bbp style pack vs Simple:Press Forum (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: bbp style pack at #7 and Simple:Press Forum at #8. bbp style pack leads on 4 of the 5 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:Press Forum
The most versatile and feature-rich forum plugin for WordPress. Create unlimited forums with awesome features directly in your WordPress site.
Who leads on what
bbp style pack leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
bbp style pack ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Forum Plugins.
bbp style pack has more users: 6,000+ active installs against 300+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: bbp style pack has 99, Simple:Press Forum has 23. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
bbp style pack has more reviews behind its score: 99 against 23.
bbp style pack was updated more recently, on August 20, 2026; Simple:Press Forum on January 29, 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.
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 score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple:Press Forum
Simple:Press Forum does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
bbp style pack vs Simple:Press Forum side by side
| bbp style pack | Simple:Press Forum | |
|---|---|---|
| Forum Plugins ranking | #7 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 99 | 23 |
| Active installs | 6,000+ | 300+ |
| Total downloads | 965,418 | 48,377 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 20, 2026 | Jan 29, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 3, 2015 | Nov 11, 2018 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 6.8.8 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
bbp style pack ratings
Simple:Press Forum 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:Press Forum 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:Press Forum: common questions
Is bbp style pack better than Simple:Press Forum?
bbp style pack leads on 4 of the 5 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 #8 in Forum Plugins.
Which has more users, bbp style pack or Simple:Press Forum?
bbp style pack ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Forum Plugins.
Which is rated higher, bbp style pack or Simple:Press Forum?
bbp style pack has more users: 6,000+ active installs against 300+.
Are bbp style pack and Simple:Press Forum free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. bbp style pack may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple:Press Forum may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to bbp style pack and Simple:Press Forum
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