ApostropheCMS vs Concrete CMS
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
ApostropheCMS
In-context editing CMS built on Node.js
VS
Concrete CMS
In-context editing CMS for marketers and site owners
| Feature | ApostropheCMS | Concrete CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 87 · Excellent | 82 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,626 | ★ 852 |
| First released | 2013 | 2008 |
| Replaces | Wix, Squarespace | Wix, Squarespace |
What are ApostropheCMS and Concrete CMS?
ApostropheCMS
ApostropheCMS is an open-source Node.js content management system known for its true in-context editing experience. Editors build and arrange pages visually while developers extend it with modules.
- True in-context editing
- Drag-and-drop layouts
- MongoDB-backed content
- Headless mode available
Concrete CMS
Concrete CMS is an open-source content management system known for its intuitive in-context editing, letting users edit pages directly on the front end. It targets non-technical website owners who want easy visual control.
- In-context front-end editing
- Drag-and-drop block layouts
- Built-in marketplace
- Workflow and versioning
ApostropheCMS vs Concrete CMS: key differences
ApostropheCMS is written in JavaScript, while Concrete CMS is built with PHP. Concrete CMS is the more established project (first released 2008), while ApostropheCMS arrived in 2013. ApostropheCMS has the considerably larger community, at 4,626 GitHub stars versus 852.
Why pick each one
Choose ApostropheCMS if…
- Intuitive editing for content teams
- Flexible module system
Watch out for
- Requires MongoDB
- Smaller plugin ecosystem
Choose Concrete CMS if…
- Very approachable for non-technical editors
- No separate admin needed for content
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Fewer themes available
Frequently asked questions
Is ApostropheCMS or Concrete CMS better?
Neither is universally better. ApostropheCMS has the larger community, while Concrete CMS is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are ApostropheCMS and Concrete CMS free and open-source?
Yes. ApostropheCMS is licensed under MIT and Concrete CMS under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run ApostropheCMS and Concrete CMS with Docker?
ApostropheCMS: yes. Concrete CMS: yes.