MODX Revolution vs Orchard Core
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | MODX Revolution | Orchard Core |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 80 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | PHP | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,411 | ★ 8,187 |
| First released | 2005 | 2018 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Drupal | Sitecore, WordPress |
What are MODX Revolution and Orchard Core?
MODX Revolution
MODX Revolution is an open-source content management system and web application framework that imposes no constraints on markup or design. It is used to build custom websites and applications.
- Complete design freedom
- Flexible templating
- Extensible with packages
- Granular permissions
Orchard Core
Orchard Core is an open-source, modular, and multi-tenant application framework and CMS built on ASP.NET Core. It enables building content-driven sites and SaaS-style multi-site setups.
- Multi-tenant by design
- Modular architecture
- GraphQL API
- Decoupled and headless modes
MODX Revolution vs Orchard Core: key differences
MODX Revolution is written in PHP, while Orchard Core is built with C#. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for MODX Revolution versus BSD-3-Clause for Orchard Core. MODX Revolution is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Orchard Core. MODX Revolution is the more established project (first released 2005), while Orchard Core arrived in 2018. Orchard Core has the considerably larger community, at 8,187 GitHub stars versus 1,411.
Why pick each one
Choose MODX Revolution if…
- No markup constraints
- Good for custom builds
Watch out for
- Steeper learning curve
- Smaller community
Choose Orchard Core if…
- Powerful multi-tenancy
- Modern .NET architecture
Watch out for
- Steep learning curve
- Smaller ecosystem than Umbraco
Frequently asked questions
Is MODX Revolution or Orchard Core better?
Neither is universally better. Orchard Core has the larger community, while MODX Revolution is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are MODX Revolution and Orchard Core free and open-source?
Yes. MODX Revolution is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Orchard Core under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MODX Revolution and Orchard Core with Docker?
MODX Revolution: yes. Orchard Core: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, MODX Revolution or Orchard Core?
MODX Revolution has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Orchard Core. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.