The focus of this guide is on forum hosting. This may include hosting companies that specialize in hosting forums, but it most often refers to managed forum hosting.
Also known as message boards, discussion forums, or online forums, Internet forums are online discussion sites where registered members can carry on conversations through posted messages. Messages are generally organized into categories, forums, threads, and posts, and arranged in a tree-like structure.
Usually, logged-in members are organized into groups defined by a forum administrator, commonly with automatic promotions based on predetermined criteria, such as the number of posts the member has made or the length of time that user has been a member of the forum, or it may be based on the payment of a fee. Privileges and rights are based on the user's membership level.
Internet forums are built onto a software platform usually known as a script, which operates both the public and administrative sections of the site. Many of these scripts are offered for free, while others require the payment of an initial fee as well as additional fees for upgrades or additions. These scripts are then installed on web server space leased from a hosting company.
Most web hosts will allow Internet forum scripts to be installed on their leased servers. This category is for those web hosts that specialize in hosting Internet forums, usually one specific type of forum software.
Many of these forum hosts own the proprietary software that is used to create Internet forums for their subscribers and, as a part of the hosting agreement, will install the forum software, upgrade it, and maintain it, while allowing forum administrators (their subscribers) to modify the appearance of the forum, set up categories, establish rules, and so on. The range of modifications allowed vary from host to host.
For example, one of the oldest Internet forums still in operation, DelphiForums, allows Basic members to create a basic forum on their site without the payment of a fee, while Plus (premium) members are allowed more control over the forums that they create, including customizing the color theme, but forums created on DelphiForums look more alike than different.
On ProBoards, someone can create a forum for free on its attractive, easily customizable, feature-rich proprietary platform, but there is an annual charge for those who want to use their own domain name, and ProBoards will place ads on the forum unless the administrator pays a monthly fee that is based on site traffic, which can get expensive once a forum becomes popular. Its paid options, on Forums.net, include three levels of hosting, each of which includes a limit on page views, with additional charges for overages and for other features.
Online since 1998, Boardhost allows people to create and host a forum for free on their servers, although as a subdomain on their domain, but with no usage or bandwidth restrictions. Message boards are also available. Ad-free premium plans are also available for both forums and message boards, although older messages are automatically removed on all but the highest message board plan.
Additionally, some of the forum software companies offer managed hosting plans.
Managed Internet forum hosting plans are the focus of this category, although other hosting plans that specialize in hosting forums may also be listed in this category. These plans will usually promise familiarity with the forum script, and offer specialized services, such as installation, maintenance, support, or upgrades.
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Established in 1998, Boardhost offers free forums and message boards, without restrictions on bandwidth, page views, or postings, although hosted on a subdomain. Additionally, a premium forum plan allows for the removal of branding and ads, and four levels of premium message boards are offered, three with message capacity limits, older messages being removed. Its features, policies, and service plans are discussed, and a directory of hosted forums is sorted by topic.
https://boardhost.com/
Using a proprietary forum script, with a built-in portal and arcade, e-commerce system, photo gallery, and classifieds system, four levels of hosting are available, from a free system with advertising to a branding-free operation with a chat room, e-commerce system, classified add-ons, and the ability to place your own ads, the features, limitations, and prices for each option are given. A directory of forums on the network is presented, categorized by topic, and a support forum is included.
https://createaforum.com/
Offering free hosting of the forum using a MyBB platform, hosted on a subdomain, the web host will install the software and upgrade whenever new stable versions come out. No limits on the number of members, forums, posts, or threads are imposed, and administrators will have access to a customizable administrator control panel. However, only pre-uploaded plugins may be used, and advertisements are placed on the top of each page. Support is offered in its support forums.
https://www.createmybb.com/
Originally the forum system of Delphi Internet, one of the first Internet Service Providers, DelphiForums has operated as a community Internet forum site since the mid-1990s. A free membership allows users to create and manage basic forums and to participate in forum discussions while offering two premium levels, the highest of which allows the creation of premium forums. Hosted forums are listed in a topical directory and various advertising options are available.
https://www.delphiforums.com/
Based in the Netherlands, Discourse Hosting offers managed hosting of the Discourse online forum platform, which is open-source forum software that can be difficult to install and host. Offering a fully installed version of Discourse with each hosting plan, the hosting company will upgrade the forum to the latest versions, along with up to five plugins for its first two plans, up to ten on its third plan, and any plugins with its highest level plan. Its pricing and features are noted.
