Flarum vs Volusion

Flarum is a modern, lightweight forum software designed for simplicity and speed, while Volusion is an e-commerce platform that offers a range of features for online store management. Flarum focuses on community engagement and discussion, while Volusion caters to businesses looking to sell products online.

General information

Flarum
Volusion
Introduction :
Flarum is a modern, open-source forum platform that was launched in 2015. It has gained popularity for its sleek design, user-friendly interface, and extensive customization options. Flarum is known for its active community and regular updates, making it a top choice for those looking to create engaging online forums. Its focus on simplicity and performance sets it apart from other forum platforms on the market.
Introduction :
Volusion is a popular e-commerce platform that was launched in 1999. It is not open source, but it is known for its user-friendly interface and robust features for online stores. Volusion is favored for its scalability and customization options, making it a top choice for businesses of all sizes looking to establish a strong online presence. With a wide range of templates and integrations available, Volusion offers a comprehensive solution for e-commerce needs.
Advantages :
  • Easy to use and customize
  • Fast and lightweight performance
  • Active community for support and plugins
  • Modern and responsive design
  • Secure and reliable platform
Advantages :
  • Easy to use for beginners
  • Wide range of design templates available
  • Excellent customer support
  • Built-in SEO features
  • Scalable for growing businesses
Disadvantages :
  • Limited number of available plugins and extensions
  • Relatively smaller community support compared to others
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Less flexibility in customization options
  • Limited themes and design options available
Disadvantages :
  • Limited design flexibility
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Higher monthly fees compared to some competitors
  • Limited third-party integrations
  • Lack of built-in blogging capabilities
Website users : Thousands
Flarum is used by thousands of websites, making it a popular choice among online platforms for forum communities.
Website users : Tens of thousands of websites
Volusion is a popular e-commerce platform used by a significant number of online stores for their website operations.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Getting started with Flarum may require some technical knowledge, but with the right resources, users can navigate the platform effectively.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Getting started with Volusion may require some technical knowledge, but their user-friendly interface helps streamline the process for beginners.
Year launched : 2015
Flarum was launched in 2015, positioning it as a relatively newer option compared to other established content management systems.
Year launched : 1999
Volusion was launched in 1999, making it one of the earlier e-commerce platforms available for businesses to create online stores.
Official website : https://flarum.org/
Official website : https://www.volusion.com/


Commercial details

Flarum
Volusion
๐ŸŸข Open source : Fully.
Flarum is fully open source, written in PHP. The entire platform is available for modification and customization by the community.
๐Ÿ”ด Open source : No.
Volusion is not open source. The platform does not provide access to its source code for customization or modification.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
Flarum offers a free, open-source option with basic features. However, additional features and support may require paid extensions or services.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
Volusion offers a free 14-day trial, but there is no permanent free option. Limited features available in the trial period.
โšช Paid option : Unknown.
Flarum offers extensions and premium support services, but it is unclear if there is a paid option for the core platform.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Volusion offers a paid option with additional features and support compared to its free plan, providing more flexibility and customization for users.


Platform details

Flarum
Volusion
โšช Hosted : Unknown.
Hosted options may be available through third-party vendors, but direct hosting by Flarum is unclear. Further research is needed.
๐ŸŸข Hosted : Yes.
Volusion offers a hosted option for users, providing a convenient and hassle-free solution for setting up an online store.
๐ŸŸข Self host : Yes.
Self-hosting is possible with Flarum, allowing users to have full control over their hosting environment and data privacy.
โšช Self host : Unknown.
Volusion does not offer a self-hosting option, but there may be third-party vendors available for hosting services.
๐ŸŸก Headless CMS : Supported via plugin.
Flarum does not natively support headless functionality but can be extended with plugins to enable headless features via API.
โšช Headless CMS : Unknown.
Volusion may have headless features via an API, but specific information on headless support is not readily available.
๐ŸŸก Static content generation : Supported via plugin.
Flarum does not natively support static content generation but can potentially achieve this functionality via a popular plugin.
๐ŸŸก Static content generation : Supported via plugin.
Volusion does not natively support static content generation but can potentially be achieved via a popular plugin.


Key features

Flarum
Volusion
๐ŸŸก Content management : Supported via plugin.
Flarum offers basic content management capabilities but relies on plugins for more advanced features, making it suitable for content management with additional customization.
๐ŸŸก Content management : Supported via plugin.
Volusion offers basic content management capabilities but may require additional plugins for more advanced features compared to other platforms.
๐ŸŸก Blogging : Supported via plugin.
Flarum can be used for blogging with the help of third-party extensions, offering a customizable and feature-rich platform for content creation.
๐Ÿ”ด Blogging : Not supported.
Volusion is not a preferred platform for blogging compared to other options like WordPress or Shopify, which offer more robust blogging features.
๐Ÿ”ด E-commerce : Not supported.
Flarum does not have native e-commerce capabilities. However, it can potentially be enhanced by third-party plugins for e-commerce functionality.
๐ŸŸก E-commerce : Supported via plugin.
Volusion offers e-commerce functionality but may require additional plugins for advanced features compared to other platforms.
๐ŸŸก Community forum : Supported via plugin.
Flarum offers basic forum functionality but can be enhanced by popular third-party extensions for additional features and customization.
๐ŸŸก Community forum : Supported via plugin.
Volusion does not have native forum functionality but can be enhanced by third-party plugins for community building and forum features.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Content subscriptions and paywalls can be supported through popular third-party extensions, enhancing Flarum's capabilities in this area.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Volusion does not natively support content subscriptions/paywalls but can be enhanced by popular third-party plugins/extensions for this functionality.


Other features

Flarum
Volusion
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Multi-site functionality is not supported natively in Flarum but can be achieved through the use of third-party plugins/extensions.
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Volusion does not support multi-site natively but can be enhanced by third-party plugins/extensions for multi-site functionality.
๐ŸŸก Multi-language : Supported via plugin.
Multi-language support in Flarum is primarily achieved through third-party extensions, offering flexibility and customization for different language requirements.
๐ŸŸก Multi-language : Supported via plugin.
Supports multi-language via popular third-party plugins or extensions, enhancing its capabilities for catering to diverse language needs.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
Flarum does not natively support XML sitemaps but can be enhanced by popular third-party plugins/extensions for this functionality.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
Supports XML sitemaps through popular third-party plugins, enhancing SEO capabilities for better search engine visibility.


When deciding between Flarum and Volusion, consider your specific needs - Flarum is ideal for building a vibrant online community, while Volusion is better suited for e-commerce functionality. Choose Flarum for engaging discussions and Volusion for robust online store management.