Could you compare vBulletin vs SMF vs phpBB and tell me what each of them offers that the other one doesn't? Which one do you like more?

Phpbb3 is the best free source forum, but SMF can be competitive as well.

I would go for vBulletin if I have money and need strong security.
If I am to choose between free platforms, I would use SMF as I consider phpbb too easy target for spambots.

And how about Invision Power Board vs. the three forums above?

SMF all the way for me - it's free, open source and it seems more logical to use than vBulletin.

SMF is quite feature rich, light and well organized compared to phpBB hands down. vBulletin is the commercial alternative, has more features and eats more CPU and RAM, takes a week to configure fully, and provides the best solution after the first week.

It all comes down to whether you are willing to pay or not. Both solutions are like Dual Quad core CPU's for a home PC, you will never use all the functionality ;)

I like both SMF and vBulletin, however they both have their place. I use vBulletin for any business oriented site and SMF for personal/non-business oriented sites.

I have been a life long IPB customer, well since they started up business. Currently I have seven licences at Invision. Their support is without a doubt the best I've seen from a business, the functionality of the software is 5/5 and they are always looking to expand invision, making it more professional.

In Q4 with year, IPB will release IPB 3.0, what IPB 3.0 will offer is in my belief outstanding, this is why this company is the best for forum software. Also, their price is cheap. Once your yearly licence runs out, its free to use the software. You will have the choice to buy 6months support and modifications which is $30 a year. Unlike Vbulletin, which you have to pay a lot.

phpBB3 is the best open source forum software I've come across. vBulletin tends to be used more by businesses and large forum communities.

to be honised, MyBB is better it's sort of like vB but free.

I preffer phpBB 3.

I dislike phpbb but do like smf and ipb.
I use ipb or smf for all my forums.
Just depends how much money I have to which of those 2 I will use.

I like vBulletin and IPB.

In Q4 with year, IPB will release IPB 3.0, what IPB 3.0 will offer is in my belief outstanding, this is why this company is the best for forum software. Also, their price is cheap. Once your yearly licence runs out, its free to use the software. You will have the choice to buy 6months support and modifications which is $30 a year. Unlike Vbulletin, which you have to pay a lot.
You're quite misleading here in my opinion, with vB you'll pay 30$ for exactly the same time of updates, excluding mandatory patches which are always available as long as you've got the right license. The prices hardly differ.

Personally vB would be my pick, simply because of the huge community behind it with zillions of plugins and extensions, especially the plugin/product option is amazing as it'll get rid of 'hard file edits' which (used to be?) are common with SMF/phpBB, making it harder to rewind or just disable one or two plugins.

How MyBB is? Is it enough secure and popular? would you recommend it?

How MyBB is? Is it enough secure and popular? would you recommend it?
As far as I know it's secure, but that also relates to the fact it's not too popular and widespreadly used as far as I know. The community behind it appears to be great, but don't expect thousands of plugins as you would find with vB or another big board.

phpBB for the sheer number of people who know it and existing code for extensibility of it.

I have used MyBB and would recommend it. I think it is almost as good as vBulletin (but MyBB is free!), and is better than SMF and phpBB.

I think it was 2 years ago but one of my friends had mybb back when it was able to use ipb mods and she got hacked a lot.
But in 2 years I am sure a lot has changed and I know that it no longer is able to use ipb mods.

phpbb3 is so cumbersome to apply hacks/mods. I like SMF for it's ease in this area and assigning permission in phpbb3 is a bear. You can't select certain forums and apply all the same permissions to it. Even if you select multiple forums, you still have to enter all the permissions separately. It's a real time waster!

I agree that SMF is better than phpBB but why do you consider MyBB better than SMF?

On an old site we used MyBB, then switched to SMF when we were selling it (the new owner requested the forum be moved to SMF). So having the exact same forum on both, I just felt that MyBB was easier to use, had a couple of really nifty add-ons that SMF didn't have, and it simply had a more professional vBulletin-ish look to it.

I still think SMF and MyBB are both great... you can't go wrong with either one.

vBulletin has my vote. It has all the features, the most active plugins/products community, and the support, in my experience, is a notch above IPB in overall speed, though I admit IPB's representatives tend to be a bit friendlier. I'd actually stretch that analogy further. IPB is kinder on the eyes and ears, but vBulletin is stronger in raw results.

I've used all the major paid/free forum scripts. For paid, I'd go with vB and free, I'd go with myBB.

MyBB certainly presents itself well, but I always felt like the quality of coding in SMF was higher.

Does anyone know if MyBB has the ability to update from within administration center (simply by clicking a link)? That is one ability that I have always appreciated about SMF.

