PageCord vs Quartz
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted blogging platforms options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | PageCord | Quartz |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 56 · Fair | 75 · Good |
| Category | Blogging Platforms | Blogging Platforms |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Ruby | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | source, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 190 | ★ 13,281 |
| First released | 2024 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Medium, Posthaven | Notion, Medium |
What are PageCord and Quartz?
PageCord
PageCord is an open-source blogging platform where you publish posts simply by sending an email. It is built with Ruby on Rails and focuses on a minimal, distraction-free writing workflow.
- Publish posts by email
- Minimal writing-focused design
- Custom domains and RSS
- Built on Ruby on Rails
Quartz
Quartz is a static site generator that transforms Markdown notes, including Obsidian vaults, into a fast, searchable digital garden website. It supports backlinks, graph views, and full-text search out of the box.
- Digital garden publishing
- Backlinks and graph view
- Full-text search
- Obsidian compatible
PageCord vs Quartz: key differences
PageCord is written in Ruby, while Quartz is built with TypeScript. Quartz is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for PageCord. Quartz is the more established project (first released 2021), while PageCord arrived in 2024. Quartz has the considerably larger community, at 13,281 GitHub stars versus 190. PageCord lists first-class Docker deployment; Quartz does not.
Why pick each one
Choose PageCord if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Ruby
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Quartz if…
- Great for note publishing
- Fast static output
Watch out for
- Static-only
- Build step required
Frequently asked questions
Is PageCord or Quartz better?
Quartz is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider PageCord if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are PageCord and Quartz free and open-source?
Yes. PageCord is licensed under MIT and Quartz under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run PageCord and Quartz with Docker?
PageCord: yes. Quartz: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, PageCord or Quartz?
Quartz has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for PageCord. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.