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Compare bbPress vs MyBB vs PhpBB 3 vs Vanilla Forums

Comparison
Results
bbPress Logo
bbPress
MyBB Logo
MyBB
PhpBB 3 Logo
PhpBB 3
Vanilla Forums Logo
Vanilla Forums
Version 2.0 1.6.12 3.1.2 2.0.18.10
Last Release September 21, 2011 December 16, 2013 November, 25 2014 December 2013
License GPL License GPL License GPL License GPL License
Price Free Free Free Free
Resources Official Website »
Download » 		Official Website »
Download » 		Official Website »
Download » 		Official Website »
Download »
Ergonomy Easy to Use Easy to Use Perfection Easy to Use
Installation Fast & Simple Easy to Do Fast & Simple Fast & Simple
Administration Efficient & Fast Efficient & Fast Efficient & Fast Really Intuitive
Community Size Medium Community Big Community Huge Community Medium Community
Our Opinion
User Reviews
5.6/10 (56 votes)
9.2/10 (1982 votes)
8.4/10 (824 votes)
8.1/10 (167 votes)
Demonstration bbPress Demo
Open Demo » 		MyBB Demo
Open Demo » 		PhpBB 3 Demo
Open Demo » 		Vanilla Forums Demo
Open Demo »
Server Requirements bbPress MyBB PhpBB 3 Vanilla Forums
Operating System
  • GNU/LinuxGNU/Linux
  • BSD UnixBSD Unix
  • Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
  • Apple Mac OSApple Mac OS
  • GNU/LinuxGNU/Linux
  • BSD UnixBSD Unix
  • Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
  • Apple Mac OSApple Mac OS
  • GNU/LinuxGNU/Linux
  • BSD UnixBSD Unix
  • Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
  • Apple Mac OSApple Mac OS
  • GNU/LinuxGNU/Linux
  • BSD UnixBSD Unix
  • Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
  • Apple Mac OSApple Mac OS
Web Server
  • Apache 1.3
  • Apache 2.0/2.2
  • Microsoft IIS
  • Lighttpd
  • Apache 1.3
  • Apache 2.0/2.2
  • Microsoft IIS
  • Lighttpd
  • Nginx
  • Apache 1.3
  • Apache 2.0/2.2
  • Microsoft IIS
  • Lighttpd
  • Nginx
  • Apache 1.3
  • Apache 2.0/2.2
  • Microsoft IIS
  • Lighttpd
  • Nginx
Languages
  • PHP 5
  • PHP 4
  • PHP 5
  • PHP 4
  • PHP 5
  • PHP 5
Databases
  • MySQL
  • Postgresql
  • SQLite
  • MySQL
  • Postgresql
  • SQLite
  • MySQL
  • Postgresql
  • SQLite
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • Oracle
  • MySQL
Browsers & Clients
Requirements
Compatible
Browsers
Mozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox
Internet ExplorerInternet Explorer
Google ChromeGoogle Chrome
OperaOpera
Apple SafariApple Safari
KonquerorKonqueror
Mozilla SeaMonkeyMozilla SeaMonkey
Mozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox
Internet ExplorerInternet Explorer
Google ChromeGoogle Chrome
OperaOpera
Apple SafariApple Safari
KonquerorKonqueror
Mozilla SeaMonkeyMozilla SeaMonkey
Mozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox
Internet ExplorerInternet Explorer
Google ChromeGoogle Chrome
OperaOpera
Apple SafariApple Safari
KonquerorKonqueror
Mozilla SeaMonkeyMozilla SeaMonkey
Mozilla FirefoxMozilla Firefox
Internet ExplorerInternet Explorer
Google ChromeGoogle Chrome
OperaOpera
Apple SafariApple Safari
KonquerorKonqueror
Mozilla SeaMonkeyMozilla SeaMonkey
Plugins/
Technologies
  • Javascript
  • AJAX
  • HTML
  • Javascript
  • AJAX
  • CSS
  • AJAX
  • HTML
  • Javascript
  • AJAX
  • CSS
Localization No Yes Yes Yes
Languages No.
