Online learning communities are changing education. They offer platforms where people can collaborate, support each other, and stay engaged. This makes learning more enjoyable, while also helping businesses grow by building loyalty and keeping customers around. However, it’s not always easy to keep learners motivated, track their progress, and stay financially viable.
Thankfully, there are digital tools and platforms that make these tasks easier. With the right tools, even a self-paced course can feel interactive and connected, allowing learners to engage anytime, anywhere.
In this article, we’ll look at the best platforms for creating an online learning community. We’ll also cover essential tools for easy management – let’s get started.
Different types of online communities
Understanding the different frameworks behind online learning communities can help you choose the best fit for your needs. Here’s a closer look at the main types:
Discussion forums
Discussion forums create a space where learners can dive into peer-to-peer interactions and share knowledge. It’s ideal for in-depth conversations where questions can be posed and answered thoughtfully.
Remember, moderation is essential here to maintain a respectful and constructive environment, preventing issues like bullying or monopolization by certain members.
Social media groups
Platforms like Facebook Groups and LinkedIn Groups are popular for building communities due to their accessibility and user-friendly nature. These groups are great because they provide a familiar interface for members to engage with.
However, the convenience comes with challenges, such as potential distractions and privacy concerns, which can make focused learning difficult. Even so, the collaborative and informal nature of these platforms often leads to vibrant community interactions.
Cohort-based learning
Cohort-based learning supports a structured approach where learners progress together. This method promotes accountability through live sessions, group projects, and peer reviews. The camaraderie and mutual support can be incredibly motivating. Imagine being part of a tight-knit learning group where each member is cheering the other on – sounds great, right?
💭 Want to know more about launching an online school with this model? Check out our guide to get you started.
Mentorship and coaching communities
These communities focus on personalized guidance, pairing mentors with mentees based on specific criteria. This hands-on approach often leads to more meaningful interactions and better learning outcomes. Whether someone is looking to advance in their career or deepen their expertise in a certain area, having a mentor to guide you can make all the difference!
Interest-based communities
Centered around shared interests or specific topics like language learning or coding, these communities bring together individuals passionate about the same subject. Take the Data Science Learning Community, for example. It offers tools and resources to help members deepen their knowledge in data science, demonstrating the power of a focused, interest-based learning environment.
Best platforms for creating an online community
Let’s explore the top platforms for creating and sustaining an online learning community.
Sensei LMS
Sensei LMS, created by Automattic, is a powerful WordPress plugin designed to create, manage, and monetize online courses. It’s tailored for entrepreneurs, educators, coaches, marketers, and agencies, making it a versatile solution for various needs. Some of its best features include:
- Native WordPress integrations: Integration with WordPress and WooCommerce means you can sell your courses through one-time payments, subscriptions, or memberships, boosting your revenue.
- Groups & Cohorts: Enhance collaborative learning by allowing learners to progress together, fostering a sense of community. This feature enables students to form groups or cohorts, working through course material simultaneously and supporting each other along the way. It encourages interaction, accountability, and a shared learning experience.
- Discussion Questions: Promote student interaction through comment threads on lessons. This pattern allows learners to discuss topics, ask questions, and share insights directly within the lesson environment. Such discussions build a vibrant learning community and deepen understanding through peer engagement.
- Interactive lessons: Keep your students captivated with interactive videos, flashcards, image hotspots, and automated quiz feedback.
- Course templates and customizable themes: Design your courses with ease using fully customizable WordPress themes and templates.
- Quizzes and automated feedback: Engage students with quizzes and provide immediate, personalized feedback.
Sensei LMS offers a great solution for course creation, student engagement, and monetization – all with lower transaction fees compared to other platforms. Its integration with WooCommerce also means an easy process for selling courses and managing payments!
🧑 This platform is especially ideal for entrepreneurs, educators, corporate trainers, creative professionals, and organizations aiming to build and sustain online learning communities.
