you dont have to purchase simple press.. the core plugin is free with no limitations...  we do offer additional themes and add on plugins for sale...  so you can certainly try it and use it...

There are many wp chat plugins... doesnt seem like a good use of our time to recreate the wheel... just use one of those... since simple press fully integrates into your wp site, any chat plugin in use will still be there...  most folks put it in the sidebar or footer...

have you check our our importer:  https://simple-press.com/downl.....er-plugin/

we can import many other forum types including bbpress, invision, mingle, phpbb, simple machines, vbulletin and wp forum...  I will caution that the invision importer piece was written by a user but its been used by fair number of folks...

additionally, there is a service call gconverters (http://gconverters.com/) that can also import many forum apps into simple press...  folks have had good success with them...  I must add that we are in now affiliated with gconverters - just passing on that some other folks have used them...