Simple Ajax Chat vs Simple:Press Forum (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: Simple Ajax Chat at #10 and Simple:Press Forum at #5. Simple Ajax Chat leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
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.
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
Simple Ajax Chat leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track.
Simple:Press Forum ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Simple Ajax Chat has more users: 2,000+ active installs against 300+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Simple Ajax Chat has 215, Simple:Press Forum has 23. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple Ajax Chat has more reviews behind its score: 215 against 23.
Simple:Press Forum was updated more recently, on September 17, 2026; Simple Ajax Chat on August 27, 2026.
Simple Ajax Chat was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 1,016 times against 472.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Simple Ajax Chat
Pick Simple Ajax Chat if you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple:Press Forum
Pick Simple:Press Forum if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple Ajax Chat vs Simple:Press Forum side by side
| Simple Ajax Chat | Simple:Press Forum | |
|---|---|---|
| Forum Plugins ranking | #10 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 215 | 23 |
| Active installs | 2,000+ | 300+ |
| Total downloads | 184,181 | 49,327 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 1,016 | 472 |
| Last updated | Aug 27, 2026 | Sep 17, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 15, 2012 | Nov 11, 2018 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6.20 | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Simple Ajax Chat 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 Simple Ajax Chat nor Simple:Press Forum can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Forum Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Simple Ajax Chat vs Simple:Press Forum: common questions
Is Simple Ajax Chat better than Simple:Press Forum?
Simple Ajax Chat leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple:Press Forum ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Ajax Chat or Simple:Press Forum?
Simple:Press Forum ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Ajax Chat or Simple:Press Forum?
Simple Ajax Chat has more users: 2,000+ active installs against 300+.
Are Simple Ajax Chat and Simple:Press Forum free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Ajax Chat may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple:Press Forum may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple Ajax Chat and Simple:Press Forum
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