Trusted by 40+ Community Builders
Build Thriving Online Communities That Keep Members Coming Back
We've helped coaches, course creators, and membership businesses build vibrant online communities where members actually engage. From BuddyBoss to FluentCommunity to SureDash — no cookie-cutter forums, no ghost-town communities.
Building an Online Community Shouldn't Feel This Lonely
You’ve got a vision. Maybe you’re a course creator who wants students to learn together. A coach building a tribe around your methodology.
But every time you try to build your community, you hit the same walls:
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. We hear this from almost every community owner who reaches out to us.
The numbers don't lie, most communities struggle to engage members
< 10%
Average member engagement rate in most online communities. 90% of members never participate.
70%
Of new communities fail within the first year due to lack of engagement and poor platform choices.
13%
Of community members return after their first visit. First impressions make or break retention.
$5.2M
Average cost of a data breach. Member personal data and payment info need protection
60%
Of community builders abandon their platform within 18 months due to technical frustrations.
3-6 months
Typical time wasted trying to DIY a community before hiring professionals.
What Happens When You Work With Us
Real results from real community projects
340%
Average increase in member engagement after implementing our community + gamification features.
4.2x
Average increase in course completion rates when combining LMS with community features.
$85K
Average first-year revenue increase for membership businesses launching professional communities.
78%
Member retention rate for communities we build, compared to 30% industry average.
65%
Reduction in support tickets after members help each other in well-structured community forums.
99.9%
Uptime for community platforms we build and maintain. Your members can connect anytime.
We Don't Just Build Forums. We Build Engaged Communities.
After building 40+ community platforms, we've learned: technology is just 30%. The other 70%? Understanding how your members connect.
Deep Expertise in the Platforms That Power Online Communities
BuddyBoss: The Enterprise-Grade Powerhouse
Powers communities for Fortune 500 companies. 50,000+ active customers worldwide.
- Social networking features - activity feeds, profiles, messaging, groups
- Deep LearnDash integration - best WP front-end for LMS
- Native mobile app - white-label iOS/Android appg
- GamiPress integration - points, badges, achievements
- Full control - self-hosted, you own your data
Starting at:
$299/year (single site) | Mobile App: $79/mo
FluentCommunity: The Rising Star
Built with VueJS for blazing performance. Pages load 40% faster than competitors.
- Exceptional performance - 40% faster page loads
- Built-in LMS - no third-party integration needed
- Budget-friendly - $119/year, lifetime deals available
- Fluent ecosystem - integrates with FluentCRM, FluentForms
Starting at:
$119/year | Lifetime: $399
SureDash: The Modern Hub
From Brainstorm Force team. Designed for unified membership experiences.
- All-in-one dashboard - courses, community, events
- Native SureCart integration - membership + ecommerce
- Built-in gamification - leaderboards, badges without plugins
- Lightweight performance - optimized for speed
Starting at:
$69/year | Free version available
BuddyPress
Free, lightweight foundation
PeepSo
Social networking focus
bbPress
Simple discussion forums
Custom
When off-the-shelf won't cut it
Not sure which platform is right for you?
Turn Passive Members Into Active Participants with Gamification
Communities die when members stop engaging. Gamification — done right — creates the motivation loops that keep members coming back. We specialize in implementing GamiPress and native gamification features that actually work.
Points Systems
✓ Award points for posting, commenting
✓ Multiple point types available
✓ Points visible on profiles
✓ Integration with leaderboards
Leaderboards
✓ Weekly, monthly, all-time rankings
✓ Course-specific leaderboards
✓ Group leaderboards
✓ Gamified referral programs
Badges & Achievements
✓ Course completion badges
✓ Participation achievements
✓ Custom badge designs
✓ Automatic awarding
Ranks & Levels
✓ Member progression system
✓ Rank-based permissions
✓ Visual rank display
✓ Unlockable content
Everything You Need to Launch, Run, and Scale Your Community
From installing your community platform to configuring every setting, we handle the technical setup so you can focus on your members. Includes user roles, permissions, privacy settings, and email notifications.
Want a dedicated mobile app for your community? We set up and customize the BuddyBoss App with your branding, colors, and features for iOS and Android.
Points, badges, leaderboards, achievements, ranks — we implement the engagement mechanics that transform passive observers into active participants.
Paid communities, subscription tiers, one-time access — we configure the monetization model that works. WooCommerce, SureCart, MemberPress, or native integrations.
Your community should look like YOUR brand, not a generic template. We design and build custom themes that reflect your identity and optimize the member experience.
Combine your community with learning. We integrate LearnDash with BuddyBoss for course-linked groups, social learning features, and unified member experiences.
Already have members elsewhere? We'll migrate your data from Facebook Groups, Circle, Mighty Networks, Slack, or other platforms — preserving relationships and history.
Protect your member data and content. We implement privacy controls, secure messaging, spam prevention, and data protection compliance.
TIMELINE
From Concept to Launch in 4-8 Weeks.
Here's exactly what to expect when you work with us:
FEATURES
Every Feature You Need.
