Grav 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.
Not the right match-up?
Grav
Fast flat-file CMS with no database required
VS
SPIP
CMS with a focus on collaborative edition and multilingualism
| Feature | Grav | SPIP |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Language | PHP | |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,620 | — |
| First released | 2014 | 2023 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | Blogger, Coldfusion, Wix |
Why pick each one
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 Grav or SPIP 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 Grav and SPIP free and open-source?
Yes. Grav is licensed under MIT and SPIP under GPL-3.0-or-later. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Grav and SPIP with Docker?
Grav: yes. SPIP: check the project docs for container support.