ElkArte

Active

Country: United States (US)
Founded: 2013
Developer: ElkArte Community (volunteer developers)
Pricing: Free (open-source)
Open source: Yes
Platforms: Web

Indexes

Community/Forums

Overview

ElkArte is forum software for building and managing online communities. It originated as a modernization of Simple Machines Forum (SMF), with code overhauls to add features and improve relevance for discussion boards. The software targets site owners needing a full-featured message board with user profiles, posting, and moderation tools out of the box.

Key Features

User Profiles - Supports detailed user profiles with activity tracking and online status.
Forum Boards and Topics - Organizes discussions into boards, topics, and threaded replies.
Moderation Tools - Provides permissions, post approval, and spam management for administrators.
External Authentication - Integrates login from social providers like Twitter, Google, Facebook, and GitHub.
Customization - Allows theme and template modifications for site appearance.
Search Functionality - Includes full-text search across posts and topics.
Attachments and Media - Handles file uploads and image embedding in posts.
Notifications - Sends alerts for replies, mentions, and private messages.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Community Edition	Free	Full open-source forum software with all core features; self-hosted.

Platforms & Requirements

ElkArte runs on web servers with PHP 7.0+ and MySQL 5.5+ or compatible databases. It is self-hosted and accessible via any modern browser. No native mobile or desktop apps; an unofficial Android community app exists for ElkArte sites.

Integrations & Ecosystem

Twitter login
Google OAuth
Facebook Connect
GitHub authentication
Yahoo login
Amazon login
LinkedIn integration
MySQL/PostgreSQL databases

Alternatives

App	Difference
phpBB	More modular with extensions marketplace; larger user base but steeper learning curve.
Discourse	Modern, responsive design with real-time features; hosted SaaS option available.
Flarum	Lightweight, single-page app forum; focuses on speed and mobile-first experience.
Simple Machines Forum (SMF)	Direct predecessor; less modernized codebase but simpler for basic needs.

Reputation

ElkArte is regarded as a fast, lightweight forum option by users transitioning from SMF, praised for its performance and volunteer-driven development. Criticisms include a smaller community compared to phpBB or Discourse, leading to fewer add-ons and slower issue resolution. GitHub activity shows ongoing maintenance, though adoption remains niche.

Sources (10)