| vBulletin Feature Comparison Chart | vBulletin 4.0 Forum | vBulletin 4.0 Suite |
|---|---|---|
Pricing |
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| Upgrades |
$175
(*Free until current license expires) |
$250 |
| New licenses | $195 |
$285 |
GENERAL FEATURES |
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| Scalable Solution - database server and web servers can reside on separate machines. | Yes | Yes |
| MySQL back-end database | Yes | Yes |
| vBulletin can be run on any machine that can support PHP and MySQL (Solaris, BSD, Linux, Windows, Mac) | Yes | Yes |
| Written in PHP which makes for a fast and efficient product | Yes | Yes |
Built-in Applications |
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| Discussion / Forum | Yes | Yes |
| Photo Albums | Yes | Yes |
| Groups | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Events Management | Yes | Yes |
| Polls | Yes | Yes |
| Blog | No | Yes |
| Article-based CMS Publishing | No | Yes |
Seamless Integrated Experience |
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| Single Member Sign-on | Yes | Yes |
| Single Permission System | Yes | Yes |
| Single Admin Control Panel | Yes | Yes |
| Simple Cross Publishing | No | Yes |
| Create a Matching Themes across Articles, Blogs, Forum. | No | Yes |
Multi-Roles Control Panels |
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| Admin Control Panel | Yes | Yes |
| Moderator Control Panel | Yes | Yes |
| User Control Panel | Yes | Yes |
| Unified Permission System | Yes | Yes |
| Power Template Engine for Advanced Customization | Yes | Yes |
Search Engine Optimization |
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| SEO Friendly URLs | Yes | Yes |
| Custom META keywords/description tags | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic Google XML sitemap module | Yes | Yes |
| Removal of duplicate content links | Yes | Yes |
User / Member Management |
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| Multi-user system with unlimited roles and permissions | Yes | Yes |
| Member groups | Yes | Yes |
Security |
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| Granular Privileges | Yes | Yes |
| Problem Notification | Yes | Yes |
| SSL Compatible | Yes | Yes |
| Captcha | Yes | Yes |
| Email Verification | Yes | Yes |
| Admin Control Panel News Manager | Yes | Yes |
| Login "Strike" System | Yes | Yes |
| Email and password changes require current password | Yes | Yes |
| Compliant with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998. | Yes | Yes |
Support |
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| Customer Forum Support | Yes | Yes |
| Customer Ticket Support | 30 days included | Yes |
| Public Forum | Yes | Yes |
| Extensive 3rd Party Developer Community | Yes | Yes |
| Professional Services | Yes | Yes |
| Code Skeletons | Yes | Yes |
Flexibility |
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| Extensible User Profiles | Yes | Yes |
| URL Rewriting | Yes | Yes |
| Interface Localization | Yes | Yes |
| Content Reuse | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-lingual Content | Yes | Yes |
| Metadata | Yes | Yes |
Standards Compliance |
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| XHTML Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Content Syndication (RSS) | Yes | Yes |
| Content syndication: RSS, Atom, XML | Yes | Yes |
FORUM FEATURES |
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Forums |
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| Unlimited Hierarchy of Forums | Yes | Yes |
| Private Forums | Yes | Yes |
Threads |
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| Thread Display Options - sort by, sort order, from date | Yes | Yes |
| Thread and forum subscription (notification by email optional) | Yes | Yes |
| Thread preview on mouse-over (optional, via Admin CP) | Yes | Yes |
| Active Users viewing thread shown | Yes | Yes |
| New Post Indicator | Yes | Yes |
| Printer Friendly versions on threads | Yes | Yes |
| Admin tools: edit, delete, move, lock, make sticky, etc. | Yes | Yes |
| Email page to a friend option | Yes | Yes |
| Similar Threads displayed on all thread views | Yes | Yes |
Posts |
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| Video Embedding (YouTube, Vimeo, Hulu, Dailymotion, Google, Metacafe) - New in 4.0 | Yes | Yes |
| Linear, Threaded, Hybrid display views available | Yes | Yes |
| Supports BB Code in posts | Yes | Yes |
| Supports HTML in post | Yes | Yes |
| Smilies | Yes | Yes |
| Avatars | Yes | Yes |
| Optional WYSIWYG or standard editors for posts and Private Messages | Yes | Yes |
| Attachment images (.gif, .jpg, etc.) stored on filesystem (optional, via Admin CP) | Yes | Yes |
| Quick reply box (with optional "forced" click on post to quote) | Yes | Yes |
| Preview post option | Yes | Yes |
| Post Rating | Yes | Yes |
