#9 in CMS & PublishingUpdated 2026-08

Grav

by Grav · Flat-file PHP CMS with a first-party API and MCP server

59.9 — BenchRank score out of 100

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Overview

Grav is a flat-file CMS: pages are Markdown and YAML files in folders, with no database, so content can be version-controlled with Git or copied between servers. Version 2.0 runs on PHP 8.3+, Symfony 7 and Twig 3, and adds a first-party REST API, an MCP server for AI agents, and a SvelteKit single-page admin that all talk through the same API.

Best for: Developers and documentation teams wanting a database-free, Git-versioned CMS with an API
Pricing: The CMS is MIT-licensed and free to download; premium add-ons are sold separately, with the Helios documentation theme at $50 and bundles at $140 and $200.

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths

No database: content is Markdown and YAML files in folders
First-party REST API and MCP server share one permission model
MIT-licensed core, downloadable and self-hosted
Built-in multi-language, search and image resizing

Trade-offs

2.0 requires PHP 8.3+ and Symfony 7, so older hosting will not run it
The classic admin is replaced wholesale; 1.x sites need a migration
Revision history, WYSIWYG editing and fuzzy search are paid add-ons
Real-time collaborative editing depends on a separate sync plugin

Pricing

Published plans from Grav’s own pricing page, in USD. Usage charges and add-ons may apply on top.

Grav pricing tiers, monthly rates in USD
Plan	Monthly	Includes
Helios	—one-off licence	$50 one-off Helios documentation theme Lifetime updates
Helios Publisher	—one-off licence	$140 one-off Helios plus Editor Pro and Revisions Pro Described as a $35 saving
Helios Publisher Pro	—one-off licence	$200 one-off Everything in Publisher plus YetiSearch Pro Described as a $50 saving

How this score is made up

Each dimension is scored out of 100 and combined into the headline score using fixed weights.

MCP support: 100 out of 100
Documentation: 0 out of 100
Agent friendliness: 55 out of 100
Customer sentiment: 79 out of 100
Changelog: 100 out of 100
Marketing site structure: 60 out of 100
Operational trust: 0 out of 100

Measured, but not part of the score

Useful to know, but not a mark for or against the product — so these do not affect the ranking.

Openness: 60 out of 100
Maintenance: 100 out of 100

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