Backdrop CMS vs Statamic
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Statamic
Laravel-powered flat-file CMS for custom sites
| Feature | Backdrop CMS | Statamic |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 83 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,046 | ★ 4,895 |
| First released | 2015 | 2012 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Drupal | WordPress, Contentful |
What are Backdrop CMS and Statamic?
Backdrop CMS
Backdrop CMS is an open-source content management system forked from Drupal 7, aimed at small to medium organizations. It keeps Drupal's power while focusing on lower cost and easier use.
- Drupal-derived power
- Configuration management
- Lower hosting requirements
- Layout system
Statamic
Statamic is a content management system built on Laravel that can run flat-file or database-backed. It offers a friendly control panel and a developer-focused workflow for building custom websites.
- Flat-file or database storage
- Built on Laravel
- Git-friendly content
- Polished control panel
Backdrop CMS vs Statamic: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Backdrop CMS versus MIT for Statamic. Statamic is the more established project (first released 2012), while Backdrop CMS arrived in 2015. Statamic has the considerably larger community, at 4,895 GitHub stars versus 1,046.
Why pick each one
Choose Backdrop CMS if…
- Cheaper to run than Drupal
- Familiar to Drupal users
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Fewer modules than Drupal
Choose Statamic if…
- Great for Laravel developers
- Easy version control of content
Watch out for
- Solo and Pro licenses can be paid
- Best suited to developers
Frequently asked questions
Is Backdrop CMS or Statamic better?
Neither is universally better. Statamic has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Backdrop CMS and Statamic free and open-source?
Yes. Backdrop CMS is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Statamic under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Backdrop CMS and Statamic with Docker?
Backdrop CMS: yes. Statamic: yes.