Writer: Andrew Wandola
Editor: Lillian Castro
Reviewer: Christina Lewis
MyBB is one of the most popular forum builder software products today. It sits up there with the likes of phpBB, Vanilla Forum, Joomla!, Simple Machines Forum, and Drupal. Besides offering a simple, user-friendly design for your online community, this open-source forum application also supports more than 30 languages, has a huge community of users, and is highly extendable.
To experience MyBB’s true power and potential, which includes the ability to browse the latest topics and view new replies, you need the right web hosting provider. For starters, the best MyBB hosting services should run PHP code and support compatible databases such as MySQL, SQLite, and PostgreSQL. While you may have many options to choose from, these 11 are exceptional.
1. Bluehost
Bluehost is a WordPress-approved web host, and since WordPress runs on PHP, the same code that powers MyBB, you know for a fact this WordPress hosting provider won’t let you down regarding compatibility. WordPress and WooCommerce hosting aside, Bluehost also supports MyBB-compatible databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL.
Bluehost.com
Monthly Starting Price $1.99
- Install phpBB for FREE with one click
- Automatic site backups conducted daily
- Manage forum tools directly from cPanel
- FREE advertising credits
- US-based support available 24/7 with 99.9% uptime
- Get started on Bluehost now.
We trust Bluehost for many hosting niches, and the company’s forum hosting services showcase Bluehost’s focus on simple setup and reliable servers. Manage all forum operations with your choice of forum software, which can easily be installed via cPanel as you’re getting started. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 10 GB SSD – 100 GB SSD | FREE (1 year) | 5 minutes |
As your forum grows, so do your storage needs. With this host, you won’t have to worry about migrating to a new host in search of more storage space. Here, you’ll have unlimited disk storage, perfect for a growing community.
2. A2 Hosting
Speed is one of the most important factors that can determine the level of engagement on your forum. No one wants to post on a sluggish forum, given that there are other popular and super-fast options out there, including the likes of Quora, Reddit, Stack Overflow, Warrior Forum, or even groups on social networking sites like Facebook. To give your forum a competitive edge, you need a fast and reliable host. That’s where A2 Hosting comes in by offering up to 20 times faster speed (for Turbo-powered plans).
A2Hosting.com
Monthly Starting Price $1.95
- Fast forum hosting for phpBB, SMF, and others
- More forum software choices than any provider
- Unlimited storage, bandwidth, and databases
- Easily manage your forum hosting with cPanel
- FREE SSL and SSDs for security and speed
- Get started on A2 Hosting now.
A2 Hosting offers the most options for forum hosting we’ve seen. Whether you prefer vBulletin, MyBB, phpBB, or another forum application, you can easily install from your own cPanel portal. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 100 GB SSD – Unlimited SSD | New or Transfer | 4 minutes |
The storage space ranges from 100 gigabytes to unlimited and also comes with NVMe SDDs, depending on your plan. This web hosting service also supports MySQL databases (from five to unlimited) and offers free Anycast DNS, bringing your forum closer to your target audience. This feature, combined with strategically located servers in the United States, Europe, and Asia, leads to faster page load speeds, better SEO rankings, and better user experience.
3. InMotion Hosting
InMotion Hosting gives you so much freedom to run MyBB on its servers. You can either install it directly using Softaculous and then hook it to the primary domain name or attach it to a subdomain. Think of something like “forum.yourwebsitename.com” for a subdomain.
InMotionHosting.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.29
- Choose from any forum application
- Easily set up SMF and phpBB with 1-click installs
- All-SSD storage means 20x-faster page loads
- FREE SSL certificate and DDoS protection
- cPanel management with Softaculous script library
- Get started on InMotion now.
As one of the best all-around providers in the industry, InMotion Hosting is a predictably strong option for building an interactive online community. The host pairs modern, strong hardware with unrestricted forum application options to deliver a hosting service that can grow with your forum website. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 days | 100 GB SSD – Unlimited SSD | FREE (1 year) | 5 minutes |
Whichever direction you choose to go, you’ll benefit from InMotion Hosting’s compatibility with PHP applications, high uptime, free SSL certificates, unlimited bandwidth, and lightning-fast speeds. Even better, you’ll find these features in almost every plan you choose. What makes InMotion truly special is that it also comes with a suite of marketing tools, including advertising credits, that you can use to get the word out there once you’ve built your forum.
