Choosing the Right CMS: Pushword vs WordPress, Statamic & Sulu

Choosing the right CMS is a critical decision that affects your project's long-term success, maintenance costs, and team productivity. This comparison examines four PHP-based content management systems, each with distinct philosophies, target audiences, and trade-offs.

Quick Overview

Technical Stack

Analysis

Pushword runs on the cutting edge: PHP 8.4+ and Symfony 8 with Doctrine 3. This means access to the latest language features (property hooks, asymmetric visibility) and security improvements, but requires modern hosting environments.

WordPress maintains broad backward compatibility (PHP 7.4+), making it accessible on nearly any hosting environment. However, PHP 7.4 reached end-of-life in November 2022. WordPress 6.7 offers only beta support for PHP 8.4, meaning cutting-edge PHP versions may introduce compatibility issues. WordPress recommends PHP 8.3+ for modern deployments.

Statamic leverages Laravel's mature ecosystem, supporting Laravel 10, 11, and 12. This flexibility allows teams to standardize on their preferred Laravel version while maintaining Statamic compatibility.

Sulu shares Symfony foundations with Pushword but typically standardizes on established versions (6–7) for enterprise stability rather than bleeding-edge features.

Content Management Features

Analysis

Pushword uses EditorJS, a block-based editor emphasizing developer flexibility and extensibility. Unlike WordPress's React-heavy Gutenberg, EditorJS supports AI integration natively—writers using Cursor, Claude, or Copilot can leverage these tools within flat-file workflows without vendor lock-in. Multi-site and i18n capabilities require no plugins, reducing complexity and compatibility risk.

WordPress pioneered block editing with Gutenberg (2018+). While powerful, Gutenberg is React-based and can feel heavyweight in browser. The ecosystem provides extensive field plugins (ACF, Meta Box), but multilingual sites require paid plugins (WPML ~€99/year or free but less feature-rich Polylang). Multi-site mode is available but less polished than dedicated multi-site CMSs.

Statamic's Bard editor is praised for writing experience and live preview across device sizes. Peak (visual editor) offers drag-and-drop layout building. Flat-file storage enables Git workflows for content versioning—critical for teams using version control for documentation or content-heavy sites. Native multi-site requires Pro license ($275/site/year).

Sulu enforces structured content modeling through content types and blocks. This prevents content anarchy but requires upfront planning. Block definitions ensure responsive rendering (developers control rendering complexity). Media management integrates tightly with content, supporting enterprise workflows with roles/permissions.

Multilingual Support Deep-Dive

Pushword, Statamic, and Sulu include multilingual support natively with URL structures, locale switching, and content inheritance built into core. WordPress requires:

• WPML ($99–€199/year): Full-featured but proprietary
• Polylang (free): Limited but community-supported

For projects with 3+ languages, native support reduces plugin overhead and improves maintainability significantly.

SEO & Performance

Analysis

Pushword was built by an SEO/GEO consultant, with content optimization baked into core. Meta management, H1/title enforcement, schema generation, and nice URL structures require no plugins. The Page Scanner extension audits internal links and detects broken links—critical for SEO. Static site generation converts dynamic sites to pure HTML for edge CDN deployment, achieving sub-100ms response times and unlimited concurrent visitors.

WordPress requires plugins for SEO features:

• Yoast SEO (~$89/year): Industry standard but resource-intensive
• RankMath (~$60/year): Lighter, modern alternative

Each plugin adds database queries and JavaScript overhead. Caching plugins (WP Super Cache, Rocket) become mandatory for performance at scale. Typical WordPress SEO optimization requires 5–10 plugins, increasing maintenance burden.

Statamic performs well with caching out-of-the-box. The SEO Pro addon ($90/year per site) handles meta management and schema. Performance benchmarks show 30–50% faster load times compared to WordPress equivalent sites, primarily due to flat-file storage eliminating database round-trips.

Sulu provides Symfony caching infrastructure but doesn't include SEO features by default. Teams typically build or extend SEO capabilities via custom bundles—better for enterprise than plugins but requires developer work.

Performance Metrics (Typical)

• Pushword (static): <100ms first contentful paint
• Statamic (flat-file): 200–400ms
• WordPress (optimized): 800ms–2s
• Sulu (optimized): 400–800ms

User & Editor Experience (Non-Technical)

Analysis

Pushword provides a clean, distraction-free editing experience. The EditorJS interface feels modern—blocks behave like building components rather than posts. Non-technical users can publish content quickly, though users migrating from WordPress may need onboarding. Documentation is growing; community support is available via GitHub.

