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Compare esoTalk vs PhpBB 3 vs Simple Machines 2

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Results
esoTalk Logo
esoTalk
PhpBB 3 Logo
PhpBB 3
Simple Machines 2 Logo
Simple Machines 2
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Select
Version 1.0.0b2 3.1.2 2.0.6 -
Last Release December 9, 2009 November, 25 2014 November 12, 2013 -
License GPL License GPL License BSD License -
Price Free Free Free -
Resources Official Website »
Download » 		Official Website »
Download » 		Official Website »
Download » 		-
Ergonomy Easy to Use Perfection Easy to Use -
Installation Fast & Simple Fast & Simple Easy to Do -
Administration Efficient & Fast Efficient & Fast Efficient & Fast -
Community Size Small Community Huge Community Huge Community -
Our Opinion -
User Reviews
8.3/10 (14 votes)
8.4/10 (832 votes)
4.4/10 (1265 votes)
-
Demonstration esoTalk Demo
Open Demo » 		PhpBB 3 Demo
Open Demo » 		Simple Machines 2 Demo
Open Demo » 		-
Server Requirements esoTalk PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2
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
 -
Web Server
  • Apache 1.3
  • Apache 2.0/2.2
  • 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 4
  • PHP 5
  • PHP 4
  • PHP 5
  • PHP 4
  • PHP 5
 -
Databases
  • MySQL
  • MySQL
  • Postgresql
  • SQLite
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • Oracle
  • MySQL
  • Postgresql
  • SQLite
 -
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
-
Plugins/
Technologies
  • Javascript
  • AJAX
  • AJAX
  • HTML
  • Javascript
  • AJAX
  • CSS
 -
Localization Yes Yes Yes -
Languages
Supported Languages:
Chinese (Simplified)
German
Spanish
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:
Albanian
Bangali
Bulgarian
Portuguese (Brazilian)
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
Czech
German
Danish
Spanish
Finnish
French
Galician
Greek
Croatian
Hungarian
Indonesian
Hebrew
Hindi
Persian
Italian
Japanese
Kurdish
Macedonian
Dutch
Norwegian
Urdu
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Serbian
Russian
Arabic
Swedish
Slovak
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
English (British)
English (American)
Uzbek
Vietnamese
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)
-
Distribution No.
  • Android Market
  • Apple Store
  • Nokia Ovi Store
  • BlackBerry App World
  • Android Market
  • Apple Store
  • Nokia Ovi Store
  • BlackBerry App World
 -
Threads / Topics esoTalk PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2
Forum Style Flat Flat Flat -
Forum Organization
  • Tags
  • Forum Categories
  • URL Redirection Forum
  • Sub Sections
  • Forum Categories
  • URL Redirection Forum
  • Sub Sections
  • Trashcan Forum
 -
Topic Tags Yes Plugin Plugin -
Sticky Threads Yes Yes Yes -
Thread Icons No Yes Yes -
Hot Topics No - Yes -
Detect
Duplicate Threads 		No Plugin No -
Hidden Topics No No Yes -
Unread Topics Yes Yes Yes -
Announcements No Yes Yes -
Forum Posts esoTalk PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2
Message
Editing Form
  • Plain Text
  • Formatting Buttons
  • Preview Button
  • Rich Text Editor
  • Preview Button
  • WYSIWYG Editor
  • Formatting Buttons
  • Preview Button
 -
Post Editing Format
  • HTML
  • HTML
  • BBCode
  • HTML
  • BBCode
 -
Spell Checker No Plugin Yes -
Emoticons Plugin Yes Yes -
Quick Reply Box Yes Yes Yes -
Syntax Highlighting No Plugin Plugin -
Message Quoting Yes Yes Yes -
Message Rating Yes Plugin Plugin -
Attachments No Yes Yes -
Image Attachment
  • Use BBCode or HTML
  • Upload via Classic Attachments
  • Use BBCode or HTML
  • Upload via Classic Attachments
  • Use BBCode or HTML
 -
Embedded Videos No. No.
  • YouTube
  • Dailymotion
  • Vimeo
  • Attachment
  • HTML 5 <video>
 -
Forum Features esoTalk PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2
Poll Creation No Yes Yes -
Private Messages No Yes Yes -
Instant Messaging No Yes Yes -
Calendar No No Yes -
Members List No Yes Yes -
Online Users List No Yes Yes -
Technical Features esoTalk PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2
Bundled Software No. No.
