CMS Made Simple vs WordPress
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?
CMS Made Simple
Flexible CMS for small and medium business sites
VS
WordPress
The most popular content management system in the world
| Feature | CMS Made Simple | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-2.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 20 | ★ 21,316 |
| First released | 2004 | 2003 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Joomla | Wix, Squarespace, WordPress.com |
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 WordPress if…
- Unmatched ecosystem and documentation
- Easy for non-technical users
Frequently asked questions
Is CMS Made Simple or WordPress better?
WordPress is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider CMS Made Simple if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are CMS Made Simple and WordPress free and open-source?
Yes. CMS Made Simple is licensed under GPL-2.0 and WordPress under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CMS Made Simple and WordPress with Docker?
CMS Made Simple: check the project docs for container support. WordPress: yes.