Grav vs Winter CMS
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
Winter CMS
Laravel-based CMS focused on simplicity and stability
| Feature | Grav | Winter CMS |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,620 | ★ 1,509 |
| First released | 2014 | 2021 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | WordPress |
Why pick each one
Choose Winter CMS if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.5k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Grav or Winter CMS better?
Grav is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Winter CMS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Grav and Winter CMS free and open-source?
Yes. Grav is licensed under MIT and Winter CMS under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Grav and Winter CMS with Docker?
Grav: yes. Winter CMS: yes.