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Compare PhpBB 3 vs Simple Machines 2 vs Vanilla Forums

Comparison
Results
PhpBB 3 Logo
PhpBB 3
Simple Machines 2 Logo
Simple Machines 2
Vanilla Forums Logo
Vanilla Forums
+
Select
Version 3.1.2 2.0.6 2.0.18.10 -
Last Release November, 25 2014 November 12, 2013 December 2013 -
License GPL License BSD License GPL License -
Price Free Free Free -
Resources Official Website »
Download » 		Official Website »
Download » 		Official Website »
Download » 		-
Ergonomy Perfection Easy to Use Easy to Use -
Installation Fast & Simple Easy to Do Fast & Simple -
Administration Efficient & Fast Efficient & Fast Really Intuitive -
Community Size Huge Community Huge Community Medium Community -
Our Opinion -
User Reviews
8.4/10 (832 votes)
4.4/10 (1265 votes)
8.1/10 (168 votes)
-
Demonstration PhpBB 3 Demo
Open Demo » 		Simple Machines 2 Demo
Open Demo » 		Vanilla Forums Demo
Open Demo » 		-
Server Requirements PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2 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
 -
Web Server
  • 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 4
  • PHP 5
  • PHP 4
  • PHP 5
  • PHP 5
 -
Databases
  • MySQL
  • Postgresql
  • SQLite
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • Oracle
  • MySQL
  • Postgresql
  • SQLite
  • 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
-
Plugins/
Technologies
  • AJAX
  • HTML
  • Javascript
  • AJAX
  • CSS
  • HTML
  • Javascript
  • AJAX
  • CSS
 -
Localization Yes Yes Yes -
Languages
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)
Supported Languages:
Portuguese (Brazilian)
German
Spanish
French
Italian
Dutch
Portuguese
Russian
Thai
Chinese (Traditional)
-
Compatibility with
Smartphones
Compatible
SmartPhones
  • 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)
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Distribution
  • Android Market
  • Apple Store
  • Nokia Ovi Store
  • BlackBerry App World
  • Android Market
  • Apple Store
  • Nokia Ovi Store
  • BlackBerry App World
  • Native Support
 -
Threads / Topics PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2 Vanilla Forums
Forum Style Flat Flat Flat -
Forum Organization
  • Forum Categories
  • URL Redirection Forum
  • Sub Sections
  • Forum Categories
  • URL Redirection Forum
  • Sub Sections
  • Trashcan Forum
  • Forum Categories
  • URL Redirection Forum
  • Sub Sections
 -
Topic Tags Plugin Plugin Plugin -
Sticky Threads Yes Yes Yes -
Thread Icons Yes Yes No -
Hot Topics - Yes Yes -
Detect
Duplicate Threads 		Plugin No No -
Hidden Topics No Yes No -
Unread Topics Yes Yes Yes -
Announcements Yes Yes Yes -
Forum Posts PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2 Vanilla Forums
Message
Editing Form
  • Rich Text Editor
  • Preview Button
  • WYSIWYG Editor
  • Formatting Buttons
  • Preview Button
  • Plain Text
  • WYSIWYG Editor
  • Preview Button
 -
Post Editing Format
  • HTML
  • BBCode
  • HTML
  • BBCode
  • Plain
  • HTML
  • BBCode
  • Markdown
 -
Spell Checker Plugin Yes No -
Emoticons Yes Yes Plugin -
Quick Reply Box Yes Yes Yes -
Syntax Highlighting Plugin Plugin Plugin -
Message Quoting Yes Yes Plugin -
Message Rating Plugin Plugin Plugin -
Attachments Yes Yes Yes -
Image Attachment
  • Upload via Classic Attachments
  • Use BBCode or HTML
  • Upload via Classic Attachments
  • Use BBCode or HTML
  • Upload via Advanced Attachments
 -
Embedded Videos No.
  • YouTube
  • Dailymotion
  • Vimeo
  • Attachment
  • HTML 5 <video>
 No. -
Forum Features PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2 Vanilla Forums
Poll Creation Yes Yes No -
Private Messages Yes Yes Yes -
Instant Messaging Yes Yes No -
Calendar No Yes No -
Members List Yes Yes No -
Online Users List Yes Yes Plugin -
Technical Features PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2 Vanilla Forums
Bundled Software No.
