Freedom251 › Content Management Systems
Zenario
by Zenario
What Zenario is
Zenario is a free, open-source CMS for websites, databases, and extranets. Its Gridmaker interface provides drag-and-drop page layouts with controls for behavior, size, CSS classes, and mobile or desktop visibility. Content features cover news, blogs, events, job vacancies, custom content types, and public or private YouTube and Vimeo libraries. Forms support multiple steps, dataset lookups, and file uploads, with connections to systems such as Salesforce or Mailchimp. Private areas include registration, login, password recovery, profile editing, and role-based content access. Zenario Pro adds multilingual content, browser-based language detection, a visitor language picker, and Matomo Analytics. OnZenario provides hosting and a 14-day Zenario Base trial without a card. Self-hosting requires Apache 2.4.7+, PHP 8.3+, and MySQL 8.0+; Linux is recommended, while Windows may work. The self-hosted edition is free under a BSD license.
Who it suits
Zenario suits organizations building websites, databases, or extranets that need editorial workflows, private areas, and multilingual content. Self-hosting users must provide the listed server stack.
What it does well
- Free open-source self-hosted edition
- Supports private extranets
- Includes drag-and-drop page layouts
- Provides multilingual Pro features
- 14-day hosted trial without card
What to know first
- Self-hosting requires specific server software
- Linux is recommended
- Two-way encryption is hosting-limited
- Some multilingual features require Pro
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Zenario self-hosted | Free, open source software under BSD license · install on your own server | Free |
As zenar.io lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Zenario offers broad CMS, form, extranet, and content-management capabilities with a free self-hosted option. Hosting requirements and plan-specific security or language features should guide deployment decisions.
Facts from Zenario's own pages
- Analytics
- Zenario Pro lists Matomo Analytics for privacy-friendly on-site analytics. · onzenario.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Cloud hosting
- OnZenario offers hosted Zenario and allows customers to try Zenario Base free for 14 days without a card for signup. · onzenario.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Content
- Zenario supports news and blog articles, events, job vacancies, and public or private video libraries from YouTube and Vimeo. · onzenario.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Custom content types
- Yes · zenar.io, 22 Sept 2026
- Custom user roles
- Yes · zenar.io, 22 Sept 2026
- Editorial workflows
- Yes · zenar.io, 22 Sept 2026
- Encryption
- Zenario supports password hashing, and its two-way encryption of personal data at rest is available only to Tribal-hosted customers. · onzenario.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Forms and CRM
- Forms can include multiple steps, dataset lookups and file uploads, and submissions can be connected to systems such as Salesforce or Mailchimp. · onzenario.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · zenar.io, 22 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- London and Reading, United Kingdom · zenar.io, 19 Oct 2026
- Hosting requirements
- Self-hosting requires a web server with Apache 2.4.7 or later, PHP 8.3 or later and MySQL 8.0 or later; Linux is recommended, though Windows may work. · zenar.io, 11 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Zenario ProBusiness is described for organizations needing password-protected areas, registered users, job vacancy management and multi-location presence. · onzenario.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Maker
- OnZenario is run by Tribal Systems, a UK-based team that says it has been trading since 1996. · onzenario.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Media library
- Yes · zenar.io, 22 Sept 2026
- Multilingual
- Zenario Pro supports multiple languages, automatic language detection based on browser settings and a visitor language picker. · onzenario.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Page design
- The Gridmaker interface provides drag-and-drop page layout controls, including page behavior, size, CSS class and mobile or desktop visibility. · onzenario.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Platform type
- hybrid · zenar.io, 22 Sept 2026
- Private areas
- Zenario supports extranet features including user registration and login, password recovery, profile editing and role-based access to content. · onzenario.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Product
- Zenario is an open source CMS for websites, databases and extranets. · zenar.io, 11 Oct 2026
- SEO tools
- Yes · zenar.io, 22 Sept 2026
Where Zenario stands on Freedom251
- Content Management Systems#29 of 165