bbp style pack vs WP Discourse (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 WP Discourse at #12. bbp style pack leads on 5 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
WP Discourse
This plugin allows you to use Discourse as a community engine for your WordPress website. The plugin is not a substitute for Disqus type commenting sy …
Who leads on what
bbp style pack leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
bbp style pack ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #12 in Forum Plugins.
bbp style pack has more users: 6,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: bbp style pack has 100, WP Discourse has 8. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
bbp style pack has more reviews behind its score: 100 against 8.
bbp style pack was updated more recently, on October 16, 2026; WP Discourse on August 13, 2026.
bbp style pack was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 16,347 times against 986.
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, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
WP Discourse
WP Discourse 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 WP Discourse side by side
| bbp style pack | WP Discourse | |
|---|---|---|
| Forum Plugins ranking | #7 | #12 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 100 | 8 |
| Active installs | 6,000+ | 1,000+ |
| Total downloads | 985,537 | 132,420 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 16,347 | 986 |
| Last updated | Oct 16, 2026 | Aug 13, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 3, 2015 | Jul 5, 2016 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.0 |
| Requires PHP | – | 5.6 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
bbp style pack ratings
WP Discourse 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 WP Discourse can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Forum Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
bbp style pack vs WP Discourse: common questions
Is bbp style pack better than WP Discourse?
bbp style pack leads on 5 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 #12 in Forum Plugins.
Which has more users, bbp style pack or WP Discourse?
bbp style pack ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #12 in Forum Plugins.
Which is rated higher, bbp style pack or WP Discourse?
bbp style pack has more users: 6,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Are bbp style pack and WP Discourse free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. bbp style pack may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP Discourse may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to bbp style pack and WP Discourse
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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