vBulletin vs Invision Power Board?

I am completely and totally biased towards vB, its been my forum software for six years and it has been great. I was recently made an admin on an IPB forum and it was quite disorienting for awhile. I found that simple operations like changing a user's usergroup was made time consuming in IPB.

For example, with vBulletin, you search for a username and you are taken to a results page or are redirect straight to a user's profile. In IPB, you will always be redirected to a results page, even there is only one result. From there you have to click twice (one to draw up a menu, a second to actually get to the profile edit page). Once in the profile edit page, IPB breaks down a user into tabs while vB gives all the info on a single page.

I found this incredibly frustrating as I had to change about 30 usergroups on profiles and I found it to be far more time consuming than if it was vB. I do think that IPB does provide a much nicer end user experience straight out of the box compared to vB, but needs work in the admin cp.

 

IPB is better for admin dummies that know nothing about forums. Vbulletin is better for advanced users admins. Since I'm an advanced admin I pick vbulletin.

 

Care to elaborate on that statement?

 

In my opinion IPB is extremely easy to configure so it is better for new people with boards. At least without any experience. At least that is what I've seen in my experience with IPB. So it would be a better choice or the newer administrators in the world of boards.

 

Invision Power Board.

Far more user friendly for admins and members. The developers put more thought in new features instead of just adding stuff. vB isn't very modern or modern looking unless you skin the hell out of it.

 

Haven't ever had a forum on either of them, but IPB is definitely more visually appealing but vB has better features and better MODs.

 

There is no question about it, at all. IPB is the best forum software.

Feature wise IPB wins. IPB is more visually appealing. IPB also has a better admin cp. IPB has an easy to use Hooks and Plugin system. IPB also has the best spam protection (especially now with their new spam monitoring system). And to my knowledge IPB is also cheaper than vB.

 

I know the bolded is in both vBulletin/Invision, but can you explain more about the aspect in Italics? I never heard that IPB 3 had a new spam monitoring system.

 

Check out this thread: Spam Monitoring Service

 

That seems interesting, although in a sense, kind of limited due it being local based on Invison's servers rather than a company or organisation specifically dedicated to just this.

 

Well, from their perspective, it's a strong point. Something like this might be a deciding factor for somebody to use IP.Board over vB.
If they used a remote service, vB could tie in and be on a level playing field.

Their current implementation puts IP.Board ahead in the game.

 

True, that's why I hope vBulletin adds a similar feature in version 4.0.

 

It's almost funny that I ran across this today, as opposed to 6 months ago, because the answer would have been completely different.

For 7 years or so, I have sworn by vBulletin. Decent software, decent support, the attitude of individuals behind the company was ok to deal with.

After recent incidents @ .org, though, interactions between myself and staff and the resulting consequences, I'm looking at IPB rather heavily.

For features, addons, skins, availability, I hate to say it but vBulletin has this one hands down. It's right where it's at and where it should be. You just can't match .org for resources.

For editing, I'd have to say IPB wins this one. One of my favorite things to do in any software is write my own templates and include them where necessary, grouping them as necessary. IPB really shines here. here's what I'm talking about, just as an example:

Last night, it took me about 20, 30 minutes to write some ad templates for inclusion into my latest IPB experiment, and most of that was getting the code and making it look 'pretty' as it were. The templates are appropriately grouped, and can be included in any other template with a simple one line of code:

Code:

{parse template="" group="" params=""}

It's smarty templating, but better, so that works better for me.

With vBulletin, for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to create a 'template group', for organization, so I'm stuck with 100s of custom templates floating out there in one forum, and haven't bothered to figure it out in others. Including templates or parsing them not so easy in vBulletin either.

Ease of use? I'm used to the vB way of doing things, so I'm sure others might find IPB easier to use, but not me. I'm still trying to find out where I'm at and how to do what.

IPB's grown a lot with v3, and I've got to give them props for that. It's not easy being second (and yes, for popularity, they seem to be a good stretch behind vB), but they appear to be catching up slowly. IF things keep going @ vB the way they have, they'll have it locked down, given a couple years.

