Kirby vs Statamic
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Statamic
Laravel-powered flat-file CMS for custom sites
| Feature | Kirby | Statamic |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | Proprietary | MIT |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,531 | ★ 4,897 |
| First released | 2012 | 2012 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | WordPress, Contentful |
What are Kirby and Statamic?
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
Statamic
Statamic is a content management system built on Laravel that can run flat-file or database-backed. It offers a friendly control panel and a developer-focused workflow for building custom websites.
- Flat-file or database storage
- Built on Laravel
- Git-friendly content
- Polished control panel
Kirby vs Statamic: key differences
Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — Proprietary for Kirby versus MIT for Statamic. Kirby is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Statamic. Statamic has the considerably larger community, at 4,897 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 Statamic if…
- Great for Laravel developers
- Easy version control of content
Watch out for
- Solo and Pro licenses can be paid
- Best suited to developers
Frequently asked questions
Is Kirby or Statamic better?
Neither is universally better. Statamic has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Kirby and Statamic free and open-source?
Yes. Kirby is licensed under Proprietary and Statamic under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Kirby and Statamic with Docker?
Kirby: yes. Statamic: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Kirby or Statamic?
Kirby has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Statamic. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.