NodeBB vs UNA
NodeBB
nodebb.org
UNA
unacms.comSide by side
| Figure | NodeBB | UNA |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $20/mo | $20/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 4 |
| Spec score · Community Platforms | 9.3 (#3) | 9.5 (#1) |
| Administration | Administrators can create unlimited administrator and moderator accounts and set permissions for each. | Studio provides no-code tools for configuring apps, roles, pages, forms, menus, design, and languages. |
| API | NodeBB provides a public Read API and a RESTful Write API for software integrations. | UNA 15 exposes a REST-style JSON HTTP API at /api.php, protected by API keys and allowed origins after being enabled in Settings. |
| Founded | 2014 | 2000 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Moderation tools | Yes | Yes |
| Private spaces | Yes | Yes |
| Security | NodeBB operates a bug bounty program, but eligible testing is limited to try.nodebb.org and third-party plugins are excluded. | The maker lists site-wide SSL, antispam, an audit log, regular security fixes, two-factor sign-in, and password expiry and history. |
| Support | Paid hosting plans list priority support, and NodeBB also points users to its community support forum. | Standard includes community support, Pro includes direct support for one project, and Max includes unlimited direct support. |
Plans
NodeBB
- Starter$20 a month
- Hamlet$100 a month
- Village$250 a month
- City$750 a month
- Self-hostedFree
- Enterprise SolutionsPriced on request
In their own words
NodeBB
NodeBB is a community discussion platform for forums and online communities, including brand communities and product support boards. Members can write topics and replies using a visual editor or Markdown, chat in real time, and receive notifications for follows, likes and topic subscriptions. They can form groups with activity feeds, tag topics and follow tags for updates. Administrators can create unlimited moderator and administrator accounts and set their permissions. More than 500 plugins and themes can be installed through the control panel, and public Read and RESTful Write APIs support integrations. Spam-prevention integrations include Akismet, StopForumSpam and Project Honeypot. Self-hosted NodeBB is free to download and install under GPLv3; hosted plans start at $20 a month and include priority support. Basic full-text search uses the bundled database engine; Solr and Elasticsearch search require third-party plugins. Installation guides cover Linux, macOS, Windows and cloud deployment options including Docker.
UNA
UNA is an open-source platform for building community sites, social networks, collaboration spaces, and educational portals. Its core tools include feeds, posts, groups, events, messaging, courses, discussions, a wiki, and collaboration features. Studio provides no-code controls for apps, roles, pages, forms, menus, design, and languages. UNA offers a REST API and OAuth 2.0 server, and can run as a full platform or a headless backend. Listed integrations include Stripe, Shopify, Snipcart, Mailchimp, Intercom, Google Tag Manager, and Rocket.Chat through the Chat+ app. AI agents can use 13 model providers, including local models through Ollama, and connect to vector stores such as Pinecone and Qdrant. UNA runs on a customer’s domain and servers, with files stored on local disk or S3-compatible storage. The maker lists SSL, antispam, audit logs, two-factor sign-in, and regular security fixes, and says it helps customers prepare for GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA. Standard is free; Pro is $20 a month; Max is $100 a month. All plans list unlimited projects and deployments.