Free / Open Source (with optional paid commercial license) · From Free
Best for: Designers with a hand-built HTML/CSS site who want to turn it into an editable CMS without adopting an unfamiliar theming layer.
At a Glance
Automad
CMS Made Simple
CouchCMS
Primary category
CMS
CMS
CMS
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Free (open source)
Free/Open Source
Free / Open Source (with optional paid commercial license)
Starting price
Free
Free
Free
Free plan
Not documented
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Platforms
Web
Web
Not documented
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Public API
Yes
Not documented
Not documented
Standout Differences
No-database portability
Automad's plain-text content files can be version-controlled and moved without a database, unlike CMS Made Simple or CouchCMS.
Automad
Converts existing templates directly
CouchCMS is built to couchify an already-built HTML/CSS template into an editable site rather than requiring a new theming system.
CouchCMS
Module-driven extensibility
CMS Made Simple's Module Manager adds e-commerce, forms, and gallery functionality that neither Automad nor CouchCMS documents natively.
CMS Made Simple
Fully free and open source
Automad (MIT), CMS Made Simple (GPL-3.0), and CouchCMS's core (CPAL) are all free to self-host, with only CouchCMS offering an optional paid tier for white-labeling.
Automad, CMS Made Simple, CouchCMS
Feature-by-Feature
Architecture
Feature
Automad
CMS Made Simple
CouchCMS
Database required
Unavailable
Available
Available
Converts an existing HTML/CSS template into an editable site
Not documented
Unavailable
Available
Content and Users
Feature
Automad
CMS Made Simple
CouchCMS
Granular multi-user permissions
Not documented
Available
Not documented
Built-in visitor comments with moderation
Not documented
Not documented
Available
Extensibility
Feature
Automad
CMS Made Simple
CouchCMS
Official module or extension manager
Not documented
Available
Not documented
Multilingual site support
Available
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Completely free and open source under the MIT license
No database dependency simplifies hosting, backup, and version control
Lightweight and fast, well-suited to small-to-medium brochure sites
Git-friendly since content lives in plain text files
Cons
Smaller plugin/theme ecosystem than database-driven CMS platforms like WordPress
Flat-file architecture can be less efficient at very large scale with thousands of pages
Requires PHP hosting knowledge to install and maintain
CMS Made Simple
Pros
Completely free and open source under GPL with no licensing costs
Smarty-based architecture gives designers full control over templates without touching PHP code
Lightweight footprint compared to heavier CMS platforms like Drupal
Two decades of continuous development and a stable, mature codebase
Cons
Much smaller community, plugin/module ecosystem, and market share than WordPress
Smarty templating has a learning curve for developers used to more modern frameworks
Fewer premium themes and modules available compared to mainstream CMS platforms
No official managed hosting or SaaS offering from the project itself
CouchCMS
Pros
Free and open source, with the entire codebase available for self-hosting and modification
Lets designers reuse existing HTML/CSS templates directly instead of learning a new theming system
Lightweight and simple compared to full-featured CMS platforms like WordPress or Drupal
Built-in SEO-friendly URL structuring through nestable virtual folders
Cons
Smaller plugin and theme ecosystem than WordPress, since it lacks a large third-party marketplace
Free license requires visible attribution in the source code unless a commercial license is purchased
Best suited to small-to-medium sites rather than complex enterprise or e-commerce deployments
Requires a MySQL database and PHP hosting, unlike pure flat-file CMS alternatives
Use Cases
Choose Automad: Developers who want a database-free, git-friendly CMS with a page-tree content structure.
Choose CMS Made Simple: Developers and agencies who want a mature, module-extensible CMS with real-time content editing and permissions.
Choose CouchCMS: Designers with a hand-built HTML/CSS site who want to turn it into an editable CMS without adopting an unfamiliar theming layer.
Automad
Brochure and portfolio websites — Building simple, fast-loading marketing or portfolio sites without database overhead.
Developer-friendly content sites — Managing content as plain text files for easy Git version control and deployment.
CMS Made Simple
Small business and brochure websites — Freelance developers build lightweight, template-driven websites for small businesses using CMSMS's Content Manager.
Custom-designed agency sites — Agencies use the Smarty templating layer to build highly customized front-end designs decoupled from backend logic.
Article and news publishing — Site owners use the built-in News module to publish and manage blog-style or article-based content.
CouchCMS
Client Website Development — Freelance designers and small agencies use CouchCMS to deliver editable websites to clients without building a full custom theme system.
Simple Blogs and Portfolios — CouchCMS's cloned pages feature is used to power blogs, portfolios, and image galleries from a single reusable template.
Lightweight CMS Alternative to WordPress — Developers who find WordPress's plugin and theming overhead unnecessary for small sites choose CouchCMS for its simplicity and direct HTML/CSS workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these three needs no database?
Automad, which stores all content as plain text files rather than in MySQL.
Which is best for turning a pre-built HTML template into an editable site?
CouchCMS, which is specifically designed to couchify existing markup rather than requiring a rebuild.
Which has a built-in module manager for e-commerce or forms?
CMS Made Simple, through its in-admin Module Manager.
Does CouchCMS require attribution in its free version?
Yes, the free version keeps an attribution credit visible in the source code, and that credit only goes away once a paid commercial license is bought.
Which supports multiple languages for site content?
Automad has built-in multilingual support; multilingual capabilities for CMS Made Simple and CouchCMS are not documented.
Are all three free to self-host?
Yes, Automad and CMS Made Simple are entirely free, and CouchCMS's core codebase is free under CPAL, with an optional paid commercial license available for white-labeling.