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phpBB vs Simple Machines Forum (2026): which should you pick?

As of Nov 13, 2026, phpBB 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.

phpBB

Free open-source bulletin board software written in PHP

Free
Full detailsphpbb.com

Simple Machines Forum

Free open-source community forum software (SMF)

Free
Full detailssimplemachines.org

Which one is for you

Pick phpBB if

  • Fits if you are comfortable running a PHP server
  • Works for communities that want full control of their forum

Look elsewhere if

  • Not for you if you do not want to manage a server, as the project sells no hosting
  • Tight if you need paid support, as help is documentation, a knowledge base and community forums
  • Watch out: extensions that change the database can complicate upgrades
  • Watch out: the permission system can daunt new users, per the project's own readme

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

2.0GPAphpBBFair2.0GPASimple 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 outright under GPL-2.0, with no trial or plan caps, though you provide the server.
BFree and open source with no caps, though you provide the server.
Features
CAdmin and moderator panels, styles, language packs, permissions and extensions cover forum basics. Extensions that touch the database can make upgrades harder.
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 maintained on a PHP 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 forclassic open-source forum softwarefree 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: phpBB and Simple Machines Forum. How we grade

Price against what you get

phpBB 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 phpBB for less, and none scores higher than Simple Machines Forum for less.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$5$10$20$50$100$200$500$1kMore for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessphpBBSimple Machines Forum

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
The full chart of course and community platforms, and the best at every price

Where they differ

    In commonFree planWebOpen sourceSelf-hostableCommunity

    At a glance

    phpBBSimple Machines Forum
    PricingFreeFree
    Starts atFreeFree
    Free planThe whole software is free under the GPL-2.0 license; 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 trialNone listedNone listed
    Web
    Made byphpBB LimitedSimple Machines
    Price read fromgithub.comgithub.com
    CheckedNov 13, 2026Nov 13, 2026

    Worth knowing

    phpBB

    • It must be installed and maintained on your own PHP web server; the project does not sell hosting.
    • Support comes from documentation, a knowledge base and community forums, not a paid support plan.
    • Extensions that change the database can make upgrades harder, according to the project's readme.

    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

    phpBB

    Administration and moderator panels
    Once installed, the board is managed through an Administration Control Panel and a Moderator Control Panel.
    Language packs
    The project offers official language packs, each with localized styles, installed by copying files to the board.
    Switchable styles
    Styles can be installed from the Customise tab in the admin panel and switched without touching the forum content.
    Extensions
    Third-party extensions add capabilities to the standard software and are listed in the project's Customisation Database.
    Permission system
    A detailed permission system controls who can do what on the board, which the project's own readme says can daunt new users.

    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

    phpBB

    • phpBB$0

      Free open-source download. You host and maintain it yourself.

    Simple Machines Forum

    • SMF$0

      Free download. You host and maintain it yourself.

    Common questions

    Which is cheaper, phpBB or Simple Machines Forum?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, both phpBB and Simple Machines Forum are free to use.

    Which has a free plan, phpBB or Simple Machines Forum?

    As of Nov 13, 2026, both phpBB 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.
    How we review and grade