Due to popularity of Facebook, Twitter, Myspace , Social networking websites are popping up everywhere. We keep getting requests to add social networking features to existing websites. People often ask about the best solution to build social networking, quickly and at lowest cost.

We have built sites using Worpress MU + Buddypress combination which is open source and free. We have also build beautiful sites using socialengine script which costs around $250 plus $40 each for various plug-ins.

For the benefit of our potential customers and our readers we are listing pro and cons of popular social networking web site solutions.

Wordpress+Buddypress

With Wordpress multiuser along buddypress plugin a basic social networking website can be built very easily. Apart from few installation issues the setup was quick. If the you some experience with wordpress admin it doesn’t long to understand wodpress MU + buddypress admin. A very basic Buddypress social networking site without too much customization looks like the following.