MODX CMS review 2026: an open-source, developer-first PHP content management framework. Features, MODX Cloud pricing, and top CMS alternatives.
MODX is an open-source content management system built in PHP that gives developers complete control over a site's HTML output rather than forcing a fixed theme structure. It was created in 2004 by Raymond Irving and Ryan Thrash, who wanted a CMS that could produce fully semantic, CSS-styled markup, and the project has been maintained continuously since.
MODX LLC was formally founded in Dallas, Texas in May 2010, the same year the team released MODX Revolution, a full rewrite that replaced the original MODX Evolution codebase and remains the current actively developed version.
MODX uses a tag-based templating system built from Chunks, Snippets, Templates, and Template Variables, giving developers precise, markup-agnostic control over front-end output instead of relying on pre-built themes. Its resource-based content model supports both simple brochure sites and more complex, custom content structures.
The platform includes a manager back end for editing content, a permissions and user-role system, multi-language support, SEO-friendly URLs by default, and an ecosystem of community-built extras and plugins for adding functionality without touching core code.
The core MODX software is free and open source, and can be downloaded and self-hosted on any PHP-compatible server at no cost. Premium add-ons built by community developers have been available since 2013 for teams that want extra functionality.
For teams that prefer managed hosting, MODX Cloud offers tiered plans starting around $39 per month for a Base plan, scaling to $99 per month for Pro and $349 per month for Business, with custom Enterprise pricing starting around $4,000 per month on longer commitments. Add-ons like staging environments, CDN/WAF protection, and failover are priced separately.
Yes, the core MODX CMS is free and open source and can be self-hosted on any PHP-compatible server. Paid options include community-built premium add-ons and MODX Cloud managed hosting.
MODX was created in 2004 by Raymond Irving and Ryan Thrash, with Jason Coward joining the project leadership in 2005. MODX LLC was formally founded in Dallas, Texas in 2010.
MODX Evolution was the original CMS released around 2005; MODX Revolution, released in 2010, was a complete architectural rewrite and is the actively developed version today.
MODX Cloud managed hosting starts around $39 per month for a Base plan, with Pro around $99 per month and Business around $349 per month; custom Enterprise pricing starts around $4,000 per month.
MODX is more developer-oriented than beginner-friendly CMS platforms like WordPress, since it requires building templates and markup from scratch rather than using pre-built themes.
MODX gives developers full control over HTML markup with no default theme system, while WordPress relies on themes and a much larger plugin ecosystem; MODX is generally favored for fully custom-designed sites.