Plans, costs, and free options for Forem
Last updated: February 2, 2026
Pricing Model
100% Free
Starting Price
$0
Free Option
Yes ✓
Forem is completely free to use. There are no paid tiers, subscription fees, or hidden costs. You get access to all features at no charge.
See how Forem pricing compares to similar tools in Community Platforms
| Tool | Free Tier | Starting Price | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
ForemCurrentBest Value Empower communities with open-source sof... | Yes | Free | —/100 | Details → |
Mighty NetworksTop Rated Community platform for creators and bran... | No | $41/mo | 84/100 | Pricing → |
Mattermost Open-source team collaboration platform | Yes | $10/mo | 84/100 | Pricing → |
Rocket.Chat Open-source team communication platform | Yes | $8/user/month | 82/100 | Pricing → |
Zulip Open-source team chat with threads | Yes | $6.67/mo | 82/100 | Pricing → |
Prices shown are starting prices. Actual pricing may vary based on features and team size.
See all alternatives →Forem is completely free to use. There are no hidden costs or paid tiers.
Yes, Forem is entirely free to use with all features included.
Forem is completely free, so no trial is needed.
Free or freemium alternatives include Mattermost, Rocket.Chat, Zulip. View our full comparison to find the best value.
Forem is open-source software, meaning the codebase is freely available. However, there might be costs associated with hosting and maintaining your own Forem instance.
Yes, the Forem software itself is free and open-source. You can access its codebase on GitHub without charge.