Discourse vs Guild
Side-by-side from the Top 11 ranking of The 11 Best Community Management Software (2026). Last verified July 11, 2026.
The short answer
Discourse ranks higher on Top 11 (#2 vs #11) for Creators, brands, and associations choosing a platform to host, engage, and monetize an online community. Best open-source, self-hostable forum platform.
At a glance
| Discourse | Guild | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #2 / The 11 Best Community Management Software (2026) | #11 / The 11 Best Community Management Software (2026) |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 8.9 | 7.1 |
| Best for | Open-source forum you fully control | Mobile-first, private professional communities |
| Pricing | $$ (free self-hosted, $20 to $300+/mo hosted) | $$ (free to custom/mo) |
| HQ | San Francisco, USA | London, UK |
| Founded | 2013 | 2016 |
Discourse
Best open-source, self-hostable forum platform.
www.discourse.orgSee full entry in The 11 Best Community Management Software (2026)
Guild
Best private, mobile-first professional community.
guild.coSee full entry in The 11 Best Community Management Software (2026)
Methodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.