Kirby vs Pico
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 | Pico |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 65 · Good |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | Proprietary | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,531 | ★ 3,905 |
| First released | 2012 | 2012 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | WordPress |
What are Kirby and Pico?
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
Pico
Pico is a minimal, fast flat-file content management system that uses Markdown files for content and Twig templates for layout. It needs no database and no admin backend.
- No database required
- Markdown content
- Twig templating
- Tiny footprint
Kirby vs Pico: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — Proprietary for Kirby versus MIT for Pico. Pico is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Kirby. Pico has the considerably larger community, at 3,905 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 Pico if…
- Extremely lightweight
- Zero configuration to start
Watch out for
- No admin UI by default
- Not for large dynamic sites
Frequently asked questions
Is Kirby or Pico better?
Pico is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Kirby if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Kirby and Pico free and open-source?
Yes. Kirby is licensed under Proprietary and Pico under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kirby and Pico with Docker?
Kirby: yes. Pico: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Kirby or Pico?
Pico has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Kirby. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.