MyBB vs Simple Machines Forum (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MyBB and Simple Machines Forum share a 2.0 GPA, both are free, so the choice depends on which features you need.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Simple Machines Forum
Free open-source community forum software (SMF)
Which one is for you
Pick MyBB if
- Fits if you can install a forum on your own hosting
- Works for communities that want themes and plugins
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you do not want to run a server, as the project sells no hosting
- Tight if you want paid support, as help comes from volunteers and forums
- Watch out: plugins and themes are community-made, and quality and upkeep vary
Pick Simple Machines Forum if
- Fits if you can host a PHP forum yourself
- Works for people who want a BSD-licensed forum
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want hosting included, as the project does not offer hosted plans on the pages read
- Tight if you need paid support, as help is a community forum and wiki
- Watch out: the project's own site could not be read, so details come from its GitHub repository
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAMyBBFair | 2.0GPASimple Machines ForumFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe software is free but you pay for hosting and run it yourself, which keeps it at the ordinary grade. | CThe software is free but you pay for hosting and run it yourself, which keeps it at the ordinary grade. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree and open source with no plan caps, though you provide the server. | BFree and open source with no caps, though you provide the server. |
| Features | CPlugins, a template editor, moderation tools, private messages and 30+ translations cover forum basics, but add-ons are community-made. | CThe listing shows a basic forum with a wiki and community forum for help, but little about its features. |
| Ease of use | DNo store rating on record, and it must be installed and kept up on your own server. | DNo store rating on record, and it must be installed and maintained on your own server. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, and no integrations are listed. | CWeb only, and no integrations are listed. |
| Best for | free forum software with plugins and themes | free BSD-licensed forum software |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: MyBB and Simple Machines Forum. How we grade
Price against what you get
MyBB has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Simple Machines Forum has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
On this chart the two sit in the same place: the same score for the same starting price. Of the other course and community platforms on the chart, none scores higher than MyBB for less, and none scores higher than Simple Machines Forum for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
At a glance
| MyBB | Simple Machines Forum | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | The software is free and open source; you pay only for your own web hosting. | The software is free and open source under a BSD 3-clause license; you pay only for your own web hosting. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | MyBB Group | Simple Machines |
| Price read from | mybb.com | github.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MyBB
- You install and maintain it on your own server; the project sells no hosting.
- It is run by volunteers, so support comes from the community forums and documentation.
- Plugins and themes are community-made; their quality and upkeep vary.
Simple Machines Forum
- You install and maintain it yourself; the project's site does not offer hosted plans on the pages read.
- The project's own website could not be read during research, so details come from its GitHub repository.
- Support comes from the project's community forum and wiki.
Key features
MyBB
- Plugins
- A plugin system adds features to a forum, and the project lists hundreds of plugins and themes to install in a few clicks.
- Themes and templates
- A built-in template and theme editor gives control over the forum's design.
- Moderation and administration
- Separate tools for moderators and staff, and an administration area for running the board.
- Private messaging
- Members can hold private conversations with several registered users at a time.
- Translations
- Community-maintained translations exist for more than 30 languages, including right-to-left ones.
- Merge System
- A separate tool converts from several other forum packages into MyBB, or combines several MyBB forums into one.
Simple Machines Forum
- Open-source license
- The software is licensed under the BSD 3-clause license, and its development repository is public on GitHub.
- PHP with MySQL or PostgreSQL
- The project's repository lists PHP, MySQL and PostgreSQL as its stack, so it runs on common shared and virtual hosting.
- Quick setup
- The project says you can set up your own online community within minutes of getting the software.
- Project wiki and forum
- The project runs a community forum and a wiki for documentation and help.
Plans
MyBB
MyBB$0
Free download, currently version 1.8.41. You host and maintain it yourself.
Simple Machines Forum
SMF$0
Free download. You host and maintain it yourself.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MyBB or Simple Machines Forum?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both MyBB and Simple Machines Forum are free to use.
Which has a free plan, MyBB or Simple Machines Forum?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both MyBB and Simple Machines Forum have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.