SPIP 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.
SPIP
CMS with a focus on collaborative edition and multilingualism
VS
WordPress
The most popular content management system in the world
| Feature | SPIP | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | ≈5-minute setup |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 50 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, one-click |
| GitHub stars | — | ★ 21,434 |
| First released | 2023 | 2003 |
| Replaces | Blogger, Coldfusion, Wix | Wix, Squarespace, WordPress.com |
What are SPIP and WordPress?
SPIP
CMS with a focus on collaborative edition and multilingualism.
WordPress
WordPress is the world's most widely used open-source CMS, powering a large share of all websites. It offers a vast ecosystem of themes and plugins for building blogs, business sites, and complex web applications.
- Huge theme and plugin ecosystem
- Block-based Gutenberg editor
- Massive community support
- REST API for headless use
SPIP vs WordPress: key differences
Licensing differs — GPL-3.0-or-later for SPIP versus GPL-2.0 for WordPress. SPIP is the lighter option, starting around 50 MB of RAM against 512 MB for WordPress. WordPress is the more established project (first released 2003), while SPIP arrived in 2023. WordPress lists first-class Docker deployment; SPIP does not.
Why pick each one
Choose SPIP if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0-or-later license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Choose WordPress if…
- Unmatched ecosystem and documentation
- Easy for non-technical users
Watch out for
- Frequent target for attacks
- Plugin bloat can slow sites
Frequently asked questions
Is SPIP 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 SPIP and WordPress free and open-source?
Yes. SPIP is licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later and WordPress under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run SPIP and WordPress with Docker?
SPIP: check the project docs for container support. WordPress: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, SPIP or WordPress?
SPIP has the smaller minimum footprint at 50 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for WordPress. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.