Finally, a self-hosted alternative to Tribe

Looking for a modern, self-hosted alternative to Tribe? 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. Tribe

Here's how we stack up

Ownership

Your community is yours, hosted on your servers. You're not locked into endless monthly subscriptions, and can scale your community without worrying about costs.

Tribe holds you hostage with endless monthly subscriptions starting at $59/mo, and your community will be deleted if you stop paying.

Monetization

Display advertisements, promote your products, and connect with advertisers to turn engagement into revenue and earn money on your terms (or keep your community ad-free, if you wish to).

No built-in monetization tools.

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.

Appearance

Customize every element of your community: its theme, language, and the user experience from one simple panel. If you're tech-savy, you can also add custom CSS & HTML code.

Basic appearance customization. Tribe restricts community hosts to its basic (and quite outdated) default layout.

Support

Human support within 8 hours available on-demand for $85/hour

Email support requires a $59/m subscription

Extensions

Dozens of free extensions like as gamification, real-time chat, and push notifications and more. We add new extensions once every month, and you can easily configure them from your Admin panel - no coding required.

Most extensions on Tribe are simply integrations with external tools like Mixpanel and require an active subscription (starting $299/m).

Moderation

Build-in spam & toxicity protection. You can also prevent certain words and links to be posted. Members can also report content to moderators.

Basic auto moderation allows you to blacklist certain words and links.

Break free from endless subscriptions.

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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Try 30 days for free, no credit card required