bbp style pack 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: bbp style pack at #7 and Simple Ajax Chat at #10. bbp style pack leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
bbp style pack
For bbPress - Lets you style bbPress, and add display features
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
bbp style pack leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
bbp style pack ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
bbp style pack has more users: 6,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Both are rated 4.9 out of 5 (100 and 215 reviews).
Simple Ajax Chat has more reviews behind its score: 215 against 100.
bbp style pack was updated more recently, on October 16, 2026; Simple Ajax Chat on August 27, 2026.
bbp style pack was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 16,347 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.
bbp style pack
Pick bbp style pack if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, 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 score backed by more reviews.
bbp style pack vs Simple Ajax Chat side by side
| bbp style pack | Simple Ajax Chat | |
|---|---|---|
| Forum Plugins ranking | #7 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 100 | 215 |
| Active installs | 6,000+ | 2,000+ |
| Total downloads | 985,537 | 184,181 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 16,347 | 1,016 |
| Last updated | Oct 16, 2026 | Aug 27, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 3, 2015 | Nov 15, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 5.6.20 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
bbp style pack 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 bbp style pack nor Simple Ajax Chat can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Forum Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
bbp style pack vs Simple Ajax Chat: common questions
Is bbp style pack better than Simple Ajax Chat?
bbp style pack leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. bbp style pack ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Which has more users, bbp style pack or Simple Ajax Chat?
bbp style pack ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Which is rated higher, bbp style pack or Simple Ajax Chat?
bbp style pack has more users: 6,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Are bbp style pack and Simple Ajax Chat free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. bbp style pack may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Ajax Chat may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to bbp style pack and Simple Ajax Chat
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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