WordPress has the gentlest learning curve thanks to 20+ years of refinement and ubiquitous tutorials. Non-technical users can be productive within hours. Gutenberg, while powerful, can feel overwhelming with 100+ block types. The massive ecosystem means solutions exist for nearly every use case, but quality varies significantly.

Statamic's Control Panel is consistently praised for thoughtful design. Live Preview showing real-time changes across mobile/tablet/desktop is a standout. Content editors appreciate the clean interface; minimal technical friction. Documentation is excellent. Laravel community support is available.

Sulu targets enterprise users comfortable with structured workflows. The admin is powerful (workflows, versioning, advanced permissions) but assumes technical familiarity or dedicated training. Setup requires developer involvement before editorial team productivity.

Developer Experience

Analysis

Pushword inherits Symfony's excellent patterns: dependency injection, service containers, event dispatchers. Developers familiar with Symfony ecosystem will find Pushword natural and enjoyable. Monorepo structure with officially maintained extensions ensures compatibility and quality. PHPStan enforces type safety; Rector enables refactoring at scale. PHP 8.4+ enables cutting-edge language features (property hooks, asymmetric visibility, attributes, enums).

Trade-off: Requires Symfony knowledge. Developers from WordPress/custom PHP backgrounds face moderate learning curve.

WordPress has the lowest barrier to entry for beginners. Hook-based plugin system is simple but can lead to spaghetti code in complex projects. WP-CLI provides command-line tooling. PHPUnit testing is supported but not enforced. Code quality varies widely; legacy PHP patterns (procedural, global functions) are common. Ecosystem is vast but lacks standardization.

Statamic benefits from Laravel's excellent developer experience: Artisan CLI, Eloquent ORM, comprehensive testing (Pest/PHPUnit), dependency injection. Laravel developers feel immediately productive. Add-ons are cleaner than WordPress plugins due to framework structure. GraphQL support (Pro) enables headless deployments.

Sulu requires deep Symfony knowledge. Services, events, subscribers follow enterprise patterns. Extremely flexible but steep learning curve. Best suited for teams already invested in Symfony.

Git Workflow Integration

• Pushword: Flat-file storage = native Git integration. Content commits coexist with code commits.
• Statamic: Flat-file default = excellent Git support. Teams can version content alongside features.
• WordPress: Database-bound = Git workarounds required (WP Sync DB plugins, manual exports). Content typically lives outside version control.
• Sulu: Database-backed = Git integration requires custom implementation.

For teams using Git as source of truth (documentation sites, content-driven products), Pushword/Statamic shine.

AI-Assisted Editing & Bulk Operations

A key differentiator for technical teams: direct file access.

Pushword stores content as plain markdown files with YAML frontmatter—no abstraction layer, no API calls, no database queries. This means:

• AI coding assistants (Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot, Windsurf) can read, understand, and edit content directly alongside your code
• Bulk operations are trivial: grep, sed, find/replace across hundreds of pages in seconds
• Content refactoring (rename a term site-wide, update URLs, fix typos) requires no admin interface
• Scripting content changes is straightforward—any language that reads/writes files works

Example bulk operations:

# Find all pages mentioning "old-product"
grep -r "old-product" content/

# Replace across all markdown files
sed -i 's/old-product/new-product/g' content/**/*.md

# Update all meta descriptions
find content/ -name "*.md" -exec sed -i 's/metaDescription: old/metaDescription: new/' {} \;

Statamic shares similar flat-file advantages, though its YAML structure can be more complex for AI tools to parse reliably.

WordPress/Sulu require database queries, API calls, or admin UI for any content changes. AI tools can't directly edit content—they must generate code that interacts with the CMS, adding friction and complexity.

For teams leveraging AI-assisted development workflows, this direct access is transformative: your AI assistant treats content with the same ease as code.

