# Question about ProBoards (freeforums.net)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-proboards-freeforums-net/841545>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 9, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-proboards-freeforums-net/841545 "2019-10-09T19:19:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-proboards-freeforums-net/841545/1 "2019-10-09T19:19:27Z")

</div>

I’m looking to set up a message board for a professional group. I was looking at ProBoards who hosts your board for you. What I need to know is can I set up a forum that is only available to approved members. Like here if there were a forum just for mods that non-mods couldn’t even see.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-proboards-freeforums-net/841545/2 "2019-10-09T19:26:32Z")

</div>

I’ve used a couple of the free forum sites in the past and there was always a way to make a private forum. IIRC it usually used member groups so the regular forums would be available to everyone, but the mod forum is only available to people in the moderator group, the staff forum only available to people in the staff group etc.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2019, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-proboards-freeforums-net/841545/3 "2019-10-09T20:17:01Z")

</div>

Yes. ProBoards is a great site for a free message board. I set up one for just me and three other women. We kept it up for years. There is a moderator level. Just explore it. I think you’ll find it totally acceptable.