What are people saying about Sensei LMS?
“With over 10,000 students in my Online Academy powered by Sensei LMS, I’ve been able to easily create an academy and generate consistent monthly revenue.” – Gonzalo de la Campa, Entrepreneur.
“Sensei made creating my online art academy simple and straightforward. If you’re looking to build an Online Academy on your website, Sensei is undoubtedly the best choice.” – Kevin Farias, Illustration and Animation Expert.
“Sensei has been the ideal LMS solution for our clients who want to offer online courses. We’ve been able to quickly and effectively implement Sensei on sites, making an immediate impact on revenue generation.” – Kim Senn, Agency Owner.
As a self-hosted LMS, Sensei LMS combines ease of use, powerful features, and integration with WordPress and WooCommerce to deliver a top-tier solution for online course creation and management!
Mighty Networks
Mighty Networks is a versatile platform designed for creators to build thriving, branded communities. It offers customizable spaces, integrated AI features, discussion forums, video sharing, and event hosting.
Mighty Networks excels in community building with a strong emphasis on engagement and interaction. Some of its most important features are:
- People Magic AI: Connects members based on interests, boosting engagement.
- Mighty Co-Host: Launch your community in under 60 seconds with an automated setup.
- Monetization: Charge for memberships, courses, or events flexibly.
🧑 A good choice for creators, entrepreneurs, and educators aiming to develop branded and interactive communities.
Thinkific
Thinkific is known for its user-friendly interface and robust features for creating and managing online courses. It simplifies course management with comprehensive tools for course creation, student management, discussion forums, and diverse content delivery options. Some of its main features include:
- Multiple learning products: Create and sell courses, communities, and memberships, all on one platform.
- Engage and monetize: Build collaborative learning experiences, offer memberships, and earn recurring revenue.
- Customizable and scalable: Design with custom themes, manage courses and communities, and scale without limitations.
🧑 Targeted at educators and trainers, Thinkific makes it easy to turn your expertise into a successful online business.
Kartra
Kartra is an all-in-one platform designed to help you build your course, grow your audience, and monetize your expertise. Its comprehensive toolset covers everything from website creation to advanced marketing. Its features include:
- Design engaging websites and pages, connect via video and webinars, and offer memberships that transform your clients.
- Use lead captures, campaigns, funnels, and email/SMS marketing to grow your audience.
- Use behavior-based marketing, automations, and advanced analytics to make data-driven decisions and achieve growth.
🧑 Trusted by over 60,000 content creators and coaches, Kartra simplifies business growth with its all-in-one solution.
Circle.co
Circle.co is an all-in-one community platform that brings your community, courses, and content together under your brand. It eliminates the need for juggling multiple tools by offering a seamless, integrated experience:
- Organized discussions & rich posts: Create engaging discussions and content easily.
- Monetization options: Offer paid memberships, one-time payments, and recurring subscriptions with flexible payment models.
- Scalability: Thousands of integrations, automated workflows, and AI activity scores to grow your community effortlessly.
🧑 Great for creators, educators, and businesses aiming to build interactive, monetizable communities.
BuddyBoss
BuddyBoss is a good platform for creating online learning communities with full-scale social networking features on your WordPress website. It offers flexibility and control, allowing you to bring your vision to life:
- Unlimited everything: Members, courses, groups, events, and admins.
- Course creation: Student dashboards, collaborative learning, gamification, quizzes, certificates, and more.
- Community building: Community dashboards, profiles, posts, direct messaging, activity feeds, groups, and events.
🧑 A solid choice for educators, businesses, and community builders looking to grow without limits.