Supported Languages:
Portuguese (Brazilian)
Chinese (Simplified)
Czech
German
Estonian
Spanish
French
Greek
Hungarian
Persian
Dutch
Urdu
Polish
Serbian
Russian
Arabic
Turkish
English (British)
English (American)
Chinese (Traditional)
Supported Languages:
Albanian
Basque
Bulgarian
Portuguese (Brazilian)
Belarusian
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Czech
German
Danish
Estonian
Spanish
Finnish
French
Galician
Greek
Croatian
Hungarian
Indonesian
Hebrew
Persian
Italian
Japanese
Kurdish
Lithuanian
Dutch
Norwegian
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Serbian
Russian
Arabic
Swedish
Slovene
Sindhi
Slovak
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
English (British)
English (American)
Vietnamese
Chinese (Traditional)
Supported Languages:
Portuguese (Brazilian)
German
Spanish
French
Italian
Dutch
Portuguese
Russian
Thai
Chinese (Traditional)
Compatibility with
Smartphones
Compatible
SmartPhones 		No.
  • AndroidAndroid
  • iPhoneiPhone
  • BlackBerryBlackBerry
  • Windows Phone 7Windows Phone 7
  • Symbian Phones <em>(Nokia)</em>Symbian Phones (Nokia)
  • HP WebOS <em>(ex-Palm)</em>HP WebOS (ex-Palm)
  • AndroidAndroid
  • iPhoneiPhone
  • BlackBerryBlackBerry
  • Windows Phone 7Windows Phone 7
  • Symbian Phones <em>(Nokia)</em>Symbian Phones (Nokia)
  • HP WebOS <em>(ex-Palm)</em>HP WebOS (ex-Palm)
  • AndroidAndroid
  • iPhoneiPhone
  • BlackBerryBlackBerry
  • Windows Phone 7Windows Phone 7
  • Symbian Phones <em>(Nokia)</em>Symbian Phones (Nokia)
  • HP WebOS <em>(ex-Palm)</em>HP WebOS (ex-Palm)
Distribution No.
  • Web Application
  • Android Market
  • Apple Store
  • Nokia Ovi Store
  • BlackBerry App World
  • Native Support
Threads / Topics bbPress MyBB PhpBB 3 Vanilla Forums
Forum Style Flat Flat/Threaded Flat Flat
Forum Organization
  • Forum Categories
  • Sub Sections
  • Forum Categories
  • URL Redirection Forum
  • Sub Sections
  • Forum Categories
  • URL Redirection Forum
  • Sub Sections
  • Forum Categories
  • URL Redirection Forum
  • Sub Sections
Topic Tags - Plugin Plugin Plugin
Sticky Threads Yes Yes Yes Yes
Thread Icons No Yes Yes No
Hot Topics - Yes - Yes
Detect
Duplicate Threads 		No No Plugin No
Hidden Topics Plugin Yes No No
Unread Topics Yes Yes Yes Yes
Announcements - Yes Yes Yes
Forum Posts bbPress MyBB PhpBB 3 Vanilla Forums
Message
Editing Form
  • Plain Text
  • WYSIWYG Editor
  • Rich Text Editor
  • Formatting Buttons
  • Preview Button
  • Rich Text Editor
  • Preview Button
  • Plain Text
  • WYSIWYG Editor
  • Preview Button
Post Editing Format
  • Plain
  • HTML
  • Plain
  • HTML
  • BBCode
  • HTML
  • BBCode
  • Plain
  • HTML
  • BBCode
  • Markdown
Spell Checker - Plugin Plugin No
Emoticons No Yes Yes Plugin
Quick Reply Box Yes Yes Yes Yes
Syntax Highlighting - Plugin Plugin Plugin
Message Quoting No Yes Yes Plugin
Message Rating No Yes Plugin Plugin
Attachments No Yes Yes Yes
Image Attachment No.
  • Upload via Classic Attachments
  • Use BBCode or HTML
  • Upload via Classic Attachments
  • Use BBCode or HTML
  • Upload via Advanced Attachments
Embedded Videos No. No. No. No.
Forum Features bbPress MyBB PhpBB 3 Vanilla Forums
Poll Creation No Yes Yes No
Private Messages No Yes Yes Yes
Instant Messaging No Yes Yes No
Calendar No Yes No No
Members List No Yes Yes No
Online Users List No Yes Yes Plugin
Technical Features bbPress MyBB PhpBB 3 Vanilla Forums
Bundled Software No.
  • Portal
  • Wiki
  • Blog
  • Downloads Manager
 No.
  • CMS
  • Blog
RSS/Atom
Syndication
  • RSS 2.0
  • RSS 2.0
  • ATOM 1.0
  • RSS 2.0
  • ATOM 1.0
Friendly URLs Yes Yes Yes Yes
Remote Control
  • XML/RPC
 No. No. No.
