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NodeBB vs Simple Machines Forum: catalog facts
NodeBB	Simple Machines Forum
Freemium Free to self-host; managed hosting is a paid monthly plan.	Free Free and open source under the BSD-3-Clause license.
Web, Self-hosted	Self-hosted
Self-hosted open-source edition Mobile-ready interface	Release packages install without extra build steps Permissive BSD license
Self-hosting requires Node.js and server maintenance Hosted plans cost money after the trial	Traditional forum layout rather than a modern discussion interface Needs a PHP and database server to host
Self-hosted, Hosted service	Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: BSD-3-Clause
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.