this will be next level duno :-D
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CommentFrom duno
Comparison
A free Ning alternative for your own social network
Ning was one of the first platforms that let anyone create their own social network, and it still offers customisable community sites on paid plans. If you want your own network without a monthly bill or setup work, a duno network is ready in minutes.
Written November 2026. Products change — check each one's own site for current details.
What Ning is
Ning is a platform for building a branded social network or community website, with member profiles, forums, groups, events and options for your own domain and design. It runs on paid plans.
What duno does differently
Free, no plans
Creating and running a network costs nothing, and there are no ads in the feed.
Ready in a minute
Pick a name and get duno.com/net/your-name with your logo, cover, colour, About page and rules. No design or setup work.
Approval and roles built in
Request-to-join with a question, open or invite-only joining, owners, admins and moderators, and posting by all members, with approval or admins only.
Members already have a home
Members use one duno account across networks, with profiles, messages, groups with chat, events, jobs and Q&A.
Ning and duno side by side
| Feature | Ning | duno |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Paid plans | Free |
| Your own domain and custom design | Yes | duno.com/net/your-name with logo, cover and colour |
| Setup time | Site setup and configuration | About a minute |
| Membership approval and roles | Yes | Yes |
| Paid memberships | Available | No |
| Forums, groups, events | Yes | Network feed with polls; duno groups with chat and events |
A general description, not a full feature list. "Generally" means it depends on settings, plans or tools you add.
When Ning is the better choice
- You need your own domain and a fully custom design.
- You want to charge members for access.
- You need forum-style categories inside one community.
When duno fits better
- You want your own social network for free.
- You want something running today, without setup.
- You want approval, moderators and privacy settings without paying for a plan.
Trying duno alongside Ning
- Create the networkPick a name and address at duno.com/net/your-name, choose public, private or hidden, and write your rules and a welcome message.
- Share the invite linkPost an invite link where your members already are. You can limit how many times it works and when it expires.
- Run both for a whilePin the important posts on duno and see where your members prefer to talk. Nothing stops you from using both.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to Ning?
Yes. duno lets you create your own social network for free at duno.com/net/your-name, public, private or hidden, with approval-based joining and moderators.
Can I use my own domain on duno?
Networks live at duno.com/net/your-name. You can link to it from your own website and embed a badge or card.
Can I move my Ning network to duno?
There is no automatic import. Create the network, invite members with a link, and re-post the most important content.
Is duno free?
Yes. Creating an account, creating networks, inviting members, posting jobs and asking questions are free. There are no paid plans and no ads in the feed.
Who runs a network on duno?
The person who creates it. Owners appoint admins and moderators, approve or decline join requests, remove or ban members and can transfer ownership. duno's own moderators only step in for content that breaks duno's terms.
Is this comparison neutral?
We wrote it as fairly as we could and list the cases where the other product is the better choice. Products change often, so check each one's own site for current features.