Backdrop CMS vs Winter CMS
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Backdrop CMS | Winter CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 83 · Excellent | 84 · 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 |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,046 | ★ 1,520 |
| First released | 2015 | 2021 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Drupal | WordPress |
What are Backdrop CMS and Winter CMS?
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
Winter CMS
Winter CMS is a free, open-source content management system based on the Laravel framework, created as a community-driven fork of October CMS. It offers a clean backend, a plugin marketplace, and developer-friendly tooling.
- Laravel foundation
- Plugin marketplace
- Clean admin backend
- Developer tooling
Backdrop CMS vs Winter CMS: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for Backdrop CMS versus MIT for Winter CMS. Backdrop CMS is the more established project (first released 2015), while Winter CMS arrived in 2021.
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 Winter CMS if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Watch out for
- Requires PHP knowledge
- Smaller plugin catalog
Frequently asked questions
Is Backdrop CMS or Winter CMS better?
Neither is universally better. Winter CMS has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Backdrop CMS and Winter CMS free and open-source?
Yes. Backdrop CMS is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Winter CMS under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Backdrop CMS and Winter CMS with Docker?
Backdrop CMS: yes. Winter CMS: yes.