Best free forum software?

[SmileServe]

The best free one is certainly phpBB due to extensive history and mods etc. If you are looking for a paid solution then vBulletin is the way to go in my opinion (after extensively using IPB, XenForo and various other scripts).

 

[keshavmhin23]

Just wondering what people's thoughts are on the best free forum software? I've had a bit of experience with phpBB and myBB before, but apparently there are loads of other options out there.

SMF Forums can be good option too.

 

[petergm]

I would recomend phpbb.

 

[yesjack]

I like SMF. It seems phpbb is easily hacked.

 

[GridVirt]

I like SMF. It seems phpbb is easily hacked.

Not true at all. phpbb out of the box is secure enough but you get so many people installing mods and scripts into phpbb without knowing anything about them or how they work which is where most of the breaches come from.

There is no "best". Tak the time to try the ones that interest you and go with the one you enjoy using best and get to know it inside and out, your results will be much better this way.

I use smf and phpbb, and for paid vbulletin and I like them all depending on what project I am using them for.

 

[traxport121]

For open source forum, I would recommend phpbb
For paid forums, I would recommend vbulletin, ipb and xenforo 🙂

 

[JynxyGirl]

FluxBB is really nice looking

 

[HostLeet]

I'm a big fan of Open Source projects so I've never really paid for a forum script such as vBulletin. Although, I hear very good things about them.. I've always used phpbb and SMF for my forum script needs, they both are great to use so I recommend them often. 🙂

 

[Pony-]

It is a tie between PhpBB and YaBB for me. I have several communities, and I only use these two scripts. I had my chance to test a payware script (vBulletin) as an admin on my friend's forums, but didn't like it very much.

YaBB is an amazing flat file - based script written in Perl. Some people say it has issues when the community grows, but I haven't had any problems with it so far, so I think the rumors are not really true...

 

[traxport121]

I'm a big fan of Open Source projects so I've never really paid for a forum script such as vBulletin. Although, I hear very good things about them.. I've always used phpbb and SMF for my forum script needs, they both are great to use so I recommend them often. 🙂

I used to be a fan of open source forums but ever since I have used vbulletin and xenforo etc.. I became their fan :smash:

 

[ReadyMakers]

I personally prefer Discuz! even though they released only one version in English, but I feel more comfortable with it..
I don't feel good when I see everybody using well-known platforms..
I wanna be unique!

 

[OnPro-Scott]

I prefer SMF on the free side and IPB on the paid side.

 

[SaadHost]

I think the best free forum software is IPB.

 

[easyhostmedia]

I think the best free forum software is IPB.

when was IPB free

http://www.invisionpower.com/pricing/

 

[1809]

MYbb is best free forum.Before my bb i used smf,phpbb but mybb is most better.

 

[LBGA]

SMF is a really good forum as wel as PHPBB. I would recommend SMF Forums, PHPBB. I don't have any experience in working with MyBB, but I see that a lot of people recommend that. I will have to check that out myself.

 

[supernix]

I have MyBB for the company forum but to be honest I like phpBB better. It seems to have more functions and a more active development platform. The Joomla people must agree as well since they chose it as their forum for the Joomla site.

 

[UrgentHost]

myBB is the most powerful free forum software and it has a lot of plugins .

 

[alphine]

phpBB and MyBB are better to start with.

 

[WebNet Host]

MyBB is a good choice.