Grav vs Wagtail
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
Wagtail
Developer-friendly Django CMS with a great editor experience
| Feature | Grav | Wagtail |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 95 · Excellent | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,671 | ★ 20,505 |
| First released | 2014 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | Adobe Experience Manager, WordPress |
What are Grav and Wagtail?
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
Wagtail
Wagtail is an open-source Django content management system focused on a refined editor experience and developer flexibility. It powers many large, content-rich websites with structured page models.
- Refined editor interface
- StreamField flexible content
- Headless API option
- Strong accessibility focus
Grav vs Wagtail: key differences
Grav is written in PHP, while Wagtail is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for Grav versus BSD-3-Clause for Wagtail. Grav is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Wagtail.
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 Wagtail if…
- Excellent editing experience
- Great for Python developers
Watch out for
- Requires Django expertise
- Heavier hosting needs
Frequently asked questions
Is Grav or Wagtail better?
Neither is universally better. Wagtail has the larger community, while Grav is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Grav and Wagtail free and open-source?
Yes. Grav is licensed under MIT and Wagtail under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Grav and Wagtail with Docker?
Grav: yes. Wagtail: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Grav or Wagtail?
Grav has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Wagtail. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.