  • Portal
  • Blog
  • Downloads Manager
  • Gallery
  • CMS
  • Blog
 -
RSS/Atom
Syndication
  • ATOM 1.0
  • RSS 1.0
  • RSS 2.0
  • ATOM 1.0
  • RSS 2.0
  • ATOM 1.0
 -
Friendly URLs Yes Yes Yes -
Remote Control No. No. No. -
Cache System Yes Yes Yes -
Template Engine
  • Custom Template Engine
  • Custom Template Engine
  • Smarty
 -
Post By Email No Plugin No -
User Profiles &
Options		 PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2 Vanilla Forums
User Profile Yes Yes Yes -
Avatars Yes Yes Yes -
Signatures Yes Yes Yes -
Ranks Yes Yes Yes -
Bookmark Threads Yes Plugin Yes -
User Selectable
Themes		 Yes Yes Yes -
Email Notifications Yes Yes Yes -
Export
Private Messages		 Yes Plugin Yes -
Payment
Subscriptions		 No Yes No -
Security & Spam
Protection
CAPTCHA Yes Yes Yes -
CAPTCHA Complexity [++[ Normal [++[ Hard -
Abnormal Behavior
Detection		 No Yes Yes -
Words Filtering Yes Yes No -
User Blacklist Yes Yes Yes -
IP Blocking Yes Yes Yes -
Customization PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2 Vanilla Forums
Plugins Yes
~433 Available Plugins.
Yes
~1883 Available Plugins.
Yes
~120 Available Plugins.
-
Plugin Installation [++[ Very Easy [++[ Very Easy -
Themes Yes
~525 Available Themes.
 Yes
~1326 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 -
CMS / Blog Bridges
  • Drupal
  • Joomla
  • Drupal
  • Joomla
  • Mambo
  • WordPress
  • e107
  • XOOPs
  • iGaming CMS
  • Drupal
  • WordPress
 -
User Accounts
Integration
-
Content Aggregation No. No. No. -
Moderation &
Threads Management		 PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2 Vanilla Forums
Moderation
  • 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 -
Global Moderator Yes Yes Yes -
Move Threads Yes Yes Yes -
Shadow Topics Yes Yes No -
Close/Lock Threads Yes Yes Yes -
Users
Management
User Groups Yes Yes Yes -
User Registration
  • 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
  • Free Registration
  • Registration needs Approval
  • Invitation Only
  • User Account created by Administrator
  • Confirmation sent by email for validation
 -
New Users
Limitation 		Yes Yes No -
Guest Posting Yes Yes Yes -
Multiple
Administrators		 Yes Yes Yes -
Send Warnings
to Users		 Yes Yes No -
Access Control List Yes Yes Yes -
User Banishment Yes Yes Yes -
Mass Mailing Yes Yes No -
Installation &
Upgrading		 PhpBB 3 Simple Machines 2 Vanilla Forums
Installation Method Installation Wizard Installation Wizard Installation Wizard -
Upgrade Method Upgrade Wizard Upgrade Wizard Upgrade Wizard -
Update
Notifications		 Yes Yes Yes -
Forum Migration Yes Yes Yes -
Database
Management
Backup Database Yes Yes Yes -
Prune Database Yes Yes No -
Restore Database Yes Yes Yes -
Administration
Tools
Statistics Yes Yes Yes -
Error/Notice
Log Viewer		 Yes Yes No -
Tasks Scheduler Yes Yes No -
W3C Norms &
Accessibility
HTML / XHTML
  • XHTML 1.0 Strict
  • XHTML 1.0 Transitional
  • XHTML 1.0 Strict
 -
Stylesheets (CSS)
  • CSS 2
  • CSS 2
  • CSS 2
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Accessibility (WAI)
  • AA
  • AA
  • AA
 -
UTF-8 Support Yes Yes Yes -
W3C Norms Yes Yes Yes -
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