bbPress vs FluentCommunity (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: bbPress at #2 and FluentCommunity at #6. bbPress leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
bbPress
bbPress is forum software for WordPress.
FluentCommunity
FluentCommunity – Ultra-Fast High-Performance Social Network, Community, LMS & Online Courses
Get a fast & all-in-one community plugin. Create unlimited communities, and courses with robust social networking and LMS features.
Who leads on what
bbPress leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
bbPress ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Forum Plugins.
bbPress has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 8,000+.
FluentCommunity is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 90 reviews, against 3.9 from 342 reviews.
bbPress has more reviews behind its score: 342 against 90.
FluentCommunity was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; bbPress on September 3, 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.
bbPress
Pick bbPress if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
FluentCommunity
Pick FluentCommunity if the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
bbPress vs FluentCommunity side by side
| bbPress | FluentCommunity | |
|---|---|---|
| Forum Plugins ranking | #2 | #6 |
| Rating | 3.9 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 342 | 90 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 8,000+ |
| Total downloads | 9,388,351 | 158,110 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 3, 2026 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 13, 2010 | Nov 7, 2024 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6.20 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
bbPress ratings
FluentCommunity 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 bbPress nor FluentCommunity can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Forum Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
bbPress vs FluentCommunity: common questions
Is bbPress better than FluentCommunity?
bbPress leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. bbPress ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Forum Plugins.
Which has more users, bbPress or FluentCommunity?
bbPress ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Forum Plugins.
Which is rated higher, bbPress or FluentCommunity?
bbPress has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 8,000+.
Are bbPress and FluentCommunity free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. bbPress may also sell a paid version or add-ons. FluentCommunity may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to bbPress and FluentCommunity
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Forum Plugins comparisons
- Asgaros Forum vs bbPress
- Asgaros Forum vs FluentCommunity
- Forumax vs bbPress
- Forumax vs FluentCommunity
- Private groups vs bbPress
- Private groups vs FluentCommunity
- bbp style pack vs bbPress
- bbp style pack vs FluentCommunity
- bbPress vs Forum Permissions bbPress
- bbPress vs ForumWP
- bbPress vs Simple:Press Forum
- bbPress vs wpForo Forum
Weekly · free
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.