Anchor CMS vs Pagekit
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 | Pagekit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Archived | Archived |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,293 | ★ 5,454 |
| First released | 2012 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WordPress | WordPress |
What are Anchor CMS and Pagekit?
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
Pagekit
Pagekit is a modular, open-source content management system with a clean, modern interface built on Symfony components and Vue.js. It includes a blog and a marketplace for extensions.
- Modern Vue.js interface
- Modular architecture
- Built-in blog
- Marketplace for extensions
Anchor CMS vs Pagekit: key differences
Note that both projects' repositories are archived — neither is actively developed. Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Anchor CMS versus MIT for Pagekit. Anchor CMS is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Pagekit. Anchor CMS is the more established project (first released 2012), while Pagekit arrived in 2014.
Why pick each one
Choose Anchor CMS if…
- Very lightweight
- Easy installation
Watch out for
- Limited features
- Development inactive
Choose Pagekit if…
- Clean, modern admin
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Development has stalled
- Limited active maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Is Anchor CMS or Pagekit better?
Neither is universally better. Pagekit has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Anchor CMS and Pagekit free and open-source?
Yes. Anchor CMS is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Pagekit under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Anchor CMS and Pagekit with Docker?
Anchor CMS: yes. Pagekit: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Anchor CMS or Pagekit?
Anchor CMS has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Pagekit. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.