What makes Journey by Forj AI different from other community or LMS platforms?

Journey by Forj AI uniquely combines best-of-breed community management and learning management in one integrated platform. Rather than requiring separate systems from different vendors, Journey provides seamless integration between where members learn and where they connect, with unified profiles, shared analytics, and a consistent member experience.

Can I purchase just the community platform or just the LMS separately?

Yes, Forj offers flexibility. You can purchase Forj Connect (community platform) or Forj LMS separately. However, the true differentiation and value proposition comes from purchasing Journey by Forj AI, the integrated platform combining both, which provides superior member experience and operational efficiency compared to managing two separate systems.

Does Journey by Forj AI replace my Association Management Software?

No, Journey by Forj AI complements your AMS rather than replacing it. Your AMS remains the system of record for member data, dues, and core transactions. Journey becomes your system of engagement for learning delivery and community interaction, integrating with your AMS to access member data.

What types of associations benefit most from an integrated community and learning platform?

Associations where both community engagement and learning are core to mission and revenue benefit most from Journey by Forj AI. This includes professional societies with certification programs, trade associations delivering continuing education, and membership organizations running cohort-based learning with peer networking components.

How does Journey by Forj AI compare to buying separate Higher Logic and Intuto systems?

Journey by Forj AI offers superior integration and simplified operations compared to managing two separate vendors. However, individual feature depth in community or LMS should be evaluated against your specific requirements. The key question is whether Journey's 90% feature coverage in both areas plus seamless integration outweighs any individual feature gaps compared to category leaders.

Journey by Forj AI Review: Integrated Community + LMS Platform

Marketing Specialist, Association
7 days ago
11 min read

Objective Forj Journey review for associations. Discover how this unique platform combines community management and learning in one integrated solution.

Forj Journey Software Review for Association Executives: Unified Community and Learning in One Platform

For years, the association technology sector has presented a tough decision: either invest in distinct top-tier systems for community engagement and learning management, leading to integration challenges and data silos, or opt for a comprehensive AMS that offers average functionality in both fields. This review explores Forj Journey, a specialized platform that seamlessly integrates strong community management and learning management into one cohesive system tailored for membership organizations.

What Category is Journey by Forj Found In?

Forj Journey functions within a hybrid category referred to as an Integrated Community and Learning Management Platform. Unlike traditional software categories that distinctly divide Community Management Software (like online communities, forums, and networking) from Learning Management Systems (LMS, which includes courses, certifications, and continuing education), Forj Journey purposefully combines the two. This approach embodies an emerging "best of both" strategy, avoiding the need for associations to choose between separate systems or settle for limited tools embedded in AMS.

Summary of Forj Software Company

Forj is a dedicated technology provider that serves membership organizations and associations exclusively. LinkedIn research indicates that the company has around 11-50 employees, establishing them as a specialized provider in the association technology sector.

According to their website, "Journey by Forj will allow your professional network or association to merge community and learning in a completely new way."[2]

The platform is made up of two interconnected components functioning as a single cohesive system: Forj Connect (the community management platform) and the Forj Learn LMS (learning management system), which are promoted together as Forj Journey.

This design strategy permits associations to buy each component individually if necessary, but the real distinction is in their smooth integration when used together.

The Purpose Statement of Journey by Forj AI

From their about page, Forj's vision centers on reimagining how membership organizations connect members with knowledge and each other. The company exists to solve a fundamental challenge: associations need both robust community engagement tools and sophisticated learning platforms, but implementing two separate systems creates friction for members, administrative complexity for staff, and integration challenges that often fail to deliver the promised "seamless experience."[3]

Forj Journey's purpose is to eliminate this artificial separation between where members learn and where members connect, recognizing that modern professional development happens through both structured learning and peer knowledge sharing within communities.

What Makes Forj's Journey Software Product a Fit for the Association Market?

Several factors make Forj Journey's integrated approach particularly compelling for associations:

The Two-System Problem: Most associations with serious community and learning ambitions operate separate platforms—perhaps Higher Logic for community and Thought Industries for learning, or similar combinations. This creates member friction (multiple logins, disconnected profiles), data fragmentation (learning progress divorced from community participation), and integration maintenance overhead.

AMS Limitations in These Areas: As outlined in SmartThoughts' tier analysis[4], tier 1 and even tier 3 AMS platforms typically offer some basic community forums and perhaps a simple course catalog or separate LMS module, but rarely provide the depth needed for sophisticated learning programs or vibrant online communities. Associations serious about either function typically need best-of-breed solutions.

