miniBB vs. SMF vs. Phorum vs. dnfBB

General miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
Version
2.4
2.0.6
5.2.9a
2.0
Release Date
2008-08-17 (15 years ago)
2013-10-21 (10 years ago)
2008-10-12 (15 years ago)
2007-03-26 (17 years ago)
Last Update here
2009-09-02 (14 years ago)
2013-10-25 (10 years ago)
2008-10-16 (15 years ago)
2007-03-29 (17 years ago)
Author
miniBB Team
Simple Machines
Phorum Dev Team
dnfBB Team
URL
Free and Open Source
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
License
GPL
BSD
The Phorum License (BSD)
IDPL
License cost
Free
0
0
N/A
Main View
Thread-Type
Flat
Flat
Threaded or Flat
Threaded or Flat
Setup miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
Installation method
wizard
wizard
wizard
wizard
Upgrade method
manual
wizard
wizard
wizard
Hosting available
No
No
No
No
Technology miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
Programming Language
PHP
PHP
PHP
C#
UTF-8 Support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data Storage
1
MySQL Database
3
MySQL Database, PostgreSQL Database, SQLite File Database
2
MySQL Database, PostgreSQL Database
2
Firebird Database, MySQL Database
Other Storage
Source Code Repo
Issue Tracker
Posts miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
BBCode
Yes
Yes
Optional
Yes
HTML
Optional
Yes
Optional
No
Emoticons
Plugin
Yes
Optional
Yes
Formatting Toolbar
Plugin
Yes
Optional
No
WYSIWYG Editor
Plugin
Yes
Plugin
No
Quoting
Single
Nested
Nested
Nested
Syntax Highlighting
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Attachments
Multiple files
Multiple files
Multiple files
No
Tags
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Mark as solved
Forums miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
Categories
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Subforums
one level
unlimited
multiple levels
No
Last Post
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Redirect Forums
No
Yes
No
Yes
Trashcan Forum
Yes
Yes
No
No
Anti-Spam and Security miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
CAPTCHA
Plugin
Yes
Optional
No
Groups
No
Multiple groups
Multiple groups
Multiple groups
Flood Control
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
ACLs
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Blacklist
Plugin
Yes
Yes
No
Warnings
Plugin
Yes
Plugin
No
Suspension
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Bans
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
IP-Block
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Audit Logging
Plugin
Yes
Optional
No
User Reports
No
Yes
Yes
No
Other
An Akismet mod is available
Aksimet Plugin
Notification miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
RSS/ATOM
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
E-Mail
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Instant Messaging
0
0
Bookmarks
Plugin
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Community miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
Avatars
Plugin
Yes
Plugin
Yes
User Ranks
Plugin
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Rating/Karma System
Plugin
Yes
Plugin
No
Signatures
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Users Online List
Plugin
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Private Messaging
Plugin
Yes
Yes
No
Custom profile fields
Plugin
Yes
Yes
No
Moderation miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
Moderators
global and forums
global, forums and threads
global and forums
global and forums
Move Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Split Threads
Plugin
Yes
Yes
No
Close Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Shadow Topics
Plugin
Yes
Yes
No
Sticky Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Important Threads
Plugin
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Search miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
Full-text search
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Author search
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Advanced search
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Unread Topics
Database tracked
Database tracked
Database tracked
Database tracked
Customization miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
Languages
0
0
0
0
Mobile View
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Templates
global
global and forum specific
global and forum specific
CSS only
Custom BBCodes
Patch
Plugin
Plugin
No
Skin-Editor
Plugin
Yes
No
No
Smiley Packs
Plugin
Yes
Plugin
No
Plugins
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Special Features miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
Statistics
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Polls
Plugin
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Calendar
Plugin
Yes
No
No
Friendly URLs
Optional
Plugin
Plugin
No
Data Management miniBB SMF Phorum dnfBB
Available Importers
Pruning
Plugin
Yes
Yes
No
Archiving
Plugin
Plugin
No
No
Export Formats
Users' logins/emails can be exported in CSV or TXT
WAP(2), IMode
Export private messages
Plugin
Plugin
No
No
Lo-Fi View
Yes
Yes
Optional
No
remove miniBB remove SMF remove Phorum remove dnfBB