What is NodeBB used for?

NodeBB is Node.js forum software with real-time notifications, a plugin system and support for Redis, MongoDB or PostgreSQL. It is a good fit for running a community forum, and product support and discussion boards.

Is NodeBB open source?

Yes. NodeBB is open source under the GPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at NodeBB/NodeBB and is written mainly in JavaScript.

Yes. NodeBB is open source, so the software itself is free to use. Paid plans are also available, starting at $20 per month.

Can I self-host NodeBB?

Yes. NodeBB can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is NodeBB an alternative to?

NodeBB is an open-source alternative to Reddit, Circle, Mighty Networks and Bettermode. Other open-source alternatives to Reddit include Discourse and Forem.

Is NodeBB actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to NodeBB was on 2 October 2026, and the latest release is v4.16.1, published on 2 October 2026. The project has 15k stars on GitHub.

NodeBB: open-source alternative to Reddit, Circle

About NodeBB

NodeBB is forum software built on Node.js that keeps the traditional bulletin board format, with category hierarchies, local user accounts and asynchronous messaging, while adding modern features. It uses web sockets for instant interactions and real-time notifications, is mobile responsive, and exposes rich RESTful read and write APIs.

It supports Redis, MongoDB or PostgreSQL as its database. The core contains a common set of basic functionality, and additional features and integrations come from third-party plugins. A theming system extends base templates and styles with SCSS or CSS, and the base theme uses Bootstrap 5. A minimalist theme called Harmony is available for getting started without coding.

NodeBB is released under the GPL-3.0 license and is self-hosted. It requires a recent Node.js release (version 22 or later) plus MongoDB 5 or later or Redis 7.2 or later. Translations are managed with Transifex, and the project invites developers, designers and translators to contribute.

Key features

Real-time notifications over web sockets
Category hierarchies and local user accounts
Plugin system for added functionality
Theming with SCSS, CSS and Bootstrap 5
RESTful read and write APIs
Redis, MongoDB or PostgreSQL storage

Good fit for

→Running a community forum
→Product support and discussion boards

Built with: JavaScript; Redis; MongoDB; Node.js; PostgreSQL
Tags: forum; community; nodejs; real-time; plugins; redis; mongodb; self-hosted

NodeBB: questions and answers

What is NodeBB used for?: NodeBB is Node.js forum software with real-time notifications, a plugin system and support for Redis, MongoDB or PostgreSQL. It is a good fit for running a community forum, and product support and discussion boards.
Is NodeBB open source?: Yes. NodeBB is open source under the GPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at NodeBB/NodeBB and is written mainly in JavaScript.
Is NodeBB free?: Yes. NodeBB is open source, so the software itself is free to use. Paid plans are also available, starting at $20 per month.
Can I self-host NodeBB?: Yes. NodeBB can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is NodeBB an alternative to?: NodeBB is an open-source alternative to Reddit, Circle, Mighty Networks and Bettermode. Other open-source alternatives to Reddit include Discourse and Forem.
Is NodeBB actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to NodeBB was on 2 October 2026, and the latest release is v4.16.1, published on 2 October 2026. The project has 15k stars on GitHub.