Heartbeat vs Hivebrite vs Mighty Networks

All three are community platforms, but they sit at very different points on the price and buyer spectrum. Heartbeat and Mighty Networks are built for…

Heartbeat

Subscription with transaction fees · From $49/month (Build plan)

Best for: Creators, coaches, and small membership businesses who want the lowest entry price of the three ($49/month) along with transaction fees that shrink as the community grows.

Hivebrite

Subscription / Enterprise · From From $895/month (billed annually)

Best for: Large associations, alumni networks, and enterprises that need AI-powered member matching, multi-chapter governance, and hands-on onboarding, and have the budget for enterprise-tier pricing starting at $895/month.

Mighty Networks

Subscription · From $95/month (Launch plan) plus a 2% transaction fee

Best for: Course creators and coaches who want community, structured courses, and live events bundled together with flexible one-time, subscription, and bundled monetization options.

At a Glance

 HeartbeatHivebriteMighty Networks
Primary categoryCommunity PlatformsCommunity PlatformsCommunity Platforms
RatingNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
Pricing modelSubscription with transaction feesSubscription / EnterpriseSubscription
Starting price$49/month (Build plan)From $895/month (billed annually)$95/month (Launch plan) plus a 2% transaction fee
Free planNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
Free trialYesNot documentedYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
Team collaborationNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
AI featuresYesYesYes
Public APIYesYesYes

Standout Differences

A large pricing gap by design

Heartbeat and Mighty Networks both start under $100 a month, while Hivebrite's entry Core plan starts at $895 a month, reflecting Hivebrite's positioning as enterprise software for associations rather than a creator-economy tool.

Heartbeat, Hivebrite, Mighty Networks

Transaction fees only apply to two of the three

Heartbeat charges a declining transaction fee that drops from 5% to 1.25% as customers move up plan tiers, and Mighty Networks charges a 2% fee on its entry Launch plan that reduces on higher tiers. Hivebrite's provided data does not document any per-transaction fee.

Heartbeat, Mighty Networks

AI-powered member matching is a Hivebrite exclusive

Hivebrite's Orbiit-derived AI matching recommends relevant connections and mentors within a community, a capability that is not documented in Heartbeat's or Mighty Networks' feature sets.

Hivebrite

Branded mobile apps exist on all three, but the terms differ

Heartbeat's white-label mobile app is limited to its top Scale plan, Mighty Networks' Mighty Pro branded app requires separate custom enterprise pricing above its self-serve tiers, and Hivebrite offers a branded mobile app as an optional add-on across its plans.

Heartbeat, Hivebrite, Mighty Networks

Only Heartbeat and Mighty Networks price transparently for self-serve signup

Both list clear starting prices a creator can pay without a sales call, while Hivebrite's top two tiers (Prime and Custom Fit) require custom pricing negotiated after a discovery process.

Heartbeat, Mighty Networks, Hivebrite

Feature-by-Feature

Monetization

FeatureHeartbeatHivebriteMighty Networks
Native payment processing for paid membershipsAvailableAvailableAvailable
Declining or reduced transaction fees as plan tier increasesAvailableNot documentedAvailable

Community and Content Features

FeatureHeartbeatHivebriteMighty Networks
AI-powered member matching/recommendationsNot documentedAvailableNot documented
Structured online coursesAvailableNot documentedAvailable
Live or virtual events with ticketing/hostingAvailableAvailableAvailable

Branding and Access

FeatureHeartbeatHivebriteMighty Networks
White-label branded mobile appAvailableAvailableAvailable

Pricing and Trials

FeatureHeartbeatHivebriteMighty Networks
Transparent self-serve entry pricing (no sales call required)AvailableUnavailableAvailable
Free trial with no credit card requiredAvailableNot documentedNot documented

Pricing Compared

Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.

Heartbeat

Build — $49/month ($40/month billed annually, $490/year) Monthly or annual
Grow — $149/month ($124/month billed annually, $1,490/year) Monthly or annual
Scale — $849/month (approximately $766/month billed annually, $9,200/year) Monthly or annual

Hivebrite

Core — From $895/month annual
Flex — From $1,995/month annual
Prime — Custom pricing annual/custom
Custom Fit — Custom pricing annual/custom

Mighty Networks

Launch — $95/month Monthly or annual
Scale — $215/month Monthly or annual
Growth — $354/month Monthly or annual
Mighty Pro — Custom pricing Custom

Pros & Cons

Heartbeat

Pros

  • Bundles discussions, courses, events, landing pages and payments into one product
  • Transaction fees decline as customers move to higher plans, rewarding growth
  • Branded, white-label mobile app option available for larger communities
  • Founder-led onboarding and live walkthroughs for new customers
  • 14-day free trial with no credit card required on every plan

