Discourse vs vBulletin : Which is Better?

Discourse icon

Discourse

Discourse is a civilized discussion platform for your community. Use it as a mailing list, discussion forum, long-form chat room, and more. Developed by Civilized Discourse Construction Kit, Inc.

License: Open Source

Categories: Social & Communications

Apps available for Online Self-Hosted Ruby

VS
VS
vBulletin icon

vBulletin

vBulletin (vB) is an Internet forum software package written in PHP and uses a MySQL database server. Developed by Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.

License: Commercial

Categories: Social & Communications

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux Android iPhone

Discourse VS vBulletin

vBulletin is a legacy forum software known for its extensive features and customization options, making it suitable for large and established communities. In contrast, Discourse offers a modern, user-friendly experience with a focus on community engagement and real-time interactions, appealing to new and growing forums.

Discourse

Pros:

  • Modern and user-friendly interface
  • Real-time notifications and updates
  • Built-in moderation tools
  • Responsive design for mobile devices
  • Strong focus on community engagement

Cons:

  • Requires ongoing updates and maintenance
  • Some features may require third-party plugins
  • Potentially limited in customization compared to vBulletin

vBulletin

Pros:

  • Feature-rich with a wide range of customization options
  • Strong security features
  • Robust user management and permissions
  • Active community support and add-ons
  • Legacy support for older forums

Cons:

  • Steeper learning curve for new users
  • Higher cost for licensing and upgrades
  • Less emphasis on mobile responsiveness

Compare Discourse

vs
bbPress vs Discourse
Compare bbPress and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
Flarum vs Discourse
Compare Flarum and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
FluxBB vs Discourse
Compare FluxBB and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
Get Satisfaction vs Discourse
Compare Get Satisfaction and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
Glisser vs Discourse
Compare Glisser and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
IP.Board vs Discourse
Compare IP.Board and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
MyBB vs Discourse
Compare MyBB and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
NodeBB vs Discourse
Compare NodeBB and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
phpBB vs Discourse
Compare phpBB and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
Simple Machines Forum vs Discourse
Compare Simple Machines Forum and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
Vanilla vs Discourse
Compare Vanilla and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.
vs
XenForo vs Discourse
Compare XenForo and Discourse and decide which is most suitable for you.