(And Some You Haven't Thought Of Yet)
Comprehensive features to build a fully-functional, engaging community
Member Features
- Rich member profiles with custom fields
- Activity feeds (Facebook-style updates)
- Private messaging & chat
- Friend connections & following
- Notification preferences
- Profile badges & achievements
- Member directories with search
- Privacy controls
- Mobile app access
- Email digest options
Group Features
- Public, private, and hidden groups
- Group activity feeds
- Group-specific forums
- Group messaging
- Group admins & moderators
- Course-linked groups (LearnDash)
- Subgroups and hierarchies
- Group invitations
- Group media libraries
- Group events
Admin Features
- Detailed analytics & reporting
- Member engagement reports
- Moderation tools
- Spam prevention
- Content approval workflows
- Bulk member management
- Role & permission controls
- Email automation triggers
- Revenue tracking
- Custom field management
INTEGRATION
Connect Your Community with the Tools You Already Use
PRICINGS
Transparent Pricing for Your Community Project
Every community project is different, but here's what you can expect to invest
Starter Community
$2K - $4K
For first-time community builders
Community plugin setup & configuration
Theme customization (existing theme)
Basic groups and forums setup
User registration flow
Email notification setup
2-3 weeks development time
30-day support
Professional Community
$5K - $10K
For growing membership
Everything in Starter, plus:
Custom theme design
Gamification features (GamiPress)
LMS integration (LearnDash)
Membership tier integration
Advanced group structures
Member migration from other platforms
4-6 weeks development time
60-day support
Enterprise Community
$10K+
For large organizations
Everything in Professional, plus:
BuddyBoss App setup & customization
Multi-community architecture
Advanced permission systems
Custom plugin development
SSO/enterprise authentication
Advanced analytics dashboards
8-12 weeks development time
Priority ongoing support
SELECTED PROJECTS
Some Of The Projects We’re Proud Of.
Don't just take our word for it. Here's what we've built for course creators like you:
“A diamond in the rough! I am so glad I found Zaed, he is so easy to communicate with, efficient, and knows what he's doing. Not only was he able to execute the request quickly and effectively, he had some great ideas to make things work and look even better.
I have already hired him for several other jobs and will also be hiring him for ongoing support.
Highly recommend Zaed, you won't be disappointed!"
Cynthia Perrett
ConveyBC
“I first found Zaed in a Facebook Group, and he was willing to help me without mentioning that he used Upwork. Zaed has an excellent work ethic! He is trustworthy and dependable. Communication is at the top of his game. I can message him about anything; whenever I create an assignment, he gets it done quickly. Zaed is a joy to work with, and I recommend him to everyone."
Robert Aguirre
Freedom Connect Services
“I had the opportunity to work with Zaed who helped me set up a community platform on my WordPress site. His technical knowledge and expertise in WordPress were evident from the start. He understood my vision and provided valuable insights to enhance the community features, resulting in a highly engaging and user-friendly platform. Communication was clear and prompt, making the entire process smooth and hassle-free. The project was delivered on schedule, with every detail meticulously executed. I am extremely satisfied with the outcome and the professional service provided. Highly recommend Zaed to anyone looking to build or improve their WordPress community platform."
Brian DiLeo
Developer
“Zaed has been amazing! Excellent communication, highly responsive, and very reliable. He is quite knowledgable, suggesting appropriate solutions while simultaneously finding ways that I can save money. My project is ongoing and I expect to be working with him for some time to come. Many thanks, Zaed!"
Kevin Shepard
AccentFlow
“Amazing WordPress/Learndash Developer. Usually can fix issues I have been having in minutes. Very responsive and works on US time.
Zaed is always staying on top of new tech and offering suggestions. He currently has three contracts with me for three different clients and I plan of working with him for years to come.
If you're looking for a wordpress dev, you can stop... and hire Zaed!"
Steven Losada
Steven Losada Inc.
Resources for Community Builders
Learn more about building successful online communities
Guide
BuddyBoss WordPress Database System for Large Scale Communities
Learn how to scale your community platform for thousands of members.
Guide
Online Community Failure? LMS and Gamification Can Fix It
Discover how combining learning with community drives engagement.
Guide
WordPress SQL Injection Attack: Prevention & Guide
Protect your community and member data from security threats.
Common Questions About Community Development
Most community projects take 4-8 weeks from kickoff to launch. Simple community setups can be ready in 2-3 weeks, while complex multi-community platforms with mobile apps and LMS integration may take 10-12 weeks. We'll give you an accurate timeline during our discovery call based on your specific requirements.
It depends on your needs. BuddyBoss is best for enterprise features, LearnDash integration, and mobile apps. FluentCommunity is ideal for budget-conscious builders who prioritize speed and simplicity. SureDash works great if you already use SureCart/SureMembers.
During our strategy call, we'll recommend the best platform for your specific situation — no bias, just honest advice.
Yes, though with limitations. Facebook doesn't allow automated member export, but we can help you transition by importing member emails (if you have them), setting up invitation workflows, and creating a migration strategy that brings your most engaged members over first. We've successfully transitioned dozens of communities from Facebook.
Absolutely. BuddyBoss has the deepest LearnDash integration available — course-linked groups, social learning features, progress sharing, and even mobile app support for courses. FluentCommunity has a built-in LMS that handles basic course needs.
We'll recommend the best approach based on your course complexity.
Yes! We specialize in implementing GamiPress for WordPress communities. This includes points systems, badges, achievements, leaderboards, and ranks. For BuddyBoss, these integrate beautifully with profiles and even the mobile app. SureDash has built-in gamification features as well.
Not necessarily, but it significantly increases engagement. Mobile users are 3x more likely to engage daily. If mobile is important, BuddyBoss is the only option that offers a white-label native app. Otherwise, all platforms we build are fully mobile-responsive for browser access.
Those are hosted platforms where you pay monthly forever and don't own your data. With WordPress-based communities (BuddyBoss, FluentCommunity, SureDash), you own everything — your platform, your member data, your content. You're never locked in, hosting costs are lower, and you have unlimited customization options.
Ready to Build a Community Your Members Will Love?
Let's talk about your vision. Book a free 30-minute strategy call and get honest advice about your community project, whether you work with us or not.
