Forumax vs Forum Permissions bbPress (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Forum Plugins top 10: Forumax at #4 and Forum Permissions bbPress at #10. Forumax leads on 4 of the 5 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.
Forum Permissions bbPress
Restrict the forum permissions per user role.
Who leads on what
Forumax leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Forumax ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Forumax has more users: 600+ active installs against 60+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Forumax has 18, Forum Permissions bbPress has 2. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Forumax has more reviews behind its score: 18 against 2.
Forumax was updated more recently, on August 13, 2026; Forum Permissions bbPress on April 10, 2026.
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
Pick Forumax 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 or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Forum Permissions bbPress
Forum Permissions bbPress does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Forumax vs Forum Permissions bbPress side by side
| Forumax | Forum Permissions bbPress | |
|---|---|---|
| Forum Plugins ranking | #4 | #10 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 18 | 2 |
| Active installs | 600+ | 60+ |
| Total downloads | 32,436 | 2,840 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 13, 2026 | Apr 10, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 4, 2022 | Aug 25, 2022 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 6.9.7 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.2 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Forumax ratings
Forum Permissions 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 Forum Permissions bbPress can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Forum Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Forumax vs Forum Permissions bbPress: common questions
Is Forumax better than Forum Permissions bbPress?
Forumax leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Forumax ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Which has more users, Forumax or Forum Permissions bbPress?
Forumax ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Forumax or Forum Permissions bbPress?
Forumax has more users: 600+ active installs against 60+.
Are Forumax and Forum Permissions bbPress free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Forumax may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Forum Permissions bbPress may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
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