Head-to-head · October 2026
bbPress vs ForumWP
bbPress comes out ahead, winning 8 of 8 head-to-head checks against ForumWP.
bbPress
Are you looking for a timeless, elegant, and streamlined discussion board? bbPress is easy to integrate, easy…
ForumWP – Forum & Discussion Board
ForumWP is a forum plugin which adds an online forum to your website. With ForumWP you can easily create…
| Metric | bbPress | ForumWP |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 100K+ | 800+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 173.2K | 371 |
| Download trend | +257.7% | +8.8% |
| Rating | 3.9/5 | 3.6/5 |
| Reviews | 342 | 12 |
| Health score | 87/100 | 48/100 |
| Last updated | 6 days ago | 6 months ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.2 | WP 6.9.9 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | 7.2+ | 7.0+ |
| First released | Jan 2010 | Mar 2021 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
bbPressForumWP
Choose bbPress if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Proven at scale on 100K+ active sites
- Actively developed — last update 6 days ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Momentum — downloads up 257.7% vs the previous 30 days
Choose ForumWP if…
You prefer its feature set and workflow — it holds its own on the fundamentals.
- Small user base (800+ active installs)
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.9 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: forum
FAQ
bbPress vs ForumWP: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 5, 2026
Which is better, bbPress or ForumWP?
bbPress comes out ahead, winning 8 of 8 head-to-head checks against ForumWP. Choose bbPress if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is bbPress more popular than ForumWP?
bbPress is the more popular of the two with 100K+ active installs, compared with 800+ for ForumWP.
Can I use bbPress and ForumWP together?
Both plugins cover forum, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.
Are bbPress and ForumWP free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
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