Bolt 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?
Bolt
Lightweight and simple CMS built on Symfony
VS
Grav
Fast flat-file CMS with no database required
| Feature | Bolt | Grav |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source, docker | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 590 | ★ 15,620 |
| First released | 2012 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Contentful | WordPress, Squarespace |
Why pick each one
Choose Bolt if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Bolt or Grav better?
Grav is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Bolt if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Bolt and Grav free and open-source?
Yes. Bolt is licensed under MIT and Grav under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bolt and Grav with Docker?
Bolt: yes. Grav: yes.