MyBB vs phpBB
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
MyBB
Free and extensible community forum software
VS
phpBB
Classic free and open-source bulletin board
| Feature | MyBB | phpBB |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Forums & Community | Social Networks |
| License | LGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,232 | ★ 2,090 |
| First released | 2005 | 2000 |
| Replaces | vBulletin, phpBB | vBulletin, Discourse |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is MyBB or phpBB better?
Neither is universally better. phpBB has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are MyBB and phpBB free and open-source?
Yes. MyBB is licensed under LGPL-3.0 and phpBB under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MyBB and phpBB with Docker?
MyBB: yes. phpBB: check the project docs for container support.