| User Reputation | Yes | Yes |
| Polls | Yes | Yes |
| Post Reporting - report posts to moderators | Yes | Yes |
| User post count | Yes | Yes |
| Admin tools: edit, delete, move, etc. | Yes | Yes |
| Preview-safe Attachments | Yes | Yes |
Member Features |
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| Member Profile Pages (updated in 4.0). This information can be viewed by other members from the member list. Custom user title, URL home page, date of birth, instant messaging medium, location, occupation, biography, interests, vB version, plus any other custom user fields that may be defined by the administrator | Yes | Yes |
| Allows members to upload pictures that can be viewed in the users' profile. | Yes | Yes |
| Member List | Yes | Yes |
| Member Search | Yes | Yes |
| User Style picker | Yes | Yes |
| Private Messaging | Yes | Yes |
| Friends List | Yes | Yes |
| Member Birthdays shown on Forum home | Yes | Yes |
| User Reputation Management | Yes | Yes |
| Who's Online | Yes | Yes |
| Pop-up auto-refreshing buddylist with ICQ-style alerts when Friends come online | Yes | Yes |
| Signature Editor | Yes | Yes |
Avatar Options |
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| Admin Defined Avatars | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Avatars - upload from your own computer or specify a URL | Yes | Yes |
Private Messaging |
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| Pop-up notification when new PM received | Yes | Yes |
| Private Message Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Private Message filing in custom folders | Yes | Yes |
Privacy & Permissions |
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| Permission system, based on user, usergroup or forums | Yes | Yes |
| Private Forums | Yes | Yes |
Users & Usergroups |
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| User registration options | Yes | Yes |
| User banning (by name & IP) | Yes | Yes |
| Global Ignore User — When enabled, all posts by the specified user will be ignored/unseen by other members. Automatically added to the all users ignore lists | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited Moderators and SuperModerators | Yes | Yes |
| Permission system, based on user, usergroup or forums | Yes | Yes |
User Options |
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| These include Daylight Savings options, forum style chooser, selection of notification types for PM, emails etc, thread display options, WYSIWYG editor options, language chooser, vCard downloads to allow the user profile to be placed into an address book | Yes | Yes |
Attachment Management |
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| View attachment statistics - shows limit and used space | Yes | Yes |
| View the attachments you have posted (link or thumbnail views available) | Yes | Yes |
| Remove attachments | Yes | Yes |
General |
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| View and manage subscribed threads and forums | Yes | Yes |
| Email and password changes require current password | Yes | Yes |
| Joinable Public User Groups | Yes | Yes |
Admin & Board Maintenance |
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| Task Scheduler | Yes | Yes |
| Control Panel, Moderator & Task logs | Yes | Yes |
| Board statistics | Yes | Yes |
| Maintentance - Database backups, table repair | Yes | Yes |
| Post Pruning | Yes | Yes |
Moderation |
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| Moderation queues for user registration and posting | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar moderation | Yes | Yes |
Import Facility |
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| Import facility - import posts and members seamlessly upgrade from other bulletin board systems, including Infopop's Ultimate Bulletin Board, UBBThreads, OpenTopic, ezboard, and Ikonboard | Yes | Yes |
Attachments |
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| Multiple attachments and types (types defined by admin in CP) | Yes | Yes |
| Attachment thumbnails (requires PHP to have GD enabled) | Yes | Yes |
| Storage type options for attachements (database or file system) | Yes | Yes |
| Attachment moderation | Yes | Yes |
Styling & Templates |
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| Powerful Templating System | Yes | Yes |
| Conditionals supported in the templates | Yes | Yes |
| Ability to create multiple styles which can be applied to different forums and users | Yes | Yes |
| Ability to upload / download styles and languages | Yes | Yes |
Template Engine and Layouts |
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| Proprietary template engine | Yes | Yes |
| Templates / Skins | Yes | Yes |
| Design independent - can support any web-page design | Yes | Yes |
| Full CSS layout and design | Yes | Yes |
