Anchor CMS vs Backdrop CMS
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Anchor CMS | Backdrop CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 83 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,293 | ★ 1,046 |
| First released | 2012 | 2015 |
| Replaces | WordPress | WordPress, Drupal |
What are Anchor CMS and Backdrop CMS?
Anchor CMS
Anchor CMS is a super-simple, lightweight open-source blogging platform and CMS written in PHP. It focuses on minimalism and getting out of the writer's way.
- Minimal and lightweight
- Markdown editing
- Simple theming
- Quick setup
Backdrop CMS
Backdrop CMS is an open-source content management system forked from Drupal 7, aimed at small to medium organizations. It keeps Drupal's power while focusing on lower cost and easier use.
- Drupal-derived power
- Configuration management
- Lower hosting requirements
- Layout system
Anchor CMS vs Backdrop CMS: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Anchor CMS's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Backdrop CMS is actively maintained. Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Anchor CMS versus GPL-2.0 for Backdrop CMS. Anchor CMS is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Backdrop CMS. Anchor CMS is the more established project (first released 2012), while Backdrop CMS arrived in 2015. Anchor CMS has the considerably larger community, at 3,293 GitHub stars versus 1,046.
Why pick each one
Choose Anchor CMS if…
- Very lightweight
- Easy installation
Watch out for
- Limited features
- Development inactive
Choose Backdrop CMS if…
- Cheaper to run than Drupal
- Familiar to Drupal users
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Fewer modules than Drupal
Frequently asked questions
Is Anchor CMS or Backdrop CMS better?
Anchor CMS is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Anchor CMS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Anchor CMS and Backdrop CMS free and open-source?
Yes. Anchor CMS is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Backdrop CMS under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Anchor CMS and Backdrop CMS with Docker?
Anchor CMS: yes. Backdrop CMS: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Anchor CMS or Backdrop CMS?
Anchor CMS has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Backdrop CMS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.