Simple Machines Forum vs MyBB
A side-by-side comparison of Simple Machines Forum and MyBB — pricing, license, deployment, and where each tool wins.
Simple Machines Forum
simplemachines.org
Free, professional grade software package that allows you to set up your own online community within minutes.
MyBB
mybb.com
Free, extensible forum software package.
| Feature | Simple Machines Forum | MyBB |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Simple Machines Forum if…
- ✓You prefer Simple Machines Forum's feature set or ecosystem fit.
Pick MyBB if…
- ✓You prefer MyBB's feature set or ecosystem fit.