MyBB vs Simple Machines Forum
A side-by-side comparison of MyBB and Simple Machines Forum — pricing, license, deployment, and where each tool wins.
MyBB
mybb.com
Free, extensible forum software package.
Simple Machines Forum
simplemachines.org
Free, professional grade software package that allows you to set up your own online community within minutes.
| Feature | MyBB | Simple Machines Forum |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Model | Open-source | Open-source |
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Deployment | Self-hosted | Self-hosted |
| Category | Communication - Social Networks and Forums | Communication - Social Networks and Forums |
| Self-hosted | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
| Free tier | ✓Yes | ✓Yes |
Pick MyBB if…
- ✓You prefer MyBB's feature set or ecosystem fit.
Pick Simple Machines Forum if…
- ✓You prefer Simple Machines Forum's feature set or ecosystem fit.