The Integration Value Proposition: Consider this scenario: A member completes a certification course and immediately wants to join a cohort community to discuss the application of concepts. In separate systems, this requires integration, manual processes, duplicate profiles, and oftentimes disjointed experiences. In Forj Journey, it's a seamless transition because both functions share a unified member profile and common architecture.

Mission-Critical Revenue and Engagement: For many associations, non-dues revenue from education and the engagement metrics from community participation represent core mission delivery and financial sustainability. Having these functions in disparate systems makes it difficult to understand the complete member journey or create integrated experiences that drive both learning outcomes and community bonds.

Think of it this way: Your AMS is like the librarian of your club, keeping track of who's in and who's out, and making sure all the paperwork is in order—it's your trusty system of record. On the other hand, Forj Journey is the party planner, ensuring everyone has a blast while learning and networking—it's your system of engagement. These two are like peanut butter and jelly in your tech sandwich, each doing its own thing but coming together to make everything deliciously smooth!

What are the Functional Goals of Journey by Forj?

Based on publicly available information from their website, Journey by Forj AI encompasses functional areas across both components:

Community Management (Forj Connect):

Member directories and profiles
Discussion forums and topic-based communities
Networking and member-to-member connections
Groups and chapters management
Content sharing and knowledge bases
Events and activity feeds
Engagement analytics and insights[5]

Learning Management (Forj LMS):

Course creation and content delivery
Learning paths and curricula
Assessments and evaluations
Certification tracking
Continuing education credits
Progress tracking and reporting
Learner analytics[6]

Integrated Capabilities (The Journey Differentiator):

Integrated member profiles for both learning and community
Learning groups that automatically create community areas
Community discussions connected to course subjects
Combined analytics providing a full engagement overview
Unified login experience
Uniform branding and user experience

Where Does Forj Journey Fit in the Association Technology Ecosystem?

Forj Journey offers a "best of breed/need" solution for two essential functional areas that most AMS platforms might cover at a basic level but often manage insufficiently. Consider the following to assess its suitability:

When Forj Journey Makes Strategic Sense:

Your association should seriously evaluate Forj Journey when:

Fostering community participation and education is central to your mission and financial strategy
You are using (or planning to use) distinct platforms for community and LMS
Your AMS offers fundamental community/learning capabilities, but members and staff find them limiting
You aim for members to perceive learning and networking as a unified experience, rather than distinct activities
You require advanced analytics to track both engagement and learning behaviors

Integration with Your AMS:

Forj Journey is designed to integrate with your existing AMS as a complementary system. Your AMS remains the system of record for:

Member demographics and organizational data
Dues and payment processing
Core membership transactions
Events registration (though Forj handles event-based communities too)

Forj Journey becomes the primary platform for:

All learning and certification delivery
Community engagement and networking
Member-to-member knowledge sharing
Cohort-based programs combining learning + community

Most associations in the tier 2-3 AMS range (see SmartThoughts' tier framework[4]) will find that Journey by Forj fills gaps their AMS cannot adequately address. Even tier 1 AMS platforms with learning and community modules may lack the depth Forj provides if these functions are central to your value proposition.

The "Combined vs. Separate" Decision:

Forj's unique positioning is critical to understand. You could:

Option A: Purchase Forj Connect alone (competing with Higher Logic, Hivebrite, TradeWing)
Option B: Purchase Forj LMS alone (competing with Intuto[7], BlueSky eLearn, Thought Industries)
Option C: Purchase Forj Journey (the integrated platform)

Option C is where Forj's differentiation shines. If your association needs both robust community and learning capabilities, choosing Forj Journey over two separate best-of-breed vendors dramatically simplifies your technology stack while delivering a superior member experience.

Many may argue that Option A and Option B facilitate the "best of need" approach effectively. Alternatively, an LMS or community might not be essential for their mission, as the AMS could fulfill these functions. Consequently, your organization should evaluate this decision independently or consider consulting a resource such as SmartThoughts for guidance in analyzing the situation.

Who Are Some Likely Competitors in the Association Market for Journey by Forj?

The competitive landscape differs depending on whether you evaluate Forj as separate components or as an integrated platform. Nonetheless, it's crucial to acknowledge that there are many choices available in both the LMS and Community Software markets. We suggest focusing your search on those specifically crafted for Associations. Here are a few options, though this list is not exhaustive, as there are many more available.