4. Hostinger
Hostinger is an affordable and powerful hosting provider. Three things make this host particularly ideal for hosting MyBB: support for multiple PHP versions, unlimited databases, and at least 40 PHP workers for the base plan. Let’s break it down further.
Hostinger.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.69
- Multiple forum options available via 1-click script
- Unlimited websites and bandwidth on most plans
- Optimized WordPress hosting to pair with forums
- Manage your forum via custom control panel
- High-speed hosting for less than $1 per month
- Get started on Hostinger now.
Don’t let the low price tag fool you — Hostinger is a high-class host with tons of perks and upgrades available to site owners. The host supports phpBB, myBB, Vanilla Forums, SMF, FluxBB, and other forum programs available through an easy one-click installation script. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 100 GB SSD – 200 GB NVMe | FREE (1 year) | 3 minutes |
The support for multiple PHP versions means it stays updated with the latest versions. All you need to do is choose the one that works best for your forum (or even revert to a previous version). With unlimited databases, you can keep your forum’s files organized and access them whenever you want. Lastly, having at least 40 PHP workers running simultaneously is like having 40 cashiers at your local Walmart store. It means faster checkouts for your orders, or as they say in web hosting lingo, faster processing of server requests.
5. InterServer
InterServer supports more than 20 forum software, myBB included. That tells you everything you need to know about this forum hosting provider. Besides offering support for PHP and MySQL to effectively host your MyBB website, it also conducts daily backups and keeps up to 30 updated copies of your forum.
InterServer.net
Monthly Starting Price $2.50
- $0.01 first month (coupon code HOSTINGADV)
- $2.50/month after. No contracts or increases
- Unlimited storage space, data transfers, and email
- Register or transfer domains for less than $10
- 99.9% uptime and price-lock guarantee
- Get started on InterServer now.
It’s hard to argue with a shared hosting plan that includes unlimited storage, bandwidth, websites, and email — but shared hosting is a crowded industry that turns on name recognition, reputation, and bargain-basement prices. InterServer outperforms some of our higher-rated hosts, but we understand that many first-time site owners are laser-focused on finding the lowest costs. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | Unlimited SSD | New or Transfer | 4 minutes |
InterServer performs routine auto updates on MyBB core or any forum plugin that needs updating, keeping your site protected at all times. To spice it up, you’ll also get a 99.9% uptime guarantee, unlimited ultra SSD storage, a free SSL certificate, and global content caching.
6. IONOS
IONOS comes with MyBB pre-installed, so you can go right into setting up your forum with a few clicks of a button. This host also helps you choose the perfect hosting plan for MyBB, starting with the Cloud Server XS as the bare minimum package.
IONOS.com
Monthly Starting Price $1.00
- Launch your forum on high-powered hosting
- Faster page loads than many competitors
- Upgrade to cloud hosting for pre-installed phpBB, MyBB, and SMF
- FREE domain, SSL certificate, and email
- Dedicated time with a personal consultant
- Get started on 1&1 IONOS now.
1&1 IONOS offers the full complement of forum software to build an online community on top of reliable, high-performance web hosting. Enjoy around-the-clock support and above-average 99. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 10 GB – Unlimited | FREE (1 year) | 4 minutes |
Overall, IONOS is known for being an affordable and reliable cloud hosting provider. It offers unlimited scalability, a 99.9% uptime guarantee, and support for the newest version of PHP. If you’re a beginner, you’ll appreciate that IONOS also provides dedicated technical support, which includes a personal consultant (a one-of-a-kind service), to help you get started.
7. HostGator
HostGator is a well-respected hosting provider with a history dating back to late 2002. This battle-tested host is perfect for users looking for simplicity, performance, security, and reliability, all wrapped under one veteran web host.
HostGator.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.64
- Launch a phpBB-powered site quickly and easily
- Install forum software in a single click with cPanel
- Build an online community with custom themes
- Host up to unlimited domains on one account
- Instant shopping carts, blogs, forums, and more
- Get started on HostGator now.
HostGator plans streamline the process of building, hosting, and growing an online forum powered by popular application phpBB. Instantly set up your forum with MediaphpBB, and enjoy all the other tools cPanel has to offer. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 10 GB SSD – 40 GB SSD | FREE (1 year) | 4 minutes |
With this legendary host, you’ll get everything you need to take your forum off the runway and start building your online community. I’m talking about free, automated backups, advanced security, which includes SSL certificate and malware protection powered by SiteLock, unmetered bandwidth, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee, among other features.