A closer comparison
| Platform | Starting cost | Key features | Best for | Unique selling point |
| Sensei LMS | $0/$179 per year for Sensei Pro | Integration with WordPress and WooCommerce, interactive tools, customizable templates. | Entrepreneurs, educators, trainers. | WooCommerce integration, Groups and Cohort learning, integrated discussions on lessons. |
| Mighty Networks | $99/month | Customizable spaces, AI features, video/event hosting. | Creators, entrepreneurs, educators. | Strong focus on community engagement. |
| Thinkific | $0 | Course creation, student management, and content delivery. | Educators, trainers. | Ease of use and comprehensive tools. |
| Kartra | $119 | Membership sites, email marketing, sales funnels. | Entrepreneurs, businesses. | All-in-one business and marketing tools. |
| Circle.co | $89 | Discussion forums, member directories, and event hosting. | Creators, educators, and businesses. | High community engagement. |
| BuddyBoss | $299/annually | Community spaces, social networking, course tools. | Educators, trainers, organizations. | Social learning environment. |
Essential tools for sustaining a thriving online learning community
Building an online learning community is one thing; keeping it going is another. The right tools can make all the difference in creating an engaging, collaborative, and dynamic environment for your learners.
Here’s a breakdown of essential tools that can help you sustain a successful online learning community over time.
Communication tools
Real-time interactions are important when maintaining engagement and creating a genuine sense of community.
Zoom, Google Meet, and Skype are video conferencing platforms that allow you to hold live sessions, whether they’re workshops, masterclasses, or Q&A sessions. When used in conjunction with online courses, these live interactions can perfectly complement your always-accessible content, creating a dynamic learning environment.
In fact, Sensei LMS integrates with Zoom, so you can host a live session directly within the course! This integration makes it easy to schedule, manage, and conduct live video sessions without leaving the Sensei LMS platform. By bringing live interaction into your course, you can enhance engagement, provide real-time support, and foster a more interactive and personalized learning experience.
Collaboration tools
Collaborative learning can make your community feel whole. Members can work together on projects, share documents, and support each other’s learning journey. Things you can use are:
- Google Drive and Dropbox: These platforms make it easy to share and collaboratively edit documents, ensuring everyone stays on the same page.
- Discord and Slack: Instant messaging tools that facilitate ongoing discussions, group work, and support. They create spaces for members to engage in meaningful conversations and share insights.
With Sensei LMS, features like the Discussion Lesson Pattern further enhance collaboration, allowing for organized and focused learning experiences.
Engagement tools
Keeping learners motivated and actively participating is essential. Engagement tools can inject fun and competition into the learning process, making it more enjoyable.
- Gamification: Adding elements like badges, points, and leaderboards can reward participation and drive motivation.
- Sensei LMS interactive features: Tools like quizzes, flashcards, and Image Hotspots keep learners engaged and ensure they’re actively involved in the learning process.
Content creation and sharing tools
Quality content is the backbone of any thriving online learning community. Here are some tools to ensure you’re creating and sharing top-notch educational material:
- LMS platforms (Canvas, Blackboard, and Moodle): These platforms let you host and organize educational resources efficiently.
- Sensei LMS: Its integration with WordPress and WooCommerce makes it easy to create and monetize courses. The user-friendly course creation tools ensure your content is engaging and interactive.
Analytics tools
Understanding what works and what doesn’t is essential for continuous improvement. Analytics tools can provide valuable insights into community engagement and help you make data-driven decisions.
- Google Analytics: Offers comprehensive reporting features that track user behavior and engagement levels.
- Sensei LMS reporting and analytics: Provides great tools to track course performance and student progress, helping you identify areas for enhancement.
Take the next step: enhance your online learning community with Sensei LMS
Online learning communities have the power to transform education by creating collaboration, support, and continuous engagement. With the right tools, these communities can thrive.
Sensei LMS offers a great solution to common challenges like engagement, progress tracking, and monetization. Its integration with WordPress and WooCommerce, interactive features, and robust analytics make it an ideal choice!
Imagine creating a space where learners feel connected, motivated, and supported – a space that drives educational and financial success. Sensei LMS can help you achieve this.
Take the next step today. Start with Sensei LMS today and watch your learning community grow.
