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Wagtail

Open-source CMS built on Django, with StreamField content blocks and a clean editor.

Open sourceSelf-hostableContent management systems
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About Wagtail

Wagtail is an open-source content management system built on the Python web framework Django and released under the BSD licence. Developers define page types as Django models, so the CMS fits naturally into Python applications, and StreamField lets editors assemble pages from structured blocks without breaking the design. Editors get a tidy admin with previews, scheduled publishing, revisions, moderation workflows, image focal points and multilingual support. It can render templates itself or serve content headlessly through its API. Wagtail is used by public bodies, universities, publishers and nonprofits that already have Python skills. Torchbox, the agency that started it, still leads development alongside a core team and community. The trade-off is that you need Django developers to build and host it; there are no themes or one-click installs. The software is free; costs are development and hosting. It runs anywhere Python and Django run, and editing happens in the browser.

Best for: Teams with Python and Django skills building structured, editor-friendly sites.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Built on Django, so it fits existing Python stacks
  • StreamField gives editors flexible but structured pages
  • BSD licence and an active, well-run community

Why people leave

  • Needs Django developers; no themes or one-click installs
  • Fewer ready-made plugins than PHP CMSs
  • Python hosting is less common and pricier than PHP hosting

Top Wagtail alternatives

See all 5
  1. 1Drupal logo
    Drupal

    Similar audience of public-sector and university sites, on PHP.

    66.5
  2. 2Payload logo
    Payload

    Code-first open-source CMS for teams working in TypeScript instead of Python.

    62.6
  3. 3Strapi logo
    Strapi

    Open-source headless CMS for JavaScript teams.

    59.6
  4. 4Directus logo
    Directus

    Instant admin and API over any SQL database, without writing models in code.

    57.2
  5. 5Contentful logo
    Contentful

    Hosted headless platform if you don't want to run Django yourself.

    44.8

Why people left Wagtail

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

No switching stories yet. If you moved away from Wagtail, review the app you switched to and tell us why.

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Wagtail: common questions

Is Wagtail free?

Yes. Wagtail is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is Wagtail open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at wagtail/wagtail. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does Wagtail run on?

Wagtail is available for Self-hosted and Web.

What are the best alternatives to Wagtail?

The highest-ranked Wagtail alternatives right now are Drupal, Payload and Strapi. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 Wagtail alternatives