Astro vs PageCord
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Astro | PageCord |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 56 · Fair |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 62,777 | ★ 190 |
| First released | 2021 | 2024 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Medium | Medium, Posthaven |
What are Astro and PageCord?
Astro
Astro is an open-source web framework for building fast, content-focused websites and blogs. It ships zero JavaScript by default and supports components from React, Vue, Svelte, and more.
- Zero JavaScript by default
- Use any UI framework
- Content collections for blogs
- Fast static output
PageCord
PageCord is an open-source blogging platform where you publish posts simply by sending an email. It is built with Ruby on Rails and focuses on a minimal, distraction-free writing workflow.
- Publish posts by email
- Minimal writing-focused design
- Custom domains and RSS
- Built on Ruby on Rails
Astro vs PageCord: key differences
Astro is written in TypeScript, while PageCord is built with Ruby. Astro is the more established project (first released 2021), while PageCord arrived in 2024. Astro has the considerably larger community, at 62,777 GitHub stars versus 190. PageCord lists first-class Docker deployment; Astro does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Astro if…
- Excellent performance
- Flexible component model
Watch out for
- No admin UI
- Requires Node tooling
Choose PageCord if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Ruby
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Astro or PageCord better?
Neither is universally better. Astro has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Astro and PageCord free and open-source?
Yes. Astro is licensed under MIT and PageCord under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Astro and PageCord with Docker?
Astro: check the project docs for container support. PageCord: yes.