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WordPress.com VS Simple Machines Forum

Compare WordPress.com VS Simple Machines Forum and see what are their differences

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WordPress.com logo WordPress.com

Create a free website or build a blog with ease on WordPress.com. Dozens of free, customizable, mobile-ready designs and themes. Free hosting and support.

Simple Machines Forum logo Simple Machines Forum

Simple Machines offers free open source software such as SMF, the powerful and easy to use community forum written in PHP. Start interesting discussions on your website!
  • WordPress.com Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-03
  • Simple Machines Forum Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-14

WordPress.com features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    WordPress.com provides a user-friendly interface that is easy for beginners to navigate. It offers pre-installed themes and plugins, making it simple to get started with a minimal learning curve.
  • Maintenance-Free
    The platform handles all the technicalities such as updates, backups, and security, allowing users to focus solely on creating content.
  • Cost-Effective
    There are free plans available, and even the paid plans are relatively affordable. It eliminates the need for a separate hosting service, reducing overall costs.
  • Built-In Community
    WordPress.com hosts a large community of users, providing opportunities for networking and increased visibility through its social features.
  • Scalability
    Various premium plans allow you to scale up as your website grows. You can start with a free plan and upgrade to more advanced features as needed.

Possible disadvantages of WordPress.com

  • Limited Customization
    You have less control over your website's design and functionality compared to self-hosted WordPress. Custom themes and plugins are often restricted or not allowed.
  • Monetization Restrictions
    Free and lower-tier plans have limitations on monetization options. For instance, you can't use third-party ad networks unless you upgrade to a higher-tier plan.
  • Less Flexibility
    The platform is less flexible compared to self-hosted solutions. Certain advanced features and customizations are not available or are limited.
  • Data Portability
    Migrating your site from WordPress.com to another platform can be complicated and may require technical assistance, posing a challenge if you decide to move.
  • Price for Advanced Features
    While the basic plans are affordable, the cost can add up if you choose to add advanced features and services. Some premium options can be relatively expensive.

Simple Machines Forum features and specs

  • Free and Open Source
    Simple Machines Forum (SMF) is freely available and its source code is open for anyone to inspect, modify, and improve. This allows high customization and community-driven enhancements.
  • Feature-Rich
    SMF provides a wide range of features out of the box, including user management, moderation tools, private messaging, and advanced permissions.
  • Community Support
    SMF has a strong and active user community that provides support, themes, and plugins. This can be particularly helpful for troubleshooting and extending the forum's functionality.
  • Customizability
    The forum is highly customizable, allowing users to change the look and feel with themes, as well as add new functionalities with plugins.
  • Performance
    SMF is designed to be lightweight and fast, which ensures good performance even with high traffic.

Possible disadvantages of Simple Machines Forum

  • Complexity for Beginners
    SMF can be difficult for beginners to set up and configure, especially those without prior experience in managing web servers or databases.
  • Limited Modern Features
    While feature-rich, SMF may lack some modern features found in newer forum software, such as real-time notifications or advanced integrations with other platforms.
  • Security Concerns
    Open source software can be a double-edged sword: while it benefits from community scrutiny, it is also publicly available for malicious actors to study and exploit potential vulnerabilities.
  • Maintenance
    Running an SMF forum requires regular updates and maintenance to ensure security and functionality. This can be time-consuming and may require technical skills.
  • Design Limitations
    Even though SMF is customizable, the default themes and layouts may feel outdated compared to more modern forum platforms, which might require additional effort to modernize.

WordPress.com videos

+ Add

WordPress.COM Review: Is it really easier than WordPress.ORG?

