Category 5 software profiles
Communication & Community Software
Chat, voice, email and online community platforms.
Communication software connects people, whether through real-time voice and text chat, email or open community spaces built around shared interests. The category includes some of the longest-lived software categories on the internet as well as some of the fastest growing, and it tends to be shaped by network effects: people use the tools their friends and colleagues already use.
The products here show how varied the space has become, from Discord’s persistent servers for gaming and online communities to privacy-focused business email, an open-source desktop email client and one of the internet’s most distinctive blogging networks.
Communication & Community: software on SoftwareLore
- DiscordVoice, video and text chat for gaming groups and online communities Discord 2015 Freemium
- ThunderbirdA free, open-source email client with calendar, contacts and chat Mozilla 2003 Free and open source
- TumblrA microblogging and social platform known for fandoms, art and reblogs Automattic 2007 Freemium
- Zoho MailAd-free business email with custom domains and admin controls Zoho 2008 Freemium
- LoomAsync video messaging for recording and sharing screen walkthroughs Atlassian 2016 Freemium
Who makes Communication & Community Software?
What to look for
Questions worth answering before choosing a tool in this category.
- 01
Real-time or asynchronous
Voice and chat platforms suit live conversation, while email and blogs suit messages people read later. Most communities and teams need a mix of both.
- 02
Moderation and safety
Community platforms need roles, permissions, automated moderation and reporting tools, especially when young people or large public audiences take part.
- 03
Privacy and data ownership
Consider where messages are stored, whether they are used for advertising and how easily a community or mailbox can be exported elsewhere.
- 04
Open standards
Email clients and services that support standard protocols make it possible to switch providers without losing access to years of messages.
Communication & Community: frequently asked questions
What is Discord used for?
Discord is used for voice, video and text chat in persistent communities called servers. It started as a way for gamers to talk while playing and now hosts communities for study groups, open-source projects, creators, fan groups and many other interests.
What is the difference between an email client and an email service?
An email service, such as Zoho Mail or Gmail, hosts mailboxes and sends and receives messages on its servers. An email client, such as Thunderbird, is an app for reading and writing email that can connect to accounts from many different services using standard protocols.
What makes a good online community platform?
A good community platform makes conversations easy to find and follow, gives moderators tools to set rules and remove abuse, supports roles and permissions, and scales from a handful of members to many thousands without becoming chaotic.