Forumax vs bbPress (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Forum Plugins top 10: Forumax at #4 and bbPress at #2. bbPress leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Forumax
Forumax – AI Powered Advanced Community Forum Plugin
Build powerful communities with Forumax. A fully standalone, feature-rich forum plugin with voting, private replies, and Elementor integration.
bbPress
bbPress is forum software for WordPress.
Who leads on what
bbPress leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
bbPress ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #4 in Forum Plugins.
bbPress has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 500+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Forumax has 18, bbPress has 343. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
bbPress has more reviews behind its score: 343 against 18.
bbPress was updated more recently, on October 15, 2026; Forumax on October 12, 2026.
bbPress was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 167,618 times against 1,719.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Forumax
Forumax does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
bbPress
Pick bbPress if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Forumax vs bbPress side by side
| Forumax | bbPress | |
|---|---|---|
| Forum Plugins ranking | #4 | #2 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 3.9 |
| Reviews | 18 | 343 |
| Active installs | 500+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 34,686 | 9,624,815 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 1,719 | 167,618 |
| Last updated | Oct 12, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 4, 2022 | Jan 13, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.2 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Forumax ratings
bbPress ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Forumax nor bbPress can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Forum Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Forumax vs bbPress: common questions
Is Forumax better than bbPress?
bbPress leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. bbPress ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #4 in Forum Plugins.
Which has more users, Forumax or bbPress?
bbPress ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #4 in Forum Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Forumax or bbPress?
bbPress has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 500+.
Are Forumax and bbPress free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Forumax may also sell a paid version or add-ons. bbPress may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Forumax and bbPress
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.