Side by side
phpBB vs PlushForums
Both stand on forum software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Self-hostedWeb
phpBB offers forum-building tools with extension and style customization at no software cost. It requires self-hosting and server administration, including attention to the installation directory after setup.
Visit phpBB Free trial AndroidiPhoneWeb
Visit PlushForums The facts
| phpBB | PlushForums | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | A free trial |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Self-hosted, Web | Android, iPhone, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Small: $49 a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 6 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | phpbb.com | plushforums.com |
| On forum software | #8 of 20 | #12 of 20 |
phpBB: what it does well
- Free and open-source under GNU GPL v2
- Extensions and styles allow board customization
- Administration panel avoids direct code edits
- Default style supports desktop and mobile browsers
- Language packs support additional translations
What to know first
- Requires a PHP web server and SQL database
- phpBB 3.3 requires PHP 7.2 or later
- Install directory must be removed after setup
PlushForums: what it does well
Alternatives to phpBB Alternatives to PlushForums The whole list