Grav vs WordPress
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
WordPress
The most popular content management system in the world
| Feature | Grav | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 95 · Excellent | 95 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,671 | ★ 21,434 |
| First released | 2014 | 2003 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | Wix, Squarespace, WordPress.com |
What are Grav and WordPress?
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
WordPress
WordPress is the world's most widely used open-source CMS, powering a large share of all websites. It offers a vast ecosystem of themes and plugins for building blogs, business sites, and complex web applications.
- Huge theme and plugin ecosystem
- Block-based Gutenberg editor
- Massive community support
- REST API for headless use
Grav vs WordPress: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for Grav versus GPL-2.0 for WordPress. Grav is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for WordPress. WordPress is the more established project (first released 2003), while Grav arrived in 2014.
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 WordPress if…
- Unmatched ecosystem and documentation
- Easy for non-technical users
Watch out for
- Frequent target for attacks
- Plugin bloat can slow sites
Frequently asked questions
Is Grav or WordPress better?
Neither is universally better. WordPress has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Grav and WordPress free and open-source?
Yes. Grav is licensed under MIT and WordPress under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Grav and WordPress with Docker?
Grav: yes. WordPress: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Grav or WordPress?
Grav has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for WordPress. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.