Flarum vs XenForo: What are the differences?

1. Customization and Extensions: Flarum provides a more simplified and lightweight approach to forum customization, with limited extensions available. On the other hand, XenForo offers a wide range of customization options and a robust selection of extensions to enhance the forum functionality.

2. User Interface and Design: Flarum features a minimalist and modern design that focuses on user experience and simplicity. In contrast, XenForo has a more traditional forum layout with a range of customization options for the appearance of the forum.

3. Community Support and Development: XenForo has been in the forum software industry for a longer period, leading to a larger community of users and developers. Flarum, being a newer platform, has a smaller but growing community support system.

4. Pricing and Licensing: Flarum is open-source and free to use, with additional paid extensions available for advanced features. XenForo requires a one-time license fee for initial purchase and ongoing updates, along with additional costs for premium support and plugins.

5. Performance and Scalability: Flarum is known for its lightweight and fast performance, making it suitable for smaller forums with less traffic. XenForo, on the other hand, is optimized for larger forums with higher traffic volume, offering better scalability options.

6. Feature Set and Functionality: XenForo comes with a robust set of features out of the box, including advanced moderation tools, user permissions, and SEO options. Flarum, while simpler in features, focuses on core forum functionality like discussions, notifications, and tagging.

In Summary, when choosing between Flarum and XenForo, consider factors such as customization options, user interface, community support, pricing, performance, and feature set to determine the best fit for your forum needs.