The official Starter and Business hosting plans exclude access to source code.
Teams that need custom themes or add-ons may need to self-host or choose a different service arrangement.
Evidence source ↗
Concrete CMS
Concrete CMS is an open-source, PHP-based content management system for websites and web applications, with in-context editing, permissions, workflows, and a REST API.
Editorial overview
Aggregated Overview
Scores reflect documented editing, workflow, extension, API, hosting, and pricing capabilities, plus the available G2 rating and review summary. Performance evidence is limited; no hands-on testing was conducted.
This profile combines documented product information and independent evidence where available. It is not a hands-on test unless TechZella explicitly identifies one.
Concrete CMS Decision Snapshot
A quick way to understand who this product may suit, where its limits matter, and which facts are most relevant before you compare alternatives.
Best suited to
Organizations and web teams that need editable websites, role-based permissions, approval workflows, and the option to customize or self-host a PHP/MySQL CMS.
Look elsewhere if
Teams seeking a fully managed hosted service with unrestricted access to source code and custom themes should check hosting terms: the listed Starter and Business hosting plans do not provide source-code access, and should evaluate alternatives such as WordPress.org or Drupal instead.
Platforms
API, REST, SaaS, Self-hosted, Web
TechZella assessment
8.2/10
Overview
Concrete CMS is an open-source content management system for building and maintaining websites. It uses PHP and MySQL and can be self-hosted or used through Concrete’s hosted service.
Its editing experience includes in-context page editing, while permissions and approval workflows support multi-contributor publishing. Buyers can use the CMS for conventional websites or connect content to other applications through its documented REST API.
Concrete CMS — What Sets It Apart?
These are the product-specific differences that may matter when deciding whether the software fits your workflow. They are based on documented evidence rather than a universal ranking.
- In-context editing lets authorized users work directly on website pages.
- The product combines page-oriented editing with structured content and permissions or approval workflows.
- A documented REST API supports site content and administration tasks, with endpoint documentation for version 9.2 and later.
6 key claims verifiedOur editorial team checked this profile against vendor documentation, pricing information, product documentation. Supported by 4 documented sources.
Concrete CMS Pros & Cons
Pros
- The free, open-source core supports self-hosting.
- In-context editing, permissions, and approval workflows are included features.
- A documented REST API enables programmatic content and site operations.
- Official hosting offers managed updates and published support allowances.
Cons
- Self-hosted deployments require suitable PHP, database, and web-server administration.
- The listed Starter and Business hosted plans do not include source-code access.
- Hosted plans publish editor, storage, and page-view limits.
- G2's review summary identifies a smaller add-on selection as a limitation.
Concrete CMS Gotchas & Operational Limits
These are documented constraints or practical friction points that may matter before you adopt the product.
Starter and Business hosting plans specify page-view and storage limits.
Buyers should compare anticipated traffic and file storage with the published plan allowances before selecting hosted service.
Evidence source ↗Marketplace integration is listed as requiring Concrete CMS 9.3 or later.
Installations on earlier versions should verify compatibility before planning marketplace-based extensions.
Evidence source ↗Concrete CMS Pricing & Plans
Self-hosted open-source CMS
$0
one-time
The core software is free and open source. Hosting and implementation costs are separate.
Check current pricing →Starter
$4.99
month, billed annually
Hosted plan listing one site editor, 2 GB storage, 10,000 monthly page views, managed upgrades, and nightly backup.
Check current pricing →Business
$19
month, billed annually
Hosted plan listing five site editors, 20 GB storage, 50,000 monthly page views, CDN, SSL, and DDoS mitigation.
Check current pricing →Custom SLA
Call for pricing
custom
Custom managed hosting and services for mission-critical applications.
Check current pricing →Pricing may change. Verify current plans on the vendor's website.
Concrete CMS Competitors & Alternatives
Compare similar products directly, then see which alternatives may make more sense when your requirements differ.
Direct competitors
These products address broadly similar requirements. The descriptions focus on documented reasons a buyer might compare them with Concrete CMS.
