The following is a list of known active BBS software websites. Active BBS Software means that the software is either being actively being updated by the author, or a website exists where you can either download the software and/or you can get support from the author.

If you know of an actively supported BBS software not listed here, please Contact Us . You may also wish to visit our Classic BBS Software List if you don’t find your favorite BBS software listed here.

List of Active BBS Software Packages

The following is a listing of active BBS software packages. Active BBS software means that the software is either still being developed and/or supported – or the BBS software is still in wide use even though there is currently no direct author support.

BBBS Official Page

Operating System: Linux, DOS, OS/2, Windows
Type: Shareware
In Production: Dormant (last release 2021, checked Nov. 2025)

BBBS is a very powerful BBS system written by two Finnish programmers (Kim Heino & Tapani Salmi). BBBS has been developed since 1990 and still has a continuous development. BBBS is a full-fledged BBS system which incorporates all of your needs for setting up your own BBS. BBBS contains full Internet and Fidonet support. Fidonet messages and Internet news and email are embedded together with a versatile WWW-based, offline and online message reading system. BBBS is easy to customize to suit every need imaginable. It is configurable also from the user’s point of view. There are hundreds of 3rd party utilities available, mostly coded with BBBS’s C-alike script language.

Citadel

Operating System: DOS, OS/2, Windows, Linux, Etc.
Type: Shareware
In Production: Possibly (checked Nov. 2025)

Citadel is a Bulletin Board System (BBS) that allows users to read and post messages in topic related areas called “rooms” or “forums”. Sometimes these are also broken up into “floors” to group similar topics together. The best way described is this: Think of a house, it has floors, walls, hallways, and different rooms. In each room you can talk about a different topic.

CNet Amiga Pro

Operating System: Amiga
Type: Open Source
In Production: Dormant (last version 2018, checked Nov. 2025)

CNet/PRO was originally developed by Ken Pletzer (Perspective Software) and it was sold to Todd Knight in March 1996. Development was resumed by ZenMetal Software approximately that time, and continued until some point in late 1998 or early 1999 under the ZenMetal Software label. It is now owned by Storm’s Edge Technologies.

Enigma 1/2 BBS

Operating System: Multiple (Javascript/Node.js based)
Type: Open Source
In Production: Dormant (last version 2018, checked January 2024)

ENiGMA½ BBS was started in October 2015, driven through a lack of diversity in the BBS scene and no modern open source solutions being available. ENiGMA½ is written in Node.js, and has a very active development community. Lead by NuSkooler, numerous other developers have since contributed to the ENiGMA codebase and multiple boards have started to appear in the scene!

Hermes II BBS

Operating System: Macintosh (Power PC pre OSX)
Type: Freeware
In Production: Dormant (last update 2016, checked Nov. 2025)

Hermes II is freeware BBS software system for the Apple Macintosh. Work continues on this software to improve its connectivity to the Internet including a Telnet server.

Lightweight BBS (LBBS)

Operating System: Linux
Type: Open Source
In Production: Yes (checked Nov. 2025)

LBBS is a new BBS software package written in C, entirely from the ground up. It’s designed to be modular, flexible, and lightweight – extremely fast to compile, install, and run. LBBS is easy to configure – there’s an INI-style configuration file for each piece of functionality, and you can configure and load the modules you want. LBBS is designed with the busy sysop in mind – it can automatically generate your menus for you dynamically, based on the user’s terminal properties: all you need to do is specify what commands should be available and to whom. LBBS also has a few esoteric features, such as emulated baud rate support (throttle connections to a specified bps), skip menu navigation (jump around the BBS quickly using shortcut commands), and TTY/TDD support (use your teletype with the BBS). New features and improvements are constantly being added to LBBS, so feel free to give it a spin and
share how it works for you.

MajorBBS (Project Phoenix)

Operating System: Windows
Type: Open Source
In Production: Dormant (last release 2023, checked Nov. 2025)

Not to be confused with Worldgroup, though both share same origins. There has been controversy to whom actually owns the source code for MajorBBS and Worldgroup. A group of people who claim to own the source code for MajorBBS is taking it to the next level by modernizing the source code and re-releasing MajorBBS as a new BBS system. The next era for The Major BBS / Worldgroup has been dubbed Project Phoenix. The aim is to re-unite the MBBS/WG community and to foster a new era of hobbyists who can enjoy what was one of the most innovative and advanced pre-internet communication platforms available. This project will focus on several key areas which are listed below, one of which will be the release of The Major BBS v10​.

MBSE

Operating System: Unix
Type: Open Source
In Production: Yes (Latest release 2023, checked Nov. 2025)

MBSE BBS is a Bulletin Board System that runs on Linux and other POSIX compatible operating systems and is not limited to PCs. MBSE BBS for Unix is a full multi line FidoNet mailer, tosser and BBS with ANSI screens which looks like most popular DOS based BBS packages. The main author no longer develops the software, but the open source community still supports it on their Sourceforge page.

