Forum: Alternatives to Single Sign On (SSO)

Single Sign On (SSO) lets your members use the login they already have on your website to sign in to your forum automatically, so they never have to create a separate forum account or log in twice. It's a convenient feature, but it isn't the only way to manage sign-ins on your community.

If you'd prefer not to use custom Single Sign On (SSO), there are several free, built-in alternatives available. Custom SSO requires a Growth Plan or higher, a website or website builder that supports SSO integration, and a one-time SSO setup fee of $149. If your website or website builder doesn't support SSO, or you'd rather avoid the additional cost, the options below work on every plan. The right choice depends on whether your members want to sign in with an existing account or post without creating accounts.

Option 1: Let members sign in with an existing account (social login)

Instead of SSO, you can let members sign in using an account they already have, such as Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, GitHub, or Microsoft. This is built in and free on every plan, and members don't need to remember a separate forum password.

Go to Settings → Single Sign On.
Enable the social login providers you want to offer (for example Google or Facebook).
Follow the on-screen steps to connect each provider.
Members can now sign in with that provider instead of registering a separate forum account.

You can set up each provider by following its guide:

Option 2: Post without accounts (anonymous / guest posting)

If your members do not need profiles, private messages, or subscriptions, you can turn off user accounts entirely and let people post anonymously. This is the most streamlined option and needs no SSO at all.

Go to Settings → Users.
Turn off the Accounts option.
Give the Not Signed Up / Not Logged In user group permission to post topics and replies.
Optional: allow users to provide a name or alias when they post.

For full details, see Anonymous/Guest posting.

Option 3: Use a free platform plugin

If your website runs on a supported platform, a free plugin or module can handle sign-in and signup automatically, acting as a lightweight alternative to a custom SSO integration:

These plugins are designed to work with the platform's existing user system, so members can log in to your forum using the same credentials they already use on your site.