Wbcom Designs WordPress Forum Plugin
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WordPress ForumFree PluginREST APIInteractivity API v1.9.6

FREE FOR WORDPRESS

WordPress finally has a forum plugin that scales.

bbPress was built for WordPress 3.x. wpForo fights your theme. SaaS embeds charge per member. Jetonomy is a next-generation discussion platform that stores data in its own dedicated database, automates moderation with trust levels, and adapts to any theme automatically. Forums, Q&A, ideas, voting, search, and 61+ REST API endpoints. Free forever.

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wordpress-forum-plugin / forums
  1. Dedicated DB tables, not wp_posts Forums/topics/replies/votes in their own indexed tables. Denormalized counters skip COUNT queries. Optional Redis keeps <100ms at any scale.
  2. 6 trust levels self-moderate New accounts rate-limited + no links. Members earn mod abilities by contributing quality. Trust Level 4 = self-governing community.
  3. Interactivity API for real-time UX Voting, sorting, reply load, new-reply banners without page reloads. No React/Vue/jQuery. Just modern WordPress.
Dedicated DB · self-moderating trust levels · Interactivity API native
  • 4.8/5 on Trustpilot
  • Free Forever
  • Custom Database Tables
  • 6 Trust Levels
  • 61+ REST API Endpoints
  • WordPress 6.7+ Tested
  • GPL Licensed

The problem

Every WordPress forum plugin is either outdated, bloated, or a SaaS embed.

  1. bbPress has not had a meaningful update in years

    Built for WordPress 3.x, bbPress stores everything in wp_posts and wp_postmeta. Performance degrades past a few thousand topics. No Q&A mode, no voting, no trust levels, no REST API.

  2. wpForo is bloated and hard to customize

    wpForo bundles its own CSS that fights your theme, loads scripts on every page, and has no trust-based moderation system. Extending it means battling compatibility issues.

  3. SaaS embeds cost per member and own your data

    Circle.so, Discourse, and Mighty Networks charge monthly per-member fees. Your community data lives on their servers. You are renting access to your own conversations.

  4. You need 4 plugins to get basic forum features

    Accepted answers? Separate plugin. Feature voting? Another plugin. Polls? Another one. Real-time updates? JavaScript hacks. A modern forum should not require a plugin stack.

Jetonomy is a single free plugin that replaces the entire stack with a modern, scalable forum built for today's WordPress.

The only plugin of its kind

The only WordPress forum plugin built on custom tables, trust levels, and the Interactivity API.

Other forum plugins bolt onto WordPress's post system or fight its architecture. Jetonomy was engineered from scratch with three design decisions that no other WordPress forum plugin combines.

01

Dedicated database tables - not wp_posts

Forums, topics, replies, votes, subscriptions, and activity logs live in dedicated MySQL tables designed for discussion query patterns. Denormalized counters eliminate COUNT queries on page load. Optional Redis caching keeps response times under 100ms at any scale.

02

6 trust levels that let the community moderate itself

New accounts start rate-limited with no link permissions - the most effective anti-spam measure available. As members contribute quality content, they earn moderation abilities automatically. By Trust Level 4, your community handles its own moderation while you focus on growth.

03

WordPress Interactivity API for real-time interactions

Voting, sorting, reply loading, and new-reply banners work without page reloads using WordPress's native Interactivity API. No React bundle. No Vue dependency. No jQuery spaghetti. Just modern WordPress.