8. SiteGround
It’s not difficult to see why SiteGround works perfectly with MyBB. This is one of the most reliable and generous web hosting providers I know, something most SiteGround reviews tend to agree with. For perspective, the base plan offers unlimited databases and email accounts, out-of-the-box caching, a free CDN to make your online forum accessible even faster, and enhanced security.
SiteGround.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.99
- FREE forum software with powerful performance
- Available apps include phpBB, vBulletin, and SMF
- FREE CDN and multiple server locations
- FREE site transfer, cPanel license, and SSH access
- Use the latest PHP version that’s most compatible
- Get started on SiteGround now.
SiteGround is an ideal choice for application-specific hosting, including web hosting for forum creation and maintenance. Start with your choice of community-based application, such as phpBB or Simple Machine Forum (SMF), and you’re off. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 10 GB SSD – 40 GB SSD | New or Transfer | 6 minutes |
If you choose any plan above the base option with this managed WordPress hosting provider, you’ll get up to 30% faster PHP and on-demand backup for your forum, a free domain, and unlimited websites. The only downside with this hosting service is that its renewal rates are slightly higher than most hosts. But if you’re really serious about starting your forum on the right foot, SiteGround has the right resources to make that happen.
9. GoDaddy
We all know GoDaddy as the world’s largest domain registrar, but that’s not all it brings to the table. By virtue of being the world’s largest domain registrar and the third most popular web hosting provider by market share, this host boasts a huge community of users. Its beginner-friendly control panel makes it a go-to host for users still learning the ropes.
GoDaddy.com
Monthly Starting Price $6.99
- Reliable hosting from world’s top registrar
- 125+ applications available via 1-click installation
- Familiar site management with cPanel interface
- Global datacenters with guaranteed 99.9% uptime
- Options for Windows or Linux website owners
- Get started on GoDaddy now.
One of the most recognizable names in hosting, GoDaddy is more than just a top domain registrar. Combine a global hosting giant with your choice of forum software to create a vibrant community backed by 24/7 support and a 99. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 25 GB – 100 GB | FREE (1 year) | 4 minutes |
GoDaddy has data centers in America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific regions. So, if you’re targeting users from a specific geographic area, this host bridges the gap between your forum and its users. In addition, you’ll get automatic daily backups, 24/7 network security, and, even better, unmetered bandwidth.
10. AccuWebHosting
AccuWebHosting combines power, performance, reliability, and generosity to bring you the best of MyBB Hosting. Regarding the first three attributes, this host uses optimized SSD storage, has a fully redundant infrastructure, and offers guaranteed resources. You’ll get daily backups, SSL certificates, spam protection, email accounts, and more, all for free.
AccuWebHosting.com
Monthly Starting Price $3.52
- FREE RVsitebuilder & 400 templates
- Unlimited domains and databases
- Scalable shared cloud server option
- CloudLinux OS and LiteSpeed server
- Multiple DDoS protections
- Get started on AccuWebHosting.
The Swiss Army knife of shared hosting providers, AccuWebHosting showcases diversity and flexibility at the basic level of hosting. The provider offers three flavors each of Windows and Linux hosting services, plus additional configurations for applications such as WordPress, Node. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 10 GB SSD – 50 GB SSD | FREE (1 year) | 4 minutes |
Most hosts I’ve reviewed have data centers in America, Europe, and some parts of Asia. AccuWebHosting, on the other hand, has two more regions within its grip: Australia and Africa, giving you more freedom to choose the best data center location for your forum.
11. GreenGeeks
As the name implies, GreenGeeks is an eco-friendly web hosting provider with powerful servers optimized for MyBB. This Linux shared hosting platform comes with powerful and unlimited SSD RAID-10 storage and data transfer, free daily backups for your forum, and free domain transfer.
GreenGeeks.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.95
- Unlimited and scalable computing resources with RAID-10 storage
- Proactive server monitoring and real-time security
- 1-click installations of 150+ apps
- Unlimited domains & email accounts
- 24/7 support via phone, chat, and email
- Get started on GreenGeeks now.
