MyBB vs Phorum
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted forums & community options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | MyBB | Phorum |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 83 · Excellent | 69 · Good |
| Category | Forums & Community | Forums & Community |
| License | LGPL-3.0 | PHP-3.01 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,242 | ★ 67 |
| First released | 2005 | 1998 |
| Replaces | vBulletin, phpBB | phpBB |
What are MyBB and Phorum?
MyBB
MyBB is a free, open-source forum software focused on being easy to use, customizable, and extensible. It provides a powerful moderation suite and a plugin and theme system.
- Easy administration panel
- Plugin and theme system
- Powerful moderation tools
- Lightweight footprint
Phorum
Phorum is one of the oldest PHP-based forum applications, designed to be fast and lightweight. It supports modules, custom templates, and email integration for discussions.
- Lightweight and fast
- Module and template system
- Email-to-forum integration
- Long-established codebase
MyBB vs Phorum: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — LGPL-3.0 for MyBB versus PHP-3.01 for Phorum. Phorum is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for MyBB. Phorum is the more established project (first released 1998), while MyBB arrived in 2005. MyBB has the considerably larger community, at 1,242 GitHub stars versus 67. MyBB lists first-class Docker deployment; Phorum does not.
Why pick each one
Choose MyBB if…
- Simple to install and run
- Good customization
Watch out for
- Classic forum styling
- No native real-time features
Choose Phorum if…
- Released under the PHP-3.01 license
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Development largely dormant
- Dated interface
Frequently asked questions
Is MyBB or Phorum better?
MyBB is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Phorum if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are MyBB and Phorum free and open-source?
Yes. MyBB is licensed under LGPL-3.0 and Phorum under PHP-3.01. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MyBB and Phorum with Docker?
MyBB: yes. Phorum: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, MyBB or Phorum?
Phorum has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for MyBB. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.