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swap_horiz Refinery CMS Alternatives

Looking for alternatives to Refinery CMS? Compare the top Ghost CMS options ranked by our AI scoring system.

You're looking at alternatives to:
RE

Refinery CMS

Refinery CMS is a minimal, self-hosted content management system built on PHP and MySQL, primarily designed for static website generation and offering a straightforward approach to managing text and image content without a traditional database layer.

5.5 Mediocre

apps Top Refinery CMS Alternatives

The top alternative to Refinery CMS in 2026 is Publii with a score of 9.4/10, followed by Wagtail (8.5) and Umbraco (7.8).

1
Publii

Publii

Publii is a desktop static site generator that simplifies the process of creating high-performance websites. Its perfect...

Writing Easy To Use SEO Blogger
9.4 Excellent
2
Wagtail

Wagtail

Wagtail is a free, open-source Python CMS known for its flexible content modeling capabilities and robust admin interfac...

Open Source Developer Python Traditional
8.5 Great
3
Umbraco

Umbraco

Umbracio is a headless content management system that separates the presentation layer from the backend, allowing develo...

Enterprise Open Source Traditional Dotnet
7.8 Good
4
Spree Commerce

Spree Commerce

Spree Commerce is an open-source, Ruby on Rails e-commerce platform designed for developers seeking a highly customizabl...

Headless Ecommerce Open Source Ruby
7.2 Good
5
TYPO3

TYPO3

TYPO3 is an open-source, German CMS known for its robust content management capabilities and highly configurable archite...

Enterprise Open Source European Traditional
7.1 Good
6
Silverstripe CMS

Silverstripe CMS

Silverstripe CMS is an open-source, PHP-based content management system designed for developers who require granular con...

Enterprise Open Source Self Hosted Traditional
7.1 Good
7
MODX

MODX

MODX is a highly flexible, open-source content management system known for its robust templating language and fine-grain...

Open Source Flexible Developer Traditional
7.1 Good
8
Bridgetown

Bridgetown

Bridgetown is a free, open-source static site generator built in Haskell, designed for creating simple websites and docu...

Open Source Developer Jamstack Ruby
7.1 Good
9
SU

Sulu

Sulu is a lightweight, static site generator built for speed and simplicity, utilizing Markdown and offering a minimal c...

Enterprise Open Source Traditional PHP
6.7 Fair
10
MI

Middleman

Middleman is a static site generator that operates entirely within your browser using WebAssembly, eliminating the need...

Open Source Developer Ruby Static Site Generator
6.6 Fair
11
ExpressionEngine

ExpressionEngine

ExpressionEngine is a robust, PHP-based CMS known for its security features and granular content management capabilities...

Self Hosted Flexible Commercial Traditional
6.4 Fair
12
Contao

Contao

Contao is a PHP-based CMS known for its rapid development and extensive feature set, yet it’s largely undocumented and u...

Accessibility Open Source Self Hosted Traditional
6.4 Fair
13
DotNetNuke (DNN)

DotNetNuke (DNN)

DotNetNuke is an open-source, web content management system known for its modular architecture and extensive customizati...

Enterprise Open Source Traditional Dotnet
6.4 Fair
14
Concrete CMS

Concrete CMS

Concrete CMS is a lightweight, PHP-based content management system designed for static site generation, offering a flexi...

Open Source Self Hosted Traditional PHP
6.3 Fair
15
Plone

Plone

Plone is a mature, open-source web content management system built on Zope, recognized as a “ghost CMS” due to its minim...

Secure Enterprise Open Source Python
6.2 Fair
16
Textpattern

Textpattern

Textpattern is a flexible, open-source CMS known for its robust content modeling capabilities and structured data handli...

Lightweight Open Source Traditional Publishing
6.2 Fair
17
CMS Made Simple

CMS Made Simple

CMS Made Simple is a free, open-source, PHP-based content management system known for its lightweight design and focus o...

Lightweight Open Source Self Hosted Traditional
5.9 Mediocre
18
Backdrop CMS

Backdrop CMS

Backdrop CMS is a self-hosted, open-source headless CMS that allows content editors to create and manage website content...

Smb Open Source Traditional PHP
5.9 Mediocre
19
Movable Type

Movable Type

Movable Type is a self-hosted, open-source content management system originally developed in 1996, notable for its use o...