Ecosystem & Community

Analysis

Pushword's small community is both advantage and disadvantage:

• Advantage: Fewer compatibility headaches, quality control via official extensions, curated ecosystem
• Disadvantage: Fewer ready-made solutions, community support smaller, job market minimal

WordPress dominates:

• Advantage: Massive ecosystem solves almost any problem, agencies everywhere, biggest job market, easiest to find freelancers
• Disadvantage: Plugin quality varies widely, security issues common due to popularity, maintenance burden increases with plugin count

Statamic offers middle ground:

• Advantage: Curated addon marketplace (400+ vetted addons), passionate community, Laravel ecosystem support
• Disadvantage: Smaller than WordPress, Pro license required for key features

Sulu serves enterprise niche:

• Advantage: Professional services available, Symfony ecosystem support, stability focus
• Disadvantage: Small community, limited public resources, requires consulting for complex projects

In-Depth: Each CMS

Pushword

Philosophy: A modern, modular CMS built as Symfony bundles. Designed for developers who want clean architecture, flat-file workflows, and content editors who want simplicity. Built by an SEO professional for SEO-first websites.

Architecture: Page-oriented with Symfony DI, services, events. Flat-file content (YAML/markdown) version-controllable. Optional block editor via extensions. Headless-capable through API.

Strengths:

• Modern PHP 8.4+ / Symfony 8 stack with strict typing
• Zero-layer AI editing: Content stored as plain markdown—AI tools (Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot) edit files directly without API abstraction
• Bulk operations for power users: grep, sed, find/replace across hundreds of pages in seconds—no admin UI needed
• Native multi-site and i18n without plugins
• SEO-first design (built by SEO consultant)
• Static site generation built-in extension
• Lightweight, no bloat
• MIT license, fully open-source
• Git-friendly content workflows
• Full Symfony ecosystem available

Limitations:

• Smaller community than competitors (emerging)
• Fewer ready-made themes/extensions
• Requires Symfony knowledge for deep customization
• Less beginner-friendly than WordPress
• PHP 8.4+ requirement limits shared hosting options (requires modern infrastructure)
• Documentation still growing

Ideal for:

• Developers who value modern PHP practices
• Teams using flat-file Git workflows
• SEO-critical projects and content-driven sites
• Symfony-based stacks
• Documentation websites
• Performance-critical applications
• AI-assisted editing workflows (Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot work directly on content)
• Technical teams needing bulk content operations (mass updates via scripts/CLI)

Not ideal for:

• Non-technical users without developer support
• Projects requiring specific WordPress plugins
• Teams without PHP/Symfony expertise

WordPress

Philosophy: Democratize publishing. Make website creation accessible to everyone, regardless of technical skill. Proven, battle-tested, ubiquitous.

Architecture: Monolithic PHP codebase with relational database (MySQL/MariaDB required). Post/Page paradigm with Custom Post Types. Plugin-based extension system.

Strengths:

• Massive ecosystem: 60,000+ plugins and themes
• Extremely beginner-friendly with extensive tutorials
• Runs on any hosting (PHP 7.4+, though 8.3+ recommended)
• Huge job market and agency support worldwide
• Extensive documentation, tutorials, and community knowledge
• Proven at scale (43% of all websites, 61%+ of CMS market)
• Gutenberg block editor is mature and powerful
• REST API core feature (GraphQL via plugins)

Limitations:

• Performance degrades significantly with plugins (database overhead)
• Security concerns (popular target for attacks; 43% of CMS vulnerabilities)
• Plugin quality varies widely, no quality guarantee
• Legacy codebase (20+ years) uses older PHP patterns
• Multilingual requires paid plugins (WPML) or limited free alternatives
• Updates can break plugin compatibility
• Total cost of ownership higher than apparent (plugins/themes average $500–$1,500/year)
• Database-bound = Git workflow challenges

Ideal for:

• Non-technical users with developer support
• Blogs and marketing websites
• Projects requiring specific WordPress plugins
• Teams needing immediate freelancer/agency availability
• Shared hosting budget constraints
• Rapid deployment (hours vs. days)

Not ideal for:

• Performance-critical applications
• Complex multilingual sites (without paid plugins)
• Teams valuing clean architecture
• Git-based content workflows
• Static site generation needs

Statamic

Philosophy: A Laravel-powered CMS that treats content as data. Elegant, developer-friendly, with commercial polish. Combines flat-file flexibility with modern framework architecture.

Architecture: Flat-file CMS (YAML/markdown) by default with optional database (MySQL/PostgreSQL). Laravel framework with Eloquent ORM. Headless-capable. Extensible via Laravel ecosystem.