 

I've just started a new Project in IPB Community Suite. I must admit I'm extremely impressed by both the service and software. On first sight it was extremely easy to configure however when I looked deeper into it... Just wow! Extremely powerful software.

There is just one feature I miss in IPB 3.0.X and that is the ability to have Group Moderators. Besides of that its almost a dream about how it works(But there are still bugs since its a new Major Release).

The IPS Costummer service takes a bit longer however they actually fix the problem for you. They also have a free instalation service which is nice to.

 

My friend got me into vBulletin. He taught me the basics and such. I like vBulletin alot. But i had a free IPB board hosted. I didnt like the Admincp. The support wasnt good at all.

 

I've used both and can honestly say I like vBulletin 100 times more then IPB

 

I never heard of My BB until I clicked on your link.

 

As for posting on forums I'm partial to vBulletin because I'm familiar with it but Invision looks nice too.

As for owning one I've only had a vBulletin license so I can't say which one is better. :shrug:

 

I think I am a IP.Board guy or time will tell (Tomorrow)

They do have beautiful software that works very well and until this point, great customer service. Maybe I am dealing with a "mean" person on my billing issue for Pridesburg.com at this time and somebody else higher up will step in as my story is outrageous/unfair, etc. I will not post all of the emails back and forth to them on this site and others until the final outcome but anywhere -- here is the deal....

I know this is a fairly old thread but still relevant and always will be as long as both companies exist. I myself have chosen IP.Board for years & years. I have a site hosted with them called Pridesburg.com among a few others not hosted but utilizing the software.

A big part of things to me in "which is better" would be customer support especially when paying for a package they are hosting on a monthly basis. I always felt I received my moneys worth from them & customer support was awesome. Are they getting to BIG for how many employee's they have?

Hmm, I never -ever had a issue with IP.Board since switching years ago from "Infropop" aka Eve aka, etc, etc.

Needless to say, I bumped into a HUGE issue (they are making bigger) with IP.Board in which I even offered to pay a fee for there troubles 'if they had any? This issue was nor there fault nor mine! It is also was a first time to happen and would be LAST!..

Ok, enough rambling...

MY SITUATION: One Saturday or Sunday(?) my ip hosted site had went down (my fault) due to my card was declined as the mortgage came out a little sooner then I thought so the money was not available that second, no biggie.

In since we have allot of donating members and are a fairly large forum considering the smaller audience we tend to being a "neighborhood" in Philadelphia PA I wanted to get it back up and running asap!

Needless to say I scrambled to get it back on ASAP and ran to the bank only to realize they were closed so I could not deposit the money to pay them until monday or so! I had no idea what to do until the thought popped into my head to ask my friend whom was here to utilize her card (she typed it in and told her to click one time payment) in which she agreed. I paid her the $20 or so hosting package fee on the spot in cash and all was great as site came right back up.

Now, fast forward two months later (my close friend passed in between all of this) and remember I have been a very loyal user and BIG Time advocate/troll or whatever you want to call me in defending IP.Board for years. Customer service has always been great but rarely needed!

Anyway, moving along my "friend" amy had lost her card so reported it stolen to have it shut down so she tells me. Now her bank did a charge-back (did not even know what that was until this situation) on everything including IP.Boards last months fee as well as this months during the middle of our billing cycle. totalling $40 bucks which is paid as of NOW on my own personal card as I am the account holder and always been.

I immediately found out what was going on and explained to them via a email as they "indefinitely terminated" our site so that we could not even re-pay under MY OWN (AS USUAL) card what we owed!

Well, finally they sent me a email to pay for charge-back fee's which I just did tonight which would pay for last month and all of this month which we did not even receive but I still operated with integrity and PAID them as they were owed the money or at least 75% if they continue to stick to there guns on shutting me down...

