PublicCMS vs Statamic
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Statamic
Laravel-powered flat-file CMS for custom sites
| Feature | PublicCMS | Statamic |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 86 · Excellent | 89 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | Java | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,097 | ★ 4,897 |
| First released | 2015 | 2012 |
| Replaces | WordPress | WordPress, Contentful |
What are PublicCMS and Statamic?
PublicCMS
PublicCMS is an open-source content management system written in Java that generates static pages for high performance and supports managing multiple sites. It is aimed at organizations needing a fast, template-driven publishing platform.
- Static page generation
- Template-driven
- Multi-site support
- High performance
Statamic
Statamic is a content management system built on Laravel that can run flat-file or database-backed. It offers a friendly control panel and a developer-focused workflow for building custom websites.
- Flat-file or database storage
- Built on Laravel
- Git-friendly content
- Polished control panel
PublicCMS vs Statamic: key differences
PublicCMS is written in Java, while Statamic is built with PHP. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for PublicCMS versus MIT for Statamic. Statamic is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for PublicCMS. Statamic is the more established project (first released 2012), while PublicCMS arrived in 2015. Statamic has the considerably larger community, at 4,897 GitHub stars versus 2,097. Statamic lists first-class Docker deployment; PublicCMS does not.
Why pick each one
Choose PublicCMS if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Active community (2.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Choose Statamic if…
- Great for Laravel developers
- Easy version control of content
Watch out for
- Solo and Pro licenses can be paid
- Best suited to developers
Frequently asked questions
Is PublicCMS or Statamic better?
Statamic is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider PublicCMS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are PublicCMS and Statamic free and open-source?
Yes. PublicCMS is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Statamic under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run PublicCMS and Statamic with Docker?
PublicCMS: check the project docs for container support. Statamic: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, PublicCMS or Statamic?
Statamic has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for PublicCMS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.