Forumax vs Simple Ajax Chat (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 Simple Ajax Chat at #10. Forumax leads on 3 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.
Simple Ajax Chat
Simple Ajax Chat – Add a Fast, Secure Chat Box
Display an Ajax-powered chat box anywhere. Lightweight, flexible, fast, and secure. Fully customizable with many options.
Who leads on what
Forumax leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track.
Forumax ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Simple Ajax Chat has more users: 2,000+ active installs against 500+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Forumax has 18, Simple Ajax Chat has 215. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple Ajax Chat has more reviews behind its score: 215 against 18.
Forumax was updated more recently, on October 12, 2026; Simple Ajax Chat on August 27, 2026.
Forumax was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 1,719 times against 1,016.
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 one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple Ajax Chat
Pick Simple Ajax Chat if you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Forumax vs Simple Ajax Chat side by side
| Forumax | Simple Ajax Chat | |
|---|---|---|
| Forum Plugins ranking | #4 | #10 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 18 | 215 |
| Active installs | 500+ | 2,000+ |
| Total downloads | 34,686 | 184,181 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 1,719 | 1,016 |
| Last updated | Oct 12, 2026 | Aug 27, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 4, 2022 | Nov 15, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.6.20 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Forumax ratings
Simple Ajax Chat 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 Simple Ajax Chat can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Forum Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Forumax vs Simple Ajax Chat: common questions
Is Forumax better than Simple Ajax Chat?
Forumax leads on 3 of the 6 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 Simple Ajax Chat?
Forumax ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Forumax or Simple Ajax Chat?
Simple Ajax Chat has more users: 2,000+ active installs against 500+.
Are Forumax and Simple Ajax Chat free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Forumax may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Ajax Chat may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Forumax and Simple Ajax Chat
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.