https://www.discoursehosting.com/
Flarum is a managed forum hosting service with three levels, two on dedicated servers, and each with a limitation on the number of users. Monthly and yearly pricing plans are provided, and each of its plans is compared side-by-side. A sixty-day trial period is offered, after which, a refund will be given to those who are not pleased with the service. Available features include custom domains, dedicated support, automatic SSL, CDN and DDoS protection, regular backups, and language support.
https://www.flarumpro.com/
Available only as hosted software, with a monthly fee, the forum’s features include discussion and question and answer forums, feedback and idea forums, a knowledge-base, articles, event calendars, instant search, a WYSIWYG text editor, syntax highlighter, and the ability to attach files, images, and video, along with several others, which are listed here. A more detailed tour of its features is included, including branding and design. A blog is also included.
https://forumbee.com/
The forum host allows a phpBB forum to be created and hosted for free. Hosted on a subdomain, the forum is created after a prospective forum administrator supplies a title, a forum description, and a forum address, as well as an email address and password. Available forum scripts include ModernBB, phpBB, phpBB2, punBB, and Invision, and forum administrators may switch between the scripts at any time. Features include free themes, role-playing games, and classified ads.
https://www.forumotion.com/
Forums.net is the premium version of ProBoards, offering a feature-rich online discussion platform that is cloud-hosted, easily customized, and professionally managed, with no installation or software maintenance required. Integration with websites that have an existing login system, like WordPress, are available, with custom design matching. Three hosting packages are available, each with page view limitations, and additional charges for overages.
https://www.forums.net/
Hosted in Austria, the Internet community forum hosting service installs a phpBB script. Hosted on a subdomain, there are no limits, no advertisements, and no fees. The forum software produces a site that is responsive to tablets and smartphones, optimized for search engines, with fifty user languages available, the default being English. A support forum is included. In operation since 2004, the hosting maintains a listing of the top twenty boards on the network.
https://www.internetforum.info/
Written in PHP, using MySQL for database management, Invision Community was previously known as IPS Community Suite and is largely an Internet community software developed by Invision Power Services, which also markets Invision Power Board, which is available separately. It is available for self-hosting, either in its entirety or by module, and cloud hosting plans are also available, with monthly prices based on the number of online visitors. Migration services are offered.
https://invisioncommunity.com/
Ninja Post is a high-end cloud-hosted forum, offering mobile-friendly, search-engine friendly pages, custom design, and around-the-clock support. Other features include a community photo gallery, reputation, and rewards system, and CAPTCHA verification. Administrative and user features are put forth, along with advanced setup options, forum management and special requests. There are two standard pricing options, each billed annual, as well as a custom billing option.
http://www.ninjapost.com/
Launched in 2000, ProBoards is a remotely hosted free Internet forum service that allows people to set up their own online communities. The full-featured forum service offers a large amount of customization through a selection of templates, or through CSS and JavaScript codes. There are no bandwidth or webspace caps if subscribers are willing to allow ProBoards to display advertising on the forum. Its ad-free options are available for a monthly fee, with page view limitations.
https://proboards.com/
Free from Voyager Info-System, Voy Forums has been in operation since 1997. Hosted in a subdomain, the proprietary forum software provides several options for administrators, including general forum settings, a theme selector, category manager, displays settings, CSS, tables, and borders, a message manager, main message index, counters, backup message database, security features and a no-ad option, which may also be used to replace the Voy logo with a custom logo.
https://www.voy.com/
The WoltLab Suite is a mobile-friendly community software suite that includes a variety of features, such as support for extensive customization, notifications, built-in SEO, and effective user control options. Users can register through their existing Facebook, Twitter, or Google accounts or by registering directly with the site. The software may be purchased for use in a self-hosting environment or through a cloud-hosting arrangement, cancellable monthly.
https://www.woltlab.com/
Cloud-hosted, the forum software is available for free, as well as for three premium hosting plans - free, basic, professional, and business - each of which are compared side-by-side, with prices, features, and limitations, including graduated prices on ad-free options, which are based on the number of members. A support forum and premium support options are available, and part of some of the hosting plans. Its features are highlighted, and customer testimonials are included.
http://www.xobor.com/
