Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Kirby VS WordPress

Compare Kirby VS WordPress and see what are their differences

Kirby logo Kirby

Kirby is a website for businesses to use to sort contacts and other information. The site is easy to use and features several details for businesses of all sizes.

WordPress logo WordPress

WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.
  • Kirby Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-18
  • WordPress Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-09

Kirby features and specs

  • Flexibility
    Kirby is highly flexible and can be tailored to fit various project needs, from simple websites to complex applications.
  • Flat-File CMS
    Kirby uses a flat-file system for content storage, eliminating the need for a database and simplifying deployment and backups.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Kirby provides an intuitive and clean admin panel, making it easy for content editors to manage their websites.
  • Performance
    The flat-file nature of Kirby CMS results in fast load times and responsive performance, as there is no database overhead.
  • Customization
    Developers can write custom plugins and templates easily due to Kirby's modular architecture and extensive API.
  • Security
    Kirby is designed with security in mind, offering features like user authentication, management, and regular updates to patch vulnerabilities.
  • Detailed Documentation
    Kirby offers comprehensive and well-organized documentation that helps developers quickly get up to speed and solve issues.
  • Community Support
    An active community and forum provide support, tutorials, and shared plugins to enhance functionality.

Possible disadvantages of Kirby

  • Cost
    Kirby is a paid CMS, which might be a drawback for those looking for a free solution. A license must be purchased for commercial use.
  • Learning Curve
    While it is flexible, Kirby requires some initial learning, especially for those who are used to database-driven CMS platforms like WordPress.
  • Not for Large-Scale Websites
    Due to its flat-file nature, Kirby may not be the best choice for very large websites with high traffic or massive content databases.
  • Limited Built-In Features
    Compared to other CMS platforms like WordPress, Kirby has fewer built-in plugins and themes, requiring more custom development.
  • Developer-Oriented
    Kirby's structure is more suited to developers who are comfortable writing code, which can be a hurdle for non-technical users.

WordPress features and specs

  • User-Friendly
    WordPress is very intuitive and easy to use, which makes it accessible to users with minimal technical expertise.
  • Customization
    It offers a vast array of themes and plugins, allowing users to customize their websites extensively without any coding knowledge.
  • SEO-Friendly
    WordPress has numerous SEO features and plugins that can help websites rank higher in search engine results pages.
  • Community Support
    There is a large and active WordPress community that provides extensive documentation, forums, and third-party resources.
  • Scalability
    WordPress can grow with your business, as it supports both small blogs and large corporate websites.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source platform, WordPress is free to use, and users can modify the source code to suit their needs.
  • Large Ecosystem
    WordPress offers one of the largest ecosystems of developers, themes, and plugins, providing a lot of options for site building.

Possible disadvantages of WordPress

  • Security Vulnerabilities
    WordPress is a popular target for hackers, which makes it susceptible to security issues if not properly maintained.
  • Maintenance
    Regular updates to the core software, themes, and plugins are necessary to keep the site secure and functioning correctly.
  • Performance
    Websites with many plugins or poorly optimized themes can suffer from slow loading times, impacting user experience.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic use is straightforward, leveraging WordPress's full capabilities can require more advanced knowledge and learning.
  • Potential for Plugin Conflicts
    Installing multiple plugins from different developers can sometimes cause conflicts, leading to site instability or performance problems.
  • Customization Complexity
    Extensive customization may require coding knowledge in languages like PHP, HTML, and CSS, which can be a barrier for beginners.
  • Hosting Dependency
    Users need to purchase their own hosting services and manage that aspect, which may be complicated for non-technical users.

Analysis of Kirby

Overall verdict

  • Kirby is a highly recommended CMS for developers seeking a lightweight, customizable solution that doesn’t compromise on performance. It’s a great choice for those who prefer writing and managing content via files rather than a traditional database system. The licensing cost is reasonable, making it accessible for small to medium projects.

Why this product is good

  • Kirby is a flexible, flat-file content management system (CMS) that is highly customizable and easy to set up. It doesn’t require a database, which simplifies deployment and maintenance. Kirby is known for its simplicity, speed, and developer-friendly approach. Its panel interface is user-friendly, making it easy for content creators to manage their sites. Additionally, the CMS offers a powerful templating engine and is suitable for a wide range of projects, from small websites to more complex builds.

Recommended for

    Kirby is particularly suitable for developers who appreciate coding flexibility and control over their CMS. It’s ideal for projects that require a tailored approach, whether for a personal portfolio, a small business site, or more intricate web applications. Content creators who favor a straightforward admin interface without the complexity of database management will also find Kirby appealing.

Kirby videos

Kirby Star Allies Review

More videos:

  • Review - Kirby Star Allies Review │ If You Can't Eat 'Em, Join 'Em
  • Review - Johnny vs. Kirby's Dream Land

WordPress videos

Users, beware.. avoid WordPress!* | WordPress Review

More videos:

  • Review - Wix vs Wordpress: Which platform is best in 2019?
  • Review - Wordpress.com Review: Good For Users Familiar with Wordpress

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Kirby and WordPress)
CMS
5 5%
95% 95
Blogging
7 7%
93% 93
Website Builder
0 0%
100% 100
Blogging Platform
9 9%
91% 91

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Kirby and WordPress

Kirby Reviews

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WordPress Reviews

  1. Old legend

    There are many new platforms for creating websites nowadays. But I still use WP and it works well. A lot of plugins and templates. Easy to find a developer to customise theme. No monthly fees. So, I like it.


