Blazing Fast SMF Hosting

SMF runs comfortably on the smallest plan and is easy to theme. We install it, create the database and set up outbound mail, so registrations work on day one.

Start for $2.49/mo Move an existing forum
  • 99.9%Uptime guarantee
  • 24/7Expert support
  • 30-dayMoney back
One-click installercPanel · Softaculous
SMFLatest stable · low resource use
Install
Installing to forum.yoursite.comComplete
  • Database created and connected
  • SSL certificate issued
  • Admin account created
  • Outbound mail authenticated (SPF + DKIM)
~60sto a live forum
400+other apps included
Pricing

SMF hosting plans

Every plan has the same LiteSpeed servers, NVMe storage and daily backups. Pick by how big your community gets.

Lite
On sale from $2.49 USD monthly Choose plan 75% off, normally $9.95/mo
  • One website
  • 25 GB NVMe storage
  • 1× performance
  • 10 days backup retention
  • Free domain registration not included
  • Priority support queue not included
  • 1-click SMF installer
  • Unlimited traffic
  • Unlimited databases
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Free forum migration
  • LiteSpeed web servers
  • Always-on malware protection
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
Growth
On sale from $3.95 USD monthly Choose plan 69% off, normally $12.95/mo
  • Five websites
  • 100 GB NVMe storage
  • 2× performance
  • 15 days backup retention
  • Free domain registration
  • Priority support queue not included
  • 1-click SMF installer
  • Unlimited traffic
  • Unlimited databases
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Free forum migration
  • LiteSpeed web servers
  • Always-on malware protection
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
Premium
Best value On sale from $4.95 USD monthly Choose plan 67% off, normally $14.95/mo
  • Unlimited websites
  • Unlimited NVMe storage
  • 3× performance
  • 20 days backup retention
  • Free domain registration
  • Priority support queue not included
  • 1-click SMF installer
  • Unlimited traffic
  • Unlimited databases
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Free forum migration
  • LiteSpeed web servers
  • Always-on malware protection
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
Elite
On sale from $7.95 USD monthly Choose plan 60% off, normally $19.95/mo
  • Unlimited websites
  • Unmetered NVMe storage
  • 4× performance
  • 30 days backup retention
  • Free domain registration
  • Priority support queue
  • 1-click SMF installer
  • Unlimited traffic
  • Unlimited databases
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Free forum migration
  • LiteSpeed web servers
  • Always-on malware protection
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

All discounts apply to the first billing cycle and renew at the regular rate.

Why SMF runs so quickly here

SMF is efficient by design. Put it on LiteSpeed with NVMe storage and even a modest community feels instant.

01

Runs well on Lite

SMF uses little memory and few queries, so a real community fits on the cheapest plan.

02

Easy theme editing

SSH, SFTP and the file manager are all available, so you can test template edits quickly.

03

Mail configured for you

Registration and notification mail is authenticated for your domain.

04

Package manager ready

File permissions are set so SMF can install mods itself, with no chmod fiddling.

05

Scheduled tasks

Real cron access runs maintenance tasks, so they don't depend on visitor page loads.

06

Backups and restores

Files and database are backed up off-server every night and restore in one click.

Moving an existing forum

Members, boards and mods come too

Files, database, attachments and every installed mod come across unchanged. We test on a temporary URL, and you approve before the DNS switch.

  • Accounts and password hashes move intact, so no member has to reset
  • Attachments, avatars and custom themes arrive exactly as they were
  • Done overnight with zero downtime, and there's no migration fee
Move my forum for free Talk to an engineer

Migration checklist

  • Database: members, boards, topics Exported from your old host, imported here and checked against the original so nothing is missing.
  • attachments/ and avatars/ Every file copied across with its folders and permissions kept, so nothing has to be uploaded again.
  • Themes/: custom themes and mods Copied and tested on the new server, so everything works the way it did before.
  • Settings.php rewritten for the new host Updated with the new database details and paths, then tested so the site runs on the new server.
  • Switch DNS to go live Your site is ready and tested on a temporary address. We switch it over whenever you say, with no downtime.
Technical specs

SMF server specs and requirements

You won't need a support ticket to raise a limit or turn on a PHP extension. The server is already set up for forum software.

SpecOn every AblePage plan
PHP8.1 to 8.4, switchable
DatabaseMySQL 8, unlimited
Extensionsmbstring, gd, zlib, json
Upload limit128 MB, adjustable
AccesscPanel, SSH, SFTP, cron
Also one-clickphpBB, MyBB, +400 apps
FAQ

SMF hosting FAQ

Moving an older SMF board? Ask our support team, 24/7. They has set up thousands of communities.

Still have
questions?

Ask a forum question

Is SMF still maintained?

Yes. It has active releases and a long-standing community, and we install the current stable version.

Can I use the package manager?

Will you migrate my SMF board?

Which plan should I pick?

Do I get real cron?

Background

What is SMF?

What Simple Machines Forum is, how it works and who it suits.

About the software

Simple Machines Forum (SMF) is free forum software, first released in 2004 under a permissive open-source licence. It's known for a small footprint, a straightforward admin panel and themes that are easy to edit by hand.

How SMF works

Boards, topics and posts are stored in MySQL, and membergroups control access. The package manager installs mods by patching files, so correct write permissions matter. We set them for you.

Who uses SMF

Small and medium communities, clubs and support forums that want capable software without heavy server requirements.

What SMF hosting costs

SMF is free. Hosting starts at $2.49/mo on a 12-month term with SSL, daily backups and free migration, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Get started in 4 steps

Install SMF in 1 click

You don't need to download files, create a database or open an FTP client. The Softaculous installer in cPanel handles all of it.

  1. 01

    Open cPanel

    Log in to your AblePage dashboard and open cPanel for your account.

  2. 02

    Find SMF

    Search for SMF in the Softaculous app installer.

  3. 03

    Click install

    Pick the domain and folder, then start the install.

  4. 04

    Follow the prompts

    Enter your admin details. The installer creates the database and config file for you.

What's included on every plan

Every plan comes with all of this. None of it is a paid add-on.

Fast pages under load

LiteSpeed web servers and the LSCache plugin keep pages quick, even when traffic spikes.

Dedicated resources

Your CPU, memory and I/O allowances are reserved for you, so a busy neighbour can't slow your site down.

NVMe storage

Files and databases sit on NVMe SSDs, which read several times faster than traditional SSDs.

Security that's always on

Imunify360 malware scanning, a web application firewall and brute-force protection run all the time.

Free SSL certificate

Let's Encrypt certificates are issued and renewed automatically for every domain on your account.

Daily backups

Off-server backups run every night. Restore a single file, a database or the whole site in one click.

99.9% uptime guarantee

Servers are monitored around the clock, and the guarantee is published for you to read.

24/7 human support

Reach us by ticket or email. The people who answer host this software every day.

Running a different forum app?

Same servers and support, set up for the other forum software we host.

All forum hosting
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The most widely used open-source forum, backed by a huge extension library.

Learn more Flarum hosting

Modern single-page discussion software, installed with Composer.

Learn more MyBB hosting

A classic threaded board with a friendly admin panel.

Learn more bbPress hosting

Forums added to a WordPress site you already run.

Learn more XenForo hosting

Commercial forum software. Bring your licence and we'll install it.

Learn more

Install SMF and open your forum

Plans start at $2.49/mo with a free website migration, and you have thirty days to change your mind.

Start my forum Contact support