Every community starts with one thread.
SMFServer.com gives you a complete Simple Machines Forum, already installed and already tuned. No server to rent, no software to patch, no database to configure. Pick a name, pick a theme, and start the conversation.
No credit card · No setup fee · Live in about two minutes
- Storage
- Unmetered
- Bandwidth
- Unmetered
- Arcade games
- 100+
- Setup time
- ~2 min
- Cost
- Free
A real forum, not a stripped-down demo
Every board we host runs the full Simple Machines Forum package with the add-ons most communities end up wanting anyway. They are switched on from the first day.
Powered by SMF 2.0
The complete Simple Machines Forum: threaded boards, private messages, polls, member groups, permissions, search, and a full moderation toolkit.
No size or traffic caps
Post as much as your members want to post. We do not meter threads, attachments, page views, or bandwidth, and we do not throttle a board for getting popular.
Gallery Pro built in
A proper photo gallery with albums, comments, and member permissions, wired into your forum accounts. Nothing to install and nothing to license.
Arcade with 100+ games
An optional games section with per-game high score tables, member rankings, and championship challenges. It is the single easiest way to get quiet members posting.
Visual style editor
Change colours, headers, fonts, and layout from your admin panel. You can make the board look like yours without editing a template file or touching CSS.
Maintained for you
Security patches, database backups, spam filtering, and forum software upgrades are handled on our side. You run the community, we run the servers.
Three steps, no technical knowledge
Claim your address
Choose the subdomain your community will live at, add an administrator email, and set a password. That is the whole sign-up form.
Shape the boards
Your forum is created immediately with a sensible starter structure. Rename the categories, add the boards your topic actually needs, and pick a theme.
Invite the first ten
Seed a handful of real discussions, then bring in the people who already talk with you about this subject. Ten active members is a community.
Written for people running their first forum
Launching the software is the easy part. These guides cover the part nobody warns you about: getting the first conversations going and keeping them civil.
How to start a forum
Choosing a topic narrow enough to matter, naming the board, building the opening category structure, and the seeding work that happens before you invite anybody.
Read guide →Growing your community
Where the first hundred members actually come from, why the empty-room problem kills new forums, and how to turn lurkers into people who post.
Read guide →Moderating without burning out
Writing rules people will read, handling your first real conflict, recruiting moderators, and using SMF permissions instead of arguing in public.
Read guide →Common questions
Is it really free?
Yes. Hosting, the forum software, the gallery, and the arcade cost you nothing. The service is paid for by advertising shown on hosted forums, which is why the terms of service ask you not to remove or hide those ads.
Who owns the content on my forum?
Your members own what they write, and you run the board. We do not claim ownership of your discussions. We only step in when a forum breaks the terms of service, for example illegal material or spam.
Can I use my own domain name?
Every forum gets a free subdomain immediately. If you already own a domain, you can point it at your board so members see your address rather than ours. Ask on the support forums for the current DNS settings.
What happens if my forum gets big?
We move busy boards onto stronger hardware as they grow. There is no post count or traffic level at which your forum stops working, and no upgrade you are forced to buy.
Can I move my forum somewhere else later?
Yes. It is a standard SMF 2.0 installation, so your data is not locked into a proprietary format. Contact us and we will arrange a database export.
How do I get help?
Start at the support forums, where staff and experienced forum owners answer questions. For billing, abuse reports, or anything private, use the contact form.
Your community is one form away
Pick an address, and your forum is live before you finish reading this page.