Community engines
Reign + BuddyPress. Community engines integration.
BuddyPress is the free social-network engine for WordPress. Activity feed, profiles, groups, messages.
Why pair with Reign
Reign is designed around BuddyPress. Every Reign surface (profile, group, activity, member directory) is styled out of the box.
The free alternative from us
BuddyNext does the same job in-house and installs free: Member profiles, activity feed, groups, messages, notifications. On the paid plan: advanced moderation, deeper analytics, and priority support. Reign styles it with no add-on, and BuddyPress stays fully supported either way.
See the free pluginsSetup
4 steps to ship.
Install BuddyPress (free, WordPress.org).
Run the BuddyPress setup wizard.
Enable all components: Activity, Groups, Friends, Messages.
Reign styles every BuddyPress surface automatically.
FAQ
BuddyPress integration questions.
BuddyPress vs BuddyBoss Platform?
BuddyPress is free, BuddyBoss Platform is the paid fork with more polished UI. Reign supports both equally. Start with BuddyPress, upgrade only if you need the BuddyBoss extras.
How does BuddyNext compare?
BuddyNext is Wbcom's own community engine, built by the same team as the theme, and it installs free. It covers profiles, activity, groups, messages and notifications. BuddyPress remains fully supported, so pick BuddyNext for a fresh build and keep BuddyPress if your site already runs on it.
Want it pre-wired?
Pick a bundled kit.
The Reign theme is $99/year or $249 lifetime and it is the only required purchase. Kits bundle it with the add-ons that style a third-party stack. Or skip the third-party stack: BuddyNext is ours and installs free.