Muut vs. vBulletin or Other (Forum Platforms)

I searched this forum and could not find anything about Muut (a relatively new forum platform) other than a brief mention in a list, so I am posting this question here.

I'm planning on starting a new forum. I think I need a hosted solution. I will need something that is easy to set up and use, with support offered. I will want to have the ability to run my own banner ads.

Due to the nature of the intended audience and subject matter, I will not likely be in a position to sell memberships for private access to the site or any part thereof. So this function is not that important to me.

In researching online forum platforms, the two solutions that have appealed to me the most so far have been Muut (the "Small" premium plan for $36 per month) and vBulletin Cloud. For the latter, I would start with the "Bronze" $20/month plan.Apparently, as you move up in bandwidth, you need to increase your monthly fee: $20/25GB, $40/75GB and $75/200GB. (The fees I quoted are for paying month to month.)

For Muut, on the other hand (based on what they say online at muut.com), every plan offers unlimited traffic, even the free plan. So even though the initial monthly cost would be higher than with vBulletin, that would change if the forum becomes successful.

Muut seems to have a rather modern-looking interface, which may be a plus in my case as many of the people I am hoping to attract are in the younger age range and therefore not accustomed to the "classic" look of more traditional forums - though I will certainly also be trying to appeal to people in other age groups.

I'm open to considering other solutions. I've looked at the website for xenForo, which has been mentioned on this forum. It didn't particularly appeal to me for a number of reasons. It seemed more complicated than I would like - at least in terms of the way it was presented online - and I didn't like the pricing structure: a large obligatory payment up front, with all kinds of add-ons that one would have to pay extra for. There is a possibility that my idea won't work out. I would have a pretty good sense of this within a few months, so I would prefer not to make a large monetary commitment up front or get locked into an annual contract.

I would appreciate whatever insight the forum goers here would be willing to share with me about the relative merits of at least Muut and vBulletin, comparing the two from the perspective of the considerations mentioned above.

Thank you!