This list consists of two main types of Forums that can be adapted to WordPress. The first are the plugins, all of which directly integrate the forum within WordPress. The second is standalone forum software, which have plugins that allow features of the Forum to be added to Themes.

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5 Standalone Worpdress Forum Plugins

Simple:Press – Simple Press

Simple Press is a customizable, scalable, feature rich, and completely integrated WordPress.

bbPress

bbPress is known for being plain and simple, however this plugin contains many features, it’s highly customizable, and has a rather easy to use admin interface.

WP Forum Server

The ForumPress WordPress Plugin is a complete forum system build within the WordPress system, meaning it integrates easily into your Website.

Mingle Forum

Keep it Simple with Mingle Forum’s lightweight, solid, secure and easy to setup WordPress Plugin.

BuddyPress

BuddyPress is bit more than just a Forum or just a Plugin. It’s more of an extension pack for WordPress, adding several social networking features. Like friends, private messages, extended profiles and of course Forums.

5 External Forum Scripts with WordPress Plugins

wp2bb – WordPress to phpBB

Wp2BB allows you to connect your phpBB Forum to WordPress. When new posts to the blog are made, the forum is updated and even the comments on the blog can be updated from the forum.

WordBB – myBB Bridge to WordPress

WordBB offers the ability to create a thread for each blog post in a particular section so that the forum can be used as a replacement for the WordPress blog comment system.

punBB Latest Topics Widget

punBB Latest Topics Plugin currently displays the most recent topics from all of your punBB forums.

Simple Machines

WP-SMF-Bridge is a simple user registration and login bridge between WordPress and Simple Machine Forum.

vBulletin

vBulletin is the largest forum software on the ‘net, however it’s not free… but because it’s extremely powerful & very tested, it’s worth listing.

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