Alternatives · Courses
Hylo alternatives
As of Nov 13, 2026, the best Hylo alternative for most people is Circle (2.8 GPA), first in our ranking of course and community platforms. The best free one is Discourse (2.6 GPA).
Hylo compared with 5 alternatives: Loomio, Discourse, Bettermode, Groups.io and Circle.
Hylo is free to use. 2 of the 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 3 more offer a free trial.
Listings checked up to Nov 13, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| HyloThis tool | Free | Free | Web, iOS, Android |
| Loomio | Free trial · from $33/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Discourse | Free plan · from $100/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Bettermode | Free trial · from $149/mo | Trial only | Web |
| Groups.io | Free plan · from $20/mo | Yes | Web |
| Circle | Free trial · from $89/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
Price against what you get
Hylo has no paid plan and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 5 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Circle scores higher without starting lower.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Hylo
Loomio
Group decision-making software for organizations and co-ops
- Loomio starts at $33 per month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly).
- Loomio has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Hylo.
- Loomio lists no iOS and Android apps, which Hylo has.
- Loomio does not cover calendar and team chat, which Hylo does.
Suits: Co-ops, unions and nonprofits that decide things by consensus or vote
Discourse
Open-source discussion forum software with hosted plans
- Discourse starts at $100 per month.
- Discourse does not cover calendar, which Hylo does.
Suits: Public forums, support communities and product feedback boards
Bettermode
Branded community platform with Q&A, events and AI search
- Bettermode starts at $149 per month, billed yearly ($199 billed monthly).
- Bettermode has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Hylo.
- Bettermode lists no iOS and Android apps, which Hylo has.
- Bettermode also covers AI search.
- Bettermode does not cover calendar, which Hylo does.
Suits: Companies building a customer or product community on their own domain
Groups.io
Email discussion groups with files, calendar and wiki
- Groups.io starts at $20 per month minimum, at $0.04 per member.
- Groups.io lists no iOS and Android apps, which Hylo has.
- Groups.io also covers wiki.
Suits: Clubs, user groups and projects that prefer email discussion
Circle
Community platform with courses, events, payments and branded apps
- Circle starts at $89 per month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly).
- Circle has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike Hylo.
- Circle also covers workflow automation, email campaigns and online courses.
- Circle does not cover calendar and team chat, which Hylo does.
Suits: Creators and brands whose main product is a community
Limits worth knowing in Hylo
- File storage is limited, with a 50 MB maximum per attachment.
- Hylo Pro (an estimated $60 per group per month) and Hylo Whitelabel are listed as coming soon, so API access and video streaming are not yet available.
- Hands-on stewardship support is sold separately: $300 for a support call, $2,500 for onboarding, $100 per month for ongoing support.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Hylo?
The alternatives to Hylo in this directory are Loomio, Discourse, Bettermode, Groups.io and Circle. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Hylo.
Is there a free alternative to Hylo?
Yes. Discourse and Groups.io have a free plan alongside paid ones.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 17, 2026 to Nov 13, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.