Having said all of that, for large websites I always go vBulletin.

In my opinion it really is about preference in this case if you're starting a forum, and in any case you can migrate to the other platform.

Cheers

i like VBB, secure and many skin.

I also give a thumbs up to mybb. We switched one of our popular four yeard old 2500+ member forums to mybb about five months ago. Prior to that we used vBulletin for several years. We haven`t looked back, we all enjoy using mybb. Just perfect for those wanting a lightweight, easy to use forum, but with enough features to make it interesting.

How MyBB is? Is it enough secure and popular? would you recommend it?

MyBB is my second favorite free forum script after SMF. I just don't think it's matured as much as SMF has. Actually I just realized the much anticipated MyBB v1.4 (http://community.mybboard.net/thread-34565.html) was finally released a few days ago. I'm gonna download and install it on my VPS :)

If you can afford it, I would go with vBulletin.

Otherwise SMF and MyBB are two great choices.

MyBB is my second favorite free forum script after SMF. I just don't think it's matured as much as SMF has. Actually I just realized the much anticipated MyBB v1.4 (http://community.mybboard.net/thread-34565.html) was finally released a few days ago. I'm gonna download and install it on my VPS :)


I recently migrated one of my forums to myBB 1.4 - amazing release.

vBull is know for the BEST administation and Customization out there however it will cost you about $100 a year. If thats still the rate. phpBB is free and very popular so lots of plugins and themes.

vBull is know for the BEST administation and Customization out there however it will cost you about $100 a year. If thats still the rate. phpBB is free and very popular so lots of plugins and themes.

$100/year for leased and $180 for owned. :)

To a Moderator:

Please add IPB and MyBB as two new options to the poll that people can vote.
Polls are read-onbly even for initial posters! :(

Mybb and SMF are better than PHPbb

Indeed. But between SMF and MyBB which one do you vote for?

Generally I like SMF of VB, solely because they have a cleaner look and work/integrate a lot easier (and simply) with different CMS systems. I do know there are a lot of problems with different CMSs and phpbb3, although 2 does work I hear.

Indeed. But between SMF and MyBB which one do you vote for?

If you have a joomla site, SMF is better.
It is easy to integrate with Joomla.

SMF has integration codes all over the system, you can, for example, set an integration so that whenever someone registers on SMF, the reg data is sent to an external application so the user is also registered to a CMS or whatever. And this can be done without touching SMF register code at all.

SMF code is quite mature and solid. MyBB may have more features but they are still relatively new.

SMF has integration codes all over the system, you can, for example, set an integration so that whenever someone registers on SMF, the reg data is sent to an external application so the user is also registered to a CMS or whatever. And this can be done without touching SMF register code at all.

SMF code is quite mature and solid. MyBB may have more features but they are still relatively new.

Yea, and it does seem to have a more mature look IMO. It's also got some great (up-to-date) mods and skins, etc.

I've always preferred the feel of vBulletin to the others, although I have used and got on with phpBB.

If you have a joomla site, SMF is better.
It is easy to integrate with Joomla.
Don't the mod cost money?
They used to have a free on until Joomla changed the rules and the smf - joomla bridge was taken off of the smf site and some one new started making a pay one.

To a Moderator:

Please add IPB and MyBB as two new options to the poll that people can vote.
Polls are read-onbly even for initial posters! :(
You may have to report your thread to get them to change it.

I have been operating a vBulletin forum for several years. Prior to that it was based on phpBB. I went with vBulletin for its security and frequent security updates. Security problems have been minimal.

It costs $180 for an owned license for vB and $100 per year for a leased version. Support for an owned license is $40 per year after the first year. If you don't want support and updates you can continue to use an owned license indefinitely without additional charge.

Jeff

You can use ipb indefinitely too if you do not want updates or support.
Although I paid for a lifetime a long time ago so I do not even have to pay for updates. To bad they do not have the lifetime any more.

To a Moderator:

Please add IPB and MyBB as two new options to the poll that people can vote.
Done! Now I can vote :D

Okay, MyBB and ipb fan please vote now.

Vbulletin for paid and MyBB for free. I own 6 VB licenses and I really started loving the script. After a bad start, we seem to get along pretty well :D

Wow. I'm the only voter for IPB :(

This has been discussed a lot. My vote goes to phpBB

This has been discussed a lot. My vote goes to phpBB

phpBB is one of the worst out there. It is very unsafe.

I agree, once my site got hacked trough phpBB however it was while ago and may be it is fixed for recent versions. Anyway I was using SMF and only three days ago I found MyBB via this thread and my first fell was good with MyBB. I think I am going to prefer it to SMF.

