FUDforum 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?
FeatureFUDforumphpBB
CategoryForums & CommunitySocial Networks
LicenseGPL-2.0GPL-2.0
LanguagePHPPHP
Setup difficultyMediumEasy
Min. RAM256 MB256 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, sourcebare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 80★ 2,090
First released20012000
ReplacesphpBB, vBulletinvBulletin, Discourse

Why pick each one

Choose FUDforum if…

  • Released under the GPL-2.0 license
  • Written in PHP
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
FUDforum details

Choose phpBB if…

  • Runs on basic shared hosting
  • Decades of stability
phpBB details

Frequently asked questions

Is FUDforum or phpBB better?

phpBB is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider FUDforum if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are FUDforum and phpBB free and open-source?

Yes. FUDforum is licensed under GPL-2.0 and phpBB under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run FUDforum and phpBB with Docker?

FUDforum: check the project docs for container support. phpBB: check the project docs for container support.

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