Kirby vs Pagekit
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Kirby | Pagekit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | Proprietary | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,531 | ★ 5,454 |
| First released | 2012 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | WordPress |
What are Kirby and Pagekit?
Kirby
Kirby is a flexible file-based content management system that stores content in plain text files and gives developers full control over markup. It is popular for portfolios and custom-designed websites.
- File-based content storage
- Flexible panel for editors
- No database required
- Developer-friendly templating
Pagekit
Pagekit is a modular, open-source content management system with a clean, modern interface built on Symfony components and Vue.js. It includes a blog and a marketplace for extensions.
- Modern Vue.js interface
- Modular architecture
- Built-in blog
- Marketplace for extensions
Kirby vs Pagekit: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Pagekit's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Kirby is actively maintained. Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — Proprietary for Kirby versus MIT for Pagekit. Kirby is the more established project (first released 2012), while Pagekit arrived in 2014. Pagekit has the considerably larger community, at 5,454 GitHub stars versus 1,531.
Why pick each one
Choose Kirby if…
- Easy backups and version control
- Highly customizable
Watch out for
- Commercial license required for production
- Free only for personal use
Choose Pagekit if…
- Clean, modern admin
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Development has stalled
- Limited active maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Is Kirby or Pagekit better?
Pagekit is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Pagekit if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Kirby and Pagekit free and open-source?
Yes. Kirby is licensed under Proprietary and Pagekit under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kirby and Pagekit with Docker?
Kirby: yes. Pagekit: yes.