Which vBulletin versions does this work with?

Any version where you can edit a template that appears on every page, which is all of them — including the older installs still running happily, because nothing of ours runs inside vBulletin.

Is there an add-on to install?

No. That is deliberate for vBulletin in particular: add-ons are where upgrade trouble comes from, and a forum that has been running for fifteen years does not need another thing to break.

Can I keep my members' identities?

Yes, through single sign-on, so the name in the chat is the name on the forum.

A chat for your vBulletin forum

The footer template on vBulletin 4, a Site Builder module on vBulletin 5. Either way, nothing that an upgrade will undo.

Start free14 days. No credit card.

Not a hack

Forum chat add-ons have historically meant patching files and reapplying after every upgrade. This is a script tag.

Nothing on your server

vBulletin hosting is sized for page views, not for open connections.

Rooms for sections

Embed a room in a specific forum rather than one chat across the whole board.

Installing it

On vBulletin, it goes here

vBulletin 4: AdminCP → Styles & Templates → Style Manager → Edit Templates → footer. vBulletin 5: Site Builder → Site Options → add the snippet to the footer template.

Full instructions

Questions

Which vBulletin versions does this work with?: Any version where you can edit a template that appears on every page, which is all of them — including the older installs still running happily, because nothing of ours runs inside vBulletin.
Is there an add-on to install?: No. That is deliberate for vBulletin in particular: add-ons are where upgrade trouble comes from, and a forum that has been running for fifteen years does not need another thing to break.
Can I keep my members' identities?: Yes, through single sign-on, so the name in the chat is the name on the forum.

Try it on your site for fourteen days.

No card, and nothing to uninstall if you change your mind — it is one line.

Start free14 days. No credit card.

Or look at what it does first

The feature pages cover the chat, the support side, moderation and single sign-on.

Start free14 days. No credit card.