YaBB vs. MyBB vs. phpBB vs. SMF vs. Phorum

General YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
Version
2.5 AE
1.6.3
3.0.8
2.0.6
5.2.9a
Release Date
2010-07-04 (13 years ago)
2011-04-16 (12 years ago)
2010-11-19 (13 years ago)
2013-10-21 (10 years ago)
2008-10-12 (15 years ago)
Last Update here
2010-07-06 (13 years ago)
2011-06-22 (12 years ago)
2011-06-22 (12 years ago)
2013-10-25 (10 years ago)
2008-10-16 (15 years ago)
Author
YaBB Development Team
MyBB Group
The phpBB Group
Simple Machines
Phorum Dev Team
URL
Free and Open Source
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
License
YPL (Modified GNU GPL)
Custom
General Public License
BSD
The Phorum License (BSD)
License cost
Free
US$0
0.00
0
0
Main View
Thread-Type
Flat
Threaded or Flat
Flat
Flat
Threaded or Flat
Setup YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
Installation method
wizard
wizard
wizard
wizard
wizard
Upgrade method
wizard with manual interactions
wizard
wizard with manual interactions
wizard
wizard
Hosting available
Yes
No
No
No
No
Technology YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
Programming Language
Perl
PHP
PHP
PHP
PHP
UTF-8 Support
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Data Storage
0
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, PostgreSQL Database, SQLite File Database
2
MySQL Database, PostgreSQL Database
Other Storage
Source Code Repo
Issue Tracker
Posts YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
BBCode
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
HTML
Optional
Yes
No
Yes
Optional
Emoticons
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
Formatting Toolbar
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
WYSIWYG Editor
Yes
Plugin
No
Yes
Plugin
Quoting
Nested
Nested
Nested
Nested
Nested
Syntax Highlighting
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Attachments
Multiple files
Multiple files
Multiple files
Multiple files
Multiple files
Tags
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Mark as solved
Forums YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
Categories
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Subforums
one level
unlimited
unlimited
unlimited
multiple levels
Last Post
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Redirect Forums
Patch
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Trashcan Forum
Optional
Plugin
No
Yes
No
Anti-Spam and Security YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
CAPTCHA
Optional
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
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
Yes
Warnings
Optional
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Suspension
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Bans
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
IP-Block
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Audit Logging
Optional
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
User Reports
Optional
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Other
trademark "the Guardian" system
Akismet plugin available.
Plugin-based CAPTCHA system, Newly Registered Users permissions
An Akismet mod is available
Aksimet Plugin
Notification YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
RSS/ATOM
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
E-Mail
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Instant Messaging
Private message notifications and broadcast messages
Jabber
0
Bookmarks
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Community YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
Avatars
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
User Ranks
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Rating/Karma System
Patch
Yes
Patch
Yes
Plugin
Signatures
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Users Online List
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Private Messaging
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Custom profile fields
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Moderation YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
Moderators
global and forums
global and forums
global and forums
global, forums and threads
global and forums
Move Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Split Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Close Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Shadow Topics
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Sticky Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Important Threads
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Search YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
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 YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
Languages
0
0
0
0
0
Mobile View
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Unknown
Templates
global
global and forum specific
global and forum specific
global and forum specific
global and forum specific
Custom BBCodes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Plugin
Skin-Editor
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Smiley Packs
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Plugins
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Special Features YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
Statistics
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Polls
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Plugin
Calendar
Patch
Yes
No
Yes
No
Friendly URLs
Optional
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Plugin
Data Management YaBB MyBB phpBB SMF Phorum
Available Importers
Pruning
Yes
Plugin
Yes
Yes
Yes
Archiving
No
No
No
Plugin
No
Export Formats
print layout; storage folders
SQL Dumps in .sql, sql.gz, and .sql.bz2
WAP(2), IMode
Export private messages
No
Yes
Yes
Plugin
No
Lo-Fi View
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Optional
remove YaBB remove MyBB remove phpBB remove SMF remove Phorum