Freedom251 › Community Platforms
Askbot
by Askbot
What Askbot is
Askbot is an open-source Q&A platform for turning recurring questions into a searchable knowledge base. It supports best-answer selection, tagging, collaborative editing and full-text search. Voting and accepted answers build reputation that can unlock privileges and badges. Administrators can use flags-only, audit or full pre-moderation, set flag thresholds and manage user lifecycles. An AI classifier blocks obvious spam, while confirmed spam may support classifier training. Email options include instant alerts, daily or weekly digests and per-tag subscriptions. Askbot supports LDAP, OAuth and SSO, multilingual interfaces, custom branding and custom domains with SSL. Privacy tools include data export, anonymization, deletion and anonymous posting. It is designed for self-hosting and customization, with pip, ZIP or Git deployment. Pip requires Python 3.8 or newer. Plans start at $49/mo with a 30-day trial.
Who it suits
Askbot suits organizations, communities and educational institutions that want a customizable, self-hosted Q&A knowledge base. It also fits teams needing moderation, identity-provider and privacy controls.
What it does well
- Supports self-hosting and customization
- Provides configurable moderation modes
- Includes LDAP, OAuth and SSO
- Offers multilingual and custom-domain support
- Has API documentation and developer resources
What to know first
- No free plan is listed
- Basic plan supports up to 250 users
- Pip installation requires Python 3.8 or newer
- Enterprise pricing is $499.00 per month
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $49 /mo · Up to 250 users · Standard Q&A features · SSL certificate · Daily backups · Email support · Community moderation · AI spam filter | $49 a month |
| Business | $149 /mo · Up to 750 users · All Basic features · SSO · Priority email support | $149 a month |
| Enterprise | $499 · Unlimited users · All Business features · Multilingual support · Custom branding · SLA guarantee · Phone support | $499 |
| Custom | Contact us · Unlimited users · All Enterprise features · Custom integrations · On-premise deployment option | On request |
As askbot.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Askbot combines searchable Q&A, reputation, moderation and enterprise identity options. Its deployment flexibility is useful, while plan limits and paid pricing matter for larger communities.
Facts from Askbot's own pages
- API and developer resources
- The developer page describes Askbot as built with Django and Python and links to developer documentation with an API reference. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Audience
- Askbot describes itself as designed for self-hosting and customization by organizations, communities, and educational institutions. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Core features
- It supports best-answer selection, tagging, collaborative editing, and full-text search. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Custom domain
- Yes · askbot.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Deployment
- The download page offers installation with pip, a GitHub release ZIP, and a Git clone; pip installation requires Python 3.8 or newer. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2009 · askbot.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- No · askbot.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Pucón, Chile · askbot.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Identity and branding
- The platform supports LDAP, OAuth, and SSO identity providers, custom branding, multilingual interface, and custom domains with SSL. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Askbot consulting offers CMS integration for WordPress, Drupal, and custom CMS platforms. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Member limit
- 250 · askbot.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Moderation
- Admins can choose flags-only, audit, or full pre-moderation, with configurable flag thresholds and user lifecycle controls. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Moderation tools
- Yes · askbot.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Notifications
- Email notifications include instant alerts, daily or weekly digests, and per-tag subscriptions. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- Listed privacy tools include data export, account anonymization, account deletion, and anonymous posting under a GDPR Compliance heading. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Askbot is an open-source Q&A platform that turns repeated questions into a searchable knowledge base. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Reputation
- Users earn reputation through votes and best answers, which can unlock privileges and badges. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Spam control
- An AI classifier blocks obvious spam, and manually confirmed spam is retained for classifier training. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Paid from
- 49 · askbot.com, 22 Sept 2026
- Support
- Plans list email support for Basic, priority email support for Business, and phone support for Enterprise; the developer page also links to a community support forum. · askbot.com, 7 Oct 2026
Where Askbot stands on Freedom251
- Community Platforms#75 of 126