Side by side
GovCMS vs LocalGov Drupal
Both stand on government website builders. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
GovCMS is a fit for Australian government organisations seeking Drupal hosting with SaaS and PaaS responsibility options, Australian data-centre hosting, and defined security classification coverage. SaaS centralises more maintenance and includes Akamai protection. Agencies wanting a free trial or hands-off PaaS application management should look elsewhere or weigh the operating responsibilities carefully.
Visit GovCMS
LocalGov Drupal offers a council-focused CMS with publishing, governance, accessibility, and multisite features. Its free software still needs technical resources, hosting, and ongoing maintenance.
Visit LocalGov DrupalThe facts
| GovCMS | LocalGov Drupal | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | See the plans | LocalGov Drupal flying solo: £9,999, paid once |
| Plans published | 20 | 3 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | govcms.gov.au | localgovdrupal.org |
| On government website builders | #4 of 33 | #1 of 33 |
GovCMS: what it does well
- Offers both SaaS and PaaS operating models.
- States 99.95% uptime and Australian data-centre hosting.
- Certified to host information up to OFFICIAL: Sensitive.
- SaaS includes Akamai web protection services.
- Platform is set up to meet WCAG 2.1.
What to know first
- There is no free plan or free trial.
- SaaS plans have annual fees and setup fees.
- PaaS agencies retain responsibility for application-layer security.
- Service Desk excludes design, development, and discovery services.
LocalGov Drupal: what it does well
- Free and open-source publishing platform
- Includes content tools for services, alerts, and elections
- Optional workflows support approvals and scheduled publishing
- Content and functionality target WCAG 2.1 AA
What to know first
- Implementation requires development resources
- Requires appropriate hosting and ongoing security updates
- Designed for councils across the UK and Ireland
Alternatives to GovCMS Alternatives to LocalGov Drupal The whole list