Head-to-head · Content Management Systems
Plone vs Wagtail
Plone leads on 0 checks, Wagtail 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 scorePlone · 8.3/10
- Free planboth
Plone scores higher on our rubric for content management systems: 8.3 against 5.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #9 and #36.
Plone is the better fit for governed enterprise publishing and intranets. Wagtail is the better fit for django teams building structured editorial sites.
- Plone fits best
Governed enterprise publishing and intranets
- Wagtail fits best
Django teams building structured editorial sites
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Side by side
| Feature | Plone 8.3/10 Visit ↗ | Wagtail 5.3/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 8.3 | 5.3 |
| Ranking | #9 in Content Management Systems | #36 in Content Management Systems |
| Best for | Governed enterprise publishing and intranets | Django teams building structured editorial sites |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux | Web |
| Support | Community, Live chat, Docs | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Plone 6/6 · Wagtail 6/6 | ||
| Editorial workflows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom user roles | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multilingual content | ✓ | ✓ |
| SEO tools | ✓ | ✓ |
| Media library | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom content types | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Platform type | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Our review | ||
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Plone is an open-source content management system for websites, intranets, and custom applications. It suits organizations that need governed publishing rather than only basic page editing, with browser-based content editing, structured… Read the review → |
Wagtail is an open-source content management system built with Python and Django. It gives editors browser-based tools to create, organize, review, translate, and publish content, while developers define custom page types, structured… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Plone — where it wins
- Configurable workflows, publishing states, versioning, and content locking
- Structured content, multilingual support, search, and asset management
- REST API plus broad enterprise authentication integrations
Where it doesn't
- Hosting, implementation, and support may require separate providers
- Self-hosted deployments place infrastructure choices with the organization
- Its broad governance feature set may exceed simpler publishing needs
Wagtail — where it wins
- Structured StreamField blocks and customizable content types
- Editorial workflows, permissions, and multilingual content management
- Headless support with a read-only JSON content API
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployments require separate hosting and implementation planning
- Integration options center on Django, Elasticsearch, and OpenSearch
- Paid plans do not bundle hosting or professional support
- Plone8.3/10 · Free plan
A mature, free CMS for structured, multilingual, permission-controlled publishing.
Visit PloneFull verdict → - Wagtail5.3/10 · Free plan
A structured, self-hosted CMS for Django teams building editorial websites.
Visit WagtailFull verdict →
All content management systems comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update