SMF hosting
SMF hosting for communities that need real permissions
One-click Simple Machines Forum, Package Manager support, and free SMF themes from Traxio if you want a modern starting point. Free for 30 days, then £0.99 a month.
Why SMF
SMF's distinguishing feature is control over who can see and do what. Membergroups, board-level permissions and per-group overrides are more precise than either MyBB or phpBB offers, and they are laid out clearly enough to configure without a spreadsheet.
That makes it a natural fit for communities with structure: a club with a committee section, a support community with a private area, a paid or tiered membership, a board that is public to search engines but only partly public to guests.
It is also lighter than phpBB and has a long record of stability, which counts for a lot when the thing you are hosting is meant to last.
What SMF needs from a host
- PHP 7.4–8.3, switchable — useful with SMF, where the 2.1 series and older mods differ in what they tolerate.
- MySQL or MariaDB — included, with phpMyAdmin.
- Writable file permissions — SMF's Package Manager installs mods by patching files, so it needs genuine write access. You have it.
- Outbound mail on your domain — for activation, password resets and topic notifications. Add SPF and DKIM in the DNS editor.
- Cron — for scheduled tasks, digests and maintenance.
- Free SSL — issued automatically once DNS resolves.
Themes, and an unusual coincidence
Traxio maintains and gives away modern SMF 2.1 themes, with live demos you can click through before downloading. That is not a hosting feature — the themes are free to anyone, hosted here or not — but it does mean the person running this hosting company works with SMF regularly, which is a reasonable thing to know when choosing where to put an SMF board.
Honest notes on SMF
The mod ecosystem is smaller and quieter than phpBB's, and Package Manager mods that patch files need re-checking after an SMF update. The default theme is plain (though it works well on phones), which is part of why the free themes above exist. And the permissions system that makes SMF strong is also the thing most likely to confuse you in week one — worth an hour with the documentation before you open registration.
Install SMF
Create your free account
Order Traxio Free Start in the Traxio client area with the domain you own. No card details, 30 days free.
Open Softaculous in DirectAdmin
It is under Extra Features in DirectAdmin. No separate licence or add-on to buy.
Choose SMF and fill in the form
Directory (leave blank for the forum at your root domain), forum name, admin username, a real password and your email address.
Submit and log in
Softaculous creates the database, writes the configuration and leaves you at a working SMF install with its admin panel ready. Then pick a theme, create boards and set your membergroups.
One plan, one price
The same hosting account Traxio.co.uk sells, described for people running a forum. One plan, no tiers, no upsell.
30 days free
Traxio Free Start
Free for 30 days, then £0.99/month
Start my SMF forumNo card required to start · No setup fee · Bring your own domain
- 3GB NVMe SSD storageRoom for your forum software, its database, member uploads and attachments.
- 100GB bandwidth per monthTens of thousands of visits a month for a typical forum — plenty for a new or growing community.
- DirectAdmin control panelThe real thing: file manager, DNS editor, databases, email, cron, PHP switching.
- Free SSL certificate (auto-renewing)Members will not register on a forum the browser marks as insecure.
- Softaculous one-click installerMyBB, phpBB and SMF install from a form — no manual database setup.
- PHP 7.4 – 8.3, switchableMatch whichever version your forum software recommends, per domain.
- MySQL / MariaDB databaseOne included — what one forum needs — with phpMyAdmin for backups and imports.
- FTP & file manager accessUpload themes, mods and plugins, or edit a template in the browser.
- Email on your domainOne email account included, for registration and notification mail from you@yourforum.com.
- Cron jobsScheduled pruning, digests and maintenance tasks forum packages expect.
- AI-assisted help deskKnowledgebase first, then the help desk: AI replies, and a person steps in when a request is escalated.
- Add-ons if you need themExtra email accounts, domains, databases or FTP accounts are £0.99 each, once. More disk is £0.99/month per 5GB; more bandwidth £0.99/month per 50GB. All add-ons
Full technical specification: DirectAdmin hosting on Traxio.co.uk.
SMF hosting questions
Can I install SMF in one click?
Yes. Simple Machines Forum is in the Softaculous installer on every Traxio account, including the database setup. About five minutes to a working board.
Does Traxio meet SMF's requirements?
Yes — PHP with the standard extensions and a MySQL or MariaDB database. PHP is switchable between 7.4 and 8.3 per domain, which matters for SMF because the 2.1 series and older mods have different comfort zones.
Can I use SMF mods and themes?
Yes. SMF's Package Manager installs mods from the admin panel, and it needs writable file permissions — which you have, because you have full file access. Themes upload the same way.
Are there free SMF themes I can use?
Traxio publishes a set of modern, mobile-ready SMF 2.1 themes free to download, with live demos: free SMF themes. They are not tied to hosting here — use them anywhere.
Can I move an existing SMF forum here?
Yes. Copy the files, import the database with phpMyAdmin, update Settings.php with the new database credentials and paths, test on the temporary URL, then switch DNS.
Why choose SMF over phpBB or MyBB?
Permissions. SMF's membergroup and board permission system is the most precise of the three, which is why it suits communities with private sections, tiered membership or a committee that needs its own space. It is also lighter than phpBB.
Install SMF free for 30 days
One-click install, Package Manager support, free themes. £0.99 a month afterwards.
Free for 30 days with no card details required. Then £0.99/month if you choose to continue.