wpForo Forum vs Private groups (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Private groups has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 49 reviews) while wpForo Forum leads in active installations (20K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. wpForo Forum has accumulated 1.6M+ total downloads while Private groups has 152K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | wpForo Forum | Private groups | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 390 | ◄ | 49 |
| Active Installs | 20K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.6M+ | ◄ | 152K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 2 weeks ago | ◄ | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2016 | 2014 | |
| Age | 10 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.2+ | false+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.2+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.4.17 | 3.9.7 |
Rating Breakdown
wpForo Forum
Private groups
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, wpForo Forum averaged approximately 655 daily downloads while Private groups averaged 10.
Recent Reviews
wpForo Forum Reviews
The best forum
The best forum for WordPress
Feature Rich and Simply the Best
I’ve been using this forum plugin for 2 years now. It is simply the best forum software out there. The support forum is also amazing.There’s no other WordPress forum out there that is better than wpfo
Great Support even for the dense
I really like this plugin. The learning curve is bearable and the support on their forum is excellent. The provided layout are great and if you must customizing them is not that hard. Read the documen
Private groups Reviews
Granular, well explained, works like a charm
Exactly what I needed. A simple, yet powerful solution. Very well documented inside the Settings area.
Wonderful Plugin
Just works wonderfully, I’m really impressed.
Very impressed
While testing, I was already impressed with the functionality, then had a minor bug issue and it was fixed within 24 hours with a few emails. Now that’s superb support 🙂 Super plugin that works
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is wpForo Forum or Private groups more popular?
Which has better ratings — wpForo Forum or Private groups?
Are wpForo Forum and Private groups free?
Which plugin has better support — wpForo Forum or Private groups?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.