Grav vs Statamic
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
Statamic
Laravel-powered flat-file CMS for custom sites
| Feature | Grav | Statamic |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 95 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,671 | ★ 4,897 |
| First released | 2014 | 2012 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | WordPress, Contentful |
What are Grav and Statamic?
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
Statamic
Statamic is a content management system built on Laravel that can run flat-file or database-backed. It offers a friendly control panel and a developer-focused workflow for building custom websites.
- Flat-file or database storage
- Built on Laravel
- Git-friendly content
- Polished control panel
Grav vs Statamic: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Grav is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Statamic. Statamic is the more established project (first released 2012), while Grav arrived in 2014. Grav has the considerably larger community, at 15,671 GitHub stars versus 4,897.
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 Statamic if…
- Great for Laravel developers
- Easy version control of content
Watch out for
- Solo and Pro licenses can be paid
- Best suited to developers
Frequently asked questions
Is Grav or Statamic better?
Grav is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Statamic if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Grav and Statamic free and open-source?
Yes. Grav is licensed under MIT and Statamic under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Grav and Statamic with Docker?
Grav: yes. Statamic: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Grav or Statamic?
Grav has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Statamic. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.