More videos:

  • Review - Wordpress.com Review: Good For Users Familiar with Wordpress
  • Review - WORDPRESS.COM REVIEW 2020: THE BEST WEBSITE BUILDER?! | PROS AND CONS | TECH TIME #110
  • Review - WordPress.org VS WordPress.com: The Confusing Differences Explained!
  • Review - Should You Use WordPress.com? | WordPress.com Honest Review

Simple Machines Forum videos

+ Add

Forum Tutorials - Simple Machines Forums, Tutorial and Overview

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to WordPress.com and Simple Machines Forum)

WordPress.com

Simple Machines Forum

CMS
100 100%
CMS
0% 0
Forums And Forum Software
0 0%
Forums And Forum Software
100% 100
Website Builder
100 100%
Website Builder
0% 0
Forums
0 0%
Forums
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare WordPress.com and Simple Machines Forum

WordPress.com Reviews

WordPress vs. Proprietary Site Builders: What to Know Before Starting a Website Development Project
WordPress: WordPress.org (not to be confused with WordPress.com) is an open-source content management system (CMS). When you build a website on WordPress, you own the code, the design, and the data. This means you can fully customize your site, transfer it to any hosting provider, and have complete control over all aspects of the website. The site can be hosted on any...
Source: blog.radwebhosting.com
Comparing 9 WordPress alternatives & competitors in 2024
WordPress.com claims affordability as one of their best benefits. Their pricing plans are similar to other website platforms like Wix, but many of the plugins and assets that add crucial features like product listings and SEO tools come at a steep cost. Even if you only add one or two plugins, like WooCommerce or Yoast, you’ll spend more on add-ons than on the website...
Source: webflow.com
19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
While WordPress is undeniably popular, it might not be the perfect fit for everyone. Here are the key differences between WordPress.com (hosted platform) and WordPress.org (self-hosted software) to help you understand more about WordPress and why you should look for an alternative website builder:
Source: www.pixpa.com
The 17 Best Wix Alternatives (2024) Who Else Can You Build Your Website With?
WordPress is the undisputed king of CMS or Content Management Systems. From blogs to online stores, there isn’t much you can’t do with this powerful website building solution. Keep in mind that WordPress comes in two versions: WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
Source: www.tooltester.com
8+ Best Cheap Domain Name Providers in 2024 [Compared]
WordPress.com has grown to become one of the leading domain registration companies in the industry in the past few years. While they strive to keep their prices competitive, they also maintain a high level of service quality and customer support.
Source: themehunk.com

Simple Machines Forum Reviews

We have no reviews of Simple Machines Forum yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, WordPress.com seems to be a lot more popular than Simple Machines Forum. While we know about 1020 links to WordPress.com, we've tracked only 4 mentions of Simple Machines Forum. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

WordPress.com mentions (1020)

View more

Simple Machines Forum mentions (4)

  • Just remember forums exist
    Https://simplemachines.org/ This looks nice. Doesn't look like it has tags/flair though. Lots of questions in regards to how it compares to the other options. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Is there a painless way to set up a forum website on a raspberry pi?
    I've always been a fan of SMF. Install is pretty straight forward. Source: over 2 years ago
  • The Platformer #25: High-Impact Hacking
    This project, called YaBB — Yet another Bulletin Board (I’ve always been good at naming things) — is pretty much dead. A few months ago the website was still up, but it appears to be down now. Yes, the project was forked into YaBB SE (a direct PHP port), and ultimately evolved into Simple Machines Forum, which still seems to be under development today (and powers Bitcoin Talk — if you’re still into the crypto thing). - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Integrating Forums in an android app?
    Is it possible to integrate forums like Simple Machines Forum in an app or any other forum? Or is there any package/plugin that makes it easier to develop it and integrate it with firebase/firestore. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing WordPress.com and Simple Machines Forum, you can also consider the following products

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

Flarum - Flarum is the next-generation forum software that makes online discussion fun. It's simple, fast, and free.

WiX - Create a free website with Wix.com. Customize with Wix' website builder, no coding skills needed. Choose a design, begin customizing and be online today

XenForo - Intuitive. Social. Engaging. Fast. XenForo brings a fresh outlook to forum software.

SquareSpace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included.

MyBB - MyBB is a discussion board software that runs on PHP and MySQL

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