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How good is vBulletin forum software?

#Forum #Software Website Management
November 12, 2018
Martinsx1 Author Level 1

Write the reason you're deleting this FAQ

There are so many forum softwares that webmasters used to set up their site such as Xenfore, MyBB, WordPress etc. 

Someone recommended vBulletin software but I really don't know much about it. If you have any knowledge about this software vBulletin, please kindly share it with me. 
23

Comments 23

November 12, 2018
Judas2018
I still prefer vbulletin software to other brands of forum software. I started out using vb version 3, great piece of tech imo. Xenforo and mybb have greatly improved since then but I am still vbulletin brand loyal. If you want modifications for your vbulletin software, add-ons and such there are some great sites out there that can help.

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jayjaydimson
Thank you for sharing that information to us, I will keep that in mind, and probably use that software in the near future.

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theresajane
Honestly, it's my first time knowing about vBulletin. I didn't know that there's a forum software of that name. Also, I don't know if I did it wrongly, but I can't find it when I searche it online.

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amelia88
I don’t know much about different types of forum software either. Despite being an avid participant in lots of forums, I’ve never set one up myself or paid much attention to the type of platform the forums I write for operate through.

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jayjaydimson
Yes, either me I have no idea about it, and I'm so glad to have this forum just to gain a lot of knowledge.

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Judas2018
You should be able to find it by just doing a google search for vbulletin. They're on version 5 now, which I don't particularly care for personally. But versions 3 - 4 are still available for download.

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amelia88
So if I was starting a new forum you’d recommend going with one of the older versions of software? Interesting that they did an upgrade and it’s not as good as the old stuff, but that’s useful insight!

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anyone01
The good side is vBulletin is stable, smooth to use and easy to learn from it. It creates deep, function wealthy forums and message forums that are smooth to navigate. And the downside for me is having to buy and keep a license is truly an inconvenience for me. There are different approaches to share content which don't cost anyhting.

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Judas2018
Buying a vbulletin license is more than worth the money. It's a little over $200 for software you'll own for a lifetime. The functionality and extras of vbulletin are more than worth it also. It's just that, things changed when version 5 was released. But for fans of the earlier versions, it's worth it imo.

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amelia88
Not a bad investment at all, that you can pay one fee and then have the software for a lifetime. So many software items have annual renewal fees, so when you think about the fact that this is a once off fee forever, it sounds pretty solid.

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November 13, 2018
Jeane
I suppose forum owners use different criteria to choose the forum software they'll use. While one would say a certain forum software is good, the other may not concur.

I remember before Xenforo was the most popular forum software a lot of forum owners preferred vBulletin. It didn't have too many features and customization options which is probably the reason why many opted to switch to Xenforo.

I don't know about the newer versions of vBulletin (since I haven't been on a vBulletin forum for a long time) but still if I had to choose one forum software it certainly wouldn't be vBulletin.

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Youngshark
i have had an experience with wordpress and from my perspective, it was not that bad as a platform at all. However, I am always open to trying out new options and will take the recommendations from above to see how best of an experience I can get later on.

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warrenP
Vbulletin was bought by Internet brands.
I hear some negative chatter about customer attention.

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Judas2018
@warrenP My experience with vbulletin customer service has been excellent. But you're also talking to someone who figured out how to style, utilize, upgrade, mod and overall maneuver the software rather quickly. For others - who need constant help with each new version, add-ons for them, and other things - they might find the experience somewhat terrible.

Vbulletin has lost more and more assistants over the years. There used to be a strong community of people who in some cases worked for the company, who were there to help newcomers. Now - most new purchasers are on their own with the occasional bit of help extended to them. Many of its developers have either jumped ship or retired. Hence why people who need help with the software have found help difficult to come by in some cases these days. Wasn't like that 6 years ago. Things change I guess.

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November 15, 2018
warrenP
Yeah things change. Forum participation also has changed and thousand of small interest forums just die slowly.
6 Years ago forums were doing really good.

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Judas2018
Vbulletin is one of the few survivors. But mybb, xenforo, phbb, invision powerboard, and some others are going to be around for a long time.

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November 17, 2018
overcast
Vbulletin was one of the top forum software in the market. And they were recently been in competition with the xenforo. I think vbulletin and IPB being the top of the market. I think people can easily trust the VB. And they can get things properly setup with the vb. I'd choose to use it if forum software such as that can make things easier for me.

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November 25, 2018
Bravosi
Hey there!
Yeah, I remember using vBulletin forum once, I ain't too impressed by it, but I suppose it's alright. Seen worse seen better.
With time of course, it's not so popular anymore as there are better alternatives.

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theresajane
This is a helpful comment for those who are curious about this. I was once curious about this software, but I think I'll not consider it anymore.

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Bravosi
Yeah, you shouldn't... It's not that it's bad, it's just outdated. Some outdated things live on and this good, while others are not. So I suppose it's up to the user.

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February 5, 2026
adamsmith12
vBulletin has been around for a long time and is still considered a solid choice for forum communities, especially if you value stability, extensive customization options, and a mature plugin ecosystem. It’s particularly strong for businesses or large communities that need robust permission control and scalability. However, compared with newer platforms like Discourse or XenForo, some users find its interface a bit dated and the cost/licensing model less attractive. In your experience, how has the performance and ease of use for admins and users compared to other forum software you’ve tried?

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