Best Open Source CMS Platforms in 2025

Content Management Systems (CMS) have evolved dramatically. In 2025, open-source CMS platforms offer incredible flexibility, performance, and developer experience. Let's explore the best options available.

1. WordPress - The Industry Standard

WordPress Dashboard

Market Share: 43% of all websites
GitHub Stars: 18,000+

WordPress powers nearly half of the internet. It's the most popular CMS for good reason.

Pros:

Massive ecosystem of plugins and themes
Easy for non-technical users
SEO-friendly
Large community

Cons:

Can be slow without optimization
Security concerns if not maintained
Plugin conflicts

Best for: Blogs, marketing websites, e-commerce (with WooCommerce)

Explore WordPress on Prosper

2. Strapi - Modern Headless CMS

Strapi Dashboard

GitHub Stars: 60,000+

Strapi is the leading open-source headless CMS, perfect for modern JavaScript applications.

Pros:

Fully customizable
REST and GraphQL APIs
Great developer experience
Role-based access control

Cons:

Requires more technical knowledge
Smaller plugin ecosystem than WordPress

Best for: React/Vue/Next.js applications, mobile apps, multi-channel content

Explore Strapi on Prosper

3. Ghost - Professional Publishing Platform

Ghost Dashboard

GitHub Stars: 45,000+

Ghost is built specifically for professional publishing. It's what you use when content quality matters.

Pros:

Beautiful, distraction-free editor
Built-in SEO
Membership and subscription features
Fast and lightweight

Cons:

Less flexible than WordPress
Smaller ecosystem

Best for: Professional blogs, newsletters, membership sites

Explore Ghost on Prosper

4. Directus - Headless CMS for Any Database

Directus Dashboard

GitHub Stars: 24,000+

Directus wraps around your existing SQL database, providing an instant API and admin interface.

Pros:

Works with any database schema
Powerful admin dashboard
REST and GraphQL APIs
Fine-grained permissions

Cons:

Requires database knowledge
Learning curve

Best for: Custom applications, data-heavy projects, digital asset management

Explore Directus on Prosper

5. KeystoneJS - GraphQL CMS Framework

KeystoneJS Dashboard

GitHub Stars: 8,000+

KeystoneJS is a powerful CMS framework built on Node.js and GraphQL.

Pros:

GraphQL-first
Highly customizable
Great for developers
TypeScript support

Cons:

Requires coding knowledge
Smaller community

Best for: Custom CMS solutions, GraphQL applications

Explore KeystoneJS on Prosper

Comparison Table

CMS	Best For	Difficulty	Headless	API
WordPress	General websites	Easy	No*	REST
Strapi	Modern apps	Medium	Yes	REST/GraphQL
Ghost	Publishing	Easy	Yes	REST
Directus	Custom projects	Medium	Yes	REST/GraphQL
KeystoneJS	Developers	Hard	Yes	GraphQL

*WordPress can be used headlessly with plugins

How to Choose

CMS	Choose If You Need	Best Use Cases
WordPress	Traditional website, Non-technical users, Thousands of plugins, SEO features	Blogs, Marketing sites, E-commerce
Strapi	Modern JavaScript app, Flexible content API, Full customization	React/Vue/Next.js apps, Mobile apps
Ghost	Publishing quality content, Built-in membership features, Performance	Professional blogs, Newsletters
Directus	Existing database, Fine-grained control, Custom application	Data-heavy projects, Digital assets
KeystoneJS	Full developer control, GraphQL preference, Custom solutions	Custom CMS, GraphQL applications