How it works

Your WordPress forum is live in under 5 minutes

1
Install and activate the free plugin
Upload the ZIP or install from your Wbcom Designs account. No external services, no API keys, no separate database to configure. Jetonomy creates its dedicated tables automatically.
2
Run the setup wizard
Create your first spaces, choose types (Forum, Q&A, or Ideas), set visibility rules, and configure anti-spam. The wizard seeds demo content so you can see the community working immediately.
3
Your community starts growing
Members register, post, vote, and earn trust levels. Moderation is automatic from day one. New accounts are rate-limited, trusted members gain abilities, and your workload shrinks as the community grows.
Who it's for

Who it's for

WordPress site owners who want to add a forum
Install one plugin and your forum is live in 5 minutes. No SaaS subscription, no coding, no separate platform to maintain. It just works on the WordPress site you already run.
Community managers tired of manual moderation
Trust levels mean new accounts are automatically rate-limited and link-blocked. As members contribute, they earn moderation abilities. Your daily moderation workload shrinks every month.
Developers building custom community features
61+ REST API endpoints, cursor-based pagination, template overrides, and adapter interfaces for search and email. Build mobile apps or headless frontends without fighting the plugin.
Course creators who need Q&A alongside content
Q&A spaces with accepted answers turn student questions into a searchable knowledge base. Students help each other while you focus on creating courses.
Product teams collecting feature requests
Idea boards with voting let customers prioritize what to build next. Status tracking (Open, Planned, In Progress, Done) shows customers their feedback matters.
Membership site owners gating community access
Gate spaces by MemberPress or Paid Memberships Pro level. Free members see public spaces, paid members unlock private ones. No additional plugin required.
vs. bbPress & wpForo

How Jetonomy compares to every other WordPress forum plugin

bbPress has not seen active development in years. wpForo uses custom tables but lacks modern features. Jetonomy combines the best architectural decisions with capabilities neither competitor offers.

Capability
Jetonomy
Free
bbPress
Free
wpForo
Freemium
Dedicated database tables (not wp_posts)
Denormalized counters (no COUNT queries) Partial
Trust levels with automatic promotion
Automatic spam prevention (rate limits + link blocks)
Q&A spaces with accepted answers
Idea boards with voting and status tracking
Real-time UI via WordPress Interactivity API
Cursor-based pagination for large communities
61+ REST API endpoints Partial
Schema.org + QAPage structured data Partial
CSS custom properties (adapts to any theme)
bbPress, wpForo, and Asgaros import with dry-run
Template override system Partial
Mobile responsive out of the box Partial
MemberPress integration (free)

Choose Jetonomy if you want a forum plugin that performs at scale, moderates itself, and works with modern WordPress. Already on bbPress or wpForo? Built-in importers with dry-run and resume make migration safe.

Built for WordPress

A discussion platform that works like WordPress - not against it

Most forum plugins were designed before the block editor, before theme.json, before the Interactivity API. They bolt onto WordPress rather than building with it. Jetonomy was architected for modern WordPress from day one - CSS custom properties pull from theme.json, interactions use the Interactivity API, and templates follow WordPress conventions.

Theme adaptation without CSS overrides
Jetonomy reads your theme's colors, fonts, border radius, and spacing from theme.json and applies them automatically via CSS custom properties. No style conflicts. No !important declarations.
Interactivity API - not jQuery or React
Voting, reply loading, and content sorting happen without page reloads using WordPress's native Interactivity API. The result is a fast, modern experience with zero external JavaScript dependencies.
Template overrides from your theme directory
Copy any Jetonomy template to your theme's jetonomy/ directory and customize it. Standard WordPress template hierarchy - no proprietary template engine to learn.
Jetonomy community home with space directory and trending sidebar

Community home - space directory with trending topics, top members, and popular tags in the sidebar

Features

Everything your community needs

No extensions to buy. No integrations to configure. It ships with all of this.

Forums, Q&A, ideas, and feeds in one plugin

Run open discussion forums, Q&A spaces with accepted answers, idea boards with voting, and social activity feeds. All under one /community/ path with a unified search.

6 trust levels with automatic promotion

New accounts are rate-limited and cannot post links. As members contribute, they earn abilities. By Trust Level 4, community members handle moderation. You configure thresholds once.

Dedicated database for forum-speed queries

Dedicated MySQL tables with denormalized counters and cursor-based pagination. No wp_posts bloat, no COUNT queries on page load. Optional Redis caching for high-traffic communities.