Core Pricing:

• Solo (Free): Single admin, development use, basic features
• Pro ($275/site/year + $65/year thereafter): Multi-site, collaborators, extended features, REST + GraphQL

Strengths:

• Native flat-file CMS with optional database upgrade path
• Excellent Bard editor with live preview (devices, responsive)
• Laravel ecosystem access (Eloquent, Artisan, testing tools)
• Beautiful, modern Control Panel
• Strong documentation and passionate community
• Headless-capable with built-in API
• Free core for simple projects
• Seamless scaling (flat-file → database without code changes)

Limitations:

• Pro features require paid license ($275+/site/year)
• Multi-site requires Pro tier
• Smaller addon ecosystem than WordPress
• GraphQL only in Pro tier
• Laravel knowledge expected for customization
• Community smaller than WordPress

Ideal for:

• Laravel developers
• Content-focused marketing sites
• Agencies building multiple projects (curated addons)
• Performance-critical applications
• Flat-file workflows preferred
• Teams valuing modern architecture
• Projects with 3+ languages (native i18n)

Not ideal for:

• Budget-constrained projects (Pro license required at scale)
• Non-technical users without developer support
• Projects requiring specific WordPress plugins
• Teams without Laravel experience

Sulu CMS

Philosophy: Enterprise-grade Symfony CMS with headless capabilities and advanced content modeling. Structured content-first approach enabling complex digital platforms.

Architecture: Headless CMS built on Symfony CMF. Content stored in PHPCR/database with structured type system. API-first design. Multi-site via Webspaces (site + language + domain combinations).

Pricing: Free and open-source (MIT license). Professional services and support available.

Strengths:

• Enterprise features: workflows, advanced permissions, audit trails
• Powerful content type system (structured content-first)
• Native multi-site and multilingual (Webspaces concept)
• Headless/API-first architecture
• Robust media management and versioning
• Based on Symfony best practices
• Suitable for complex content structures
• MIT license, fully open-source
• Professional services available
• Type-safe (Symfony 6+)

Limitations:

• Steep learning curve (Symfony expertise required)
• Complex setup process (requires developer time)
• Overkill for simple sites
• Smaller community and less public documentation
• Admin UI less polished than Statamic
• Content modeling requires planning before launch
• Less suitable for rapid prototyping

Ideal for:

• Enterprise projects with complex requirements
• Headless applications (multi-channel delivery)
• Teams with deep Symfony expertise
• Complex multilingual platforms
• Projects needing advanced permissions/workflows
• Large organizations with dedicated dev teams
• Content-rich platforms (news, e-commerce, intranets)

Not ideal for:

• Rapid prototyping or MVP development
• Non-technical editorial teams
• Small projects with limited budget
• Teams without Symfony experience
• Projects requiring quick time-to-market

Detailed Comparison by Use Case

Use Case: Blog / Documentation Site

Recommendation:

• Quick launch with non-tech editor: WordPress (accept plugin complexity)
• Clean, modern stack: Pushword or Statamic
• Performance-critical (high traffic): Pushword (static generation)

Use Case: Marketing Website (SMB)

Recommendation:

• Budget, no development team: WordPress (hire agency)
• In-house developers: Pushword or Statamic
• Multiple languages/sites: Pushword (best native support)

Use Case: E-commerce Platform

Recommendation:

• Rapid WooCommerce site: WordPress + WooCommerce
• Custom e-commerce platform: Sulu or Statamic (headless + API)
• Omnichannel (web + mobile + voice): Sulu

Use Case: Enterprise Intranet / Portal

Recommendation: Sulu (professional services justify investment)

When to Choose Each CMS

Choose Pushword when:

• Modern PHP (8.4+) and Symfony 8 architecture appeal to you
• Flat-file / Git-based workflows matter for your team
• AI-assisted editing is important: Your team uses Cursor, Claude Code, Copilot, or similar tools—content editable directly without API layers
• Bulk content operations are needed: Mass find/replace, scripted updates, CLI-based content management
• SEO is a primary concern
• Multi-site or i18n required without plugins
• Static site generation needed
• Lightweight, maintainable code is priority
• Team has Symfony experience or wants to learn
• Long-term maintenance with minimal plugin overhead matters

Choose WordPress when:

• Non-technical users will manage content independently
• Specific plugin ecosystem requirement exists (e.g., WooCommerce for e-commerce)
• Shared hosting with PHP 7.4+ is a constraint
• Budget requires hiring non-specialized freelancers
• Project is standard blog, portfolio, or brochure site
• Speed-to-launch is critical (hours, not days)
• Massive community resources and tutorials needed
• Team lacks PHP development expertise

Choose Statamic when:

