Bludit vs October 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 | Bludit | October CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 83 · Excellent | 93 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,469 | ★ 11,147 |
| First released | 2015 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Wix | WordPress, Wix |
What are Bludit and October CMS?
Bludit
Bludit is a lightweight flat-file CMS that stores content in JSON files, requiring no database. It is aimed at users who want a quick, simple website or blog without complex setup.
- No database needed
- Plugin and theme support
- Markdown editor
- Quick installation
October CMS
October CMS is a self-hosted content management system built on the Laravel framework, designed to make web development simple again. It uses flat-file templating with a clean backend for content editors.
- Built on Laravel
- Flat-file twig-style templating
- Plugin marketplace
- Clean developer experience
Bludit vs October CMS: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Bludit is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for October CMS. October CMS has the considerably larger community, at 11,147 GitHub stars versus 1,469.
Why pick each one
Choose Bludit if…
- Very easy to set up
- Easy to back up
Watch out for
- Not suited to large sites
- Smaller ecosystem
Choose October CMS if…
- Great for Laravel developers
- Simple, transparent architecture
Watch out for
- Some plugins are paid
- Less suited to non-developers
Frequently asked questions
Is Bludit or October CMS better?
Neither is universally better. October CMS has the larger community, while Bludit is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Bludit and October CMS free and open-source?
Yes. Bludit is licensed under MIT and October CMS under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bludit and October CMS with Docker?
Bludit: yes. October CMS: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Bludit or October CMS?
Bludit has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for October CMS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.