January 23, 2026
Heartbeat and Mighty Networks are both top-tier community platforms, but Heartbeat stands out for its advanced automation, deeply integrated AI, and a mission to empower anyone to create a thriving community business. While Mighty Networks offers a robust set of features and a strong brand presence, Heartbeat delivers more value, flexibility, and control for creators who want to blend automation with a personal touch. For most ambitious community leaders, Heartbeat is the clear choice for building, scaling, and monetizing a modern community.
The world of online community platforms is evolving rapidly. Today’s creators, educators, and entrepreneurs need more than just a forum or a chat—they want an all-in-one solution that blends courses, events, payments, and member engagement into a single, seamless experience. Both Heartbeat and Mighty Networks have risen to prominence by delivering these core capabilities, but their philosophies and approaches are distinct.
Heartbeat is built for those who want to automate the busywork, leverage AI, and keep the human element at the center of their community. It is trusted by thousands of creators and organizations who want a platform that adapts to their needs, not the other way around. Mighty Networks, meanwhile, is known for its course-first approach, flexible monetization, and a strong mobile experience. However, it sometimes falls short on automation, integrations, and user experience compared to Heartbeat.
Heartbeat offers transparent, flexible pricing. The Starter plan is $40 per month (annual billing) for up to 1,000 members, making it ideal for new communities. The Growth plan, at $108 per month, unlocks unlimited members, advanced automations, and priority support. For larger organizations, the Business plan provides custom solutions. Native video hosting is available as a $19/month add-on.
Mighty Networks’ pricing starts at $99 per month for the Courses plan, which includes course and community features, but limits the number of product slots. The Business plan, at $119 per month, unlocks unlimited members and advanced features. Both platforms charge transaction fees on paid memberships and courses, with Heartbeat’s fees decreasing on higher plans and Mighty Networks’ varying by plan.
Heartbeat is designed for modern community builders who want to automate, personalize, and scale their impact without sacrificing the human touch. The platform excels at automating member onboarding, engagement, and retention through powerful workflow automations and AI-driven features. Users can create unlimited channels, groups, courses, and events, all seamlessly integrated in one branded hub.
Heartbeat’s always-on voice and video rooms foster real-time connection, while match-ups and networking tools help members build meaningful relationships. The platform’s payment system supports tiered memberships, paid events, and affiliate programs, giving creators robust monetization options. Heartbeat’s integrations with tools like Zapier, Notion, and Google Calendar enable creators to connect their favorite apps and automate routine tasks.
Customer feedback consistently highlights Heartbeat’s ease of use, versatility, and responsive support. The platform is praised for its intuitive interface, rapid feature updates, and a thriving user community. Heartbeat is trusted by thousands of communities worldwide who value flexibility, automation, and a platform that truly evolves with their needs.
Mighty Networks is a popular choice for creators who want to combine courses, events, and community in one place. The platform offers robust course creation tools, flexible monetization, and a strong mobile app experience. Its community spaces are highly customizable, supporting a range of engagement tools and event formats.
Mighty Networks shines in its course-first approach, making it a solid option for educators and coaches who prioritize structured learning experiences. The platform’s landing page builder and checkout processes have improved, but some users find them less flexible than those offered by competitors. Mighty Networks offers integrations and analytics, but these are more limited compared to Heartbeat.
User feedback for Mighty Networks is mixed. Many praise its all-in-one solution and community features, but some report issues with customer support, limited integrations, and occasional bugs. Customization options can also be restrictive for those who want a fully branded experience without upgrading to higher-tier plans. Despite these challenges, Mighty Networks remains a strong contender for communities focused on courses and mobile engagement.
Both Heartbeat and Mighty Networks offer powerful solutions for building online communities, but Heartbeat is the platform that truly empowers creators to automate, scale, and personalize their member experience. With advanced automations, robust integrations, and a mission to keep the human in control, Heartbeat delivers unmatched value, flexibility, and support. For most creators, educators, and entrepreneurs, Heartbeat is the best choice for launching, growing, and monetizing a thriving community business.
