Anchor CMS vs Bludit
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Bludit
Simple flat-file CMS for fast websites and blogs
| Feature | Anchor CMS | Bludit |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,293 | ★ 1,469 |
| First released | 2012 | 2015 |
| Replaces | WordPress | WordPress, Wix |
What are Anchor CMS and Bludit?
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
Bludit
Bludit is a lightweight flat-file CMS that stores content in JSON files, requiring no database. It is aimed at users who want a quick, simple website or blog without complex setup.
- No database needed
- Plugin and theme support
- Markdown editor
- Quick installation
Anchor CMS vs Bludit: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Anchor CMS's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Bludit is actively maintained. Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Anchor CMS versus MIT for Bludit. Anchor CMS is the more established project (first released 2012), while Bludit arrived in 2015. Anchor CMS has the considerably larger community, at 3,293 GitHub stars versus 1,469.
Why pick each one
Choose Anchor CMS if…
- Very lightweight
- Easy installation
Watch out for
- Limited features
- Development inactive
Choose Bludit if…
- Very easy to set up
- Easy to back up
Watch out for
- Not suited to large sites
- Smaller ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Is Anchor CMS or Bludit better?
Neither is universally better. Anchor CMS has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Anchor CMS and Bludit free and open-source?
Yes. Anchor CMS is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Bludit under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Anchor CMS and Bludit with Docker?
Anchor CMS: yes. Bludit: yes.