Best online communities to join, share and grow

I'm building https://www.unita.co/, a directory of communities, and I became more and more curious about why people from all industries and fields are so excited about the idea of joining online groups.

I believe it’s because allows people to find a sense of belonging. We’re beginning to understand what it takes to create meaningful, lasting relationships on the Internet, and the power of peer support in career development.

For some, it’s all about feeling connected to others, learning from the bests, or simply working along with colleagues in online co-working spaces. But, how is it different from joining a Facebook group?

To understand what makes communities so special and powerful, we did our research and found the top 5 reasons why people join online communities 👇

1. Inspiration

Here are the best online communities to fuel your mind with creativity:

• Ungated Collective: Allows you to access templates, projects, and founder thinking notes to expand your perspective and get unstuck in the business-building process.
• The Maker School by @Sahilpatel: A free Discord server for no-code makers. You can get inspired in the #share channel, where members showcase ongoing projects.
• Indie Worldwide by @AntCas: Connect makers from all over the world to exchange feedback. It’s a great platform to improve your work and discover innovative ideas.

2. Expand your network and reach your goals.

Imagine how powerful is to be surrounded by colleagues and industry leaders in a private space to share and connect.

Here are the best online communities to meet co-founders and creatives:

• High Signal by @petecodes: This community welcomes founders who earn at least $500 in monthly revenue, and it’s a great place to meet professionals who are at the same stage of business development as you.
• Startup Grind: You can meet entrepreneurs in networking spaces and global conferences.

3. Support and accountability
   Whether you are building a startup, scaling a business, or pursuing your dreams, it’s never been easier to find the help you need to stay accountable and efficient. Here are the best online communities to share your progress and improve your productivity:

• Makerlog by @matteing: An online group where you can build and launch projects and be surrounded by people who are doing the same. It's great for getting feedback from other entrepreneurs in order to improve your products.
• Cudacu: They are a Spanish-speaking community to stay accountable and learn from the bests. As a member, you can participate in masterclasses and enroll in training programs.
• Coworking Online: This online community connects remote workers and provides channels for them to share ongoing projects, ask for help, and feel less lonely at work.

4. Communities empower minorities:
   Looking to succeed in a rude industry? Then joining a support network can help to connect with companies and emerging talents. These are some of the best communities that support underrepresented professionals working in tech, marketing, investing, and running their own businesses:

• Indie Women by @rosiesherry: The Indie Women community was created by and for female indie hackers. It is a network that has helped thousands of women expand their skills and create opportunities in the tech field.
• Women Make by @mariedm: A community designed to bring women together and help them create, launch and scale their projects leveraging collective wisdom.
• Tech Ladies: An online hub where women can network, discover new opportunities and learn.

5. Stay happy and healthy
   Online communities work as a safe space to take care of ourselves. Here are the best ones:

• Founders First: They focus on helping entrepreneurs build a sustainable career with health as the main priority.

• Ness Labs by @anthilemoon: The perfect place to balance productivity with self-care. Members are content creators, researchers, indie makers, designers, and writers.

Discover more communities to find inspiration, support, and networking spaces here, and keep reading about why online communities are a trend.