SMF vs. MyBB vs. phpBB vs. Phorum

General SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
Version
2.0.6
1.6.3
3.0.8
5.2.9a
Release Date
2013-10-21 (10 years ago)
2011-04-16 (12 years ago)
2010-11-19 (13 years ago)
2008-10-12 (15 years ago)
Last Update here
2013-10-25 (10 years ago)
2011-06-22 (12 years ago)
2011-06-22 (12 years ago)
2008-10-16 (15 years ago)
Author
Simple Machines
MyBB Group
The phpBB Group
Phorum Dev Team
URL
Free and Open Source
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
License
BSD
Custom
General Public License
The Phorum License (BSD)
License cost
0
US$0
0.00
0
Main View
Thread-Type
Flat
Threaded or Flat
Flat
Threaded or Flat
Setup SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
Installation method
wizard
wizard
wizard
wizard
Upgrade method
wizard
wizard
wizard with manual interactions
wizard
Hosting available
No
No
No
No
Technology SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
Programming Language
PHP
PHP
PHP
PHP
UTF-8 Support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data Storage
3
MySQL Database, PostgreSQL Database, SQLite File Database
3
MySQL Database, PostgreSQL Database, SQLite File Database
6
Firebird Database, Microsoft SQL Database, MySQL Database, Oracle Database, PostgreSQL Database, SQLite File Database
2
MySQL Database, PostgreSQL Database
Other Storage
Source Code Repo
Issue Tracker
Posts SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
BBCode
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
HTML
Yes
Yes
No
Optional
Emoticons
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
Formatting Toolbar
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
WYSIWYG Editor
Yes
Plugin
No
Plugin
Quoting
Nested
Nested
Nested
Nested
Syntax Highlighting
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Attachments
Multiple files
Multiple files
Multiple files
Multiple files
Tags
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Mark as solved
Forums SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
Categories
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Subforums
unlimited
unlimited
unlimited
multiple levels
Last Post
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Redirect Forums
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Trashcan Forum
Yes
Plugin
No
No
Anti-Spam and Security SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
CAPTCHA
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
Groups
Multiple groups
Multiple groups
Multiple groups
Multiple groups
Flood Control
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
ACLs
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Blacklist
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Warnings
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Suspension
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Bans
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
IP-Block
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Audit Logging
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
User Reports
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Other
An Akismet mod is available
Akismet plugin available.
Plugin-based CAPTCHA system, Newly Registered Users permissions
Aksimet Plugin
Notification SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
RSS/ATOM
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
E-Mail
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Instant Messaging
Jabber
0
Bookmarks
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Community SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
Avatars
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
User Ranks
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Rating/Karma System
Yes
Yes
Patch
Plugin
Signatures
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Users Online List
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Private Messaging
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Custom profile fields
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Moderation SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
Moderators
global, forums and threads
global and forums
global and forums
global and forums
Move Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Split Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Close Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Shadow Topics
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Sticky Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Important Threads
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Search SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
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 SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
Languages
0
0
0
0
Mobile View
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Templates
global and forum specific
global and forum specific
global and forum specific
global and forum specific
Custom BBCodes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Skin-Editor
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Smiley Packs
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Plugins
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Special Features SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
Statistics
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Polls
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Calendar
Yes
Yes
No
No
Friendly URLs
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Data Management SMF MyBB phpBB Phorum
Available Importers
Pruning
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Archiving
Plugin
No
No
No
Export Formats
WAP(2), IMode
SQL Dumps in .sql, sql.gz, and .sql.bz2
Export private messages
Plugin
Yes
Yes
No
Lo-Fi View
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
remove SMF remove MyBB remove phpBB remove Phorum