Unique software lets us do unique things.

  • Embed your forum anywhere
  • Experience speeds never before possible
  • 99% of automated spam is prevented
  • Join multiple forums with only one account

Frequently Asked Questions


How is this free?

We offer our services for free because we legitimately enjoy helping people create their own forums. Secondly, like many people, we want to be paid for doing what we love and what we consider fun. By offering free forum services we are able to share our forums with as many people as possible, while also growing a loyal user base who may are willing to buy upgrades, etc., so we can cover expenses and earn a fair profit.

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Why do I need an invitation?

As much as we want to let everyone try sparkBB, we care most about providing the best services possible for everyone we already host. By regulating how many people can try sparkBB, we are in full control over the increases in resources demanded and can always provide the highest quality services. If someone receives an invitation to try sparkBB, they can be confident that they too will enjoy the highest quality services, always.

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How do I get an invitation?

Simply fill out the short request an invitation form.

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Can I give, buy, trade, or sell an invitation?

Sure. We issue invites based on first come first serve basis. You can do with them as you like.

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I'm new to free forums. Will this be hard?

Everyone is different, especially when it comes to computers. Generally, people find the interface of our system to be very intuitive and have no problems managing their sparkBB forum even without prior experience. We listen when people make suggestions and actively commission usability tests to see how new users react to our system. If you have any issues try to setup, manage, or promote your forum you can always find help at our support center.

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Can I create more than one forum?

Certainly. However, a new invitation is required for each forum you wish to create.

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Is sparkBB remotely hosted?

Yes. The sparkBB forum application is hosted and managed by our capable staff, leaving you free to focus on promoting and managing your forum without needing to worry about anything technical.

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Why is sparkBB remotely hosted?

1) sparkBB is a closed source proprietary software program. Being a proprietary solution ensures adequate funding for all operational and developmental expenses - assuring our customers that our level of service not falter.

2) We are proud of our reputation as a premium forum service and our name instills a value of reliability and experience. By maintaining all sparkBB instances centrally, we can ensure the utmost quality of service, security, and reliability for all users across all sparkBB forums.

3) It's easier on our customers. Locally hosted solutions often impose many hidden costs and unexpected issues. These include bandwidth limitations, complicated server and software implementation, scalability issues, increased overhead, maintenance costs, and limited redundancy. Our solution removes the guesswork and hassle of finding lower-end solutions to start your forum, and moving to a higher-end solution in the future. Our solutions are fully scalable to meet the needs of our customers on demand.

sparkBB's free membership incorporates everything you need, including support, guides, ongoing seamless upgrades, multi-layer network redundancy, and the highest level of security. You won't be surprised by additional costs that can quickly add up to many times the original cost of a locally hosted solution.

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Why isn't sparkBB open source?

sparkBB's source is proprietary because we are real people trying to make a living doing what we love. If we had to compete with people that were using our own code then it wouldn't be as profitable and we wouldn't be able to devote as much time to sparkBB as we'd like.

With that said, our proprietary source policy isn't 100% selfish...

Open source and proprietary systems both have their advantages. Linux is strong because of the strong community that drives continued improvements and innovations. Oracle is strong because the Oracle Corporation has invested millions. sparkBB isn't nearly as complicated as Linux or Oracle. We have created a straightforward program that is extremely efficient at what it does, sending and retrieving posts. Since the functionality of our system is so straightforward, we need fewer eyes to check our code for integrity than our example of Linux. Consider the following example:

When a new server is compiled, one of the most basic steps a systems administrator can take is to disable root login and change the default ports. To a would-be hacker, this is the equivalent of trying to get into someone's email without knowing their email provider or username. This is what is essentially done with sparkBB by keeping our source secure. A hacker attempting to infiltrate our system has drastically fewer tools at their disposal by not knowing the methods with which we store and communicate data.

However, we are going to be leveraging the power of the community with an extensive API system that will allow people to create modules for sparkBB. This is where more advanced and diverse features will come in and we want the masses to see them and make sure all the limbs are secured.

This hybrid solution allows us to remain financially stable, whilst providing the safest and most rewarding environment for our users.

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Can I use my own domain?

Yes. You are welcome to use your own domain name at no charge.

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How is sparkBB different from other free forum hosting services?

We actually have a page dedicated to addressing this very question - Why sparkBB?

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