# Members online? **URL:** \ **Category:** Feedback\ **Created:** [December 9, 2025, 4:09am UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50 "2025-12-09T04:09:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Moliere](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/moliere/32/35_2.png) [@Moliere](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Moliere)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 4:09am UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/1 "2025-12-09T04:09:19Z")
@Jamal – Something I haven’t figured out how to do that Plush does easily now : I can click on “members” then click on the “online” tab to see who is around. I’m not sure how to do that here, or if it’s possible. ---
**Author:** ![Jamal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/jamal/32/95_2.png) [@Jamal](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Jamal)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 7:05am UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/2 "2025-12-09T07:05:24Z")
I’ve been meaning to look into that for a while, and I finally did today. I’m sad to report that it’s not a core feature of Discourse. There’s a plugin that does it, but it’s not on the list of approved plugins for the Pro plan, and we can’t install any others unless we upgrade. Since we won’t be upgrading to the Business plan unless we consistently have many more subscribers than we do now, the only thing that would realistically allow us to install the [Discourse Who’s Online](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-whos-online/52345) plugin is hosting the site ourselves. And since the feature is just a nice-to-have rather than a requirement, we’ll have to put up without it. After searching [meta.discourse.org](http://meta.discourse.org) and not finding anything, I asked ChatGPT about it: > [@ChatGPT \[unconfirmed info\]](#): > > Out of the box, Discourse only shows: > > - “Last seen” on profiles > - A small green dot next to a user’s avatar _if they are currently active in the same topic_ (a recent addition) The second feature is a bit like the _users currently viewing this topic_ feature we had at the old PF. When we first moved to TPF I initially missed it, but soon got used to its absence. I guess that’ll be the experience in this case too, with the _members online_ feature. ---
**Author:** ![Jamal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/jamal/32/95_2.png) [@Jamal](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Jamal)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 7:33am UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/3 "2025-12-09T07:33:00Z")
I also asked our local bot: > [@Discourse helper bot](#): > > This is a common question from site admins, and many people share your view that the feature seems like a basic necessity. Discourse has historically limited certain plugins to higher-tier plans as part of their product offering segmentation. > > You can see some discussion and official confirmation about this here: > [“Who’s Online” Plug-In missing? (meta)](https://meta.discourse.org/t/whos-online-plug-in-missing/382195) > > If you want this feature, you would need to upgrade to the Business plan or higher. For further inquiries, you can always contact the Discourse team at [team@discourse.org](mailto:team@discourse.org). > > Let me know if you have other questions or would like help exploring upgrade options. So I guess I could send an email to the team. It does seem a bit weird that it’s not a core feature. I mean, from a mod point of view it’s quite helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Moliere](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/moliere/32/35_2.png) [@Moliere](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Moliere)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 12:19am UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/4 "2025-12-10T00:19:41Z")
You could, but from what you’ve posted it looks like we would have to upgrade where we’re already wondering if the new price hike will be met by enough people or not. Just cuz they said pretty explicitly “If you want this feature you need to upgrade” ---
**Author:** ![Jamal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/jamal/32/95_2.png) [@Jamal](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Jamal)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 12:49pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/5 "2026-03-03T12:49:06Z")
Made this topic a personal message on March 3, 2026, 12:49pm UTC ---
**Author:** ![Jamal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/jamal/32/95_2.png) [@Jamal](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Jamal)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 12:49pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/6 "2026-03-03T12:49:30Z")
Made this topic public on March 3, 2026, 12:49pm UTC ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/frank/32/216_2.png) [@Frank](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 7:34am UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/7 "2026-03-05T07:34:56Z")
Can we get the [Who’s on line](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-whos-online/52345) plug in? ---
**Author:** ![Jamal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/jamal/32/95_2.png) [@Jamal](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Jamal)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 7:55am UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/8 "2026-03-05T07:55:01Z")
No, it’s not available for us: > [@Jamal](#): > > There’s a plugin that does it, but it’s not on the list of approved plugins for the Pro plan, and we can’t install any others unless we upgrade. Since we won’t be upgrading to the Business plan unless we consistently have many more subscribers than we do now, the only thing that would realistically allow us to install the [Discourse Who’s Online](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-whos-online/52345) plugin is hosting the site ourselves. And since the feature is just a nice-to-have rather than a requirement, we’ll have to put up without it. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/frank/32/216_2.png) [@Frank](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 8:10am UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/9 "2026-03-05T08:10:58Z")
Oh, sorry, didn’t read that part. ---
**Author:** ![Jackal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/jackal/32/346_2.png) [@Jackal](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Jackal)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 6:06pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/10 "2026-04-03T18:06:54Z")
I don’t know why, but I enjoyed this former feature as well. Not sure, but I think it made me feel less alone, as if I were somehow in the presence of great wisdom simply for having a tab with this website open. Or something. A personal problem, assuredly. If you have something to say or discuss with a specific member you can simply message them, after all. One interesting feature this platform offers is the _“[user] is typing a response…”_ notification on topics, discussions, even the Shoutbox, etc. I like it. It gives me tingles. Like I’m James Bond spying on you. It almost feels dirty, really. It’s so.. intimate. Like entering a room you thought was empty only to discover a person undressing or performing a function or action generally considered to be private. As if I have to click away to the main forum index to let them continue their thoughts in private, lest I somehow influence or distract them. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![Jamal](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/www.thephilosophyforum.com/jamal/32/95_2.png) [@Jamal](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/u/Jamal)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://www.thephilosophyforum.com/t/members-online/50/11 "2026-04-03T18:12:37Z")
> [@Jackal](#): > > One interesting feature this platform offers is the _“[user] is typing a response…”_ notification on topics, discussions Yes, that’s the [Presence plugin](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/tree/main/plugins/discourse-presence), installed here by default. I wish [Who’s Online](https://github.com/discourse/discourse-whos-online) was pre-installed too.