Finally, a self-hosted alternative to Mighty Networks

Looking for a modern, self-hosted alternative to Mighty Networks? You found it. Host your own social network with unlimited members, dozens of free extensions, and powered by the #1 online community software.

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Your domain
Your server
Unlimited members
Configured to your needs
No monthly subscriptions

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3 reasons to go Public

A custom-built solution made for you

We know that every community is different. That's why we work closely with each one of our customers to create a space where members feel welcomed and passionate about. After getting to know your business, we will set up a community with the right extensions and settings, and walk you through how to manage it.

Powered by next-generation software

Hosting your own social network doesn't have to be complicated. We use the world's best forum software, Flarum, to create a community that's extremely both engaging and easy to manage. It comes with dozens of free extensions, a visual admin panel, and an easy integration tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel and more.

Full ownership and unrestricted growth

Since the community is hosted on your servers, you're free to grow it as much as you can while maintaining full control over its data. There's no third-party holding you hostage with endless monthly subscriptions. We'll also set up automatic daily backups and a simple, easy-to-use server panel (that you'll rarely have to use).

Full comparison vs. Mighty networks

Here's how we stack up

Ownership

100% self-hosted on your servers. Your community is yours, and you can scale it as much as you like without worrying about endless subscriptions.
With Tribe, you're a captive customer. You must pay at least $59/mo forever to continue hosting your community. How's that fair?

Extensions

Dozens of open-source extensions that you can configure from your visual dashboard: OneSignal push notifications, social login (such as Google), real-time chat and much more!
Offers basic 3rd party integrations for subscriptions starting $39/mo

Appearance

Customize every element of your community: its theme, language, and the user experience. You can also add custom JS, CSS, and HTML code
Limited appearance customization. Community owners can only change the logo and colors

WordPress

Sync users with WordPress and embed your community in your comment section via plugin to turn your website into a social destination
No WordPress integration

Discussions

Discussions are separated into topics (tags) which members can follow. Add Q&As, polls, images, videos, GIFs and embed rich media.
Members can also search and sort discussions
Supports discussions and topics, but posts can't be pinned to top and members can't select and mark the "Best Answer" for a question

Domain

Connect your domain while still enjoying the benefits of managed hosting and free updates
Connect your own domain

Monetization

Display ads, promote your products, or collaborate with advertisers to easily monetize your community (or keep it ad-free)
Mighty Networks allows hosts to setup subscriptions and memberships

Moderation

Automatic spam & toxicity protection. You can also blacklist posts with certain links and words. Members can also report content to moderators
Manual moderation. There are only two types of user groups - Admins and Moderators. In The Public Community, you can create new groups and assign them custom permissions

Members

Your members have a unique profile and can follow threads & topics, get notified on new content, gain reputation, be assigned a badge and comment on your WordPress blog posts
Each member also has a profile and can interact with your community. Unfortunately, you can't sync members with your WordPress website

Support

Fast, personalized support from an expert. Chat with us directly from the community dashboard
Email support requires a $85/m subscription

Performance

80% faster and lighter than Tribe, taking only 1.3 seconds to load 8kb of resources
On average, a Tribe community takes 2.3 seconds to load 87kb of resources
The community you've imagined, hosted on your servers.

A custom-built solution made for you

We know that every community is different. That's why we work closely with each one of our customers to create a space where members feel welcomed and passionate about. After getting to know your business, we will set up a community with the right extensions and settings, and walk you through how to manage it.

Powered by next-generation software

Hosting your own social network doesn't have to be complicated. We use the world's best forum software, Flarum, to create a community that's extremely both engaging and easy to manage. It comes with dozens of free extensions, a visual admin panel, and an easy integration tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel and more.

Full ownership and unrestricted growth

Since the community is hosted on your servers, you're free to grow it as much as you can while maintaining full control over its data. There's no third-party holding you hostage with endless monthly subscriptions. We'll also set up automatic daily backups and a simple, easy-to-use server panel (that you'll rarely have to use).

The #1 online communities software

Communities for the modern age

From discussing your favorite music to giving anonymous advice — You can create a community that matches your visions with dozens of extensions and easy customization panel

What is Public?

  • We help brands and content creators build thriving online communities where people can ask questions, share experiences, and connect around a shared passion.
  • Once we understand what your needs are, we will work to translate your vision into reality, set up the right extensions and settings, and provide guidance that will help you run your community going forward.
  • Unlike Tribe and Facebook Groups, this is a fully self-hosted solution where everything is stored on your servers. You have full ownership over your community and its data. There are no third parties or monthly fees.

How does it work?

  • To start, fill out this survey to tell us about your audience and the community you want to create.
  • Once completed, you'll be able to schedule a 1:1 Zoom call or purchase our service. For a one-time payment of $300, we will set up the community on your server and tailor it to your needs.
  • The community will be hosted on a private server of your choice (VPS) and its credentials will be emailed to you.
  • Once everything is ready to launch (usually within 3-4 days), we'll set up another Zoom call to walk you through the platform and teach you everything you need to know to run it successfully.

What types of online communities can be created with Public?

  • Branded communities: Build a dedicated space for your customers to share feedback, discuss product features, and connect with other users who share their passion for your brand.
  • Interest-based communities: Unite individuals around a shared passion or interest (for example: gaming or tech), and provide a place where they can ask questions, share memes, and connect with people like them.
  • Private employee communities: Create a private space for your employees to collaborate, share ideas, and stay informed about company news and events.
  • Learning communities: Create an online educational hub where students, educators, and experts can discuss topics, share resources, and support each other's learning journey.
  • Support communities: Offer your users a platform to ask questions, find solutions, and share knowledge, fostering a self-help environment that reduces the load on your support team.

How is it better than the competition?

  • A custom-built solution made for you: We know that every community is unique. That's why we work closely with each one of our customers to create a space where members feel excited to be a part of. After getting to know your business, we will set up a community with the right extensions and settings, and walk you through how to manage it.
  • Powered by next-generation software: Hosting your own social network doesn't have to be complicated. We use the world's best forum software, Flarum, to create a community that's both extremely engaging and easy to manage. It comes with dozens of free extensions, a visual admin panel, and easy integration with tools like Google Analytics.
  • Full ownership and unrestricted growth: Since the community is hosted on your servers, you're free to grow it as much as you can while maintaining full control over its data. There's no third-party holding you hostage with endless monthly subscriptions. We'll also set up automatic daily backups and a simple, easy-to-use server panel (that you'll rarely have to use).

How much does it cost?

  • We charge a one-time fee of $300, which includes setting up the community and configuring it to your needs.
  • There are no monthly service costs.
  • You only pay for a server, which costs an average of $5/month (Hetzner is our favorite option).

Do I need to know how to code?

  • No! You can easily customize your community using dozens of no-code extensions and customize its appearance and functionality to match your needs.
  • We also set up the infrastructure so you won't need to worry about server maintenance and performance. Your community remains secure, blazing fast, and is backed up on a daily basis.
  • And if you still encounter issues, we're only one message away.

Still have questions? Let's chat

Fully self hosted

Pay once and it's yours forever

Unlike Tribe or Facebook Groups, we don't hold you hostage with monthly-reoccurring subscriptions. For a one-time fee, you get a personalized solution that matches your vision and full ownership over your community and its data. Forever!

Host your own social network

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