Orchard Core vs Pagekit
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Orchard Core | Pagekit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Language | C# | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,187 | ★ 5,454 |
| First released | 2018 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Sitecore, WordPress | WordPress |
What are Orchard Core and Pagekit?
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
Pagekit
Pagekit is a modular, open-source content management system with a clean, modern interface built on Symfony components and Vue.js. It includes a blog and a marketplace for extensions.
- Modern Vue.js interface
- Modular architecture
- Built-in blog
- Marketplace for extensions
Orchard Core vs Pagekit: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Pagekit's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Orchard Core is actively maintained. Orchard Core is written in C#, while Pagekit is built with PHP. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for Orchard Core versus MIT for Pagekit. Pagekit is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Orchard Core. Pagekit is the more established project (first released 2014), while Orchard Core arrived in 2018.
Why pick each one
Choose Orchard Core if…
- Powerful multi-tenancy
- Modern .NET architecture
Watch out for
- Steep learning curve
- Smaller ecosystem than Umbraco
Choose Pagekit if…
- Clean, modern admin
- Lightweight
Watch out for
- Development has stalled
- Limited active maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Is Orchard Core or Pagekit better?
Neither is universally better. Orchard Core has the larger community, while Pagekit is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Orchard Core and Pagekit free and open-source?
Yes. Orchard Core is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Pagekit under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Orchard Core and Pagekit with Docker?
Orchard Core: yes. Pagekit: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Orchard Core or Pagekit?
Pagekit has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Orchard Core. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.