SHSelfHostIndex

Backdrop CMS 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.

Not the right match-up?
BA Backdrop CMS Comprehensive CMS forked from Drupal for smaller sites VS GR Grav Fast flat-file CMS with no database required
FeatureBackdrop CMSGrav
CategoryContent Management SystemsContent Management Systems
LicenseGPL-2.0MIT
LanguagePHPPHP
Setup difficultyMediumEasy
Min. RAM512 MB256 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metal, sourcedocker, bare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 1,044★ 15,620
First released20152014
ReplacesWordPress, DrupalWordPress, Squarespace

Why pick each one

Choose Backdrop CMS if…

  • Cheaper to run than Drupal
  • Familiar to Drupal users
Backdrop CMS details

Choose Grav if…

  • Trivial to back up and migrate
  • Quick to set up
Grav details

Frequently asked questions

Is Backdrop CMS or Grav better?

Grav is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Backdrop CMS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are Backdrop CMS and Grav free and open-source?

Yes. Backdrop CMS is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Grav under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Backdrop CMS and Grav with Docker?

Backdrop CMS: yes. Grav: yes.

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