| Sitewide templates: you can create entire site using default set of templates | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple templates: you can create individual templates for every section, page or even the smallest box | Yes | Yes |
| Powerful, fast and suitable for robust development | Yes | Yes |
| Add-ons and Plug-ins | Yes | Yes |
| Easily extensible through a plug-in architecture and variety of accessible plug-ins | Yes | Yes |
Language & Phrase Management |
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| Language Manager - allows you to easily translate your forums in any language | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple Languages Supported | Yes | Yes |
| Phrase Manager | Yes | Yes |
Help and FAQ |
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| Editable FAQ for your own boards | Yes | Yes |
| Context sensitive help throughout the adminCP | Yes | Yes |
Payment & Advertisment Integration |
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| Paid Subscriptions Capabilities (PayPal, WorldPay, NOCHEX and Authorize.net) | Yes | Yes |
| Google AdSense Integration | Yes | Yes |
Calendar Features |
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| Supports multiple private and public calendars | Yes | Yes |
| Viewable public and private events (adminCP option) | Yes | Yes |
| Weekly, monthly and yearly views | Yes | Yes |
| Jump to Today option | Yes | Yes |
| Add single, ranged or recurring events | Yes | Yes |
| Add all day events | Yes | Yes |
| Option to show calendar event on forum home page (adminCP option) | Yes | Yes |
| Show events to specific usergroups (adminCP option) | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar Moderation | Yes | Yes |
| Private events reminder | Yes | Yes |
| Ability to add custom fields | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar event reminders for subscribed events | Yes | Yes |
CMS FEATURES |
4.0 Forum |
4.0 Suite |
Seamless Integrated Experience |
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| Single Member Sign-on | No | Yes |
| Single Permission System | No | Yes |
| Single Admin Control Panel | No | Yes |
| Simple Cross Publishing | No | Yes |
| Create a Matching Themes across Articles, Blogs, Forum | No | Yes |
Complete Customization |
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| Full CSS Layout and Design | No | Yes |
| Themes & Skins | No | Yes |
| Plug-Ins | No | Yes |
| Powerful Template Engine: Ability to create multiple styles which can be applied to different pages, articles, forums, users, or even the smallest box. | No | Yes |
| Language and Phrase Manager: Allows you to easily translate your forums in any language. | No | Yes |
Unlimited Section/Site Structure Hierarchy |
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| Article and Static HTML Page Publishing | No | Yes |
| Easily Publish Custom Widgets | No | Yes |
| Enable Community Members to Write and Publish Articles | No | Yes |
| (updated) WYSIWYG Editor | No | Yes |
| Inline Publishing Toolbar | No | Yes |
| Flexible Content Layout | No | Yes |
| Each Section can have unique layout and style | No | Yes |
Publishing Options |
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| Permissions can be applied to Articles, Pages, Sections, User-Groups. | No | Yes |
| Set Future Publish Date/Time | No | Yes |
| Set Article Display Order | No | Yes |
| Assign Articles to multiple Categories. | No | Yes |
| Tag Support. | No | Yes |
| Turn Comments On/Off for each article. | No | Yes |
| Article Status (Published, Inactive) | No | Yes |
| Assign article to multiple categories | No | Yes |
| Set Articles to publish on the Front Page | No | Yes |
| Custom statuses for articles (active, pending, headline) | No | Yes |
| Internal search engine for advanced searching of site content | No | Yes |
| Article Tags | No | Yes |
Cross-Publishing Capabilities |
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| Promote a Forum post to an Article with link back. | No | Yes |
| Promote a Blog post to an Article with link back. | No | Yes |
| Create a new forum thread in the Forum. | No | Yes |
CMS Admin Tools |
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| Content Manager | No | Yes |
| Category manager | No | Yes |
| Section Manager | No | Yes |
| Layout Manager | No | Yes |
| Grid Manager | No | Yes |
| Widget Manager | No | Yes |
| Unified Permission System | No | Yes |
Community Management Tools |
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| User Management | No | Yes |
| User-Group Management | No | Yes |
| Social-Group Management | No | Yes |
| Powerful Moderation Tools | No | Yes |
| Inline Moderation Tools | No | Yes |
Administration / General |
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| Minimal training required - fast learning curve | No | Yes |
| Visitor and Comments Statistics | No | Yes |
