OpenPeeps
OpenPeeps: A customizable, self-hosted community base for developers who want control over their platform. Ranked #35 of 126 in Community Platforms by our editors (7.0/10); pricing: Free plan; best for developers wanting an open-source community base.
At a glance
- Editor score7.0 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forDevelopers wanting an open-source community base
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Facts checked23 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Profiles, feeds, groups, messaging, events, and private spaces
- Docker deployment, API access, exportable data, and GPL licensing
- Stripe payments, OAuth login, and LiveKit-based live experiences
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosting places deployment and infrastructure work on the operator
- Its free model is less suited to teams seeking a managed hosted service
- Live experiences depend on the LiveKit integration
Our verdict on OpenPeeps
OpenPeeps is a GPL-licensed, open-source community platform for developers, organizations, and creators who want to build and operate their own online community. It combines member profiles, reactions, follows, posts, direct messaging, personalized feeds, public and private groups, event scheduling, RSVPs, attendance tracking, and community customization. The product runs on infrastructure controlled by the operator through Docker-based deployment, rather than as a hosted subscription service.
The platform’s main appeal is control over the community environment. Operators can customize branding, colors, language, images, text, and community structure, then extend the product through its API. Exportable data and GPL licensing also support an ownership-oriented approach. OAuth login connects with an existing authentication flow, while Stripe supports membership payments. LiveKit integration adds live experiences alongside event scheduling, making OpenPeeps suitable for communities that combine discussion, private spaces, events, and paid membership.
That flexibility comes with operational responsibility: deployment, infrastructure, updates, and service management sit with the operator. OpenPeeps is therefore a strong fit for developers who want an adaptable community foundation and are comfortable managing a self-hosted product. Teams that prefer a managed hosted service, minimal infrastructure work, or a packaged community product should look elsewhere. Its feature set covers a broad community core, while the strongest differentiation is the combination of open-source licensing, customization, API access, and self-hosting.
Your product? Our editors can test OpenPeeps in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
OpenPeeps pricing
OpenPeeps fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Member limit | Not verified |
| Event hosting | Yes |
| Private spaces | Yes |
| Custom domain | Yes |
| Moderation tools | Not verified |
| Mobile apps | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 3 integrations: LiveKit, Stripe, OAuth |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | openpeeps.org |
| Facts checked | 23 Sep 2026 |
OpenPeeps integrations
OpenPeeps lists 3 integrations on its own site.
- LiveKit
- Stripe
- OAuth
Alternatives to OpenPeeps
- DiscourseA mature choice for communities that need discussion, chat, moderation, and private spaces.9.4
- RedditA flexible, free home for public topic discussions with substantial moderation tools.9.2
- UNAA flexible community stack for organizations that want control over hosting, features, and mobile apps.9.0
See all OpenPeeps alternatives →
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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