SHSelfHostIndex

Automad vs Wagtail

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
AU Automad Flat-file CMS and template engine in one VS WA Wagtail Developer-friendly Django CMS with a great editor experience
FeatureAutomadWagtail
CategoryContent Management SystemsContent Management Systems
LicenseMITBSD-3-Clause
LanguageTypeScriptPython
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM128 MB1,024 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metal, sourcedocker, bare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 926★ 20,433
First released20142014
ReplacesWordPressAdobe Experience Manager, WordPress

Why pick each one

Choose Automad if…

  • No database to manage
  • Self-contained and portable
Automad details

Choose Wagtail if…

  • Excellent editing experience
  • Great for Python developers
Wagtail details

Frequently asked questions

Is Automad or Wagtail better?

Neither is universally better. Wagtail 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 Wagtail free and open-source?

Yes. Automad is licensed under MIT and Wagtail under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Automad and Wagtail with Docker?

Automad: yes. Wagtail: yes.

Related comparisons