MODX Revolution vs Wagtail
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 | Wagtail |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 80 · Excellent | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,411 | ★ 20,505 |
| First released | 2005 | 2014 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Drupal | Adobe Experience Manager, WordPress |
What are MODX Revolution and Wagtail?
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
Wagtail
Wagtail is an open-source Django content management system focused on a refined editor experience and developer flexibility. It powers many large, content-rich websites with structured page models.
- Refined editor interface
- StreamField flexible content
- Headless API option
- Strong accessibility focus
MODX Revolution vs Wagtail: key differences
MODX Revolution is written in PHP, while Wagtail is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for MODX Revolution versus BSD-3-Clause for Wagtail. MODX Revolution is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Wagtail. MODX Revolution is the more established project (first released 2005), while Wagtail arrived in 2014. Wagtail has the considerably larger community, at 20,505 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 Wagtail if…
- Excellent editing experience
- Great for Python developers
Watch out for
- Requires Django expertise
- Heavier hosting needs
Frequently asked questions
Is MODX Revolution or Wagtail better?
Neither is universally better. Wagtail has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are MODX Revolution and Wagtail free and open-source?
Yes. MODX Revolution is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Wagtail under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MODX Revolution and Wagtail with Docker?
MODX Revolution: yes. Wagtail: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, MODX Revolution or Wagtail?
MODX Revolution has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Wagtail. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.