Host Your phpBB Forum With Confidence
Get your phpBB community forum online in minutes with HostPapa's 1-click Softaculous installer. Our NVMe-powered servers are optimized for PHP and MySQL, giving your forum fast page loads, reliable 99.9% uptime, and the security your members expect. Every plan includes a free SSL certificate, 24/7 expert support from our PapaSquad team, and a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can start completely risk-free.
Plans as low as $2.95 per month2
Powerful phpBB Hosting
If for any reason you’re not satisfied with our services, you can cancel at any time in the first 30 days of signup to receive a full refund for the service.
Domain fees are non-refundable.
Why HostPapa Is the Right Home for Your phpBB Forum
Running a successful forum means your hosting has to keep up with your community. Forums generate a lot of database queries, handle concurrent users posting at the same time, and store years of discussions that your members rely on. Here is how HostPapa's infrastructure is built to handle exactly that.
Server Performance Tuned for PHP and MySQL
phpBB depends heavily on PHP processing and MySQL database queries. Every time a member loads a forum page, your server is pulling data from the database, running it through PHP, and delivering the result. HostPapa's servers run on NVMe solid-state storage, which delivers database read/write speeds up to 3X faster than traditional SSDs. Combined with CloudLinux OS for resource isolation, your forum stays fast and responsive even when other sites on the server are busy.
All HostPapa plans support PHP 5.6 through PHP 8.1 (choose your version via cPanel), MySQL/MariaDB, and Apache with mod_rewrite, which covers everything phpBB 3.3.x requires and then some.
Security Built for User-Generated Content
Forums are a common target for spam bots, brute force attacks, and SQL injection attempts. HostPapa protects your phpBB installation with multiple layers of security:
- Imunify360 with automated malware detection and removal, a Web Application Firewall (WAF), and intrusion prevention
- CloudLinux resource isolation so a compromised neighboring account cannot affect your forum
- Brute force detection to block repeated failed login attempts
- DDoS protection on Growth, Premium, and Elite plans via Protection Power
- ModSecurity rules that help guard against SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS), two of the most common attack vectors for PHP-based forum software
Every HostPapa plan includes a free SSL certificate at no extra cost. For a forum, SSL is not optional. It encrypts member login credentials, private messages, and personal information. It also prevents browsers from showing "Not Secure" warnings that can scare away new members before they even register. Premium and Elite plans include upgraded SSL certificates for additional trust signals.
High-Performance Forum Hosting Solutions
Powerful phpBB Web Hosting
phpBB (short for PHP Bulletin Board) is one of the most widely used open-source forum platforms in the world. First released in 2000, phpBB has been actively developed and maintained for over 25 years, making it one of the most mature and battle-tested forum solutions available. It is free to download and use under the GNU General Public License (GPL-2.0), which means there are no licensing fees or subscription costs for the software itself.
phpBB is built with PHP and stores its data in a database such as MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL. This makes it compatible with virtually every standard web hosting environment, including all HostPapa shared hosting plans.
phpBB comes with a full set of tools for managing an online community right out of the box:
- Unlimited forums and subforums organized by categories, with customizable permissions for each
- User groups and roles with granular permission controls for administrators, moderators, and members
- Private messaging so members can communicate directly with each other
- File attachments with configurable size limits and allowed file types
- Full-text search with multiple backend options for fast results across large forums
- Anti-spam tools including CAPTCHA, Q&A challenges, email verification, and IP banning
- Customizable themes and styles with hundreds of community-created designs available in the phpBB Styles Database
- Extensions and plugins for adding new functionality without modifying core code
- Notification system via email, browser, and Jabber/XMPP
- Multilingual support with language packs for dozens of languages
- SEO-friendly URL structures and configurable meta tags for better search engine visibility
- Built-in moderation tools for splitting, merging, locking, and moving topics
The current stable release is phpBB 3.3.x (codenamed "Proteus"), which introduced full support for PHP 8.x, an improved installer, emoji support, and a modernized codebase. The phpBB development team releases regular updates that address security vulnerabilities, fix bugs, and add new features.
