished and professional design
• Active development and support team
• Works seamlessly with existing WordPress sites

Cons

• Annual cost
• Occasional plugin conflicts if not carefully configured

Bottom Line

If you have the budget and want a turnkey, elegant solution inside WordPress, BuddyBoss is the best evolution of BuddyPress. It keeps the open-source spirit but modernizes every part.

PeepSo: The Modern Social Plugin Alternative

Best For: Creators and small business owners who want simplicity.

PeepSo is another WordPress-based solution, but it’s built from scratch—not as a fork of BuddyPress. That’s important because it looks and feels modern out of the box. Installation was smooth, and setup wizards guided me through the basics in minutes.

Pricing

• Free core plugin
• Premium bundle: $199/year

Why I Picked It

PeepSo appealed to me because it balances simplicity and flexibility. It offers beautiful layouts, instant media sharing, reactions, hashtags, and notifications—all without touching code. I wanted to see if it could make it easier for beginners to create a community-based website without the usual technical hurdles.

Key Features

• Activity streams with reactions and GIFs
• Customizable member profiles
• Group features with access controls
• Real-time notifications and chat
• Mobile-friendly design

Pros

• Very user-friendly
• Active development
• Easy integrations with Elementor, WooCommerce, and LearnDash

Cons

• Some essential features are locked behind the premium plan
• Fewer third-party extensions compared to BuddyPress

Bottom Line

PeepSo is the “Apple” of community plugins—beautiful, simple, but premium. It’s ideal for creators or small businesses who don’t want to wrestle with developer-level customization.

Circle: The Hosted Alternative

Best For: Non-technical creators who value ease of use over customization.

Circle is not a WordPress plugin—it’s a hosted SaaS platform. I wanted to include it because many people looking to create a community-based website today prefer a zero-maintenance setup.

Pricing

• Basic: $49/month
• Professional: $99/month
• Business: $199/month

Why I Picked It

Circle lets you create a clean, distraction-free space where members can connect, share content, and attend live events. I used Circle for a client community, and it required no coding. The UI is minimal, modern, and highly intuitive.

Key Features

• Web and mobile apps
• Live streaming and events
• Member spaces and topics
• Embeddable community widgets
• Zapier and API integrations

Pros

• No setup or hosting headaches
• Excellent design and reliability
• Great moderation tools

Cons

• Monthly recurring costs
• No control over data or hosting

Bottom Line

Circle is the go-to for creators who prioritize convenience and aesthetics. It’s not as flexible as BuddyPress, but it’s far easier to maintain.

Mighty Networks: The All-in-One Community + Courses Platform

Best For: Coaches, educators, and course creators.

I’ve used Mighty Networks for clients who wanted to combine online courses, events, and communities in one place. It’s built for those who want to monetize engagement easily.

Pricing

• Community Plan: $39/month
• Business Plan: $119/month
• Mighty Pro: Custom

Why I Picked It

To test how it compares to BuddyPress for users who want a complete “business in a box” setup. I found it surprisingly powerful, though limited in customization.

Key Features

• Built-in course hosting
• Native live streaming
• Branded mobile apps
• Tiered memberships

Pros

• No plugins or coding required
• Excellent for paid communities
• Modern interface

Cons

• Locked into their ecosystem
• Less flexible than self-hosted options

Bottom Line

If you’re building a paid community with courses and events, Mighty Networks is powerful. But for total ownership, BuddyPress (or BuddyBoss) still wins.

How to Decide Which Platform Fits You

Choosing the right platform to create a community-based website depends entirely on your goals, skills, and budget. After extensive testing, here’s how I’d simplify the decision-making process.

If You’re on a Budget

Go with BuddyPress. It’s free, open-source, and flexible. Yes, it’s dated, but with the right theme and plugins, it can still shine.

If You Want Professional Polish

Choose BuddyBoss. It gives you a modern, professional experience while keeping everything within WordPress.

If You Want Simplicity and Beauty

Pick PeepSo. It’s intuitive, looks great, and doesn’t require deep tech skills.

If You Want Zero Maintenance

Use Circle or Mighty Networks. They handle hosting, updates, and scaling, so you can focus on community growth.

Why I’d Still Recommend BuddyPress (With a Twist)

I’ll be honest: I wouldn’t recommend vanilla BuddyPress to beginners in 2025. But I would recommend it as a starting framework for developers or entrepreneurs who love building from the ground up.

Pair BuddyPress with:

• A responsive WordPress theme like BuddyX or Reign
• Plugins like GamiPress (for gamification) or Youzify (for modern profiles)
• A reliable hosting provider (to handle community traffic)

With that setup, you can create a community-based website that rivals even premium solutions—without paying monthly fees.

That’s where BuddyPress still shines: it’s a builder’s playground.

Expert Verdict Table