Head-to-head · Content Management Systems
Contao vs Concrete CMS
Contao leads on 0 checks, Concrete CMS on 0, and 7 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 7 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreContao · 8.2/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresContao · 6 of 6
Contao scores higher on our rubric for content management systems: 8.2 against 4.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #10 and #49.
On platform type, Concrete CMS gives you Hybrid where Contao offers Self_hosted.
Contao is the better fit for SEO-focused multilingual business websites. Concrete CMS is the better fit for visual editing for small-to-midsize sites.
- Contao fits best
SEO-focused multilingual business websites
- Concrete CMS fits best
Visual editing for small-to-midsize sites
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Side by side
| Feature | Contao 8.2/10 Visit ↗ | Concrete CMS 4.0/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.2 | 4.0 |
| Ranking | #10 in Content Management Systems | #49 in Content Management Systems |
| Best for | SEO-focused multilingual business websites | Visual editing for small-to-midsize sites |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free plan | Free |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Support | Community, Docs | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Contao 6/6 · Concrete CMS 5/6 | ||
| Editorial workflows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom user roles | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Multilingual content | ✓ | ✓ |
| SEO tools | ✓ | ✓ |
| Media library | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom content types | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Platform type | Self_hosted | Hybrid |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Contao is a free, open-source content management system for agencies, companies, and organizations building professional websites and scalable web applications. It is designed for structured page and article management, multilingual sites,… Read the review → |
Concrete CMS is a web content management system for creating, editing, organizing, and publishing websites. It is aimed at site owners, content teams, agencies, and developers who need visual editing alongside structured content… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Contao — where it wins
- Granular permissions and configurable editorial workflows
- Multilingual structures with language fallback
- Built-in SEO, media, forms, news, and calendar features
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployment requires a PHP and MySQL-compatible environment
- Hosting, implementation, and support may require separate providers
- Extensions and custom content structures may require additional setup
Concrete CMS — where it wins
- In-context editing with drag-and-drop reusable blocks
- Structured page types, permissions, approvals, and multilingual content
- Free, MIT-licensed self-hosted CMS with optional managed hosting
Where it doesn't
- Integration coverage is limited to popular CRMs
- Starter includes one site editor
- Advanced custom codebase support requires the Custom SLA plan
- Contao8.2/10 · Free plan
A free, self-hosted CMS with strong multilingual, workflow, and SEO controls.
Visit ContaoFull verdict → - Concrete CMS4.0/10 · Free plan
A flexible CMS for teams that need visual editing plus structured content controls.
Visit Concrete CMSFull verdict →
All content management systems comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update