• Team is invested in Laravel ecosystem
• Flat-file with commercial support appeals to you
• Content editing experience is paramount
• Budget available for Pro license ($275+/site/year)
• Project is content-focused marketing site
• Performance (30–50% faster than WordPress) is important
• Multi-language support needed natively
• Beautiful admin interface is priority
• Live preview and responsive editing matter

Choose Sulu when:

• Enterprise requirements (workflows, permissions, audit trails)
• Complex, structured content models needed
• Headless / API-first is the priority
• Multi-site, multi-language platforms required
• Team has deep Symfony expertise
• Professional services and support needed
• Large-scale projects with dedicated dev teams
• Content governance and compliance important
• Scalability to thousands of editors/content items

Cost of Ownership (5-Year Estimate)

Pushword

• Licensing: $0 (MIT open-source)
• Hosting: $0-120$–$1,200/year (github.io to shared to managed)
• Development: $5,000–$50,000 (Symfony expertise required)
• Maintenance: Low (fewer plugins to update)

WordPress

• Licensing: $0 (GPL)
• Hosting: $120–$7,200/year (shared to managed WP hosting)
• Plugins/Themes: $2,500–$7,500 (premium themes, plugins, licenses)
• Development: $10,000–$100,000 (custom work, plugin integration)
• Maintenance: $3,000–$15,000 (updates, security, optimization)

Statamic

• Licensing: $0–$1,375/year (Pro $275/site + updates $65/year for 5 sites)
• Hosting: $600–$2,400/year
• Development: $5,000–$40,000 (Laravel experience helpful)
• Maintenance: Low (curated addons)

Sulu

• Licensing: $0 (MIT open-source)
• Hosting: $600–$2,400/year
• Development: $20,000–$100,000 (Symfony expertise, setup complexity)
• Professional Services: $0–$50,000 (optional but recommended)
• Maintenance: Low (enterprise focus, fewer surprises)

Note: These estimates assume 5-year project lifecycle, one developer involvement, and standard 2–3 site scenarios. Enterprise deployments (10+ sites, multiple teams) show different economics.

Migration Considerations

From WordPress to Pushword/Statamic

• Complexity: Low (content structure may differ, depending on your plugin usage too)
• Content export: Database dump to flat-file conversion required
• Benefit: 30–50% performance improvement, reduced plugin maintenance

From Pushword/Statamic to WordPress

• Complexity: Medium (flat-file to database straightforward)
• Benefit: Larger ecosystem, easier freelancer hiring
• Cost: Higher ongoing (plugins, themes, hosting)

From WordPress to Sulu

• Complexity: High (structured content modeling required)
• Content rearchitecture: Significant planning needed
• Time estimate: 3–8 weeks
• Benefit: Enterprise features, permissions, scalability

Conclusion

There is no universally "best" CMS. Each platform serves different needs, team sizes, and organizational maturity levels:

• Pushword offers a modern, lean alternative for developers who want Symfony's power with content management simplicity. Ideal for performance-critical projects, SEO-focused sites, and teams comfortable with modern PHP.

• WordPress remains unmatched for accessibility and ecosystem breadth. Best for non-technical users, rapid deployment, and projects where plugin ecosystems solve business problems. Accept higher maintenance burden and plugin fragmentation as trade-offs.

• Statamic delivers polish and developer happiness for Laravel teams. Bridges flat-file simplicity with commercial maturity. Excellent for content-driven sites where editing experience matters.

• Sulu provides enterprise muscle for complex, structured content requirements. Best for large organizations, headless deployments, and teams with Symfony expertise. Professional services support enterprise initiatives.

Evaluation Framework

Before choosing, evaluate your project across these dimensions:

1. Team technical capability: Do they have Symfony/Laravel expertise? PHP fundamentals?
2. Content complexity: Simple posts or structured content with relationships?
3. Scale: Single site or multi-site/multi-language platform?
4. Performance requirements: Traffic volumes, response time targets?
5. Editing experience: How many non-technical editors? What's their comfort level?
6. Budget: Total cost of ownership vs. vendor licensing vs. agency support?
7. Long-term vision: Rapid prototype vs. 5+ year platform?
8. Team size: Solo developer vs. distributed team?
9. Specific features: E-commerce, headless, static generation, multilingual?

The best CMS is the one that fits your specific context, not just the one with the largest ecosystem or easiest learning curve.

Resources

• Pushword: pushword.piedweb.com
• WordPress: wordpress.org
• Statamic: statamic.com
• Sulu: sulu.io