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Build Guide

Build a Social Network Without WordPress

BuddyPress is a 2008 solution to a 2026 problem. Build a social platform with real-time feeds, not WordPress page refreshes.

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The Old Way

The WordPress Approach

Required Plugins

1BuddyPress (free) — social networking for WordPress
2BuddyBoss ($299-499/year) — premium BuddyPress platform
3PeepSo ($199-399/year) — social networking plugin
4Ultimate Member ($249/year) — user profiles and directories
5myCRED ($199/year) — gamification and points system

Limitations

BuddyPress activity stream requires full page reload for new content
Profile pages load slowly due to querying multiple custom tables
Direct messaging is basic — no real-time chat or read receipts
Groups functionality requires premium addons ($50-100 each)
Media uploads go to WordPress media library — no album organization
Feed algorithm is chronological only — no engagement-based sorting

Typical Cost

$300-700/year in plugins + $50-100/month hosting for database load

The Modern Way

The Modern Approach

Next.js + Supabase + real-time subscriptions + Uploadthing

Supabase provides the database, real-time subscriptions, and auth. Build feeds with real-time updates, direct messaging with Supabase Realtime, and media uploads with Uploadthing. Everything updates live.

Real-time feeds — new posts appear without page refresh
Direct messaging with real-time delivery and read receipts
User profiles with customizable fields and privacy settings
Media uploads with automatic optimization and album organization
Scalable architecture that handles concurrent users

WordPress vs. Modern Stack

WordPress

  • BuddyPress activity stream requires full page reload for new content
  • Profile pages load slowly due to querying multiple custom tables
  • Direct messaging is basic — no real-time chat or read receipts
  • Groups functionality requires premium addons ($50-100 each)
  • $300-700/year in plugins + $50-100/month hosting for database load

Modern Stack

  • Real-time feeds — new posts appear without page refresh
  • Direct messaging with real-time delivery and read receipts
  • User profiles with customizable fields and privacy settings
  • Media uploads with automatic optimization and album organization
  • Scalable architecture that handles concurrent users

Recommended Tools

Supabase

Database, auth, real-time subscriptions, and storage

Free up to 500MB, $25/month Pro

Uploadthing

Media uploads with image optimization

Free up to 2GB, $10/month starter

Clerk

User authentication with social login (Google, GitHub)

Free up to 10,000 MAU

Meilisearch

User and content search with typo tolerance

Free (self-hosted) or $30/month cloud

Vercel

Hosting with serverless functions for feed generation

Free hobby tier, $20/month pro

Step-by-Step Build Guide

1

Design the database schema in Supabase — users, posts, comments, likes, follows, messages, and groups

2

Set up Clerk for user authentication with profile photos, bios, and social links

3

Build the activity feed with Supabase Realtime — new posts and likes appear in real-time

4

Create user profiles with follow/unfollow, post history, and media galleries

5

Implement direct messaging with Supabase Realtime — message delivery, read receipts, and typing indicators

6

Add groups/communities with dedicated feeds and member management

7

Build search with Meilisearch for finding users, posts, and groups

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a social network really scale on Supabase?
For niche networks (up to 50-100K users), Supabase handles the load well. Beyond that, you may need dedicated infrastructure. Start with Supabase and migrate to a custom backend if your niche social network takes off.
How do I handle content moderation?
Build a moderation dashboard with user reports, content flagging, and admin actions (warn, suspend, ban). For automated moderation, use OpenAI's moderation API to flag problematic content before it appears in feeds.
Should I build a social network or use an existing platform?
Build your own only if you have a specific niche audience (e.g., a community for woodworkers, or a professional network for nurses). General-purpose social networks can't compete with existing platforms.

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