CMS Made Simple vs Contao
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Contao
Accessible open-source CMS for professional websites
| Feature | CMS Made Simple | Contao |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 62 · Good | 74 · Good |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-2.0 | LGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 20 | ★ 439 |
| First released | 2004 | 2006 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Joomla | WordPress, Joomla |
What are CMS Made Simple and Contao?
CMS Made Simple
CMS Made Simple is an open-source content management system aimed at developers and designers who need to build manageable websites for clients. It provides a smart caching system, a flexible template engine, and a large module repository.
- Smart caching
- Module repository
- Template inheritance
- Designer-friendly
Contao
Contao is an open-source content management system focused on producing accessible, standards-compliant websites. It is built on Symfony components and offers a flexible front-end module system.
- Accessibility-focused output
- Front-end module system
- Granular permissions
- Built on Symfony
CMS Made Simple vs Contao: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for CMS Made Simple versus LGPL-3.0 for Contao. CMS Made Simple is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Contao. CMS Made Simple is the more established project (first released 2004), while Contao arrived in 2006. Contao has the considerably larger community, at 439 GitHub stars versus 20. Contao lists first-class Docker deployment; CMS Made Simple does not.
Why pick each one
Choose CMS Made Simple if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Choose Contao if…
- Strong accessibility support
- Good for agencies
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Less known outside Europe
Frequently asked questions
Is CMS Made Simple or Contao better?
Neither is universally better. Contao has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are CMS Made Simple and Contao free and open-source?
Yes. CMS Made Simple is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Contao under LGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CMS Made Simple and Contao with Docker?
CMS Made Simple: check the project docs for container support. Contao: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, CMS Made Simple or Contao?
CMS Made Simple has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Contao. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.