Grav vs Microweber
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
VS
Microweber
Drag-and-drop CMS with built-in online store
| Feature | Grav | Microweber |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 95 · Excellent | 79 · Good |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | HTML |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,671 | ★ 3,439 |
| First released | 2014 | 2013 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | WordPress, Wix |
What are Grav and Microweber?
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
Microweber
Microweber is an open-source drag-and-drop website builder and content management system that includes blogging and e-commerce features. It uses a live editing interface so content can be arranged visually on the page.
- Live drag-and-drop editing
- Built-in online store
- Blogging module
- Template marketplace
Grav vs Microweber: key differences
Grav is written in PHP, while Microweber is built with HTML. Grav is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Microweber. Grav has the considerably larger community, at 15,671 GitHub stars versus 3,439.
Why pick each one
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
Choose Microweber if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in HTML
Frequently asked questions
Is Grav or Microweber better?
Grav is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Microweber if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Grav and Microweber free and open-source?
Yes. Grav is licensed under MIT and Microweber under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Grav and Microweber with Docker?
Grav: yes. Microweber: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Grav or Microweber?
Grav has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Microweber. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.