Cons

  • Entry-level Build plan is capped at 350 members, which smaller creators may hit quickly
  • Transaction fees on top of Stripe's processing fees add up for high-volume paid communities on lower tiers
  • Branded mobile app is only available on the top Scale plan, priced significantly higher than Build or Grow
  • API access is not available on the entry-level Build plan
  • Annual commitment required to access the discounted per-month pricing on each tier

Hivebrite

Pros

  • Comprehensive all-in-one platform covering directory, events, communication and monetization
  • AI-powered matching helps surface relevant connections within large communities
  • Strong fit for associations and alumni networks with complex governance needs
  • Every plan includes unlimited end users regardless of tier
  • Hands-on onboarding support included across all pricing tiers

Cons

  • Entry-level pricing at $895/month is high relative to smaller community platforms
  • Top two tiers require custom pricing negotiations rather than transparent rates
  • Steeper learning curve given the breadth of features aimed at large organizations
  • Not well suited for small creator communities or informal groups on a tight budget
  • Add-ons like mobile app and multi-language support are priced separately

Mighty Networks

Pros

  • All-in-one platform combining community, courses, and events
  • Branded native mobile app option (Mighty Pro) unusual among competitors
  • Strong creator earnings track record and established company history
  • Flexible monetization including one-time, subscription, and bundled pricing
  • Founder has deep social-network industry background from Ning

Cons

  • Entry pricing at $95/month is higher than some course-only competitors
  • Transaction fees apply on the lowest tier
  • Learning curve to configure spaces, courses, and automations
  • Mighty Pro branded apps require separate custom and enterprise pricing
  • Less focused on pure chat/community-only use cases than Discord or Circle

Use Cases

Choose Heartbeat: Creators, coaches, and small membership businesses who want the lowest entry price of the three ($49/month) along with transaction fees that shrink as the community grows.
Choose Hivebrite: Large associations, alumni networks, and enterprises that need AI-powered member matching, multi-chapter governance, and hands-on onboarding, and have the budget for enterprise-tier pricing starting at $895/month.
Choose Mighty Networks: Course creators and coaches who want community, structured courses, and live events bundled together with flexible one-time, subscription, and bundled monetization options.

Heartbeat

  • Paid creator memberships — A creator launches a paid membership community with discussions, exclusive content and events, charging members directly through Heartbeat's built-in payments.
  • Cohort-based online courses — An instructor combines Heartbeat's course tools with live events and discussion channels to run a structured, cohort-based learning program.
  • Branded customer or member communities for businesses — A company on the Scale plan launches a fully white-labeled branded app to host its customer or member community under its own brand.

Hivebrite

  • Alumni network management — Universities and schools use Hivebrite to run branded alumni communities with directories, events and giving campaigns.
  • Professional association engagement — Trade and professional bodies use Hivebrite to manage member directories, events and communication at scale.
  • Enterprise brand communities — Enterprises build branded customer or partner communities using Hivebrite's monetization and group management tools.

Mighty Networks

  • Coach and course-creator membership business — Combine courses, community, and recurring memberships into one paid network.
  • Brand community building — Build an owned community space instead of depending on social media reach.
  • Professional and niche interest networks — Host discussion, events, and resources for a defined professional or interest group.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Hivebrite so much more expensive than Heartbeat and Mighty Networks?

Hivebrite is built and priced as enterprise software for large associations, alumni networks, and professional bodies, with its entry Core plan starting at $895 a month. Heartbeat and Mighty Networks are aimed at individual creators and coaches, with entry pricing at $49 and $95 a month respectively.

Do any of these charge transaction fees on membership payments?

Heartbeat charges a transaction fee that declines from 5% on its Build plan down to 1.25% on its Scale plan, and Mighty Networks charges 2% on its entry Launch plan with reduced or minimal fees on higher tiers. Hivebrite's documented pricing does not mention a per-transaction fee.

Which platform offers AI-powered member matching?

Hivebrite is the only one of the three with documented AI-powered member matching, gained through its acquisition of Orbiit, which recommends relevant connections and mentors within a community.

Can I get a fully branded mobile app on any of these?

Yes, all three offer some form of branded mobile app, but the terms differ: Heartbeat limits it to the top Scale plan, Mighty Networks sells it separately as custom-priced Mighty Pro packages, and Hivebrite offers it as an optional add-on across plans.

Which is better for a large alumni network or association versus an individual creator?

Hivebrite is purpose-built for large associations, alumni networks, and enterprise brand communities that need governance and AI matching at scale. Heartbeat and Mighty Networks are better fits for individual creators, coaches, and course businesses running a paid membership or course community.

Is there a free trial for any of these?

Heartbeat offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required on every plan. The provided data for Mighty Networks and Hivebrite does not document a free trial.

Read the full Heartbeat review · Read the full Hivebrite review · Read the full Mighty Networks review