Perfect for small business owners, bloggers, or web developers, GreenGeeks offers an impressive blend of features that appeal to all types of site owners. More experienced customers will appreciate the unlimited domain names, SSD RAID-10 storage, and unmetered data transfers, along with nightly backups and built-in caching programs. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 50 GB SSD – Unlimited SSD | FREE (1 year) | 4 minutes |
This host is not just about the environment; it actually brings value to the table. Unlimited databases aside, its multi-user access capabilities allow you to work with a team of developers to build a forum you and its users will love.
What Is MyBB Hosting?
MyBB hosting is a web hosting provider with the infrastructure to support and run MyBB, a forum software.
MyBB, short for “My Bulletin Board,” is a popular, open-source forum software. Hosting providers that offer this type of hosting ensure their servers meet all the necessary requirements like PHP and MySQL support, which MyBB needs to function properly.
These services often include user-friendly features like one-click MyBB installations, optimized server performance for MyBB, regular security updates, and scalable resources to accommodate the growth of your online community.
How Much Does MyBB Hosting Cost?
MyBB hosting doesn’t come at a fixed price. The cost varies depending on the type of hosting and resources. It’s similar to shopping for cars. You can have two vehicles manufactured by Toyota with wildly different monthly payments. It all comes down to the hardware and features you choose.
Shared hosting ($1 to $5/month): To give you a rough idea, shared hosting is usually the cheapest type of hosting (or the Toyota Corolla of web hosting). For less than the price of a cup of coffee, you can get started with hosting your forum on a shared server.
VPS hosting ($5 to $20/month): The next level of hosting includes virtual private servers. VPS hosting offers more privacy and better performance. If you choose this option, be prepared to pay more than you would for shared hosting.
Dedicated hosting ($70+/month): Dedicated hosting is another option, but it costs more than shared or VPS hosting. That’s because the web host dedicates all of the server’s resources to your forum, so you won’t have to share them with anyone else.
Cloud hosting ($5+/month): Cloud hosting offers more reliability and scalability. That’s because it uses virtual machines for hosting. When one machine gets overloaded, the extra load shifts to another machine in the cloud, keeping your forum up and running.
What Type of Server Do I Need for MyBB Hosting?
The type of server you need really depends on the amount of traffic you expect and what your budget allows. I would choose shared hosting when starting a new forum with low traffic. Then, as my traffic grows, I would switch to VPS hosting, which is perfect for medium-sized forums. A VPS provides a balance between cost and performance.
Dedicated server hosting works best for high-traffic forums. But it’s the most expensive option and requires technical knowledge to manage. This is overkill for most people.
If you’re not sure how your forum will perform and you want something that can grow with you, cloud hosting may be the best choice. It allows you to scale resources up or down based on demand, so you only pay for what you use.
Which Platform Is the Best for Domains and Hosting?
GoDaddy wears many hats, making it the right platform to host your domain and forum at the same time. This company boasts the title of the world’s largest domain registrar, with more than 84 million domains already registered.
As we saw earlier, its hosting packages are also ideal to host forums with MyBB. This means you’ll get the best of both worlds: a popular domain registrar and a reliable web host.
Is Hostinger a Good Host?
Yes, Hostinger is a great host and comes fully equipped with the key features you need to run a MyBB forum. These include 40 PHP workers, support for multiple PHP versions, and oodles of unlimited features. It also has datacenters on four continents, so your global traffic is well covered.
Hostinger.com
Monthly Starting Price $2.69
- Multiple forum options available via 1-click script
- Unlimited websites and bandwidth on most plans
- Optimized WordPress hosting to pair with forums
- Manage your forum via custom control panel
- High-speed hosting for less than $1 per month
- Get started on Hostinger now.
Don’t let the low price tag fool you — Hostinger is a high-class host with tons of perks and upgrades available to site owners. The host supports phpBB, myBB, Vanilla Forums, SMF, FluxBB, and other forum programs available through an easy one-click installation script. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | Disk Space | Domain Name | Setup Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 days | 100 GB SSD – 200 GB NVMe | FREE (1 year) | 3 minutes |
Hostinger is also very generous and affordable. The base plan alone comes with unlimited free SSL certificates, unlimited bandwidth, free email addresses (up to 100), a 99.9% uptime guarantee, and DDoS protection.
Give Your MyBB Forum the Digital Home It Deserves
Installing a MyBB theme on the wrong hosting account is like adding regular gas to a diesel engine. You won’t get the results you’re hoping for.
You need a compatible host, and one of the best ways to determine this compatibility is by taking a closer look at our complete reviews of each hosting provider above. You’re sure to find what you’re looking for.
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