Paid forum software versus free forum software?

[JennyorAlice]

I'd like to discuss using paid forum software versus free forum software. Which one do you like using? Which one is the best? Which one do you think is better?

 

[zoldos]

I only used free forums because I didn't know how to do self hosted at that time. Most free forums have forced ads, limited admin control, and few offer direct access to the templates. And you are charged for "extras". I used ProBoards I think it was in like 1999. I quickly moved on to phpBB, etc.

I currently use Xenforo and will use nothing else.

 

[kensonplays]

I started my forum days with SMF 1.x. I went to 2.0.x, but have not really used 2.1 at all.

Now I use a (currently expired) license of XenForo (since its only on .12, whereas .13 is newest) since its much more feature-rich than SMF is.

Although, SMF does have its benefits being free meaning no paying to upgrade the base software, though it does miss some things I like, for example, the ACP is nicely laid out.

 

[Nomad]

I use free, I have never used premium software for myself. The reason why I use free is because I can run my forum for a long time without having to empty my pockets for license renewals and addons.

 

[zoldos]

I use free, I have never used premium software for myself. The reason why I use free is because I can run my forum for a long time without having to empty my pockets for license renewals and addons.

It's a good point. I guess I'm fortunate to have enough income to pay for such things, as well as really good hosting....

 

[Tracy]

I'd like to discuss using paid forum software versus free forum software. Which one do you like using? Which one is the best? Which one do you think is better?

The best is what fits your needs and your pocketbook.
For simple forums, there is rarely a need to jump feet first into the pool on a paid software. Go with something that you know can be imported into the paid scripts and if your site takes off, then you can look at moving into a paid script that offers (even by 3rd party add-ons) what YOU see as needed for your site.

There is no "better/best"... other than what is "best" for your situation and needs.
Without a LOT of work (and well more money than I have expended)... IPS would not work well for my astro site considering what I want to offer to any users.
On the other hand, I could fairly easily get it to work on my pipe site (in fact, for a long time that's what it ran) by using Pages in addition to the forum.

 

[Nomad]

It's a good point. I guess I'm fortunate to have enough income to pay for such things, as well as really good hosting....

I have unlimited hosting plans, so when I decide to launch a forum, I don't have to pay for hosting. Since I use open source, I don't have to pay for a license. MY expenses are only on domain and content. I sometimes hire paid posters to create content. My forums earn very little and I can not imagine paying from my pockets.

 

[Tracy]

I have unlimited hosting plans, so when I decide to launch a forum, I don't have to pay for hosting. Since I use open source, I don't have to pay for a license. MY expenses are only on domain and content. I sometimes hire paid posters to create content. My forums earn very little and I can not imagine paying from my pockets.

Only problem with most of those "unlimited plans", especially if they are on lower end hosting providers is they get WELL oversold on capacity. And even then... I've seen many of those "unlimited' plans actually have inode limitations. Yeah, the give you "unlimited MB storage"... just gotta watch out for those nasty inodes that they don't tell you about.
My forums earn absolutely zero... but I look at it as with any other hobby... generally all of which cost SOME money.
When it was fishing for me, the Ranger bass boat we had was around $55K and then the "need" of the 4WD truck to pull it.... and let's not even talk about the several thousands in rods, reels and tackle that went into the equation (and the need to replace the tackle regularly). Hunting was almost as bad since at the time I did not own any land... so had to lease a hunting place... and that was several thousand a year just for the lease, never mind the time of working the feed plots, the cost of the corn in the feeders and then the guns and clothing to hunt with.
Even something as simple as "playing tennis" has a cost to it. It ultimately comes down to where you want to spend any spare money you have. We aren't the types that stop in for a early monring $12 latte and go out to eat at lunch/dinner every day types.

 

[Nomad]

Only problem with most of those "unlimited plans", especially if they are on lower end hosting providers is they get WELL oversold on capacity. And even then... I've seen many of those "unlimited' plans actually have inode limitations. Yeah, the give you "unlimited MB storage"... just gotta watch out for those nasty inodes that they don't tell you about.
My forums earn absolutely zero... but I look at it as with any other hobby... generally all of which cost SOME money.
When it was fishing for me, the Ranger bass boat we had was around $55K and then the "need" of the 4WD truck to pull it.... and let's not even talk about the several thousands in rods, reels and tackle that went into the equation (and the need to replace the tackle regularly). Hunting was almost as bad since at the time I did not own any land... so had to lease a hunting place... and that was several thousand a year just for the lease, never mind the time of working the feed plots, the cost of the corn in the feeders and then the guns and clothing to hunt with.
Even something as simple as "playing tennis" has a cost to it. It ultimately comes down to where you want to spend any spare money you have. We aren't the types that stop in for a early monring $12 latte and go out to eat at lunch/dinner every day types.