Concrete CMS Features
Content editing
- In-context editing
- WYSIWYG content editor
- Drag-and-drop content
- Drafts and autosave
- Media manager
Governance
- Permissions and user groups
- Content approval
- Audit trail
- Login history
Extensibility and integration
- Add-on and theme marketplace
- REST API endpoints
- Azure Blob Storage add-on
- Amazon S3 storage add-on
- Mailchimp integration
Demo & Screenshots
Concrete CMS Specifications
| License | Free and open source |
|---|---|
| Primary technology | PHP and JavaScript |
| Database | MySQL 5.7 or later, or MariaDB |
| Supported web servers | Apache and Nginx |
| REST API | Updated endpoint functionality documented for version 9.2 and later |
| Marketplace requirement | Version 9.3 or later, per current system requirements documentation |
| Trial | No-cost hosted demo copy offered; duration not specified on the demo page |
| Hosted plan source-code access | Starter and Business list no source-code access |
Deployment & System Footprint
Verified installation, hosting, administration, or environment details that can affect implementation.
| Installation or hosting | Available as a self-hosted open-source CMS or through Concrete's hosted service; self-hosting requires a web server and PHP/MySQL environment. Source ↗ |
|---|---|
| Supported web servers | Official documentation lists Apache and Nginx as supported web servers. Source ↗ |
Migration & Lock-In
Documented portability, standards, export, or switching considerations. No switching-cost score is shown unless the evidence supports one.
Site transfer
The documented move process copies the site files and database, imports the database on the destination host, and updates database configuration and file permissions.
Evidence source ↗Our evidence-based assessment
TechZella Score
A proprietary editorial score based on product capabilities, usability, value, performance, support and user sentiment evidence.
8.2/10Moderate confidence
Scores reflect documented editing, workflow, extension, API, hosting, and pricing capabilities, plus the available G2 rating and review summary. Performance evidence is limited; no hands-on testing was conducted.
Methodology v1.0. The assessment weighs feature coverage (25%), ease of use (15%), value for money (20%), performance (15%), support (10%) and user sentiment (15%), using researched product evidence and verified review evidence where available. It is a TechZella editorial assessment, not a direct user-review average.
Editorial transparency
Our Review Methodology
Key claims are linked to the sources used to verify them. This evidence record is separate from third-party user ratings.
TechZella evaluates software using documented product capabilities, pricing information, usability and value considerations, independent user evidence where available, and competitive context. The assessment is an editorial review, not a hands-on test unless one is explicitly identified. Our editorial assessment is based on 4 documented sources.
What TechZella adds
- In-context editing lets authorized users work directly on website pages.
- The product combines page-oriented editing with structured content and permissions or approval workflows.
- A documented REST API supports site content and administration tasks, with endpoint documentation for version 9.2 and later.
Important limitations
- Concrete's official hosted Starter and Business plans do not include source-code access.
- The hosted Starter and Business plans have stated monthly page-view and storage limits.
- G2's review summary notes a smaller add-on ecosystem as a recurring limitation.
Evidence-backed claimsConcrete CMS is available as free, open-source software. The CMS includes in-context editing, a WYSIWYG editor, drafts, media management, and drag-and-drop content tools. Concrete CMS supports content approval and audit-trail features. Concrete CMS version 9.2 and later documents REST API endpoints for areas, pages, files, users, and other resources. Concrete's official hosted Starter and Business plans have published editor, storage, and page-view allowances. Marketplace integration requires Concrete CMS version 9.3 or later, according to current system requirements documentation.
The official hosting page describes Concrete as free and open source and directs users to download it for self-hosting.
View source ↗Verified 2026-10-12The official feature page lists these editing capabilities.
View source ↗Verified 2026-10-12The official feature page lists content approval and an audit trail among its security and support features.
View source ↗Verified 2026-10-12The version 9 API documentation identifies the 9.2+ availability note and describes endpoints.
View source ↗Verified 2026-10-12The hosting page lists one editor, 2 GB storage, and 10,000 page views monthly for Starter; Business lists five editors, 20 GB, and 50,000 page views monthly.
View source ↗Verified 2026-10-12The system requirements page states that version 9.3+ is required for marketplace integration.
View source ↗Verified 2026-10-12Community feedback
Reviews
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FAQ
Is Concrete CMS free?
The self-hosted open-source CMS is free. Hosting, paid extensions, and development services may add costs.
Does Concrete CMS have a free trial?
The official demo page offers a no-cost hosted copy to try. It does not specify a time limit, so confirm current terms with Concrete before treating it as a time-limited trial.
Does Concrete CMS provide an API?
Yes. Documentation describes REST API endpoints, with the updated endpoint functionality available from version 9.2.
Can Concrete CMS be self-hosted?
Yes. The documentation describes installation on a web host or local development environment using PHP and a database. The current requirements list MySQL or MariaDB and officially support Apache or Nginx.
What integrations are available?
The official marketplace lists integrations including Azure Blob Storage, Amazon S3, Mailchimp, Shopify, Snipcart, Stripe, and Freshdesk chat. Availability and compatibility depend on the specific add-on and CMS version.
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