Software Alternatives & Startups

phpBB VS UserVoice

Compare phpBB VS UserVoice and see what are their differences

phpBB

Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi is a cheap, credit-card sized computer. The official website uses phpBB for their discussion forums. phpBB is not affiliated with nor responsible for any of the sites listed on the showcase.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
UserVoice

UserVoice integrates easy-to-use feedback, helpdesk, and knowledge base management tools in one platform that empowers users to speak and companies to understand.

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, UserVoice should be more popular than phpBB. It has been mentioned 8 times since March 2021.

social mentions
2 vs 8
Forums And Forum Software popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
119 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

phpBB
UserVoice
Website phpbb.com uservoice.com
Pricing
Open source
—
Company — Startup from the United States
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

phpBB 6 features
UserVoice 6 features
  • Open Source
    phpBB is an open-source software, which means it is free to use, modify, and distribute. This can drastically reduce the cost of setting up a forum.
  • Customizability
    phpBB offers extensive customization options, including a wide array of plugins and themes to tailor the forum to specific needs.
  • Extensive Documentation
    The platform has comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and a supportive community, making it easier for users to navigate and solve issues.
  • Strong Security Features
    phpBB comes with built-in security features such as anti-spam measures and CAPTCHA validation to protect against unauthorized access and spam.
  • Scalability
    It is highly scalable, capable of handling small communities and large, high-traffic forums effectively.
  • Active Community
    There is a large, active user community which contributes to ongoing development and provides support.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complex Setup and Maintenance
    Setting up and maintaining phpBB can be complex and may require a certain level of technical expertise, especially for beginners.
  • Frequent Updates
    The need for frequent updates can be considered a downside as managing updates and compatibility with plugins and themes can be time-consuming.
  • Performance Issues
    Large forums with high traffic can experience performance issues if not properly optimized.
  • Limited Built-in Features
    Some advanced features are not available out-of-the-box and require additional plugins or custom development.
  • Potential Security Vulnerabilities
    As with any popular platform, phpBB can be a target for hackers if not properly maintained with timely updates and security best practices.
  • User Feedback Gathering
    UserVoice allows businesses to collect feedback directly from users, helping to prioritize product improvements based on actual user needs.
  • Customization
    The platform is highly customizable, which allows organizations to tailor it to their specific needs and branding requirements.
  • Integration with Other Tools
    UserVoice integrates with other popular tools like Slack, Jira, and Salesforce, making it easier to consolidate feedback and manage workflows.
  • Analytics and Reporting
    Robust analytics and reporting tools provide actionable insights into user feedback trends and sentiment.
  • User Engagement
    Features like voting and commenting encourage user participation and create a sense of community.
  • Scalability
    The platform can scale to accommodate organizations of various sizes, from startups to large enterprises.

Possible disadvantages

  • Pricing
    UserVoice can be expensive for small businesses or startups, making it less accessible for organizations with limited budgets.
  • Learning Curve
    There can be a steep learning curve for new users, which might require additional training and onboarding.
  • Limited Customization at Lower Tiers
    While the platform is customizable, lower-tier plans offer limited customization options compared to higher-tier plans.
  • Complexity
    Advanced features and integrations can add complexity, which may require dedicated staff for proper management.
  • Response Time
    Some users have reported slower response times from customer support, which can be frustrating during critical issues.
  • Feature Clutter
    The abundance of features can sometimes feel overwhelming, making navigation and usage less intuitive for some users.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

phpBB
UserVoice

Overall verdict

  • phpBB is a good choice for those looking for a free and feature-rich forum platform. Its flexibility and customizability make it suitable for a variety of online communities. However, it may require a bit of a learning curve for users unfamiliar with forum software.

Why this product is good

  • phpBB is a popular open-source forum software known for its robust set of features, strong community support, and extensive customization options. It offers users the ability to create and manage forums with ease, supports a wide range of extensions, and provides a high level of security. Its comprehensive documentation and active support community make it an appealing choice for both beginners and experienced users.

Recommended for

    phpBB is recommended for individuals or organizations looking to build and manage an online community. It is well-suited for those who want a customizable and secure forum solution, especially if they have the technical skills to take advantage of its extensive features and customization options.

Overall verdict

  • UserVoice is a good solution for businesses looking to systematically incorporate customer feedback into their product development process. It is particularly beneficial for organizations seeking to improve customer engagement and make data-driven decisions.

Why this product is good

  • UserVoice is a popular platform for gathering and managing customer feedback. It provides tools for users to submit, vote, and discuss ideas, which can help companies prioritize product development based on customer demand. The platform is praised for its ease of use, integration capabilities with other tools, and its robust reporting features, which allow businesses to track feedback trends and measure customer satisfaction effectively.

Recommended for

    UserVoice is recommended for medium to large-sized businesses, product managers, customer experience teams, and any organization looking to foster a more interactive relationship with their customer base to drive product improvements. It suits industries where customer feedback is a critical component of growth and innovation, such as technology, software development, and digital services.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

phpBB 2 videos + Add
UserVoice 3 videos + Add

PHPbb for Beginners - Creating a Community Forum

More videos

  • - A SQL injection example using phpBB | Ars Technica

UserVoice Review

More videos

  • - How to Use Customer Feedback on Your Product by UserVoice CEO
  • - UserVoice

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
phpBB
UserVoice
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using phpBB and UserVoice. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

phpBB no reviews yet
UserVoice no reviews yet

We have no reviews of phpBB yet. Be the first one to post

  • 10 Best Canny Alternatives and Competitors in 2025
    clickup.com · Oct 2024

    UserVoice is a Canny.io alternative that dives deeper into customer feedback. While Canny offers feedback based on upvoting, UserVoice goes further by collecting feedback from multiple avenues including email,...

  • 17 Best Canny Alternatives in 2024
    supahub.com · Feb 2024

    UserVoice is a customer feedback management tool that helps you collect, organize and prioritize all of your feedback in one place. UserVoice is the most complete and most popular tool for collecting feedback from...

  • 30+ Customer Feedback Tools comparison
    clearflask.com · Nov 2021

    For optimal user experience, your customer should not sense they are leaving your website and using another platform for feedback. The look and feel of the feedback platform must be customizable to match your design....

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

phpBB 2 mentions
UserVoice 8 mentions
  • Best way to host a small forum?
    Excellent! Glad we could get you sorted! Hosting can be scary and it's okay to be afraid to touch things or not understand certain settings or terms. Especially if you're new. The key is to read the documentation. For your forum needs,... Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Looking for resources to learn authentication and security in-depth
    You may find a current, object-oriented version of phpBB to be just the ticket. It will teach you how to structure the database, authenticate users, manage sessions and selectively display content according to user level, group... Source: over 5 years ago
  • YARWL (Yet Another Remarkable Wishlist)
    I have sent them some user stories, complete with storyboard images. I am not a beta participant though. I suggested that it would be helpful if they rolled out something like UserVoice's Feedback Manager, so there is transparency to... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Ask HN: Could you please share which SaaS you are using for your SaaS?
    - Collecting customer's feature requests: This is a tough one, I am using https://uservoice.com/ but I don't like it that much. I am searching for a self-hosted alternative to https://canny.io/. - Source: Hacker News / over 4 years ago
  • "Help us to improve your reMarkable experience"
    I think that RM should consider a solution such as UserVoice which will let the user community vote on what critical bug fixes or new features we feel are most important. Not only can a user upvote a feature request or critical fix, but... Source: over 4 years ago

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Alternatives to phpBB and UserVoice

When comparing phpBB and UserVoice, you can also consider the following products.