MyBB

Free, extensible forum software package.

GitHub stars
1,243
License
LGPL-3.0
Latest release
mybb_1841
16 September 2026
Last commit
24 September 2026
Runs on
PHP

Commits per month, last 12 months

383 commits

Replaces

Paid products MyBB can stand in for.

How to self-host MyBB

MyBB runs on PHP. The project's own install guide is the place to start; most people put it on a small server with Docker and a reverse proxy for HTTPS.

  1. Get a server: a home server, a VPS, or a managed app host.
  2. Install it the way the project's docs describe, usually with Docker Compose.
  3. Put it behind HTTPS and set up backups before you add real data.
  4. Update it regularly. Watch the project's releases.

New to self-hosting? Start with the beginner's guide.

Similar apps

  • Mastodon

    Federated microblogging server.

    50.4k stars
  • Discourse

    Advanced forum / community solution based on Ruby and JS.

    48k stars
  • Flarum

    Delightfully simple forums. Flarum is the next-generation forum software that makes online discussion fun again.

    16.4k stars
  • Answer

    Knowledge-based community software. You can use it to quickly build your Q&A community for product technical support, customer support, user communication, and more.

    15.7k stars
  • NodeBB

    Forum software built for the modern web.

    15.2k stars
  • Lemmy

    Link aggregator for the fediverse (alternative to Reddit).

    14.6k stars

Questions

Is MyBB free?

Yes. MyBB is open source under the LGPL-3.0 license, so you can use it without paying for a license. You pay only for the server it runs on.

Can I self-host MyBB?

Yes. MyBB runs on PHP. Follow the install guide in the project's documentation, or use a host that installs it for you.

What does MyBB replace?

People use MyBB instead of XenForo.

Is MyBB still maintained?

The last change to MyBB's code was on 24 September 2026, with 383 commits in the last 12 months.

Topics

Communication - Social Networks and Forums

App data from awesome-selfhosted (CC BY-SA 3.0), stars and activity from GitHub.