  • Portal
  • Blog
  • Downloads Manager
  • Gallery
 -
RSS/Atom
Syndication
  • RSS 2.0
  • ATOM 1.0
  • RSS 1.0
  • RSS 2.0
  • ATOM 1.0
 -
Friendly URLs Yes Yes Yes -
Remote Control No. No. No. -
Cache System No Yes Yes -
Template Engine No.
  • Custom Template Engine
  • Custom Template Engine
 -
Post By Email No No Plugin -
User Profiles &
Options		 esoTalk PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2
User Profile Yes Yes Yes -
Avatars Yes Yes Yes -
Signatures No Yes Yes -
Ranks No Yes Yes -
Bookmark Threads Yes Yes Plugin -
User Selectable
Themes		 No Yes Yes -
Email Notifications Yes Yes Yes -
Export
Private Messages		 No Yes Plugin -
Payment
Subscriptions		 No No Yes -
Security & Spam
Protection
CAPTCHA Plugin Yes Yes -
CAPTCHA Complexity [++[ Normal -
Abnormal Behavior
Detection		 No No Yes -
Words Filtering No Yes Yes -
User Blacklist No Yes Yes -
IP Blocking No Yes Yes -
Customization esoTalk PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2
Plugins Yes
~4 Available Plugins.
Yes
~433 Available Plugins.
Yes
~1883 Available Plugins.
-
Plugin Installation [++[ Easy [++[ Very Easy -
Themes Yes
~2 Available Themes.
 Yes
~525 Available Themes.
 Yes
~1326 Available Themes.
 -
Custom BBCodes No Yes Yes -
Custom Emoticons No Yes Yes -
Custom
Thread Icons		 No Yes Yes -
Custom
Profile Fields		 No Yes Yes -
Third Applications &
Websites
Social Networks No. -
CMS / Blog Bridges No.
  • Drupal
  • Joomla
  • Drupal
  • Joomla
  • Mambo
  • WordPress
  • e107
  • XOOPs
  • iGaming CMS
 -
User Accounts
Integration 		No.
-
Content Aggregation No. No. No. -
Moderation &
Threads Management		 esoTalk PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2
Moderation
  • Post-Moderation
  • Reactive Moderation
  • Pre-Moderation
  • Post-Moderation
  • Reactive Moderation
  • Distributed Moderation
  • Pre-Moderation
  • Post-Moderation
  • Reactive Moderation
  • Distributed Moderation
 -
Moderator
per Section		 No Yes Yes -
Global Moderator Yes Yes Yes -
Move Threads No Yes Yes -
Shadow Topics No Yes Yes -
Close/Lock Threads Yes Yes Yes -
Users
Management
User Groups No Yes Yes -
User Registration
  • Free Registration
  • Confirmation sent by email for validation
  • Free Registration
  • Registration needs Approval
  • Invitation Only
  • Confirmation sent by email for validation
  • Free Registration
  • Registration needs Approval
  • User Account created by Administrator
  • Confirmation sent by email for validation
 -
New Users
Limitation 		No Yes Yes -
Guest Posting Yes Yes Yes -
Multiple
Administrators		 Yes Yes Yes -
Send Warnings
to Users		 No Yes Yes -
Access Control List No Yes Yes -
User Banishment No Yes Yes -
Mass Mailing No Yes Yes -
Installation &
Upgrading		 esoTalk PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2
Installation Method Installation Wizard Installation Wizard Installation Wizard -
Upgrade Method Upgrade Wizard Upgrade Wizard Upgrade Wizard -
Update
Notifications		 No Yes Yes -
Forum Migration No Yes Yes -
Database
Management
Backup Database No Yes Yes -
Prune Database No Yes Yes -
Restore Database No Yes Yes -
Administration
Tools
Statistics No Yes Yes -
Error/Notice
Log Viewer		 No Yes Yes -
Tasks Scheduler No Yes Yes -
W3C Norms &
Accessibility
HTML / XHTML
  • XHTML 1.1 Strict
  • XHTML 1.0 Strict
  • XHTML 1.0 Transitional
 -
Stylesheets (CSS)
  • CSS 2
  • CSS 2
  • CSS 2
 -
Accessibility (WAI)
  • AA
  • AA
  • AA
 -
UTF-8 Support Yes Yes Yes -
W3C Norms Yes Yes Yes -
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