OSI-licensed only · self-hostable
WordPress is itself open source, released under the GPL (version 2 or later), so this page isn't about escaping a closed product. People look for other open-source CMSs when they want a simpler publishing tool, a flat-file site with no database, a developer-first headless CMS, or a different security and architecture model.
Every tool below is under an OSI-approved licence (MIT, GPL-2.0, GPL-2.0-or-later or BSD-3-Clause), checked against its repository. Directus, a popular headless CMS that is sometimes called open source, is listed separately because its licence is source-available.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
| Tool | Best for | Licence | Runs as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost | Publishing, memberships and newsletters | MIT | Server |
| Drupal | Large, structured, multi-editor sites | GPL-2.0 | Server |
| Joomla | All-round CMS with built-in multilingual support | GPL-2.0-or-later | Server |
| Grav | Fast flat-file sites with no database | MIT | Server |
| Strapi | Headless CMS with auto-generated APIs | MIT | Server |
| Payload | Code-first CMS inside a Next.js app | MIT | Server |
| Wagtail | Django teams building editor-friendly sites | BSD-3-Clause | Server |
Best for: Publishing, memberships and newsletters
Independent technology for modern publishing, memberships, subscriptions and newsletters. A Node.js CMS with a Content API and theme development, installed on your own server with the Ghost CLI.
Best for: Large, structured, multi-editor sites
An open source content management platform for everything from personal blogs to large community sites. Over a thousand free modules on Drupal.org extend core, and security advisories are published there. The GitHub repository is a verbatim mirror of Drupal.org's code.
Best for: All-round CMS with built-in multilingual support
A free and open-source content management system for building websites and online applications. Runs on PHP with MySQL, MariaDB or PostgreSQL, and is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later.
Best for: Fast flat-file sites with no database
A fast, simple and flexible file-based web platform. Content is Markdown, templates use Twig and configuration is YAML, and the GPM package manager installs plugins, themes and updates. Requires PHP 8.3 or higher.
Best for: Headless CMS with auto-generated APIs
The leading open-source headless CMS, written in JavaScript and TypeScript. Includes a Content-Type Builder, auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, roles and permissions, a media library and i18n. Part of the repository (the ee/ directory) is under a separate Enterprise licence.
Best for: Code-first CMS inside a Next.js app
The open-source, fullstack Next.js framework, usable as a headless CMS or a backend with an admin panel. Includes authentication, versions and drafts, localisation, a block-based layout builder and granular access control.
Best for: Django teams building editor-friendly sites
An open source content management system built on Django with a fast, attractive interface for authors. Offers StreamField for flexible content, a Content API for headless use, multi-site and multi-language support, and built-in search.
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| If you need… | Start with |
|---|---|
| A clean publishing platform with newsletters and paid members | Ghost |
| A large, complex site with many content types and editors | Drupal |
| A familiar all-round CMS with multilingual support | Joomla |
| A small site with no database | Grav |
| A headless CMS feeding a custom front end | Strapi or Payload |
| A Python/Django stack with a polished editor | Wagtail |
Public source code, but under licences the Open Source Initiative doesn't approve. Fine to use; read the terms first.
The README describes MSCL as a source-available licence derived from the Fair Core License. It is free for organisations under a revenue and headcount threshold, but it is not OSI-approved.
Quick answers to common questions
Yes. WordPress is released under the GPL (GNU General Public License) version 2 or, at your option, any later version. The alternatives here suit different needs rather than replacing a closed product.
It depends on the job. Ghost suits publishing and newsletters, Drupal and Joomla are full CMS platforms, Grav is a flat-file option, and Strapi, Payload and Wagtail are developer-oriented.
Grav is a file-based platform that stores content as Markdown with YAML configuration, so it doesn't need a database to run.
The Community Edition is MIT-licensed. Strapi's LICENSE file says the ee/ directory is covered by a separate Enterprise Edition licence, so features there are not under the MIT licence.
Not by the OSI definition. Its README says it is licensed under the Monospace Sustainable Core License 1.0, a source-available licence derived from the Fair Core License.
List it on TechLogHub and we'll review it for this page.
