Head to head
Total CMS, compared honestly.
Total CMS is a flat-file PHP CMS with a built-in MCP server. Here it is against the tools people actually weigh it with, including every case where the other tool is the better choice.
Every competitor’s facts are checked against its own documentation, cited, and dated on its page.
When to choose which
Choose them Choose Total CMS
- KirbyFlat-file PHP Choose Kirby if you want plain PHP templates, with no template language in between. Choose Total CMS if you would rather hand a designer Twig than raw PHP.
- StatamicFlat-file PHP Choose Statamic if your team already works in Laravel. Choose Total CMS if the site has to run on ordinary hosting, with no framework to maintain.
- GravFlat-file PHP Choose Grav if you want free, MIT-licensed software you can fork. Choose Total CMS if you want one supported product, not a kit of plugins to assemble.
- WordPressDatabase CMS Choose WordPress if the build needs its plugin ecosystem, or your client needs a talent pool to hire from. Choose Total CMS if the design has to survive the client.
- Craft CMSDatabase CMS Choose Craft CMS if you want a free tier that is production-ready, or GraphQL. Choose Total CMS if you do not want to run a database.
- WebflowHosted builder Choose Webflow if you design visually and want real CSS control. Choose Total CMS if you want the working site, not an exported shell.
- SquarespaceHosted builder Choose Squarespace if you are not technical, and never want to think about hosting. Choose Total CMS if you want to own the site and take its design with you.
Zoom out
Not sure what to compare yet?
The guides step back from one-on-one and weigh the whole field, with the same rule: say where the other choice wins.
- WordPress alternatives for freelancers If you build client sites for a living, the CMS decision is really a decision about the next three years of your evenings.
- Hosted vs self-hosted Before you choose between Squarespace and Webflow, or between Kirby and Craft, there is a bigger question underneath: do you want to rent a website platform or own the software that runs it? Here is how to decide, from someone with an obvious stake in the answer.
- The best flat-file CMS in 2026 Five flat-file content management systems worth your time, what each is genuinely good at, and where each one will frustrate you.
- A PHP CMS without a database Running a CMS with no MySQL sounds like a corner-cutting exercise.
Or just try it yourself.
Total CMS is free for 45 days with every Pro feature, on your own server. No credit card required.