Kirby vs Publii
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Kirby
File-based CMS for designers and developers
VS
Publii
Desktop CMS for building static blogs and sites
| Feature | Kirby | Publii |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Blogging Platforms |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | HTML |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,527 | ★ 7,282 |
| First released | 2012 | 2017 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | WordPress, Squarespace |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Kirby or Publii better?
Publii 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 Publii free and open-source?
Yes. Kirby is licensed under MIT and Publii under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kirby and Publii with Docker?
Kirby: yes. Publii: check the project docs for container support.