Choose Discourse if...
You need to own your community's future, foster organized and thoughtful discussions, and build a permanent, searchable knowledge base on a platform that is truly yours.
Choose Reddit if...
You want to leverage a massive built-in audience, benefit from algorithmic discovery, and are comfortable building your community on a platform you don't own or control.
Bottom line
Reddit is a network of communities on a single, corporate-owned platform where you are a tenant. Discourse is a platform for you to build your own independent community where you are the owner.
TL;DR Comparison Table
| Your Priority |
Choose Discourse if...
|
Choose Reddit if...
|
|---|---|---|
| Ownership & Control | You require full data ownership and control over your platform. | You are comfortable with Reddit owning your data and setting the rules. |
| Discoverability | You want to build long-term SEO value and direct, owned traffic. | You rely on Reddit's algorithm and massive user base for discovery. |
| Knowledge Preservation | You need a permanent, searchable archive of discussions. | Ephemeral, fast-moving content is the priority. |
| Moderation | You need powerful, customizable, built-in moderation tools. | You can work within the limits of Reddit's tools (and their API changes). |
| Branding & Customization | A unique, fully branded community space is essential. | A standardized Reddit look-and-feel is acceptable. |
| Business Model | You want a predictable, ad-free experience (or to run your own ads). | You accept ads and platform-level monetization you don't control. |
We built Discourse for communities that are built to last. It's a platform for civilized discussion, where conversations are organized, searchable, and create a lasting knowledge base. Think of it as building a library for your community, not just a feed of passing content. We're designed for substance and sustainability. If your community needs to preserve its history, onboard new members effectively, and create a space that is truly its own, that structure is paramount.
Reddit is a powerful engine for viral content and broad exposure. It offers immediate access to a vast audience and the potential for explosive growth. However, that comes at a cost: you are building on rented land. Your community's fate is tied to Reddit's corporate strategy, from API pricing and moderation tools to algorithm changes and IPO pressures. The platform is designed for rapid consumption, where today's hot topic is quickly buried by tomorrow's.
The Key Difference
Discourse is fundamentally a community platform where content is the result of discussion. It's designed for building a dedicated, long-term home for your members, with knowledge creation and preservation at its core.
Reddit is fundamentally a content aggregator where communities are a feature. It's designed to surface trending content to a massive audience, with community interaction as a key part of the experience.
Core Philosophies
|
Discourse's Core Strength
|
Reddit's Core Strength
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Platform Model | Owner: Build your own asset, with your own rules. | Tenant: Build on Reddit's land, subject to their rules. |
| Primary Goal | Community Health: The platform is optimized for thoughtful discussion and knowledge. | Content Virality: The platform is optimized for engagement and trending content. |
| Time & Presence | Permanent: Focus on building a lasting resource. | Ephemeral: Focus on what's happening now. |
| Value Creation | Building for Yourself: Your community's activity builds equity in your own platform. | Building for Reddit: Your community's activity primarily benefits the Reddit platform. |
Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
| Feature |
Discourse
|
Reddit
|
|---|---|---|
| Data Ownership | You own 100% of your data | Reddit owns all content and user data |
| Hosting | Official Discourse.org hosting, self-host yourself or with another provider | Reddit's servers only |
| Open Source | 100% open source (GNU GPL v2.0 License) | Closed source |
| Data Export | Download a full backup to self-host or change providers at no cost or lock-in | Limited and subject to API restrictions/costs |
| Feature |
Discourse
|
Reddit
|
|---|---|---|
| Search | Powerful, fast, and comprehensive full-text search | Notoriously poor |
| SEO | Public content is indexed under your domain, building your SEO equity | Content is indexed under reddit.com, helping their domain, not yours |
| Topic Organization | Advanced categories, subcategories, and tags | Subreddits and basic flairs |
| Long-Form Content | Wiki-style collaborative posts and long-form content are encouraged | Not ideal; posts get buried quickly based on engagement and not quality |
| Feature |
Discourse
|
Reddit
|
|---|---|---|
| Moderation Tools | Comprehensive, integrated moderation suite | Basic built-in tools, reliant on third-party bots |
| Trust System | Behavior-based Trust Levels that grant autonomy | Karma, which can be gamed |
| Spam Prevention | AI spam detection, Akismet spam protection, and automated flagging | AutoModerator + manual intervention |
| API Access | Free and unlimited for your own site | Expensive and rate-limited |
| Feature |
Discourse
|
Reddit
|
|---|---|---|
| Branding | Complete theme and white-labeling control | Limited sidebar/CSS customization |
| Layout | Customizable layouts and homepage designs | Standardized Reddit UI |
| Ads | Your choice: no ads, or run your own | Forced advertising you don't control |
| Mobile Experience | Fully responsive mobile web + native iOS/Android apps | Official app only (third-party apps no longer supported) |
When Discourse is the Better Choice
For Professional & Customer Communities
A clean, professional appearance and powerful tools make Discourse the choice for businesses engaging with customers.
When Your Content Has Long-Term Value
For technical support, educational content, or any community where past discussions are a valuable resource, Discourse's search and organization are essential.
If You Need a Healthy, Civil Environment
Discourse's powerful moderation tools and trust system are designed to foster productive conversations, free from the trolling and brigading common on Reddit.
When Data Ownership is Non-Negotiable
If you need to comply with data regulations (like GDPR) or simply believe you should own the content your community creates, Discourse is the only viable option.
If You Want to Build SEO Authority
If you want community discussions indexed by Google under your own domain, only Discourse offers this.
We chose Discourse over other platforms like Reddit because data ownership and control were important to us. Discourse provides us with a professional, flexible platform that allows us to engage with our customers as partners rather than vendors, while maintaining full ownership of our content and community data.
Using Reddit and Discourse Together
You don't necessarily have to abandon Reddit entirely. Many communities successfully use both platforms, creating a powerful funnel for new members.
Common hybrid strategies
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Your core communityDirect engaged members to your Discourse for in-depth discussion and a better experience. |
Broad outreach & discoveryUse Reddit's scale to attract new users with memes, news, and casual content. |
|
The living communityAll new posts and discussions happen on your owned platform. |
A read-only redirectKeep your old subreddit as an archive, with a sticky post pointing everyone to the new community. |
|
A private, members-only spaceOffer exclusive access to your Discourse for paying members or verified experts. |
Public-facing contentKeep the subreddit open for anyone to browse. |
Ready to Own Your Community's Future?
Every day you build on Reddit is another day you're building on borrowed land. The platform risk is real, and the next disruptive corporate decision is always just around the corner. Moving to Discourse is a declaration of independence.
It's a move from being a tenant to an owner. It's an investment in a sustainable future for the community you've worked so hard to build.