Real-time interactions via Interactivity API

Voting, sorting, reply loading, and new-reply banners work without page reloads. Built on WordPress's native Interactivity API - no React, no Vue, no external JavaScript framework.

Full-text search with swappable backends

MySQL FULLTEXT search out of the box with results grouped by type. The adapter interface supports Meilisearch and Elasticsearch for larger communities.

Voting, reputation, and community leaderboard

Members upvote and downvote posts. Quality answers surface to the top. A public leaderboard highlights top contributors. Spam loses reputation automatically.

Notifications and per-topic subscriptions

In-community notification bell, email notifications, and granular subscriptions. Members follow specific topics, entire spaces, or just mentions.

Import from bbPress, wpForo, and Asgaros

Built-in importers auto-detect your existing community and pull your attachments and media across alongside the posts. Preview with a dry-run before you commit, with live progress and resume on failure. No record limit.

Adapts to any theme via CSS custom properties

Colors, fonts, border radius, and spacing pull from your theme.json automatically. Jetonomy looks native in any block theme or classic theme without manual CSS overrides.

61+ REST API endpoints for developers

Full CRUD for spaces, posts, replies, votes, users, tags, notifications, and moderation. Cursor-based pagination and JSON schema validation on every endpoint.

Membership plugin integration included free

Gate spaces by MemberPress or Paid Memberships Pro level. Pro adds WooCommerce, LearnDash, and Restrict Content Pro. Members see only what their plan allows.

SEO markup with Schema.org structured data

DiscussionForumPosting, QAPage with acceptedAnswer, BreadcrumbList, Open Graph tags, Twitter cards, and XML sitemap inclusion. All automatic, no SEO plugin required.

See it in action

A complete platform, not a simple widget

Space directory grouped by category - Trending topics, Top Members, and Popular Tags in the sidebar

Resolved Q&A thread - accepted answer highlighted, trust levels on every reply, voting and React button

Feature Requests space - members vote on ideas, sorted by Latest, Popular, and Unanswered

Setup wizard: choose your URL slug, pick Forum or Q&A, create your first space - live in 2 minutes

Search results grouped by Posts, Spaces, and Tags - with content previews and vote/reply counts

Pricing

Simple, honest pricing

Pay once and own it forever, or pick the annual plan. All features included in every plan, no hidden add-ons.

Jetonomy Free
Unlimited sites
Free
  • Unlimited sites - no license key
  • Forums, Q&A, Ideas, Feed spaces
  • 6 trust levels + auto-moderation
  • Voting, reputation, leaderboard
  • Full-text search with filters
  • 48+ REST API endpoints
  • bbPress, wpForo & Asgaros importers
  • MemberPress & PMPRO integration
  • Forever free - no feature locks
Get Jetonomy Free
Most popular
Pro Personal
1 site
$199 one-time
or $69/year
  • Everything in Free, plus:
  • 1 site license
  • Emoji reactions on posts & replies
  • Private messaging (1:1 & group)
  • Polls with live results
  • Community analytics dashboard
  • Email digest & web push
  • Webhooks (Zapier, Slack, n8n)
  • White-label branding
  • Reply-by-email
  • Updates & support (lifetime or 1 year)
Get Pro Personal
Pro Developer
5 sites
$299 one-time
or $99/year
  • Everything in Pro Personal
  • 5 site licenses
  • Priority support
  • Updates & support (lifetime or 1 year)
Get Pro Developer
Pro Agency
Unlimited sites
$499 one-time
or $199/year
  • Everything in Developer, plus:
  • Unlimited site licenses
  • Priority email support
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
Get Pro Agency

Free forever. Pro lifetime: pay once, own it forever. All future updates included.

Free forever - no credit card required. Pro plans renew annually. Cancel any time.

