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Kirby CMS

✓ Verified by EU Alts

File-based CMS without a database — a German alternative to WordPress.

Overview

Kirby CMS is a Neckargemünd, Germany-based European company building cms and open source software since 2012. As an EU-headquartered provider, Kirby CMS likely operates under GDPR. EU Alts has not independently confirmed its exposure to the US CLOUD Act — the ownership and hosting facts recorded for it do not establish that it is outside the Act's reach — see the Details section below for what's known so far.

Why European teams pick Kirby CMS

Teams in Europe consider Kirby CMS when they want a cms provider that bills in EUR, operating since 2012. Its EU headquarters is a good sign compared with WordPress / WP Engine, but EU Alts has not independently verified Kirby CMS's exposure to the US CLOUD Act — check the Details section for the recorded facts.

See more EU cms tools or browse other startups from Germany.

About

Kirby is a German file-based CMS built by Bastian Allgeier in Munich, using flat files (Markdown + YAML) instead of a database. Developed since 2012 and sold under a commercial licence, Kirby is widely respected in the European web development community for its developer flexibility and exceptional performance. Because there is no database, deployment is as simple as uploading files to any EU web server. Kirby has no external dependencies, no phoning home, and no telemetry — your content is entirely on your server. It is the CMS of choice for European web studios and agencies building websites for clients who require complete data sovereignty and minimal infrastructure complexity.

Details

Founded
2012
Headquarters
Neckargemünd, Germany
Ownership
Independently owned (Germany)
Hosting
Hetzner, Germany
CLOUD Act
Not independently verified
Verified
2026-07-31
Last checked
2026-10-14
Company size
1–10 employees

Categories

Compare with the US product you may be replacing

Kirby CMS is listed in a category that our US-product comparison pages cover. See every EU option side by side:

Also from Germany

12 other listed companies are based in Germany. In the same categories as Kirby CMS:

Other EU startups like Kirby CMS

  • Umbraco ✓ Verified by EU AltsDenmark — Open-source .NET CMS trusted by 800,000+ websites — a Danish alternative to WordPress.
  • Directus ✓ Verified by EU AltsNetherlands — Open-source data platform and headless CMS that wraps any SQL database — a Dutch alternative to Strapi.
  • OpenProject ✓ Verified by EU AltsGermany — Open-source project management with Gantt charts and Scrum boards — a German alternative to Jira.
  • Padloc ✓ Verified by EU AltsGermany — Minimalist, open-source password manager — a German alternative to 1Password.
  • Nextcloud ✓ Verified by EU AltsGermany — Self-hosted productivity platform for files, calendar and collaboration — a European alternative to Google Workspace.
  • Cryptomator ✓ Verified by EU AltsGermany — Client-side encryption for your cloud files — a German open-source alternative to Boxcryptor.

Frequently asked questions

What does Kirby CMS do?

Kirby CMS is file-based cms without a database — a german alternative to wordpress. It is listed under cms and open source on EU Alts because its core functionality serves teams looking for a European cms tool with EU data residency, typically as a switch away from WordPress / WP Engine.

Is Kirby CMS GDPR compliant?

Kirby CMS is headquartered in Neckargemünd, Germany and falls under EU jurisdiction, so it likely processes user data under the GDPR by default. Customer data processing is supervised by Germany's data protection authority, the Bundesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit (BfDI). EU Alts has not independently verified Kirby CMS's exposure to the US CLOUD Act, so we can't confirm it either way.

How do teams switch from WordPress / WP Engine to Kirby CMS?

Teams considering a move from WordPress / WP Engine to Kirby CMS are usually drawn by its cms workflow fit. EU Alts has not independently verified Kirby CMS's exposure to the US CLOUD Act, so treat any CLOUD Act or Schrems II conclusions as provisional. Plan a migration in stages regardless: export your data from the US incumbent, pilot Kirby CMS with a small team, then move the rest once integration coverage is confirmed.

Where is Kirby CMS based?

Kirby CMS is headquartered in Neckargemünd, Germany. The company was founded in 2012. Its main website is https://getkirby.com.