For Community Management (if evaluating Forj Connect separately):

Higher Logic (Vanilla): Market leader for association online communities. Pros: Extensive association client base, mature feature set, strong integration ecosystem. Cons: Can be complex to administer; pricing often higher; learning must come from a separate system.
Hivebrite: Modern community platform with strong networking features. Pros: Intuitive interface, good for member directories and networking. Cons: Less established in the association market; limited learning integration.
Personify Community: Community solution from an established AMS provider. Pros: Deep integration with Personify AMS. Cons: Best suited for existing Personify clients; learning management requires separate system.

For Learning Management (if evaluating Forj LMS separately):

Intuto: Specialized LMS for associations and professional development. Pros: Association-specific features, compliance tracking, intuitive interface. Cons: Community features require a separate platform; smaller company[7].
BlueSky eLearn: Association-focused LMS with extensive certification capabilities. Pros: Mature platform, robust reporting, accreditation features. Cons: Interface can feel dated; community integration requires a third-party solution.
Thought Industries: Modern, powerful LMS for customer and member education. Pros: Excellent content delivery, sophisticated learning paths. Cons: Higher price point; not association-specific; community requires a separate tool.

For Integrated Community + Learning (Forj Journey's true competitive position):

This is where the competitive landscape becomes sparse. Few platforms genuinely integrate both at a best-of-breed level:

Community Brands (Nimble AMS ecosystem): Offers both community and learning within their product suite. Pros: Full ecosystem integration. Cons: Limited to Community Brands AMS clients; features may not match standalone specialists.

Journey by Forj is unique in providing top-tier capabilities in both community and learning within a single platform accessible to associations, regardless of their AMS selection. The main competition usually involves "purchasing two separate systems" instead of one integrated solution.

What Does The Journey by Forj AI Roadmap Look Like?

Specific public roadmap details are not extensively disclosed on Forj's website. The platform's current architecture demonstrates modern cloud-based infrastructure and mobile-responsive design across both the community and learning components.

It is important to note that the current product pages do not prominently feature artificial intelligence capabilities. Associations interested in AI-assisted content creation, chatbots, or predictive analytics should contact Forj directly to inquire about existing and future AI features during their evaluation.

As with any technology decision, associations should request a detailed roadmap presentation directly from Forj during the evaluation process to understand planned enhancements, particularly regarding:

Mobile app developments
Analytics and reporting expansions
Integration capabilities with various AMS platforms
Emerging features in cohort-based learning
Social learning tools connecting courses to discussions

What is the Price of Product Journey by Forj?

The Forj Journey website does not disclose pricing details. Prices for integrated community and learning platforms are generally determined by factors such as:

Number of members or active users
Volume of courses and community spaces
Storage requirements for learning content
Integration complexity with existing systems
Implementation and training services
Whether purchasing Journey (combined) vs. separate components

The pricing structure likely differs significantly between purchasing Forj Connect alone, Forj LMS alone, or Forj Journey as the integrated solution, with Journey offering economies compared to buying two separate best-of-breed systems from different vendors.

In the end, it is recommended to contact the software vendor directly for the latest pricing information. Request pricing scenarios for your specific membership size and usage projections to accurately compare against the total cost of operating two separate systems.

What Do Peers Say About Journey by Forj AI?

As of this review, Forj has a minimal presence on conventional peer review sites such as Capterra, G2, Software Advice, GetApp, and SelectHub. This limited visibility is typical for specialized platforms and those with an integrated approach that doesn't easily align with single-category review sites (Is it community software? LMS software? Both?).

The lack of numerous public reviews shouldn't be immediately seen as a negative; however, it does necessitate that potential associations invest more effort into due diligence by:

Direct client reference conversations (request 3-5 references of similar association size and AMS platform)
Proof-of-concept or trial periods to evaluate the platform with your own content and members
Detailed demonstrations of the integrated capabilities that differentiate Journey from separate systems

Verifiable client names were not readily accessible through public sources at the time of this review. During your evaluation, request a client list showing associations using:

Journey (the integrated platform) - these are most relevant
Forj Connect alone
Forj LMS alone

Understanding which clients use the full integrated platform versus single components will help you assess whether the integration value proposition is proven in practice.

Important Disclaimer: Peer reviews are dynamic and constantly changing. Software providers regularly address concerns raised in reviews, meaning negative feedback may no longer reflect current capabilities. Conversely, highly-rated features may evolve. For guidance on effectively using peer reviews in your evaluation process, consult SmartThoughts' analysis: Beyond Review Sites: Why Association Software Reviews Fail[13].

