Discourse

Discourse is modern, open-source forum software that has reimagined the classic discussion platform: real-time updates, a mobile-optimised interface and a trust system with trust levels that gradually grants active members more rights and reduces the moderation workload. Unlike chat tools such as Discord, discussions remain structured, searchable and accessible for years to come. With Managed Discourse Hosting, you can launch your community without having to deal with the technically demanding aspects of running the platform.

Who is Discourse suitable for?

Discourse is ideal for organisations that want to create a permanent space for discussion: associations and clubs that want to move member discussions from WhatsApp groups to a searchable platform; software and product companies that run a customer and support forum to reduce the burden of recurring enquiries; or educational providers with learning communities. Discourse also works well as an internal discussion forum for remote teams. Compared to outdated solutions such as phpBB, it stands out with its modern design; compared to Discord, it offers excellent searchability – knowledge doesn’t get lost in the chat history.

Discourse hosting in Switzerland

With OpenHosting, your Discourse forum runs in Swiss data centres in the Zurich region – member data and posts remain in Switzerland and are processed in accordance with the nDSG. Discourse in particular is considered challenging to run in-house; with our managed hosting service, we take care of updates, security patches and monitoring. Daily backups following the 3-2-1 principle safeguard your community; with the Business Plan, backups are performed hourly. We’ll work with you to migrate existing forums – such as those based on phpBB. Managed Discourse Hosting is available from CHF 29 per month, including email support; the Business Plan adds unlimited page views, SSO and plugins for larger communities.