| Download and install additional assets such as templates, plug-ins and widgets directly from control panel | No | Yes |
| Web-based Style/Template Management | No | Yes |
| Inline Administration | No | Yes |
| Asset Management | No | Yes |
| Content Scheduling (Publish Articles in the Future) | No | Yes |
| Themes / Skins | No | Yes |
Universal Search |
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| Single Search finds what you are looking for across your entire website including Articles, Blog posts, and Forums, guests comments, and user-groups. | No | Yes |
Template Engine and Layouts |
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| Proprietary template engine | No | Yes |
| Templates / Skins | No | Yes |
| Design independent - can support any web-page design | No | Yes |
| Full CSS layout and design | No | Yes |
| Sitewide templates: you can create entire site using default set of templates | No | Yes |
| Multiple templates: you can create individual templates for every section, page or even the smallest box | No | Yes |
| Powerful, fast and suitable for robust development | No | Yes |
| Add-ons and Plug-ins | No | Yes |
| Easily extensible through a plug-in architecture and variety of accessible plug-ins | No | Yes |
Comments |
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| Full-featured user commenting system | No | Yes |
| Anti-spam protection (CAPTCHA, bad words, flood protection, IP ban, posting by registered members only...) | No | Yes |
Default Widgets |
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| Recent Forum Posts | No | Yes |
| Recent Blog Posts | No | Yes |
| Recent Comments | No | Yes |
| Recent Articles | No | Yes |
| Friends Activity Widget | No | Yes |
| Section Navigation Widget | No | Yes |
| Category Navigation Widget | No | Yes |
| 3rd Party HTML Widgets (i.e. Google Gadgets) | No | Yes |
| BB Code Widgets | No | Yes |
| Poll | No | Yes |
| RSS Widgets | No | Yes |
BLOG FEATURES |
4.0 Forum |
4.0 Suite |
Fast Start |
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| vBulletin Blog makes it simple for community members to create their own space within the community. Getting started is as simple as posting the first message (using the same familiar vBulletin editor). There is no lengthy setup process - blog owners are free to personalise their blog at any time by defining a title and a description that will appear at the top of every blog post. | No | Yes |
Fully Featured |
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| It is a feature-rich blog application, with support for fully formatted WYSIWYG posts, attachments, comments, trackbacks and pingbacks, draft posts and categories, as well as seamless integration with the overall vBulletin system. | No | Yes |
Blog Home Page |
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| Available via a single click from any vBulletin page, the blog home page aggregates activity from all member blogs into a single page – with information about the most recent and highest rated blog posts, recent comments, a featured blog post (selected by the administrator or at random), full support for browsing posts by date and overall blogging statistics. | No | Yes |
Syndication and Subscriptions |
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| Site wide and per-blog RSS feeds allow syndication to external readers, and full support for vBulletin subscriptions enables users to join their favorite blogs and receive regular email updates. | No | Yes |
Profile Support |
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| Member blogs are integrated with the vBulletin profile system – profile information is displayed alongside blog posts, and existing profile pages are enhanced with information about blog activity. | No | Yes |
Blog Control Panel |
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| The Blog Control Panel empowers members to control every aspect of their blogs, from permission controls (who has access to view and comment on the blog), to full management of blog categories, draft posts, trackbacks/pingbacks and subscriptions. Blog owners also have the ability to moderate comments on their own blog. | No | Yes |
Full Control |
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| Integration with the vBulletin usergroups permission system allows site owners to regulate which users are able to create blogs, and enhancements to the vBulletin admin control panel give administrators total control over the whole system. | No | Yes |
Fully Customizable |
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| Blog utilises the powerful vBulletin templating system, and will automatically inherit styles and color-schemes from the forums, for total out-the-box integration. | No | Yes |
| Anti-Spam | No | Yes |
| Full support for the Akismet anti-spam service stamps out comment spam. | No | Yes |