🎃 Welcome to Spark Promotion

Give Your Community
A Little Halloween Magic.

This Halloween, let your community step out of the shadows. Discover new places to connect, showcase your forum or website, and give your community the spark it deserves.

🧙 Promote Your Community
Home Community Hub & Promotion Webmaster Discussions What is the best forum software to use for a new online community?
BOO! Spark Promotion has reached 100 members!
👻 Celebrate with us for a chance to win a 50-post package! 🕸️ Enter here before the opportunity vanishes into the night! 🦇

Welcome to Spark Promotion!

Looking to give your community a boost? You're in the right place! Spark Promotion is a place to promote your forum, discover new communities, connect with other community owners, and get your community noticed.

There are plenty of ways to get involved, so why just look around? Join us and let your community shine!

✨ Sign Up 🔑 Log In

What is the best forum software to use for a new online community?

Uptrend's Avatar
Uptrend · in Webmaster Discussions 6 replies 126 views
#1

I have try different options like phpBB for free but my forum look like it was designed in the dial-up era, and the mobile experience is like a torture. Then, also you have XenForo that is so beautiful but the license fee is something else, very expensive. What do you recommend?

#2

I’m almost referring people to Forum Spark who want to pay and SMF who want something free.

Trail Running Forum - A forum dedicated to trail running, gear, training, and more.

#3

On Sep 8, 2026, Shawn said:

I’m almost referring people to Forum Spark who want to pay and SMF who want something free.

Why is that?

#4

On Sep 9, 2026, Jason said:

Why is that?

I just assume XenForo is eventually going to either shut down or go to a cloud-hosting-only platform.

I doubt they get a lot of new customers. So, their main customer base is renewals.

Trail Running Forum - A forum dedicated to trail running, gear, training, and more.

#5

ForumSpark is really cool. I also love phpBB.

PopFuse – Your hub for movies, TV shows, music, gaming, celebrities, and pop culture.

Community Interviews – Get to know the people behind online communities through interviews.

Bingely – Your blog for movies, TV shows, reviews, and entertainment news.

Gizmo Network – Where chaos meets creativity! Explore forums, websites, and creative projects.

#6

You can use premium themes for open source forum platforms to create amazing design. For instance, you try premium theme for phpbb. You will get a fresh look. If you are low on budget, phpBB is the best one.

#7

On Sep 9, 2026, Shawn said:

I just assume XenForo is eventually going to either shut down or go to a cloud-hosting-only platform.

I doubt they get a lot of new customers. So, their main customer base is renewals.

Around 60 USD a year for Forum Spark - compared to around 200 for XenForo.

But these days 60 is 30 in 2005 money and 200 is 100.

Theme: Halloween