I agree, once my site got hacked trough phpBB however it was while ago and may be it is fixed for recent versions. Anyway I was using SMF and only three days ago I found MyBB via this thread and my first fell was good with MyBB. I think I am going to prefer it to SMF.

MyBB is the best free forum, but IPB is the best :)

If you have low budget go with phbb3 otherwise vbullettin is the best

I agree VB us the best. But how about free ones? I did read on this thread MyBB is almost as feature-rich as VB. What do other users think about this?

I agree VB us the best. But how about free ones? I did read on this thread MyBB is almost as feature-rich as VB. What do other users think about this?

MyBB has almost every vB feature. It rocks. :)

phpBB is one of the worst out there. It is very unsafe.

Absolute rubbish.

SMF for me though.

Do you mean SMF is unsafe too?

Do you mean SMF is unsafe too?

No, lol.

SMF is one of the safest out there :)

whats IPB?????
The forums software/script made by http://www.invisionboard.com/
Its also called IP.Board and Invision Power board Hence the IPB.

The result of this discussion:

Paid Forums:
VB -> Excellent
IPB -> Lower than average.

Free Forums:
MyBB -> Excellent
SMF -> Good
phpBB -> The worst

IPB All the way! :D

I agree with you on phpbb being the worst but ipb is actually really good.
I know for a fact if I switched my ipb site to vb it would kill the site. Mainly do to it not having the mods my members like.

I have a lifetime vBulletin license, and its absolutely amazing. The support front is superb, and theirs tones of mods and themes. However if your looking for something free, I say MyBB is the best. Again it has quite a lot of addons and themes, and a good community.

I personally have never got along with phpBB, I think its over advertised.

I was using phpBB for many years. Recently i brought vbulletin and i really like it. There are many features that allow easy forum management for admins and moderators.

Could you compare vBulletin vs SMF vs phpBB and tell me what each of them offers that the other one doesn't? Which one do you like more?

Having run all of these at one point or another, I would say without hesitation that vBulletin is the best all around. It offers the most flexibility, and offers the best in security/abuse mitigation.

Because it's a professional product, the support is top-notch, where you are pretty much thrown to the wolves with SMF and phpBB, both of which are vulnerable to hacking and other problems.

vBulletin is much more SQL-friendly, which means it runs faster, and again, as a professional product, it's upgraded more often. Not only that, but it's not open-source, and not run by "kiddies", which is pretty much what phpBB and SMF are.

vBulletin is the way to go. :)

Because it's a professional product, the support is top-notch, where you are pretty much thrown to the wolves with SMF and phpBB, both of which are vulnerable to hacking and other problems.

Why not back such nonsense comments up with prove, such as reports from security sites, I think if you do though, you will find very few reports of SMF :o

vBulletin is much more SQL-friendly, which means it runs faster, and again, as a professional product, it's upgraded more often. Not only that, but it's not open-source, and not run by "kiddies", which is pretty much what phpBB and SMF are.

Absolute rubbish.

Great thread!!

Background: I'm running a relatively large forum (14,000 members and 4,000 posts per day) on punBB. For the most part I've loved punBB. It is super fast and efficient. Problem is this: The process of modding / upgrading (especially if I have mods manually installed) is just a pain.

Here's my question: From a VERY high level, if I was to convert my punBB forum to vBulletin, what would you guess my resource hit would be? Would you say I would consume the same amount of resources on my server, double, triple, or more? I have no idea how efficient / hoggish vBulletin is with resource usage, but I know punBB is super lightweight.

Cheers!

Having used phpBB and vBulletin, I prefer vBulletin.

I prefer their model to that of phpBB. I've developed extensions for vBulletin and much prefer it.

I've started seeing SMF a lot more lately. I need to check into it.

Depends on your budget and what you intend to do with the forum. I like PHPBB3 as a great open source forum app that has come a long way, but for rock solid stability and a great library of plugins/etc. I pay up and use vBulletin.

the phpBB is well easily targeted by spambot......kinda hate it....

I'd add that of late vBulletin seems to have had a spate of 'security' updates. These days it seems a nightmare of people who want to 'disrupt' when they have really 'zero' interest in what the actual forum/message board is even about.
I'd go for vBulletin though with SMF a (getting even more) close 2nd.
Michael

what do you mean? You are saying vb is a nightmare and you still prefer vb rather than smf??

vBulletin beats them all.

It's hard to ever compare paid and opensource software. Most, if not all, paid software is going to beat opensource, so vBulletin is a clear winner because it has money behind it's production.