Blogging Traditional Publishing Perl
5.4 Mediocre
20
MU

Mura CMS

Mura CMS is a self-hosted, open-source content management system primarily designed for enterprise organizations needing...

Enterprise Open Source Self Hosted Traditional
5.4 Mediocre

summarize Quick Comparison Summary

Alternative Score vs Refinery CMS Action
Publii
Publii
Ghost CMS Writing Easy To Use SEO
9.4 Excellent +3.9 Compare
Wagtail
Wagtail
Ghost CMS Open Source Developer Python
8.5 Great +3.0 Compare
Umbraco
Umbraco
Ghost CMS Enterprise Open Source Traditional
7.8 Good +2.3 Compare
Spree Commerce
Spree Commerce
Ghost CMS Headless Ecommerce Open Source
7.2 Good +1.7 Compare
TYPO3
TYPO3
Ghost CMS Enterprise Open Source European
7.1 Good +1.6 Compare
Silverstripe CMS
Silverstripe CMS
Ghost CMS Enterprise Open Source Self Hosted
7.1 Good +1.6 Compare
MODX
MODX
Ghost CMS Open Source Flexible Developer
7.1 Good +1.6 Compare
Bridgetown
Bridgetown
Ghost CMS Open Source Developer Jamstack
7.1 Good +1.6 Compare
SU
Sulu
Ghost CMS Enterprise Open Source Traditional
6.7 Fair +1.2 Compare
MI
Middleman
Ghost CMS Open Source Developer Ruby
6.6 Fair +1.1 Compare

See all Ghost CMS ranked by score

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help Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best alternatives to Refinery CMS?
The top alternatives to Refinery CMS in 2026 include Publii, Wagtail, Umbraco, Spree Commerce, TYPO3. Each offers unique features and is objectively scored on Lunoo to help you compare.
How does Refinery CMS compare to its competitors?
Our AI-powered comparison system analyzes features, pricing, user reviews, and expert opinions to provide objective scores. Refinery CMS scores 5.5/10. Click any alternative above to see a detailed side-by-side comparison.
Is Refinery CMS worth it in 2026?
Refinery CMS scores 5.5/10 in the Ghost CMS category. We recommend comparing it with the 20 alternatives listed above to find the best fit for your needs.
What is the best free alternative to Refinery CMS?
Several alternatives to Refinery CMS offer free plans or free tiers. Check the alternatives listed above and visit their websites to compare pricing and free options.
Why should I switch from Refinery CMS?
Common reasons users look for Refinery CMS alternatives include pricing, specific feature gaps, better integration needs, or simply exploring newer options. Our objective scoring helps you compare without bias.
How many alternatives to Refinery CMS are there?
Lunoo currently lists 20 scored alternatives to Refinery CMS in the Ghost CMS category, ranked by our AI-powered evaluation system.
Which Refinery CMS alternative has the highest rating?
Publii currently holds the highest rating among Refinery CMS alternatives with a score of 9.4/10.
Can I use Publii instead of Refinery CMS?
Publii is one of the top-rated alternatives to Refinery CMS. While they serve similar purposes in the Ghost CMS space, each has distinct strengths. Use our comparison tool above for a detailed side-by-side analysis.
What is the cheapest alternative to Refinery CMS?
Pricing varies among Refinery CMS alternatives. We recommend checking each alternative's website for current pricing. Many options in the Ghost CMS category offer free tiers or competitive pricing.
How are Refinery CMS alternatives ranked on Lunoo?
Lunoo uses an AI-powered scoring system that analyzes category fit, feature coverage, pricing signals, public reception, recency, and value to provide 0 to 10 scores. Rankings are updated continuously.
Refinery CMS vs Publii: which is better?
Refinery CMS scores 5.5/10 while Publii scores 9.4/10 on Lunoo. The best choice depends on your specific needs. Use our detailed comparison tool for a full breakdown.
Refinery CMS vs Wagtail: which is better?
Refinery CMS scores 5.5/10 while Wagtail scores 8.5/10 on Lunoo. The best choice depends on your specific needs. Use our detailed comparison tool for a full breakdown.
Refinery CMS vs Umbraco: which is better?
Refinery CMS scores 5.5/10 while Umbraco scores 7.8/10 on Lunoo. The best choice depends on your specific needs. Use our detailed comparison tool for a full breakdown.

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