Need Help?
Having trouble installing phpBB? Get 24/7 support from the PapaSquad by phone, live chat, and email.
Get Started In 4 Easy Steps
1-Click phpBB Installation
Installing phpBB on your HostPapa account is quick and beginner‑friendly. There’s no need to download files, create databases, or use FTP. The Softaculous app installer does the technical work for you in just a few clicks.
Open cPanel
Log in to your dashboard, then open cPanel for your account.
Find phpBB
Search for phpBB in the Softaculous app installer.
Click Install
Hit the "install" button to start the phpBB installation process.
Follow the Prompts
Follow the instructions to finish your phpBB installation.
Our Web Hosting Plans Include
Unlock the full potential of your website today! HostPapa’s powerful features deliver lightning-fast speed, rock-solid security, and expert support from day one.
Guaranteed Performance
Dedicated Server Resources
Advanced Security Features
Reliable NVMe Storage
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
99.9% Uptime Guarantee
24/7 Support
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100% Satisfaction Guarantee
At HostPapa, we're so confident you'll love our services that we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you're not satisfied within your first 30 days with us, we'll make things right by giving you a full refund.1
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Compare Our Web Hosting Plans
Want to dive into the numbers? At HostPapa, we're proud of our powerful, secure, and reliable Web Hosting servers.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
Number of supported websites
Email addresses
Inbox storage
Website staging
Softaculous script installer
CMS scripts 1-click setup (WordPress, Joomla!, Drupal etc.)
Free domain registration or transfer1
1
25GB
2
1GB
5
100GB
10
1GB
Unlimited
200GB
40
2GB
Unlimited
Unmetered
Unlimited
2GB
Number of pages
No-code, easy wizard-driven setup
Site backups
Multilingual sites
Build from any device
Responsive, mobile-ready sites
SEO optimization tools
2
2 Latest versions
2 Languages
2
2 Latest versions
2 Languages
2
2 Latest versions
2 Languages
Email addresses
Email forwarding accounts
Email autoresponders
IMAP/IMAP-SSL connections
POP3/POP3-SSL connections
SMTP/SMTP-SSL connections
Email aliases
Email virus scanning
SpamAssassin spam protection
Outgoing filtering
Webmail
Business-grade email available
Individual mailbox storage
Overall mailbox storage
Email sends per hour
Email attachment size
2
2
Unlimited
25
1GB
2GB
200
20MB
10
10
Unlimited
25
1GB
5GB
200
20MB
40
40
Unlimited
25
2GB
10GB
300
20MB
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
25
2GB
20GB
600
20MB
Daily malware scan
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Protected pages
Manual vulnerability scan
Secure website trust seal
Automated malware detection
Real-time notifications and alerts
Malware removal assistance
Website performance acceleration
Improved page load speed
Dynamic website acceleration
Asset preloading
Anycast DNS
Speed 10/40/100GBPS
Layer 7 DDoS protection
Layer 3, 4, 5, 6 DDoS protection
Instant purge
One-time
One-time
One-time
Server firewall, monitoring, and intrusion detection
DDoS attack prevention and responses
Multi-factor biometric access data centre
Redundant network carriers
Network monitoring
Brute force detection
CloudLinux O/S protection
Imunify360
ModSecurity
Standard SSL
Domain privacy protection
Premium SSL
Automated website backup
5GB
5GB
10GB
Server resources
Entry points
CPU cores
MySQL usage
PHP 5.6, 7.0, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 8.0, 8.1 (choose your version)
Memory
I/O Usage
Inodes
Minimum cron job interval
Database size
Table size
Hosted domains
Subdomains
Unlimited add-on domains
Unlimited parked domains
Server resources
- Entry points: 10
- CPU cores: 1 core
- MySQL usage: 1 core MySQL
- Memory per process: 1024MB
- Inodes: 150,000
- Minimum Cron Job Interval: 30 minutes
- Database size: 500MB
