Anchor CMS vs MODX Revolution
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 | MODX Revolution |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 80 · 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 | ★ 1,411 |
| First released | 2012 | 2005 |
| Replaces | WordPress | WordPress, Drupal |
What are Anchor CMS and MODX Revolution?
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
MODX Revolution
MODX Revolution is an open-source content management system and web application framework that imposes no constraints on markup or design. It is used to build custom websites and applications.
- Complete design freedom
- Flexible templating
- Extensible with packages
- Granular permissions
Anchor CMS vs MODX Revolution: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Anchor CMS's repository is archived and no longer developed, while MODX Revolution is actively maintained. Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Anchor CMS versus GPL-2.0 for MODX Revolution. Anchor CMS is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for MODX Revolution. MODX Revolution is the more established project (first released 2005), while Anchor CMS arrived in 2012. Anchor CMS has the considerably larger community, at 3,293 GitHub stars versus 1,411.
Why pick each one
Choose Anchor CMS if…
- Very lightweight
- Easy installation
Watch out for
- Limited features
- Development inactive
Choose MODX Revolution if…
- No markup constraints
- Good for custom builds
Watch out for
- Steeper learning curve
- Smaller community
Frequently asked questions
Is Anchor CMS or MODX Revolution 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 MODX Revolution free and open-source?
Yes. Anchor CMS is licensed under GPL-3.0 and MODX Revolution under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Anchor CMS and MODX Revolution with Docker?
Anchor CMS: yes. MODX Revolution: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Anchor CMS or MODX Revolution?
Anchor CMS has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for MODX Revolution. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.