Cache System - Yes Yes Yes
Template Engine No.
  • Custom Template Engine
  • Custom Template Engine
  • Smarty
Post By Email - Plugin No No
User Profiles &
Options		 bbPress MyBB PhpBB 3 Vanilla Forums
User Profile Yes Yes Yes Yes
Avatars Yes Yes Yes Yes
Signatures No Yes Yes Yes
Ranks No Yes Yes Yes
Bookmark Threads Yes Yes Yes Yes
User Selectable
Themes		 - Yes Yes Yes
Email Notifications No Yes Yes Yes
Export
Private Messages		 No Yes Yes Yes
Payment
Subscriptions		 - Plugin No No
Security & Spam
Protection
CAPTCHA Yes Yes Yes Yes
CAPTCHA Complexity [++[ Normal [++[ Hard
Abnormal Behavior
Detection		 - No No Yes
Words Filtering No Yes Yes No
User Blacklist No Yes Yes Yes
IP Blocking No Yes Yes Yes
Customization bbPress MyBB PhpBB 3 Vanilla Forums
Plugins Yes Yes
~495 Available Plugins.
Yes
~433 Available Plugins.
Yes
~120 Available Plugins.
Plugin Installation [++[ Easy [++[ Very Easy
Themes Yes Yes
~270 Available Themes.
 Yes
~525 Available Themes.
 Yes
~73 Available Themes.
Custom BBCodes - Yes Yes No
Custom Emoticons - Yes Yes No
Custom
Thread Icons		 - Yes Yes No
Custom
Profile Fields		 - Yes Yes Plugin
Third Applications &
Websites
Social Networks No.
CMS / Blog Bridges
  • WordPress
 No.
  • Drupal
  • Joomla
  • Drupal
  • WordPress
User Accounts
Integration 		No. No.
Content Aggregation No. No. No. No.
Moderation &
Threads Management		 bbPress MyBB PhpBB 3 Vanilla Forums
Moderation No.
  • Pre-Moderation
  • Post-Moderation
  • Reactive Moderation
  • Distributed Moderation
  • Pre-Moderation
  • Post-Moderation
  • Reactive Moderation
  • Distributed Moderation
  • Pre-Moderation
  • Post-Moderation
  • Reactive Moderation
  • Distributed Moderation
Moderator
per Section		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Global Moderator Yes Yes Yes Yes
Move Threads Yes Yes Yes Yes
Shadow Topics Plugin Yes Yes No
Close/Lock Threads Yes Yes Yes Yes
Users
Management
User Groups Yes Yes Yes Yes
User Registration No.
  • Free Registration
  • Registration needs Approval
  • Invitation Only
  • User Account created by Administrator
  • Confirmation sent by email for validation
  • Free Registration
  • Registration needs Approval
  • Invitation Only
  • Confirmation sent by email for validation
  • Free Registration
  • Registration needs Approval
  • Invitation Only
  • User Account created by Administrator
  • Confirmation sent by email for validation
New Users
Limitation 		- Plugin Yes No
Guest Posting No Yes Yes Yes
Multiple
Administrators		 Yes Yes Yes Yes
Send Warnings
to Users		 No Yes Yes No
Access Control List No Yes Yes Yes
User Banishment Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mass Mailing No Yes Yes No
Installation &
Upgrading		 bbPress MyBB PhpBB 3 Vanilla Forums
Installation Method Installation Wizard Installation Wizard Installation Wizard Installation Wizard
Upgrade Method Upgrade Wizard Upgrade Wizard Upgrade Wizard Upgrade Wizard
Update
Notifications		 No Yes Yes Yes
Forum Migration - Yes Yes Yes
Database
Management
Backup Database No Yes Yes Yes
Prune Database No Yes Yes No
Restore Database No Yes Yes Yes
Administration
Tools
Statistics No Yes Yes Yes
Error/Notice
Log Viewer		 - Yes Yes No
Tasks Scheduler - Yes Yes No
W3C Norms &
Accessibility
HTML / XHTML
  • XHTML 1.1 Strict
  • XHTML 1.0 Transitional
  • XHTML 1.0 Strict
  • XHTML 1.0 Strict
Stylesheets (CSS)
  • CSS 2
  • CSS 2
  • CSS 2
  • CSS 2
Accessibility (WAI)
  • AAA
  • AA
  • AA
  • AA
UTF-8 Support Yes Yes Yes Yes
W3C Norms Yes Yes Yes Yes
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