Discuz! X vs MyBB
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted forums & community options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Discuz! X
Widely used Chinese-origin community forum system
VS
MyBB
Free and extensible community forum software
| Feature | Discuz! X | MyBB |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Forums & Community | Forums & Community |
| License | GPL-3.0 | LGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 25 | ★ 1,232 |
| First released | 2010 | 2005 |
| Replaces | phpBB, vBulletin | vBulletin, phpBB |
Why pick each one
Choose Discuz! X if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Discuz! X or MyBB better?
MyBB is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Discuz! X if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Discuz! X and MyBB free and open-source?
Yes. Discuz! X is licensed under GPL-3.0 and MyBB under LGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Discuz! X and MyBB with Docker?
Discuz! X: yes. MyBB: yes.