Discussion Board – WordPress Forum Plugin
by Marketing Fire · Chat & Support
Also makes 3 other plugins · 201K+ installs across the portfolio →
Discussion Board is a simple, effective way to add a forum or discussion board to your site, helping you build and engage an active community.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 86/100
no flags
Active installs
1K+
≈2K estimated
Momentum
-3%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “community” and “support forum” for “wordpress forum plugin” and “forum”. “community” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “wordpress forum plugin” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “support forum” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #11. “forum” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
86 health vs 64 average across 1,175 Chat & Support plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →0.6%
of downloads still active
At least 1K of 174.4K lifetime downloads are still running, below its category: the median Chat & Support plugin keeps 0.8%, across 629 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Chat & Support plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 5 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 8 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.6★ over 43 reviews, smoothed to 4.33★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
2 of 2 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
33
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.7
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
7%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.3
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| discussion | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| discussion board your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| board | #2 | #3 | 0 |
| discussion forum plugin | #1 | #1 | — |
| discussion forum | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| wordpress forum your tag | #4 | #5 | 0 |
| wordpress forum plugin | #6 | #11 | 0 |
| forum plugin your tag | #6 | #9 | down 3 |
| forum | #7 | #9 | down 2 |
| support forum your tag | #11 | #15 | down 5 |
| forums | #10 | #13 | down 1 |
| active | #20 | #15 | 0 |
| forum support | #12 | #13 | up 1 |
| community forum | #13 | #19 | — |
| community your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
65 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 14 listed. 51 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 1 of its tags isn't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “community” and “support forum” for “wordpress forum plugin” and “forum”. “community” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “wordpress forum plugin” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “support forum” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #11. “forum” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- Slipping on “support forum”. Down 5 places since 2026-10-01, now #11. Check what shipped around then, and what moved above you.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 4.4K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
5
releases in the last 12 months
8d ago
latest release · v2.6.1 · 23 Oct 2026
85
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “1K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 7 days ago and the previous band took 2.4 years to cross, so the real count is still just under 2K.
Install history since 4 Sep 2019
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Mansur1.9y ago
I cannot find any archive page work on Avada page.. Single Topics cannot be detected by Avada Template System
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ rkoffe1.9y ago
I just started using this tool and it’s been a breeze so far. Thank you.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ابوالقاسم کریمی2.1y ago
Excellent
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jubiladokpmetz2.3y ago
As an advanced wp beginner, a bit disappointed, can not find a tutorial on-line for the plug in, as with other forum plug-ins. And sorta minimal set up instructions. Any advice?
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ abeland12.6y ago
I highly recommend This product.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Ford122.6y ago
I installed the plugin but it doesn’t add the three pages. When I click on the menu on my website nothing happens. The instructions don’t say how to have the forum actually connect to your website.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ syilsun2.8y ago
Cool!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ danielepais3.2y ago
This is the best plugin we have found for quick forum setup. Great work from the developer.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.5.9 *Improved: Updated and tested for WordPress version 7.0 2.5.9
- — Version 2.5.8 *Fixed: Critical error impacting Discussion Boards Profiles functionality. *Fixed: Plugin Vulnerability to Broken Access Control 2.5.8
- — Version 2.5.7 *Fixed: Issue where author names were not displaying correctly on some topic boards. 2.5.7
- — Version 2.5.6 *Fixed: Authenticated (Subscriber+) Arbitrary Shortcode Execution *Improved: Users can now create a topic without needing to add content or a description. 2.5.6
- — Version 2.5.5 *Fixed: Issue retrieving category options in the settings panel *Fixed: Conflict with other post types when replying to comments 2.5.5
- — Version 2.5.4 *Fixed: Shortcode [discussion_topics] and [discussion_board board=#] conflict with Divi Theme 2.5.4
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 5 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (2.6.1). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Discussion Board <= 2.6.0 - Authenticated (Subscriber+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via User Profile Website (user_url) Field ↗2026-10-30 CVE-2026-107765 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.6.0 Patched in 2.6.1
- 2023-07-26 CVE-2023-39161 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component Affects <= 2.4.8 Patched in 2.4.9
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 25 languages, 5 at 90% or more
Plus 1 more locale with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
7 of 8 pass · checked 31 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Discussion Board is a simple, effective way to add a forum or discussion board to your site, helping you bu..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 8 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 7 of 8 read like questions a user would type.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("if you want", "use this").
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ✓ Headings and lists 14 headings and 5 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 6,503 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-10-24 2K+ → 1K+ down after 862 days in tier
- 2024-06-14 3K+ → 2K+ down after 582 days in tier
- 2022-11-10 2K+ → 3K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2022-11-09 3K+ → 2K+ down after 20 days in tier
- 2022-10-20 2K+ → 3K+ up after 1661 days in tier
- 2018-04-03 1K+ → 2K+ up after 466 days in tier
- 2016-12-23 900+ → 1K+ up after 76 days in tier
- 2016-10-08 800+ → 900+ up after 42 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
wpForo Forum 20K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Forumax – AI Powered Advanced Community Forum Plugin 500+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A - N Neoforum — installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
-
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ installs · 4.4★ · 1 shared tag A -
BuddyPress 90K+ installs · 4.1★ · 1 shared tag B - U Ultimate Member – reCAPTCHA 20K+ installs · 3.8★ · 1 shared tag D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Discussion Board – WordPress Forum Plugin into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/wp-discussion-board" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Discussion Board – WordPress Forum Plugin — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Discussion Board – WordPress Forum Plugin: 1K+ active installs, 4.6★ (43 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wp-discussion-board
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