Automad vs Microweber
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
Microweber
Drag-and-drop CMS with built-in online store
| Feature | Automad | Microweber |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 79 · Good |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | HTML |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 937 | ★ 3,439 |
| First released | 2014 | 2013 |
| Replaces | WordPress | WordPress, Wix |
What are Automad and Microweber?
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
Microweber
Microweber is an open-source drag-and-drop website builder and content management system that includes blogging and e-commerce features. It uses a live editing interface so content can be arranged visually on the page.
- Live drag-and-drop editing
- Built-in online store
- Blogging module
- Template marketplace
Automad vs Microweber: key differences
Automad is written in TypeScript, while Microweber is built with HTML. Automad is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Microweber. Microweber has the considerably larger community, at 3,439 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 Microweber if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in HTML
Frequently asked questions
Is Automad or Microweber better?
Neither is universally better. Microweber has the larger community, while Automad is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Automad and Microweber free and open-source?
Yes. Automad is licensed under MIT and Microweber under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Automad and Microweber with Docker?
Automad: yes. Microweber: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Automad or Microweber?
Automad has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Microweber. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.