Discourse vs Livestorm Pricing (2026)

Which one is cheaper?

Livestorm is the cheaper option, starting at $3/mo vs $100/mo for Discourse.

Can I use either one for free?

Discourse has a free plan. Livestorm doesn't — though they do offer a free trial.

How do they charge?

Different approach here. Discourse uses flat-rate pricing, while Livestorm goes with usage-based. That changes the math depending on your team size and usage.

Which one is a better deal?

Depends on what you need. Discourse: At $100 and $500 flat, Discourse sits mid-to-premium compared to lighter forum tools, but it undercuts enterprise community platforms that charge based on MAUs or seats. They're clearly going after teams that want forum ownership without the per-user pricing anxiety that plagues Slack-alikes. Livestorm: This usage-based structure is unusual in a category dominated by flat per-host pricing (think Zoom Webinar, GoTo Webinar), so direct comparison is tricky. It reads as mid-market: not chasing the cheapest seat-based tools, but positioning on flexibility for teams with unpredictable or spiky event volume.

Still deciding? See the best Discourse alternatives or the best Livestorm alternatives, ranked with verified pricing.