Best Forum Software in your opinion

[Frode789]

Sure it kinda looks old but so does phpbb and its still being used.

phpBB looks much better than SMF though. (and the preview for phpBB 4 is looking pretty sleek!)
SMF looks ANCIENT, not old.
And maybe the most important point when using a free forum solution, is that phpBB is much more popular so the 3rd party content is more varied and more updated. (for example I tested vanilla as well recently, and the 3rd party scene is dead there. Literally dead.)

 

[Doug Heffernan]

phpBB looks much better than SMF though. (and the preview for phpBB 4 is looking pretty sleek!)
SMF looks ANCIENT, not old.
And maybe the most important point when using a free forum solution, is that phpBB is much more popular so the 3rd party content is more varied and more updated. (for example I tested vanilla as well recently, and the 3rd party scene is dead there. Literally dead.)

Do you have a link where the preview for phpBB 4 can be seen? I did some searching, but could not find anything.

 

[Frode789]

Do you have a link where the preview for phpBB 4 can be seen? I did some searching, but could not find anything.

Dev link for the new style: https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=691&t=2485796
(preview of other features in phpBB4 is not available yet. We do know there will be stuff like auto-update, install from ACP and probably tons of other drastic changes, just like the big jump from 2.xx to 3.xx. etc. I expect it to be pretty damn good for a free solution, once it's done.)

Some early style previews:

 

[Doug Heffernan]

Dev link for the new style: https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=691&t=2485796
(preview of other features in phpBB4 is not available yet. We do know there will be stuff like auto-update, install from ACP and probably tons of other drastic changes, just like the big jump from 2.xx to 3.xx. etc. I expect it to be pretty damn good for a free solution, once it's done.)

Thanks. It looks good. They are stepping up their game, that is for sure.

 

[MarkFL]

For versatility, I like IPS and for rock solid stability (lack of quirks) I like XenForo. Both are winners in my book.

 

[vicram10]

i don't know but for me the best paid forum it's XenForo but in the other side the best free forum for me is SMF

 

[ShahinPB]

Honestly, I'm interested in Xenforo but I can't decide if I should make the switch or not.

Right now, I have a large VB4 forum that once I decided to make a switch for a testing purpose, it didn't turn out so well. I guess I will have to endure it a little longer, and hope for the best.

 

[DigNap15]

I use and like Xenforo - it has never let me down
I don't have any experience of any others as an admin (owner)
I do wish that XF had more stuff in the core and less add-ons which just cause confusion
I also wish there was a more complete users manual for XF, there is so much to learn being an admin.

 

[Pete]

The best forum software is still the one that does all the things you need (or has add-ons available to do them), and that helps you engage your members. Everything else is fluff.

 

[ShahinPB]

The best forum software is still the one that does all the things you need (or has add-ons available to do them), and that helps you engage your members. Everything else is fluff.

Well said! I chated with some people a while ago and they were acting like why I'm still using VB (in their word a dead product). I mean there is a saying that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," and still rocking (then they blocked me haha).

 

[therealbourne]

XenForo

 

[Fait]

There’s no correct answer.

For me I needed something millennials and other newer generations will like since it’s a gaming forum so I chose Xenforo for how Facebook similar it is, but IPBoard or Mybb look great too!

 

[zappaDPJ]

There’s no correct answer.

Correct!

 

[Abizaga]

There’s no correct answer.

For me I needed something millennials and other newer generations will like since it’s a gaming forum so I chose Xenforo for how Facebook similar it is, but IPBoard or Mybb look great too!

I agree. It's up to personal preference amd what one is looking for.

 

[Odis]

The best ones XenForo, vBulletin, IPB

 

[Fait]

Xenforo or Flarum for me

 

[JoyFreak]

I voted XenForo. Great software and has everything I need to build a community.

 

[Pete]

Just had a re-read of this thread, it’s been around a while.

Of particular interest to me were the posts from 2017 thrashing out some of the issues if the forum industry - and how it doesn’t really seem to have changed in the years since.

 

[gConverter]

If forum is only thing you have in your website then the best solutions are XenForo or Flarum
However, in most case forums are a part of websites, blogs, support section. In this case, the best forums are CMS plugins.

• WordPress with wpForo forum plugin: https://wpforo.com/community/
• Joomla with Kunena Extension: https://www.kunena.org/forum/index
• Drupal with Forum Modeule: https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/core/modules/forum/overview

 

[leojely]

I can say XenForo because it has so many add-ons and themes. You won't be lost your time while searching for new tools or something. And I have to say that there are no better developers than XenForo theme developers.