Mystic BBS

Operating System: Windows, Linux, OSX, ARM (Raspberry Pi)
Type: Freeware
In Production: Dormant (latest release 2023), checked Nov. 2025)

Freeware Multinode BBS software. Native Windows, Linux, OSX, and ARM (Raspberry Pi) versions. Extemely flexible and configurable. Unlimited configurable menuing system. Powerful language/theme/string editor. Pascal-like programming language. JAM/Squish message bases and QWK system. Full screen editor with quote window. Lightbar and standard file/msg listings. 99-line file description & FILE_ID.DIZ. Internet Zmodem, archive viewing, testing. Many DOS DOOR formats and 32-bit DOOR32. BBS list, Voting booth, Time bank, 1Liners Quote of the day, Rumors, Split Chat, MORE! Long file names and telnet servers in most 32-bit versions.

Renegade BBS

Operating System: DOS
Type: Freeware
In Production: Yes (latest release 2024, checked Nov. 2025)

A DOS based BBS system created in 1991, last update in 2024

Synchronet

Operating System: Windows, Linux, FreeBSD
Type: Open Source
In Production: Yes (Latest release March 2025)

Synchronet is a BBS system developed by Rob Swindell. Originally for DOS and OS/2 platforms, Rob has now made versions for Windows (32-bit) as well as Linux and FreeBSD with built in Telnet support, Internet E-mail support, NNTP (Usenet) and FTP support. Current version is 3.20d, released in March 2025. Synchronet started out as shareware, but was made freeware (with source code) in 1997. Rob came out of retirement and started work on the current 3.xx versions of Synchronet starting in October 1999.

Talisman

Operating System: Windows, Linux
Type: Freeware
In Production: Yes (Last release 2024, checked Nov. 2025)

Talisman is a telnet style bulletin board system for Linux & Windows. It is a brand new system mixing the best bits of previous BBS systems. Talisman is opensource and licensed under the GNU GPLv3.

Features (So Far): Squish Message bases with FTN support via HPT & Binkd, Door32.sys, door.sys, chain.txt dropfile support for Doors, Using INI & TOML configuration formats, Works on Windows 10 and Linux, IP Blocklist / Passlist support, with auto blocking, Configurable security level time outs & time limits, File Conferences / Areas, External Protocols & Archivers, SSH Support with automatic key generation, QWK-E & Bluewave offline mail, Private Email Support, LUA Scripting, Support for Terminal Sizes greater than 80×25, Built in Full Screen Editor, with option of External (QuickBBS) Editor, Native FTN, WWIVnet and QWK networking support.

Wildcat Winserver

Operating System: Windows (current versions), DOS (older versions)
Type: Commercialware
In Production: Yes (Latest update 2025, checked Nov. 2025)

Wildcat Win Server is hybrid online communications system – providing both the traditional ANSI/RIP based BBS system to Dial-Up and Telnet users, as well as being a web-based BBS system. Originally developed by Mustang Software, Wildcat was sold to Santronics in December 1998. Work continues on Wildcat to this day.

Worldgroup

Operating System: Windows (Worldgroup)
Type: Commercialware
In Production: Dormant (checked Nov. 2025)

Originally called The Major BBS, Worldgroup is probably the most successfully made and commercially sold BBS software. Its maker, Galacticomm, was sold in 1998 to Netvillage. Netvillage had stopped selling and supporting Worldgroup a couple of years later. Worldgroup is again available (and supported) for the Sysop community at Worldgroupware. Worldgroup is an ANSI/RIP based Dial-Up and Telnettable BBS, a Web Server, and an Internet Service Provider all in one package. Worldgroup is probably the most popular pay-based BBS and is one of the most common among Telnettable BBSes. Dial-up users can access with standard ANSI/RIP software or a free Windows based GUI client. Originally designed as a multi-threaded MS-DOS system, Worldgroup now runs on Windows platforms. Web based users can use a browser plug-in to get enhanced graphics. Worldgroup is meant to be used as a professional system and carries with it a professional price tag. It’s now being marketed as a “Social Networking Server.”

WWIV BBS

Operating System: Windows, Linux
Type: Open Source
In Production: Yes (Latest official release 2023, beta release 2025, checked Nov. 2025)

WWIV was originally developed by Wayne Bell, but now the open source community is in charge of continuing development. A new version of WWIV has been released after along beta testing period with many changes over previous versions of WWIV. WWIV now supports multiple nodes and FidoNet message echos. WWIV is now Telnet capable and is available as an open source application on Sourceforge.

Classic BBS Software

Not finding the BBS software you’re looking for? It’s probably on our Classic BBS software list (out of production).