- Table size: 250MB
10
1 Core
1 Core MySQL
1,024MB
2,048 KB/s
150,000
30 Minutes
500MB
250MB
1
20
Server resources
- Entry points: 20
- CPU cores: 2 core
- MySQL usage: 2 core MySQL
- Memory per process: 1024MB
- Inodes: 300,000
- Minimum Cron Job Interval: 30 minutes
- Database size: 1000MB
- Table size: 500MB
20
2 Core
2 Core MySQL
1,024MB
3,072 KB/s
300,000
30 Minutes
1GB
500MB
5
100
Server resources
- Entry points: 40
- CPU cores: 4 core
- MySQL usage: 4 core MySQL
- Memory per process: 1024MB
- Inodes: 450,000
- Minimum Cron Job Interval: 20 minutes
- Database size: 2000MB
- Table size: 1000MB
40
4 Core
4 Core MySQL
1,024MB
4,096 KB/s
450,000
20 Minutes
2GB
1GB
Unlimited
Unlimited
Server resources
- Entry points: 40
- CPU cores: 4 core
- MySQL usage: 4 core MySQL
- Memory per process: 1024MB
- Inodes: 450,000
- Minimum Cron Job Interval: 20 minutes
- Database size: 2000MB
- Table size: 1000MB
80
8 Core
8 Core MySQL
2,048MB
8,192 KB/s
600,000
10 Minutes
4GB
2GB
Unlimited
Unlimited
Frequently Asked Questions
All your questions in one place! Whether it’s helping you choose a domain name, walking you through our website builder, or configuring your cloud email system for your business, we’re here to help!
Still have questions?
Click below and directly reach one of our awesome support people.
Is phpBB really free?
Yes. The phpBB software itself is completely free to download, install, and use. There are no license fees, subscription costs, or per-user charges. You only pay for web hosting to run it on, which is where HostPapa comes in. Some premium extensions and themes created by third-party developers may have a cost, but the core software and thousands of community-created add-ons are free.
What do I need to run phpBB?
phpBB 3.3.x requires a web server running PHP 7.2 or higher and a supported database (MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, or SQLite). All HostPapa shared hosting plans include PHP 7.2 through 8.1, MySQL/MariaDB, and Apache with mod_rewrite, so you are ready to install phpBB right away without any additional setup.
Can I migrate my existing phpBB forum to HostPapa?
Yes. HostPapa offers free website migration for new customers. Our migration team will transfer your phpBB files, database, themes, extensions, and configuration from your current host to HostPapa. The migration is handled to minimize downtime so your forum stays accessible during the move. Just contact our support team after signing up and we will take care of the rest.
What phpBB extensions and themes are supported?
HostPapa supports all phpBB extensions and themes that are compatible with your installed version of phpBB. You can browse and download extensions from the official phpBB Extensions Database and themes from the phpBB Styles Database. Extensions are installed by uploading them to your server via FTP or the cPanel File Manager and then activating them through the phpBB Admin Control Panel.
Is phpBB good for SEO?
phpBB includes several built-in features that support search engine optimization. You can enable SEO-friendly URLs, customize meta tags for your forum and individual subforums, and configure page titles. Forum content is naturally rich in user-generated text and internal links, which search engines value. For additional SEO features, there are community-developed extensions that add sitemaps, structured data, and other optimizations.
How does phpBB compare to Discourse or XenForo?
phpBB is the best choice if you want a free, self-hosted forum with a traditional layout and a large extension ecosystem. Discourse offers a more modern, real-time discussion experience but requires more server resources and is more complex to self-host (it runs on Ruby on Rails, not PHP). XenForo is a premium commercial platform with a $160 license fee that offers a polished user experience and strong add-on marketplace. All three are solid options, but phpBB is the most affordable and the easiest to run on standard shared hosting.
