Here I will layout different forums, and the ones I have used and ones I currently use.
### Forums I use - Flarum ([https://flarum.org/](https://flarum.org/)) - I still use at [Tech Talk Forum](https://forum.joshuapack.com) - My personal preference #### I used to use: - Simple Machines ([https://www.simplemachines.org/](https://www.simplemachines.org/)) - I think it was for an old domain and it was a tech forum. ### ComparisonsInformation updated as of August 27th 2020
| Name | License | Free Open Source? | Paid Pricing | Version | Last Update | Language |
| [bbPress](https://bbpress.org/) | [GPL](https://bbpress.org/about/gpl/) | ✅ | ❌ | v2.6.5 | 2020-05 | Wordpress Plugin |
| [Discourse](https://www.discourse.org/) | [GPL](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/LICENSE.txt) | ✅ | $100/mo | v2.5.1 | 2020-08 | Ruby >= 2.5.2 |
| [ElkArte](https://www.elkarte.net/) | [BSD](https://github.com/elkarte/Elkarte/blob/development/license.md) | ✅ | ❌ | v1.1.6 | 2019-07 | PHP >= 7.1 |
| [Flarum ](https://flarum.org/) | [MIT](https://github.com/flarum/core/blob/master/LICENSE) | ✅ | ❌ | v0.1.0-beta.13 | 2020-05 | PHP >= 7.2.9 |
| [FlashBB ](https://flaskbb.org/) | [Custom](https://github.com/flaskbb/flaskbb/blob/master/LICENSE) | ✅ | ❌ | v2.0.1 | 2018-06 | Python |
| [FluxBB ](https://fluxbb.org/) | [GPLv2](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html) | ✅ | ❌ | v1.5.11 | 2018-12 | PHP >= 5.6 |
| [miniBB ](https://www.minibb.com/) | [GPL](https://www.minibb.com/forums/COPYING) | ✅ | $70/lifetime | v3.4.2 | 2019-10 | PHP >= 4.1.0 |
| [MyBB ](https://mybb.com/) | [LGPLv3](https://mybb.com/about/license/) | ✅ | ❌ | v1.8.24 | 2020-08 | PHP >= 5.2 |
| [NodeBB ](https://nodebb.org/) | [GPLv3](https://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB/blob/master/LICENSE) | ✅ | $250/mo | v1.14.3 | 2020-08 | NodeJS >= 12.18 |
| [Phorum ](https://www.phorum.org/) | [Custom](https://www.phorum.org/license.txt) | ✅ | ❌ | v5.2.23 | 2017-01 | PHP >= 5.2 |
| [phpBB ](https://www.phpbb.com/) | [GPLv2](https://github.com/phpbb/phpbb/blob/master/LICENSE) | ✅ | ❌ | v3.3.1 | 2020-08 | PHP 7.1.0+ but less than PHP 7.3 |
| [PunBB ](https://punbb.informer.com/) | [GPLv2](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html) | ✅ | ❌ | v1.4.5 | 2020-01 | PHP >= 4.3.0 |
| [Simple Machines](https://www.simplemachines.org/) | [Custom](https://github.com/SimpleMachines/SMF2.1/blob/release-2.1/LICENSE) | ✅ | ❌ | v2.0.17 | 2019-12 | PHP >= 5.4.0 |
| [Vanilla Forums](https://vanillaforums.com/en/software/) | [GPLv2](https://choosealicense.com/licenses/gpl-2.0/) | ✅ | Contact them | 3.3 | 2019-10 | PHP >= 7.1 |
I would recommend any of the ones still currently having security and bug fixes. Such as bbPress/Discourse/Flarum/MyBB/NodeBB/phpBB I would also recommend PHP 8 support if using PHP.