Automad vs Grav
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Automad
Flat-file CMS and template engine in one
VS
Grav
Fast flat-file CMS with no database required
| Feature | Automad | Grav |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 95 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 937 | ★ 15,671 |
| First released | 2014 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WordPress | WordPress, Squarespace |
What are Automad and Grav?
Automad
Automad is a flexible flat-file content management system with a built-in template engine and an in-page editing dashboard. It stores all content in text files for easy version control.
- Flat-file content
- Built-in template engine
- In-page editing dashboard
- Git-friendly
Grav
Grav is a modern open-source flat-file CMS that requires no database, storing content in Markdown files. It is fast to deploy and well suited to blogs, documentation, and small to medium websites.
- No database needed
- Markdown-based content
- Plugin and theme ecosystem
- Fast page rendering
Automad vs Grav: key differences
Automad is written in TypeScript, while Grav is built with PHP. Automad is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Grav. Grav has the considerably larger community, at 15,671 GitHub stars versus 937.
Why pick each one
Choose Automad if…
- No database to manage
- Self-contained and portable
Watch out for
- Small community
- Limited extensions
Choose Grav if…
- Trivial to back up and migrate
- Quick to set up
Watch out for
- Less ideal for very large sites
- Admin plugin needed for GUI editing
Frequently asked questions
Is Automad or Grav better?
Neither is universally better. Grav has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Automad and Grav free and open-source?
Yes. Automad is licensed under MIT and Grav under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Automad and Grav with Docker?
Automad: yes. Grav: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Automad or Grav?
Automad has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Grav. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.