SmartThoughts Expert Analysis and Reasoning on Journey by Forj

Journey by Forj addresses a genuine and costly problem in association technology: the friction created when learning and community exist as separate systems. The integrated approach is architecturally sound and strategically compelling for associations where both functions are mission-critical.

Strengths Worth Noting:

Architectural Integration: Designed as a cohesive platform from the outset, ensuring native integration rather than a piecemeal approach.
Association-Specific Focus: Dedicated exclusively to membership organizations, demonstrating a profound understanding of relevant use cases, workflows, and integration requirements.
Optionality: Offers the flexibility to purchase individual components, while also emphasizing the benefits of integrated value.
Strategic Simplification: Minimizes vendor management, integration upkeep, and member-related challenges compared to managing two separate platforms.
Clear Differentiation: Few competitors provide a comparable level of integrated capability with such depth and excellence.

Considerations for Evaluation:

Market Maturity: Limited public peer reviews and client references mean you're evaluating a less proven platform compared to established single-category leaders
Company Size: Associations with 11-50 employees need to thoroughly assess their support capabilities, implementation resources, and long-term sustainability. Although this might be more worrisome for for-profit organizations, buyers in the association market should feel at ease with smaller technology providers. This is standard practice.
Integration Verification: Request detailed technical documentation on how Forj Journey integrates with your specific AMS platform—integration quality varies significantly across different AMS systems
Feature Depth Comparison: While the integration is unique, evaluate whether each component (community and LMS separately) truly matches the depth of category leaders like Higher Logic or Intuto for your specific requirements
Change Management: Moving from separate systems (or from AMS-embedded tools) to an integrated platform requires significant member and staff change management—underestimate this at your peril

The "Best of Both vs. Best of Breed" Question:

The critical evaluation question is this: Does Forj Journey's integration value outweigh any feature gaps compared to category leaders?

If your honest assessment is:

"We need 85% to 90% of Higher Logic's community features and 90% of Intuto's LMS features, and the integration would deliver significant member experience and operational benefits." → Journey by Forj likely wins

If your honest assessment is:

"We need 100% of what Higher Logic offers OR we need 100% of what a specialized LMS offers" → Separate best-of-breed systems may be necessary despite integration complexity

Leadership and Partnership Stability:

As with any technology partner, particularly those with integrated approaches, understanding financial backing, leadership stability, and product vision is essential.

During evaluation, inquire about:

Funding and growth trajectory
Product roadmap for maintaining feature parity with single-category competitors
What are the bringing to the table with regards to AI. This is a key drive for many of the LMS and Community Software providers. Forj needs to answer this question if it is important for your association to be "AI First".
Client retention and satisfaction metrics
Support team structure and response expectations

The worth of an integrated platform diminishes if the vendor is unable to maintain investment in both functional areas or lacks durability in a highly competitive market. A best-of-breed provider meticulously concentrates on one area. Competing becomes challenging when you need to excel in two or more areas, but it is achievable.

Final Conclusion on Forj AI Journey Software

Forj Journey represents a thoughtful solution to a real problem: associations forced to choose between compromise (limited AMS features) and complexity (separate best-of-breed systems). For organizations where community engagement and learning are equally strategic, the integrated platform deserves serious consideration.

The platform is particularly compelling for associations:

Currently operating separate community and LMS platforms and frustrated with integration limitations
Using AMS-embedded tools but needing significantly more capability
Launching new cohort-based learning programs where community and courses must work seamlessly together
Prioritizing member experience simplicity alongside operational efficiency

However, the limited public track record requires prospective clients to conduct thorough due diligence through references, trials, and detailed technical evaluation.

For Association Executives evaluating community and learning platforms and not currently working with a consultant, SmartThoughts offers complimentary initial consultations to help you determine whether an integrated approach like Forj Journey aligns with your strategic priorities, or whether separate best-of-breed systems better serve your specific requirements.

We provide objective analysis across your entire technology ecosystem—including your existing AMS capabilities, integration architecture, and member engagement strategies—to ensure any investment truly addresses your mission-critical needs.

Schedule a free evaluation conversation or explore our comprehensive software reviews at: SmartThoughts Association Software Reviews[14]

Remember: The best technology decisions begin with understanding your unique organizational needs and member expectations, not with vendor features. Start with your challenges, evaluate your current state honestly, then determine which approach—integrated platform or separate systems—genuinely solves them.