You consider your forums as your hobby because you have other income sources. However, creating sites and running sites for revenue is my profession. I pay bills from the money I make from my site. Therefore, I try to minimize my cost so that I can maximize my profits. I understand what you are trying to say about "unlimited hosting" However, my sites do not consume a lot of resources on the servers and I have enough diskspace and bandwidth to run my existing sites. I also frequently sell sites so that I have enough rooms for a new site

 

[Empire]

I started using free forum software back in 2011/12 with Ejin and SMF, it was a starting out point and most people wouldn't even do paid until they know if it's something for them to get into you know. SMF was good but six months later I went to IPS as paid which offers more what I'm after and whatnot. more to the story but you do get for what you pay for

 

[zoldos]

I have unlimited hosting plans, so when I decide to launch a forum, I don't have to pay for hosting. Since I use open source, I don't have to pay for a license. MY expenses are only on domain and content. I sometimes hire paid posters to create content. My forums earn very little and I can not imagine paying from my pockets.

Fair enough. I've tried my fill of "unlimited", budget hosting, even free "unlimited". All were shared servers, and always had lag, mediocre support, and no console root access. They also lacked the ability to customize the server components. I pay around $55 a month for a fully dedicated, high end server, which means I can do anything I want with it. No one, not even the hosting company, touches the data. I've had a drive replaced, but that was it. It is "unmanaged", but I get the latest Plesk for $5 a month. The sheer flexibility, resources, and space are outstanding. I make some money with donations, but I wanted a forum that was super fast, responsive, and with lots of room to grow. I never found that on free or all these "$5.00" a month "unlimited" deals.

Just my thoughts. If your setup works for you, and you are satisfied, then that's awesome!! 😁

 

[Dismal_Bliss]

I use paid.

Back in 2006 I started with MyBB and didn't last long and moved on to Phorum. Phorum was amazing, but it became an abandoned project. After this, I wanted to make sure that I migrated to something that would be supported long into the future.

I ended up at Invision and so here I stay.

 

[kensonplays]

I started using free forum software back in 2011/12 with Ejin and SMF, it was a starting out point and most people wouldn't even do paid until they know if it's something for them to get into you know. SMF was good but six months later I went to IPS as paid which offers more what I'm after and whatnot. more to the story but you do get for what you pay for

Unfortunately I think Enjin basically died. I think I read somewhere they're discontinuing their community suite; and their website now seems to promote NFTs. lol

 

[Tracy]

You consider your forums as your hobby because you have other income sources.

No, I consider my forum a hobby because that's what it is. It (my primary site) just happens to tie into my current OTHER hobby.... and then my second site involves not so much a hobby but a "relaxation choice". The second I brought back just to play with... wanted to see how much I could push certain add-ons in different niches.
I never decided that "I'm going to make my living running/selling forums"... i wanted a stable job with decent income and a good retirement, so I gained the knowledge to allow me to obtain a job that provided that. And then I extended my "hobby" (at the time) into another career after deciding to leave the first one (in which I was using my "hobby skills" to the benefit of my employer).
I look at "running forums as a business" and being successful having about the same odds as a high school football/baseball player going major league. It can happen.. but it's rare.

I also frequently sell sites so that I have enough rooms for a new site

From a business aspect... that's not a wise choice.. you should be selling sites to maximize profits... not to "make room on my <un>limited hosting so I can spin up another site". 🤔
Best of luck with your pursuits....

 

[zoldos]

I use paid.

Back in 2006 I started with MyBB and didn't last long and moved on to Phorum. Phorum was amazing, but it became an abandoned project. After this, I wanted to make sure that I migrated to something that would be supported long into the future.

I ended up at Invision and so here I stay.

I tried MyBB and thought it was awful. lol I've heard of Phorum but haven't tried it....

 

[Empire]

Unfortunately I think Enjin basically died. I think I read somewhere they're discontinuing their community suite; and their website now seems to promote NFTs. lol

Indeed it has, I stopped using them around late 2013 however the site I created via them just ended up staying up till they became dead. It was closed for new members but I still have access to the forums and whatnot. When they went pooped I did not care to be honest.

 

[kensonplays]

Indeed it has, I stopped using them around late 2013 however the site I created via them just ended up staying up till they became dead. It was closed for new members but I still have access to the forums and whatnot. When they went pooped I did not care to be honest.

Yea, I hadn't used them in many years, but a private MC server I was part of (a server made for people on the spectrum) heavily used it. Seems they moved to a platform called "NamelessMC". Maybe they offered importers for their content.

 

[Empire]

Yea, I hadn't used them in many years, but a private MC server I was part of (a server made for people on the spectrum) heavily used it. Seems they moved to a platform called "NamelessMC". Maybe they offered importers for their content.

Good old days LOL

 

[Cory]

I've always used free forum software because I'm occasionally too poor for the finances that come with paid forum software and it's just a hobby of mine that I feel can be achieved through the means of little to no funds on my behalf and still be something I enjoy.

 

[kensonplays]

I've always used free forum software because I'm occasionally too poor for the finances that come with paid forum software and it's just a hobby of mine that I feel can be achieved through the means of little to no funds on my behalf and still be something I enjoy.

I tried looking into SMF again on a localhost build, but I looked and the antispam options aren't nearly as good as XenForos. Built-in on XF I can do SFS and Project Honeypot, as well as other options. It seems SMF is extremely basic, and SFS is an addon. Could not find a 2.1x build for Honeypot.