CMS-ref

A reference list.

Whilst researching CMS' I made a list for my reference. I thought it would be a useful resource for others so I am sharing it here. I will endeavour to keep it up to date, let me know if there are any errors and I will update, also if you use one that is not on this list let me know and I will add it.


My current CMS of choice: Kirby.

  • Agility

    Where Your Unique Needs Drive Content Creation

    From $1,249 / month

    Codebase: Azure

  • Archivarix

    An editor for restored websites

    Compact, open-source flat-file CMS | Convert any website | Free

    Codebase: php, SQlite

  • Automad

    A flat-file CMS and template engine.

    No Database | Headless Mode | Free

    Codebase: php

  • Batflat

    Light, fast and easy

    Bootstrap ready | File based | Free

    Codebase: php | SQLite

  • Bludit

    Flat-file CMS. Open source – MIT

    No Database | JSON content | Free

    Codebase: php

  • Bolt CMS

    The starting point of your new website

    Open source | Twig temlates | Headless mode | RESTful and GraphQL API | Free

    Codebase: php (symfony)

  • Concrete

    Create websites with ease

    Open source | WYSIWYG CMS and app framework | For teams | Free

    Codebase: php

  • Contentful

    The freedom to bring your best ideas to life, a content platform

    Fully featured headless CMS | API-first architecture | Platform agnostic | Free for community | $300 / month for basic

    Codebase: json

  • Craft CMS

    Craft empowers the creative process

    Flexible CMS | Twig templating | $299 / project | $59 / year | Free for personal

    Codebase: php | MySQL | PostgreSQL

  • Cushy

    A truly simple CMS

    Designed for simplicity | Cloud based | Free version - Ads in admin panel | Pro version £28 / month

    Codebase: not known - cloud based

  • Expression Engine

    The world’s most flexible & secure open source CMS

    Open source | Free for 1 user projects | $249 / site | $49 / yr for updates

    Codebase: php, MySQL, Percona

  • Flat CMS

    The most simple cms there is

    Turn any existing static website into a CMS in a few minutes | Multi language

    Codebase: php

  • Flatpress

    A lightweight, easy-to-set-up blogging engine

    No Database | Smarty powered Themes | GNU GPLv2 licence | Free

    Codebase: php

  • Get Simple

    The simplest CMS, ever(!)

    XML based lite CMS | No Database | Free

    Codebase: php

  • Ghost

    Turn your audience into a business

    Publishing focus | Memberships | MIT licence | Starting from $9 / month (500 members)

    Codebase: javascript - Node.js

  • Grav

    Flat file CMS. Open source.

    No Database | YAML | Markdown | Free | Templates using Twig.

    Codebase: php

  • HTMLy

    It's truly fast. No BS!

    A flat-file CMS | PHP blogging platform | No Database | Free

    Codebase: php

  • Joomla

    The Flexible Platform Empowering Website Creators

    Open source | Free

    Codebase: php, mySQL

  • Kirby

    The CMS that adapts to you

    No Database | Files & folders | Headless | $120 / site license

    Codebase: php

  • Kontent

    Complete control over your content

    Headless CMS | Free developer edition | No pricing on website

    Codebase: azure

  • Magnolia

    Take ‘complicated’ out of digital experience platforms

    Digital eXperience Platform - DXP, Enterprise headless CMS | Create APIs using YAML | REST APIs and GraphQL | Open source | Free comunity edition | From $3k / month

    Codebase: java

  • Modx

    The Anti-Bloat Content Management Framework

    Open source | From $28 / month

    Codebase: php

  • Monstra

    Modern lightweight flat file CMS

    No Database | Free | MIT licence | API's

    Codebase: php

  • October

    CMS based on Laravel

    Base cost $9 / project – other plans from $150/y

    Codebase: php | Composer | SQL or Maria DB

  • Pagekit

    A modern Open Source CMS. Intuitive. Modular. Flexible.

    Lightweight CMS | UI = Vue.js | MIT license | Free

    Codebase: php (symfony) | MySQL | SQLite

  • Perch

    The really little CMS

    No themes | Add to your website | $8.44 / month | Free for personal use

    Codebase: php | MySQL

  • Pico

    Simple & fast flat file CMS

    No Database | Free | Themes based on Twig

    Codebase: php | Composer | YAML | Markdown

  • PluXML

    Blog ou CMS à l'Xml

    Créez un site Web performant en toute simplicité | No Database | Data stored in XML files | Multi language | Free

    Codebase: php

  • Processwire

    A friendly and powerful open source CMS with an API that is a joy to use at any scale

    Open source (Mozilla Public License 2.0) | Multi language | Free

    Codebase: php, MySQL or MariaDB

  • Pulse

    Reduce costs. Safe, fast websites

    Static site CMS | Fit the CMS around your web designs | $297 / year | Free if turnover under $400k USD

    Codebase: php

  • Sitecake

    Simple CMS for static websites

    Flat file CMS | Drag and drop everything | Free

    Codebase: php

  • Statamic

    A modern, clean, and highly adaptable CMS that can run full-stack, headless, on flat files or databases, & as an SSG.

    No Database - unless you need. | Flat file | YAML | Markdown | $259 / project | $59 / yr for updates.

    Codebase: php (Laravel)

  • Storyblok

    The Way to Modern Content

    Cloud native headless CMS | API based | Entry price €90 / month | Free community edition

    Codebase: cloud-native

  • Strapi

    The leading open-source headless CMS. 100% JavaScript and fully customizable

    Developer first | Multi-lingual | Free - self hosted | cloud hosting from $99 / month / project

    Codebase: javascript, SQLite, MySQL, Postgres and MariaDB

  • Surreal CMS

    A bolt-on CMS that makes websites more powerful and easy to edit

    CMS based in the cloud | $12 / month | Free for personal / edu / non profit.

    Codebase: Javascript - Vue.js & Node.js

  • Typemill

    The open-source flat-file cms to create websites and eBooks

    Good for: handbooks, documentations, manuals, web-novels | No Database | Flat file | Markdown | Free

    Codebase: php

  • Typesetter CMS

    The Faster and Easier CMS

    No Database | Flat file | Multiple languages | Free

    Codebase: php

  • Typo3

    The Professional, Flexible Content Management System

    From small sites to multinational corporations | Open source | Free

    Codebase: php, MySQL, PostGres, MariaDB, SQLite

  • Umbraco

    The flexible CMS that grows with your business

    Open source | From Free - no hosting | Cloud hosting $36 / month

    Codebase: .net

  • Wonder CMS

    Simple flat file CMS

    Free | Only 5 files

    Codebase: php | JS database (JSON)

  • Wordpress

    Flex your freedom

    World's most popular CMS | Simple, Intuitive, Extendable | Free | Open source

    Codebase: php, mySQL