OJS vs WordPress
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
OJS
Software to manage scholarly journals
VS
WordPress
The most popular content management system in the world
| Feature | OJS | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-3.0-only | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,025 | ★ 21,316 |
| First released | 2024 | 2003 |
| Replaces | — | Wix, Squarespace, WordPress.com |
Why pick each one
Choose OJS if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0-only license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Choose WordPress if…
- Unmatched ecosystem and documentation
- Easy for non-technical users
Frequently asked questions
Is OJS or WordPress better?
Neither is universally better. WordPress has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are OJS and WordPress free and open-source?
Yes. OJS is licensed under GPL-3.0-only and WordPress under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OJS and WordPress with Docker?
OJS: check the project docs for container support. WordPress: yes.