WordPress vs. Proprietary Site Builders: What to Know Before Starting a Website Development Project
WordPress: WordPress.org (not to be confused with WordPress.com) is an open-source content management system (CMS). When you build a website on WordPress, you own the code, the design, and the data. This means you can fully customize your site, transfer it to any hosting provider, and have complete control over all aspects of the website. The site can be hosted on any...
Comparing 9 WordPress alternatives & competitors in 2024
WordPress is a popular website-building platform, but if you’re looking for different features and security, check out these nine WordPress alternatives.
Source: webflow.com
19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
While WordPress is undeniably popular, it might not be the perfect fit for everyone. Here are the key differences between WordPress.com (hosted platform) and WordPress.org (self-hosted software) to help you understand more about WordPress and why you should look for an alternative website builder:
Source: www.pixpa.com
The 17 Best Wix Alternatives (2024) Who Else Can You Build Your Website With?
WordPress is the undisputed king of CMS or Content Management Systems. From blogs to online stores, there isn’t much you can’t do with this powerful website building solution. Keep in mind that WordPress comes in two versions: WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
Top 10 Web Content Management Systems
There is no doubt that when the conversation shifts to talking about the best CMS options WordPress is always going to be first. According to WordPress itself, nearly 35% of the entire web manages its content via its service, and that’s why it’s number 1 here. WordPress is open-source, which also makes it one of the best free CMS options as well. With a massive legion of...
Source: cloudzy.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, WordPress seems to be a lot more popular than Kirby. While we know about 782 links to WordPress, we've tracked only 43 mentions of Kirby. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Kirby mentions (43)

  • WordPress Is in Trouble
    There are CMSes that work with static site generators. Static site generators do not imply that the input is markdown, though this is often the usecase. https://decapcms.org/ https://getkirby.com/ https://tina.io/ https://statamic.com/ ect ect. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • WordPress Is in Trouble
    PHP based static file CMS (w/o database) to render markdown on the fly: * Kirby: https://getkirby.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Democratising Publishing
    I gave October a pretty serious look about five or six years ago. I like the fact that you can code in the interface, which can feel more friendly than competing platforms. But I thought the community hadn’t reached a level of scale that I thought was enough that I could trust it. Also, I know that you have said you’re willing to pay and you’re not necessarily looking for FOSS, but I will point out there was some... - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Ask HN: Alternatives to Yoast SEO for non-WordPress sites
    If you have mostly static web sites with little work to update, you could try out the flat-file KirbyCMS: https://getkirby.com/ - it is a CMS I tried myself and liked quite much. I want to point out that it is not an open-source project like Wordpress, but a one-time licence fee you have to pay once you go live with your project. There is a great community around KirbyCMS who are building plugins for it, for... - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Ask HN: Where After WordPress?
    I have been using kirby (https://getkirby.com/) for all my (mostly non-dynamic) websites with great success the last few years. It's super stable, flexible, under active development and has a great ecosystem. Can't recommend it enough. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
View more

WordPress mentions (782)

  • Open Source: A Goldmine for Indie Hackers
    Open source software is built on the democratic idea that everyone should be able to inspect and contribute to the source code. Major projects like Linux, WordPress, and the Apache HTTP Server have shown how collaborative efforts can produce robust, scalable solutions. Indie hackers, often working with limited budgets, gain access to highly dependable tools such as Python and MySQL, which were originally developed... - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Indie Hacking with Open Source Tools: Innovating on a Budget
    Another case involves a duo launching an eco-friendly e-commerce website. Using WordPress paired with WooCommerce, they built a fully featured site with a sustainable operational model. Enhanced analytics from Matomo brought data-driven insights and growth strategies to life. This project highlights the benefits of cost-effective, community-driven solutions in the competitive e-commerce landscape. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Open Source: A Goldmine for Indie Hackers – Unleashing Creativity and Collaboration
    Open source software, defined by its openly accessible source code, has democratized software development like never before. Platforms and projects such as Linux Foundation supported Linux, WordPress, and the Apache HTTP Server have paved the way for innovation rooted in transparency and collaboration. Indie hackers, known for doing more with less, have found a goldmine in these community-supported projects. Not... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Indie Hacking with Open Source Tools: Innovating on a Budget
    Platforms like WordPress combined with WooCommerce allow for seamless website and e-commerce management. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Indie Hacking Success Stories with Open Source Licenses
    WordPress: The powerhouse behind over 40% of the web, WordPress’s success is deeply intertwined with the open source ethos. Licensed under GPL, WordPress has fostered a rich ecosystem filled with plugins and themes. This robust community engagement, underpinned by open source principles, underlines the importance of continuous user feedback and development. For developers looking to monetize their projects,... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Kirby and WordPress, you can also consider the following products

Statamic - Build better, easier to manage websites. Enjoy radical efficiency. It's everything you never knew you always wanted in a CMS.

WiX - Create a free website with Wix.com. Customize with Wix' website builder, no coding skills needed. Choose a design, begin customizing and be online today

TYPO3 - TYPO3.com - Infos, SLAs, Extended Support Versions and more

SquareSpace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included.

Craft CMS - Content management system built on Yii PHP Framework

WordPress.com - Create a free website or build a blog with ease on WordPress.com. Dozens of free, customizable, mobile-ready designs and themes. Free hosting and support.