Testimonials

Rated 4.8/5 on Trustpilot from 93 reviews

The theme is beautifully designed, and the plugins are user-friendly. Everything works smoothly. What impressed me most is their outstanding customer support: quick, helpful, and always willing to go the extra mile.

S W Malcolm

Trustpilot Review

We use BuddyPress with several plugins from Wbcom Designs, and we are extremely satisfied. The plugins add real value for our community, are updated regularly, and integrate seamlessly.

Peter Gibson

Trustpilot Review

I have learned that if the support is not prompt and effective it is a sign to move on. Tonight, Wbcom has impressed me. Fast, friendly and effective.

Steve Valencia

Trustpilot Review

FAQ

Common questions

Is Jetonomy really free? What is the catch?
There is no catch. The free plugin is a complete community platform with forums, Q&A, ideas, voting, trust levels, moderation, search, notifications, SEO markup, 61+ REST API endpoints, template overrides, and importers. It will stay free and fully functional. Pro adds optional modules like private messaging, analytics, badges, and webhooks for communities that need them.
How does Jetonomy perform compared to bbPress on large communities?
bbPress stores everything in wp_posts and wp_postmeta. Queries degrade past a few thousand topics because WordPress was not designed for forum-scale data. Jetonomy uses dedicated MySQL tables with denormalized counters and cursor-based pagination. There are no COUNT queries on page load, and optional Redis caching keeps response times consistent at any scale.
Can I migrate my existing bbPress or wpForo community?
Yes. Built-in importers auto-detect your installation and show exactly what will be migrated. Run a dry-run first that previews everything without touching data. The import tracks progress live and can resume from where it left off if interrupted. No record limit - communities of any size are supported.
Does Jetonomy work with my theme?
Yes. Jetonomy uses CSS custom properties that pull values from your theme.json - font families, brand colors, border radius, and spacing. It adapts automatically to any block theme or classic theme. If your theme uses BuddyX, integration is even tighter with full design token inheritance including dark mode.
What space types are available?
Four types: Forum (open threaded discussion), Q&A (questions with accepted answers), Ideas (feature voting with status tracking), and Feed (social activity stream). Each space can have its own visibility rules, posting permissions, and moderation settings.
How does the trust level system prevent spam?
New accounts start at Trust Level 0 - rate-limited to 3 posts per day with no link posting allowed. This single measure blocks the majority of automated spam. As members contribute quality content, they earn reputation and move through 6 trust levels automatically. By Level 3, trusted members can edit others' posts. By Level 4, they have full moderation abilities.
Is there a REST API for building custom integrations?
Yes - 61+ endpoints under the jetonomy/v1 namespace covering spaces, posts, replies, votes, users, tags, notifications, moderation, and search. Cursor-based pagination on all list endpoints. JSON schema validation on inputs. Application Passwords supported for external clients. Build mobile apps, Slack bots, or headless frontends.
Can I restrict forum access to members of a specific membership plan?
Yes. The free plugin includes MemberPress and Paid Memberships Pro integration. Gate any space by membership level - free members see public spaces, paid members unlock private ones. Pro adds WooCommerce Memberships, LearnDash, and Restrict Content Pro.
What hosting do I need to run this forum plugin?
PHP 8.1+, WordPress 6.7+, MySQL 5.7+. No external services required. Works on shared hosting, managed WordPress hosting (Kinsta, WP Engine, Cloudways), VPS, and dedicated servers. Redis or Memcached is optional but recommended for object caching at scale.
How does Jetonomy handle SEO?
Schema.org DiscussionForumPosting and QAPage structured data are generated automatically. BreadcrumbList markup, Open Graph tags, Twitter cards, and XML sitemap inclusion are all built in. No SEO plugin configuration required - forum content is search-engine ready from the first post.
Pair it with

Often run together with this

Download the free WordPress forum plugin. Upgrade to Pro when your community asks for more.

One license. Instant download. Works with any WordPress theme.

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