However, if you're going the opensource route, there are some very good competitors out there and my vote would be for SMF.

what do you mean? You are saying vb is a nightmare and you still prefer vb rather than smf??

No, sorry, I mean you get a bit sick of such sophisticated methods people use to disrupt forum/message board scripts leading to the forever circle of (more frequent) security updates. Probably my initial bad grammar.
Michael

If you can afford it, I recommend VB as well.
I've used VB for 6 years now and it's always been a breeze to use.
Phpbb3's feature set is quite impressive, but I prefer the paid for solution.

I vouch for VB as well.

I don't run a forum on any of these anymore (used to do IPB and phpBB), but I'm a member of a number of forums, so in the end I prefer sites using VB the most :)

phpbb3 roks!

I am most familiar with IPB and I feel it looks better than vB, though vB has more mods, more support, and a larger community.

I have had phpBB from version 1.0 onwards.

I should say every version I installed got hacked in a way. (the most terrible one was version 1.0. I remember 3 of my sites were hacked at that time).

I like IPB very much, it is fast, simple and beautiful. However I was using versions 1.1 , 1.2 and at last the 1.3 which were free at that time.

One day I visited the forums and saw every single of them have stopped working! After licensing changed to non-free all forums ceased to work!!! (either hacked in some way, which I did not find any evidence or the company did something using the scripts which call back their website to stop them from working). I lost 3 forums in this way. Then I stopped operating forums.

Lately I installed phpBB3 and converted one of IPBs (I had backup of the old data), but I was bombarded by SPAM. then I installed some anti spam plugins (not quite easy) and it decreased the spam.

Anyway I have not tried SMF but I definitely know vBulletin and if someone has money it worth the time and effort you will put on your website.

In addition I am member on several forums (20 perhaps), I visit vBulletin ones more because I like clean, clear, fast and simple pages. I hardly visit phpBB forums (I don't know why, they seem to me slow and hard to read. In the last version it takes users a while to find the post button!).

i would prefer phpBB3

vB and IPB shouldn't even be in this poll, as they're not in the same league as phpbb or SMF. They're PAID forum software, whereas the others are FREE. There is a huge difference.

As far as what vs. what?:
For free, I'd have to say hands down SMF. The package and theme installation is just genius, the support is great, and it's virtually spam free, unlike phpbb.

MyBB is a good alternative, but it's too new, so there's bound to be issues with it, at least for now. It's got a good vB feel to it, but it can't be relied on, at least right now, to provide stability.

phpBB3, while good, still has a lot of the spam issues that phpBB2 had, is messy and sloppy, and complicated for the end administrator to use. The permissions based setup is almost impossible to figure out, unless you've got a graduate's degree in programming. Simplicity? Not there.

phpBB2 will be phasing out, so that's not really even an option.

I am indspired to try myBB, to see whats it all about. Till then My Vote is with SMF.
VB and IPB- Don't have the money to try them. But I prefer the look and feel of IPB over Vb as a user.

Yeah, phpbb3 and it's permissions system is awful. You can't change permission in one full swoop, you have to do it individually for everything and even if you do (like change 50 permissions by clicking in all of those check boxes), it sometimes rejects it and you have to start all over. They could have designed a MUCH more user-friendly permissions system. It gives you great control but at the expense of complication and inconvenience.

If you're considering IPB vs. vB, you want to strongly consider vB. IPB is just not worth the money, considering you get much, much more from vB, and better support and upgrade levels.

I disagree with alot said about IPB.. There are alot of Mods, support sites that I use alot for one of my sites. You get what you pay for in my opinion.

I am really happy that I stumbled on this thread. I was about to begin a new forum on my site and was going for phpBB. I even installed and configured it and made several changes to the files to integrate it with my site. But now I think I should give a little more consideration to MyBB before going any further with phpBB.

If my forum is going to be successful, then I will surely consider upgrading to vB. Because that is my favorite. :)

Well I have never really worked a lot with different forums but I do prefer phpBB. Hard to explain why, but I feel like it is everything you need. Not way to hard and it is free, right?

It works for everyone with kind of basic needs.

Many said they love MyBB, but only 3 votes so far :confused:

Probably because it was added later.

Probably because it was added later.
Correct :) Chances are, those who would have voted MyBB, already voted for what was originally in the poll.

Yep I voted for smf but would have voted for ipb if it was on the list first.

I never thought about that :) . Also there is another possibility.
I like MyBB, but I voted for vB (because I like it more). :)

MyBB isn't getting any loving :(.

That's my favorite at it's gets the job done with out having tons of thing I don't need and it's easy to add things I do need.

But vB is second while the rest I just don't care about in all honesty.