Concrete CMS vs SPIP
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
SPIP
CMS with a focus on collaborative edition and multilingualism
| Feature | Concrete CMS | SPIP |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Language | PHP | |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 852 | — |
| First released | 2008 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Wix, Squarespace | Blogger, Coldfusion, Wix |
What are Concrete CMS and SPIP?
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
SPIP
CMS with a focus on collaborative edition and multilingualism.
Concrete CMS vs SPIP: key differences
Licensing differs — MIT for Concrete CMS versus GPL-3.0-or-later for SPIP. SPIP is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Concrete CMS. Concrete CMS is the more established project (first released 2008), while SPIP arrived in 2023. Concrete CMS lists first-class Docker deployment; SPIP does not.
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 SPIP if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0-or-later license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Concrete CMS or SPIP better?
Neither is universally better. Concrete CMS has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Concrete CMS and SPIP free and open-source?
Yes. Concrete CMS is licensed under MIT and SPIP under GPL-3.0-or-later. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Concrete CMS and SPIP with Docker?
Concrete CMS: yes. SPIP: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Concrete CMS or SPIP?
SPIP has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Concrete CMS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.