Disciple
Disciple is a community management software that helps you build, manage, and monetize your own private social network across web, iOS, and Android platforms to engage your audience.
Heartbeat
Heartbeat is an all-in-one community platform that combines real-time chat, forum discussions, live events, and content hosting to help you build and manage highly engaged online groups and memberships.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Disciple | Heartbeat |
|---|---|---|
| Website | disciplemedia.com | heartbeat.chat |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Starting Price | $63/month | $49/month |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 7 days free trial | ✓ 14 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2013 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | London, UK | New York, USA |
Overview
Disciple
Disciple provides you with a dedicated space to host your community away from the noise and algorithms of mainstream social media. You can create a fully branded experience where your members interact through activity feeds, folders, and private messaging. It gives you complete ownership of your member data and content, allowing you to foster deeper connections without worrying about third-party platform changes or data privacy issues.
You can easily monetize your expertise by setting up subscription tiers, selling courses, or offering premium content directly within your app. Whether you are an influencer, a non-profit, or a corporate brand, the platform scales to meet your needs with powerful moderation tools and detailed analytics. It simplifies the technical side of app development so you can focus entirely on growing and engaging your unique community.
Heartbeat
Heartbeat is an all-in-one platform designed to help you build, manage, and scale online communities without juggling multiple tools. Instead of forcing your members to switch between Slack for chat, Zoom for meetings, and Teachable for courses, you can host everything in one branded space. You can organize your community into dedicated channels, create long-form forum threads for deep discussions, and host live video events directly within the app.
The platform is built for creators, educators, and organizations who want to foster genuine connection. You can easily manage memberships, process payments through Stripe, and gate content based on specific user groups. Whether you are launching a small mastermind or scaling a massive online school, Heartbeat provides the infrastructure to keep your members engaged and your administrative tasks automated.
Overview
Disciple Features
- Branded Mobile Apps Launch your own custom-branded apps on iOS and Android to give your members a premium mobile experience.
- Content Folders Organize your videos, documents, and articles into searchable folders so your members can find resources instantly.
- Livestreaming Broadcast live video directly to your community members to host real-time workshops, Q&As, or exclusive events.
- Subscription Tiers Generate recurring revenue by creating multiple membership levels with different access rights and exclusive content.
- Push Notifications Reach your audience instantly with targeted notifications that cut through the noise and drive immediate engagement.
- Member Analytics Track member activity and engagement levels with detailed reports to understand what content resonates most.
- Direct Messaging Enable your members to connect privately or in groups to build stronger relationships within your ecosystem.
- Moderation Tools Keep your community safe and on-topic with powerful tools to manage members and report inappropriate content.
Heartbeat Features
- Real-time Chat. Create organized channels for instant messaging so your members can connect and collaborate in real-time.
- Forum Discussions. Host long-form threads and searchable discussions to ensure your community's best knowledge never gets lost in the chat.
- Course Hosting. Build and sell online courses with a native LMS that keeps your educational content right next to your community.
- Live Events. Schedule and host live video calls or webinars directly in the platform with integrated calendar syncing.
- Member Directories. Help your members find each other with searchable profiles and custom fields tailored to your community's needs.
- Automated Onboarding. Set up automated workflows to welcome new members and guide them through your community's most important resources.
Pricing Comparison
Disciple Pricing
- Up to 100 members
- Custom web domain
- Community support
- Basic moderation tools
- Member profiles
- Activity feeds
- Everything in Web Only, plus:
- Native iOS and Android apps
- Up to 100 members included
- Push notifications
- App Store publishing support
- In-app purchases
Heartbeat Pricing
- Up to 1,000 members
- Unlimited storage
- Custom domain
- Web, iOS, and Android apps
- Stripe payment integration
- Basic reporting
- Everything in Starter, plus:
- Unlimited members
- Advanced analytics
- Custom onboarding flows
- API access
- Removal of Heartbeat branding
Pros & Cons
Disciple
Pros
- Excellent customer support during the app launch
- Clean and intuitive interface for members
- Total ownership of member data and emails
- Strong monetization options with zero commission fees
- Highly customizable branding for a professional look
Cons
- Higher starting price than basic community tools
- Initial setup and app approval takes time
- Limited advanced automation for marketing workflows
Heartbeat
Pros
- Consolidates chat, courses, and events into one app
- Clean and modern interface is easy for members
- Strong mobile app performance for on-the-go engagement
- Highly responsive customer support and active development
- Flexible permission settings for different member tiers
Cons
- Learning curve for setting up complex automations
- Lacks a forever-free plan for very small groups
- Limited native integrations compared to older platforms