SMF vs. Phorum vs. MyBB vs. phpBB vs. JForum

General SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
Version
2.0.6
5.2.9a
1.6.3
3.0.8
2.1.8
Release Date
2013-10-21 (10 years ago)
2008-10-12 (15 years ago)
2011-04-16 (12 years ago)
2010-11-19 (13 years ago)
2008-10-31 (15 years ago)
Last Update here
2013-10-25 (10 years ago)
2008-10-16 (15 years ago)
2011-06-22 (12 years ago)
2011-06-22 (12 years ago)
2008-01-02 (16 years ago)
Author
Simple Machines
Phorum Dev Team
MyBB Group
The phpBB Group
Rafael Steil
URL
Free and Open Source
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
License
BSD
The Phorum License (BSD)
Custom
General Public License
BSD
License cost
0
0
US$0
0.00
0
Main View
Thread-Type
Flat
Threaded or Flat
Threaded or Flat
Flat
Flat
Setup SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
Installation method
wizard
wizard
wizard
wizard
wizard
Upgrade method
wizard
wizard
wizard
wizard with manual interactions
manual
Hosting available
No
No
No
No
No
Technology SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
Programming Language
PHP
PHP
PHP
PHP
Java
UTF-8 Support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data Storage
3
MySQL Database, PostgreSQL Database, SQLite File Database
2
MySQL Database, PostgreSQL Database
3
MySQL Database, PostgreSQL Database, SQLite File Database
6
Firebird Database, Microsoft SQL Database, MySQL Database, Oracle Database, PostgreSQL Database, SQLite File Database
3
MySQL Database, Oracle Database, PostgreSQL Database
Other Storage
HSQLDB
Source Code Repo
Issue Tracker
Posts SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
BBCode
Yes
Optional
Yes
Yes
Yes
HTML
Yes
Optional
Yes
No
Yes
Emoticons
Yes
Optional
Yes
Yes
Yes
Formatting Toolbar
Yes
Optional
Yes
Yes
No
WYSIWYG Editor
Yes
Plugin
Plugin
No
No
Quoting
Nested
Nested
Nested
Nested
Nested
Syntax Highlighting
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
No
Attachments
Multiple files
Multiple files
Multiple files
Multiple files
Multiple files
Tags
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Mark as solved
Forums SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
Categories
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Subforums
unlimited
multiple levels
unlimited
unlimited
No
Last Post
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Redirect Forums
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
Trashcan Forum
Yes
No
Plugin
No
No
Anti-Spam and Security SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
CAPTCHA
Yes
Optional
Yes
Yes
Yes
Groups
Multiple groups
Multiple groups
Multiple groups
Multiple groups
Multiple groups
Flood Control
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
ACLs
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Blacklist
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Warnings
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
No
Suspension
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bans
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
IP-Block
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Audit Logging
Yes
Optional
Yes
Yes
Unknown
User Reports
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Other
An Akismet mod is available
Aksimet Plugin
Akismet plugin available.
Plugin-based CAPTCHA system, Newly Registered Users permissions
Notification SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
RSS/ATOM
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
E-Mail
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Instant Messaging
0
Jabber
0
Bookmarks
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Community SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
Avatars
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
User Ranks
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Rating/Karma System
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Patch
Yes
Signatures
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Users Online List
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Private Messaging
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Custom profile fields
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Moderation SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
Moderators
global, forums and threads
global and forums
global and forums
global and forums
global and forums
Move Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Split Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Close Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Shadow Topics
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Sticky Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Important Threads
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Search SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
Full-text search
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Author search
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Advanced search
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Unread Topics
Database tracked
Database tracked
Database tracked
Database tracked
Database tracked
Customization SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
Languages
0
0
0
0
0
Mobile View
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Templates
global and forum specific
global and forum specific
global and forum specific
global and forum specific
global
Custom BBCodes
Plugin
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Skin-Editor
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
Smiley Packs
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugins
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Special Features SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
Statistics
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Polls
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Calendar
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Friendly URLs
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Yes
Data Management SMF Phorum MyBB phpBB JForum
Available Importers
Pruning
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Yes
No
Archiving
Plugin
No
No
No
No
Export Formats
WAP(2), IMode
SQL Dumps in .sql, sql.gz, and .sql.bz2
Export private messages
Plugin
No
Yes
Yes
No
Lo-Fi View
Yes
Optional
Yes
Yes
No
remove SMF remove Phorum remove MyBB remove phpBB remove JForum