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Concrete CMS
What Concrete CMS is
Concrete CMS is a free, open-source content management system for building and managing websites. Editors can change page content in context and arrange blocks with drag-and-drop controls. It includes editorial workflows, multilingual content, SEO tools, a media library, and custom content types. Structured content can use page types and Express, described as a lightweight no-code relational database manager. A REST API can share content with third-party applications in a headless CMS setup. Themes, add-ons, and integrations are available through the dashboard Marketplace connection on version 9.3 and later. The software uses the MIT Open Source License. Self-hosting requires a web server running PHP and MySQL. The current download page lists Concrete CMS 9.5.5, released October 6, 2026, and recommends Composer for installation.
Who it suits
Concrete CMS suits organizations building sites that need structured content, editorial workflows, multilingual publishing, or API delivery. Self-hosting users need a PHP and MySQL web server.
What it does well
- Free MIT-licensed open-source software
- Supports multilingual content and SEO tools
- Provides in-context drag-and-drop editing
- Includes REST API access
- Offers custom content types
What to know first
- Self-hosting requires PHP and MySQL
- Managed hosting cannot build custom themes or add-ons
- Third-party marketplace products are outside core security coverage
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted | Free and open source · Run on your own server | On request |
| Business | Per month, billed annually · 5 Site Editors · Unlimited support questions · No source code access · 50,000 page views/month · 20GB storage · CDN · Free SSL · DDoS protection and mitigation · Upgrades managed for you · Nightly backup | $19 a month |
| Starter | Per month, billed annually · 1 Site Editor · Unlimited support questions · No source code access · 10,000 page views/month · 2GB storage · Free SSL · Upgrades managed for you · Nightly backup | $4.99 a month |
| Custom SLA | Call Us · Custom codebase · Unlimited support questions · Continuous backup and restoration · 1 staging and 1 production server · Custom development as needed · Co-managed upgrades and development · Custom staging and CI/CD · High availability · Large data stores | On request |
As concretecms.org lists them, read 22 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Concrete CMS combines visual editing with structured content, extensions, and API delivery. Its free self-hosted option is flexible, while hosting requirements and managed-service limitations matter when selecting deployment.
Facts from Concrete CMS's own pages
- API
- Concrete CMS includes a REST API that can share content with third-party applications in a headless CMS capacity. · documentation.concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Built for
- The maker describes it as an extendable platform for websites that clients can manage, and says its core includes built-in features. · concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Current download
- The download page lists Concrete CMS 9.5.5, released October 6, 2026, and recommends Composer for installation. · concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Custom content types
- Yes · concretecms.org, 22 Sept 2026
- Editing
- Editors can edit content directly on pages and drag and drop blocks while in edit mode. · documentation.concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Editorial workflows
- Yes · concretecms.org, 22 Sept 2026
- Extensions
- Themes, add-ons, and integrations can be added through the dashboard Marketplace connection, which is supported on Concrete CMS 9.3 and later. · documentation.concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · concretecms.org, 22 Sept 2026
- Hosting requirement
- Self-hosting requires a web server; Concrete CMS uses PHP and MySQL. · documentation.concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Managed hosting limit
- The maker’s SaaS hosting does not provide access to the open-source codebase, so users cannot build their own themes or custom add-ons there. · documentation.concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Media library
- Yes · concretecms.org, 22 Sept 2026
- Multilingual content
- Yes · concretecms.org, 22 Sept 2026
- Open source
- The software is offered under the MIT Open Source License. · concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Platform type
- hybrid · concretecms.org, 22 Sept 2026
- Purpose
- Concrete CMS is a content management system for building and managing websites, with in-context editing for page content. · concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Security scope
- The maker’s vulnerability management program covers Concrete Core and excludes third-party marketplace products and websites it does not build and maintain. · concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Security updates
- The security page says patches come out monthly and recommends keeping sites on the latest Concrete core version. · concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- SEO tools
- Yes · concretecms.org, 22 Sept 2026
- Structured content
- Concrete CMS supports structured content through page types and Express, which the documentation describes as a lightweight no-code relational database manager. · documentation.concretecms.org, 11 Oct 2026
- Support
- PortlandLabs directs customers hosted elsewhere to their hosting provider for support and offers technical support to its own hosting customers. · concretecms.com, 11 Oct 2026
Where Concrete CMS stands on Freedom251
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