The Best Forum Software in 2026
We researched forum software using vendors’ official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings focus on the category’s core job, value for money, and verified features, helping buyers compare platforms for hosting and managing online discussion communities.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
Discourse#1 of 229.4/10A full-featured forum with free access, managed hosting, and self-hosting options.
Free plan · 14-day trial
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Runner-up
Invision Community#2 of 229.2/10A broad community suite for organizations combining discussion with events and commerce.
30-day trial
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Top-ranked free plan
NodeBB#6 of 228.4/10A flexible forum with live chat, moderation and APIs, but no native mobile apps.
Free plan · 14-day trial
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 22 tools, best first
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Best forOrganizations building structured online communities
A full-featured forum with free access, managed hosting, and self-hosting options.
- Custom domain
Free plan · 14-day trial Our Discourse verdict → Visit DiscourseFor vendors Sponsor this spot · #1 · $149/mo →9.4/10★★★★★Visit Discourse -
Best forCommunities pairing forums with events and paid memberships
A broad community suite for organizations combining discussion with events and commerce.
- Custom domain
9.2/10★★★★★Visit site -
Best forProfessional communities needing granular forum controls
A configurable forum for professional communities, with extensive moderation and permission controls.
- Custom domain
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit XenForo -
Best forFeature-rich communities on cloud or self-hosted
A broad community suite for teams that want forums plus multiple content tools.
- Custom domain
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit WoltLab -
Best forEstablished forums needing subscriptions and groups
A paid forum platform with groups, moderation, messaging, and subscription access.
- Custom domain
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit vBulletin -
Best forBudget-conscious forums needing modern extensibility
A flexible forum with live chat, moderation and APIs, but no native mobile apps.
- Custom domain
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit NodeBB -
Best forBusinesses needing enterprise community operations
A feature-rich community platform for organizations that need enterprise operations.
- Custom domain
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Higher Logic -
Best forLarge organizations needing analytics-driven communities
A broad, API-ready community suite for organizations running large customer programs.
- Custom domain
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Khoros -
Best forFree self-hosted forums with advanced moderation
A free, customizable forum with detailed moderation and group controls, hosted on your own server.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit phpBB -
Best forFree self-hosted forums with strong administration
A free, open-source forum with deep moderation and admin controls for self-hosted communities.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit MyBB -
Best forWordPress sites adding a straightforward forum
A self-hosted WordPress plugin for lightweight forums, moderation, and subscriptions.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit bbPress -
Best forOrganizations wanting hosted forums with mobile apps
Hosted forum software with moderation, analytics, mobile apps, and paid plans.
- Single sign-on
- Custom domain
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Forums.net -
Best forTeams comfortable hosting and extending their own forum
A free, extensible self-hosted forum with permissions, moderation and a REST API.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Flarum -
Best forSmall groups wanting a simple free forum
A self-hosted forum with core community tools and no software subscription.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forBusinesses needing rich hosted community workflows
A feature-rich hosted community suite for organizations needing structured engagement workflows.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Forumbee -
Best forSmall groups wanting free hosted forum basics
A free hosted forum with core tools for running an online community.
- Custom domain
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit ProBoards -
Best forSmall businesses needing a hosted forum with backups
Hosted community forums with moderation, backups and plans priced by concurrent members.
- Custom domain
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit PlushForums -
Best forBudget communities needing unlimited hosted forums
A free hosted forum with unlimited topics, members, and messages.
- Custom domain
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Forumotion -
Best forSmall groups wanting free open-source flexibility
A flexible, MIT-licensed forum for groups comfortable managing their own hosting.
- Custom domain
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Meith -
Best forSmall self-hosters wanting a modern forum PWA
A self-hosted forum with rich discussions, moderation, extensions, and PWA push notifications.
- Custom domain
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Nexus -
Best forSmall self-hosters needing lightweight forum essentials
A self-hosted PHP forum with essential moderation and search, plus optional paid add-ons.
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit miniBB -
Best forLegacy self-hosted forums needing granular permissions
A self-hosted PHP forum with granular permissions and a broad set of community tools.
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit UBB.threads
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Custom domain | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discourse | Yes | $100/mo | Yes | 9.4 |
| 2 | Invision Community | No | Yes | 9.2 | |
| 3 | XenForo | No | Yes | 9.0 | |
| 4 | WoltLab Suite | No | €35.95/mo | Yes | 8.8 |
| 5 | vBulletin | No | Yes | 8.6 | |
| 6 | NodeBB | Yes | $20/mo | Yes | 8.4 |
| 7 | Higher Logic Vanilla | No | Yes | 8.3 | |
| 8 | Khoros Communities | Yes | 8.2 | ||
| 9 | phpBB | Yes | Free | 8.1 | |
| 10 | MyBB | Yes | Free | 8.0 | |
| 11 | bbPress | Yes | Free | 7.9 | |
| 12 | Forums.net | No | Yes | 7.8 | |
| 13 | Flarum | Yes | Free | 7.7 | |
| 14 | Simple Machines Forum | Yes | Free | 7.6 | |
| 15 | Forumbee | No | 7.5 | ||
| 16 | ProBoards | Yes | Yes | 7.4 | |
| 17 | PlushForums | No | $49/mo | Yes | 7.3 |
| 18 | Forumotion | Yes | Yes | 7.2 | |
| 19 | Meith | Yes | Free | Yes | 7.1 |
| 20 | Nexus | Yes | Free | Yes | 7.0 |
| 21 | miniBB | Yes | 6.8 | ||
| 22 | UBB.threads | No | 6.5 |
Head-to-head All 16 comparisons →
- Discourse vs vBulletin
- Discourse vs Khoros Communities
- Invision Community vs vBulletin
- Invision Community vs Khoros Communities
- XenForo vs vBulletin
- XenForo vs NodeBB
- XenForo vs Higher Logic Vanilla
- XenForo vs Khoros Communities
- WoltLab Suite vs vBulletin
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How we rank forum software
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update