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nibbly
What nibbly is
nibbly is a self-hosted, open-source flat-file CMS written in PHP. It lets logged-in administrators edit HTML and PHP pages inline or through a dashboard, storing content as readable JSON files. The CMS supports multilingual sites, editorial workflows, SEO tools, a media library, news or blog publishing, and image and audio management. It includes 11 built-in section types. PHP 8.1 is the minimum documented language version, and production documentation lists Apache with mod_rewrite; Composer and npm are not required. Backups include per-page JSON history, manual full-site ZIP files, and scheduled uploads to remote storage such as Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, SFTP/SCP, S3-compatible storage, and WebDAV. Forms can save submissions locally and send mail through PHP mail() or SMTP. Documented protections include bcrypt hashes, secure session cookies, CSRF tokens, upload validation, and contact-form safeguards. The software is free for personal, agency, client, and commercial projects under MPL-2.0.
Who it suits
It suits small editorial sites and teams comfortable with self-hosting PHP software. Shared-hosting users can use it where the documented PHP and Apache requirements are available.
What it does well
- Readable JSON storage for site content
- Multilingual pages and editorial workflows
- Scheduled remote backup destinations
- Forms support local storage and SMTP
- Free for commercial projects under MPL-2.0
What to know first
- Requires self-hosted PHP environment
- PHP 8.1 minimum is documented
- Apache with mod_rewrite listed for production
- Paid setup plans exclude 20% EU VAT
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Open Source | Free forever · Unlimited pages & languages · Inline editing and admin dashboard · All 11+ block types · News/blog · Image and audio management · GitHub community support | Free |
| Care Plan | € 99*/mo · Updates · Backup monitoring and verification · Up to 2 hours of content work per month · Theme tweaks · Email support with 24-hour response | €99 a month |
| Starter Setup | € 1,990 one-time · Existing design implemented as a theme · Server, domain, SSL and hosting setup · Up to 5 pages · 60-minute walkthrough · 30 days post-launch support | €1,990, paid once |
| Full Service | € 4,990 one-time · Concept and custom responsive design · Full theme implementation · Pages and content setup · Server, domain and SSL setup · 90-minute walkthrough · 60 days post-launch support | €4,990, paid once |
| Care Plan (annual) | € 990/year · Annual Care Plan; site keeps running if canceled | €990 a year |
As nibbly.dev lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
nibbly offers a file-based CMS with multilingual editing, backups, forms, and documented security controls. Its self-hosted model and PHP requirements make deployment choices important, while the core open-source plan is free.
Facts from nibbly's own pages
- Backup integrations
- Documented remote backup targets include Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, SFTP/SCP, S3-compatible storage, and WebDAV. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Backups
- The CMS provides per-page JSON history, manual full-site ZIP backups, and scheduled backups that can upload to remote storage. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Editing and content
- Logged-in administrators can edit pages inline or in the dashboard, and the CMS supports 11 built-in section types. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Editorial workflows
- Yes · nibbly.dev, 23 Sept 2026
- JSON-backed forms can store submissions locally and send email through PHP mail() or SMTP. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Form protection
- Public contact forms use lazy loading, one-time server-generated tokens, minimum submit time, and a honeypot field without requiring a third-party tracking service. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · nibbly.dev, 23 Sept 2026
- Hosting requirements
- The documentation lists PHP 8.1 as the language minimum and Apache with mod_rewrite for production; it says no Composer or npm installation is required. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Intended use
- The maker describes nibbly as suited to small editorial sites and says it can run on shared hosting with PHP. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Languages
- nibbly supports multilingual content using separate per-language page files or nested language objects for shared content. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- License and usage
- nibbly is released under MPL-2.0, and the pricing page says the software is free for personal, agency, client, and commercial projects. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Media library
- Yes · nibbly.dev, 23 Sept 2026
- Multilingual content
- Yes · nibbly.dev, 23 Sept 2026
- Platform type
- self_hosted · nibbly.dev, 23 Sept 2026
- Pricing note
- The pricing page says listed prices exclude 20% VAT for EU customers unless a valid VAT ID allows reverse charge. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Product
- nibbly is a flat-file CMS written in PHP that lets users edit HTML and PHP pages in a browser and stores content as readable JSON files. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- Security
- The documentation describes bcrypt password hashes, HttpOnly and SameSite=Strict session cookies, CSRF tokens on POST requests, and upload validation. · nibbly.dev, 11 Oct 2026
- SEO tools
- Yes · nibbly.dev, 23 Sept 2026
Where nibbly stands on Freedom251
- Content Management Systems#94 of 165