The point is I been with IP/Board from the start 'for years and years over a half of decade faithful all the way and never had a issue before on my end or theirs. I understand this was a bank error on my friends part (lesson learned) and it is being handled. I am out of the equation as well as invision now since I paid them just a few hours ago when they sent me the email and allowed access to the login site to do so. Why am I being punished? (My sites still suspended)

BUT: Now, she (my friend who paid with her card) has my money, they have there money as well which they are "owed" but I am being punished for this "bank mistake" (not even my bank) because they charged back on my friends card in which I immediately paid and explained!

I almost always paid with my card for years and years as my records should reflect so this was a rare situation as I am explaining and explained to them. Why is IP.Board pulling the plug on a very loyal customer (me?) over a charge-back fee that I DID NOT DO!

I never, EVER did a charge-back on them or anyone to that fact in my life. It was a complete mix-up not to mention I paid the bill in full just now including the money for the rest of this billing cycle I did not even "get"...

YET? Or may not ever....

WHY?

I could understand if I did this, but I did not and now have my card locked into there server -- meaning my own credit/debit to take the fee out on a monthly basis and learned a valuable lesson but yet they are "kicking me off" or "terminating me" for this huge bank mix up which is blowing everything out of proportion.

Now, they are re-paid so I will wait it out and see what happens tomorrow with Pridesburg.com. If they are understanding enough to see what happened here as I explained to them and now see that I even paid them in full and then some knowing they said I am terminated (who would do that?) but still do not re-consider re-instating my account well that is bad ethics IMO.

I could see if I did this but this is a computer run world now and things happen now a days not to mention, again -- this is a FIRST!!!

Maybe, they will do the right thing, maybe not but I have to say I am all about customer service so always liked IP.Board and may still but I may have to switch over to v-bullet over a silly bank error that was not my fault nor ip.boards fault and was easy to fix and never happened before nor will ever happen again.

I will report back tomorrow about the status of Pridesburg.com fate!

This seems like a great site here so glad to be here!

I hope I explained the situation correctly and will report back. Thus far, I like IP.Board but if they pull the plug on me for a simple error out of my control not to mention I re-paid with fully knowing they said I was terminated (who would do that?) hoping that they are just protecting themselves (understandable) but if not, well, I will wait to comment.

I thought & hope I had/have what I though I had with this company but only time will tell.

I mean why would anybody that was happy with the service intentionally charge-back a fee they owe unless it was bank error or a little more complex situation like I had here? In-vision should even be able to see that the name on the card whom paid for the 2 random months charged backed (I paid them cash for use of card) is not my name but now is paid in full again and back in my name -- lesson learned!

AGAIN -- Now, my card is back in and locked into there site for auto withdraw should they make the "FAIR" choice. If not, I do not believe they are unffair intentionally they may just be to BIG for there staff and not able to read situations that happen as things are not always what they seem!

Point is, I never charged back a dime under my card, I repaid asap in full!

Do they not have enough time to look my "case" over and see that I am being punished by complete termination (so confused) for a bank error/mistake or whatever happened that is not my fault 'not to mention I offered to pay more for there troubles if there were any with little to no response besides "we do not tolerate charge-backs.

I did not charge-back!

I am so frustrated and hope this ends well to save my time and there own.

I guess we will all find out.

I know they will at least have to get me my back-up as well as refund me for the days it was disabled that I just re-payed although they can keep the money as I am not the type to charge back or complain even if I am in the right. I guess I will pack my bags and move on if they choose this fate for me or they will actually read my emails to them (hard to contact) understand and see the payment as well as what happened and turn us back on now that my card is locked in (my name on card, I am site owner) and they are paid in full plus some beings we did not end our billing cycle until the 17th or so of this month.

If I am wrong here, please somebody let me know as I am scratching my head but open to opinions. So far (fingers crossed) loyal IP.Board user here but I do not know what the future holds..

WILL REPORT BACK!


Have a nice night everyone,
Stephen

 

I have to say that vBulletin (v3.6xx) is a refined, professional, and a recognized forum product in the market, yesterday!! I would therefore use vBulletin over IPB as it's sleeker and more flexible!