Automad vs Orchard Core
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
Orchard Core
Modular, multi-tenant CMS built on ASP.NET Core
| Feature | Automad | Orchard Core |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | TypeScript | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 937 | ★ 8,187 |
| First released | 2014 | 2018 |
| Replaces | WordPress | Sitecore, WordPress |
What are Automad and Orchard Core?
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
Orchard Core
Orchard Core is an open-source, modular, and multi-tenant application framework and CMS built on ASP.NET Core. It enables building content-driven sites and SaaS-style multi-site setups.
- Multi-tenant by design
- Modular architecture
- GraphQL API
- Decoupled and headless modes
Automad vs Orchard Core: key differences
Automad is written in TypeScript, while Orchard Core is built with C#. Licensing differs — MIT for Automad versus BSD-3-Clause for Orchard Core. Automad is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Orchard Core. Automad is the more established project (first released 2014), while Orchard Core arrived in 2018. Orchard Core has the considerably larger community, at 8,187 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 Orchard Core if…
- Powerful multi-tenancy
- Modern .NET architecture
Watch out for
- Steep learning curve
- Smaller ecosystem than Umbraco
Frequently asked questions
Is Automad or Orchard Core better?
Neither is universally better. Orchard Core 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 Orchard Core free and open-source?
Yes. Automad is licensed under MIT and Orchard Core under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Automad and Orchard Core with Docker?
Automad: yes. Orchard Core: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Automad or Orchard Core?
Automad has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Orchard Core. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.