Concrete CMS 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.
Grav
Fast flat-file CMS with no database required
| Feature | Concrete CMS | Grav |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 95 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 852 | ★ 15,671 |
| First released | 2008 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Wix, Squarespace | WordPress, Squarespace |
What are Concrete CMS and Grav?
Concrete CMS
Concrete CMS is an open-source content management system known for its intuitive in-context editing, letting users edit pages directly on the front end. It targets non-technical website owners who want easy visual control.
- In-context front-end editing
- Drag-and-drop block layouts
- Built-in marketplace
- Workflow and versioning
Grav
Grav is a modern open-source flat-file CMS that requires no database, storing content in Markdown files. It is fast to deploy and well suited to blogs, documentation, and small to medium websites.
- No database needed
- Markdown-based content
- Plugin and theme ecosystem
- Fast page rendering
Concrete CMS vs Grav: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Grav is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Concrete CMS. Concrete CMS is the more established project (first released 2008), while Grav arrived in 2014. Grav has the considerably larger community, at 15,671 GitHub stars versus 852.
Why pick each one
Choose Concrete CMS if…
- Very approachable for non-technical editors
- No separate admin needed for content
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Fewer themes available
Choose Grav if…
- Trivial to back up and migrate
- Quick to set up
Watch out for
- Less ideal for very large sites
- Admin plugin needed for GUI editing
Frequently asked questions
Is Concrete CMS or Grav better?
Neither is universally better. Grav has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Concrete CMS and Grav free and open-source?
Yes. Concrete CMS is licensed under MIT and Grav under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Concrete CMS and Grav with Docker?
Concrete CMS: yes. Grav: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Concrete CMS or Grav?
Grav has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Concrete CMS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.