Chyrp Lite vs Microblog.pub

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FeatureChyrp LiteMicroblog.pub
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score79 · Good18 · At risk
CategoryBlogging PlatformsBlogging Platforms
LicenseBSD-3-ClauseAGPL-3.0
LanguagePHPPython
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM128 MB256 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, docker, sourcedocker, bare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 495★ 1,161
First released20082018
ReplacesWordPress, TumblrTwitter, Tumblr

What are Chyrp Lite and Microblog.pub?

Chyrp Lite

Chyrp Lite is an open-source, lightweight blogging engine that supports many post types through its feather system. It is fully extensible with modules and themes while keeping a small core.

  • Multiple post types via feathers
  • Module and theme system
  • Lightweight core
  • Tumblr-style microblogging

Microblog.pub

Microblog.pub is a self-hosted, single-user ActivityPub server for microblogging. It lets one person run their own federated microblog that interacts with Mastodon and the wider fediverse.

  • Single-user ActivityPub server
  • Federates with Mastodon
  • Lightweight footprint
  • Markdown posts

Read the full Microblog.pub guide →

Chyrp Lite vs Microblog.pub: key differences

Chyrp Lite is written in PHP, while Microblog.pub is built with Python. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Chyrp Lite versus AGPL-3.0 for Microblog.pub. Chyrp Lite is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Microblog.pub. Chyrp Lite is the more established project (first released 2008), while Microblog.pub arrived in 2018. Microblog.pub has the considerably larger community, at 1,161 GitHub stars versus 495.

Why pick each one

Choose Chyrp Lite if…

  • Very flexible content types
  • Small footprint

Watch out for

  • Small community
  • Limited theme selection
Chyrp Lite details

Choose Microblog.pub if…

  • Own your microblog identity
  • Lightweight to run

Watch out for

  • Single-user only
  • Requires fediverse familiarity
Microblog.pub details

Frequently asked questions

Is Chyrp Lite or Microblog.pub better?

Neither is universally better. Microblog.pub has the larger community, while Chyrp Lite is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are Chyrp Lite and Microblog.pub free and open-source?

Yes. Chyrp Lite is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Microblog.pub under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Chyrp Lite and Microblog.pub with Docker?

Chyrp Lite: yes. Microblog.pub: yes.

Which is lighter on resources, Chyrp Lite or Microblog.pub?

Chyrp Lite has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Microblog.pub. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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