If you are self-hosting a small community, I would recommend going with Flarum. It's an open-source forum software and does the job without much clutter.

I have nothing against XenForo. I administered a large XF community for my UK-based client. It's an excellent piece of software. It might be an overkill for your requirements.

However, the choice of community platform solely depends on the kind of community you wish to build. For a simple community focused on discussions, Flarum should serve well. I would advise not using the plugins from their ecosystem. There are some good plugins; but installing and managing them is a pain.

On a side note: Why not use Jatra for your community? Jatra is my top recommendation these days for anyone building a community.

Thank you for recommending Jatra, Angela. Paula - let me know your requirements and we can figure out if Jatra fits the needs.

For a simple community - I would recommend using Flarum. It's sleek, does the job well and won't be confusing to your members.

XenForo is good for larger communities; but since your member base is limited; it might just bring a few unwanted overheads.

I'd also like you to consider pricing. Flarum is free, but XenForo is not. The base price for XenForo is $195. Then you will have the following additional expenses:

1. Enhanced Search: $60
2. Resource Manager: $70
3. Media Gallery: $70

You will receive updates for one year, but if you wish to continue receiving updates, you will have to pay an annual fee of $60. The extensions will attract annual renewal fees ranging between $10 - $15.

Flarum, on the other hand is free to install and use.

In your case, I'd strongly recommend Flarum. I hope it helps.

I think people underestimate XenForo's pricing for small communities. You should also consider the server requirements to run the community based on software requirements. Depending upon the nature of traffic and community, you might be looking at $10 - $50 of extra expenses, monthly.

I am looking for a XenForo alternative and have considered going with Flarum. However, Flarum requires you to host it yourself. I have hosted forum software before. From my experience, you don't want to host the forum software on your own. It requires lots of resources and maintenance.

My problem with both XenForo and Flarum is that they rely on the plugin ecosystem for additional functionality. Managing plugins is not an easy task. You have to always check for compatibility between the core forum software and the plugins.

I am currently exploring Jatra as an alternative to XenForo and Flarum. It looks promising and the UI is sleek!