CMS & Website Builder · Germany (DE)
Kirby CMS
German flat-file CMS — no database, no tracking, built for developers who care about privacy.
The switch
WordPress.com / WP Engine→Kirby CMSalso replaces Squarespace
About
File-based CMS from Germany with no database requirement. All content stored as flat files — easy to migrate, audit, and back up. No telemetry, no subscription required for self-hosted use. Privacy-by-design.
Why we recommend it
- Flat-file — no database required
- One-time licence — no subscription
- Zero telemetry by design
- German-made, privacy-first
- Content stored as plain text files — fully portable
EU vs USA
Kirby CMS vs WordPress.com / WP Engine
Side-by-side on jurisdiction, data residency, and the rules that decide who can actually read your data.
Criteria
🇪🇺 Kirby CMS
🇺🇸 WordPress.com / WP Engine
Headquarters
Stuttgart, Germany
San Francisco, CA, USA
Jurisdiction
Germany (GDPR)
USA (CLOUD Act, FISA 702)
Data location
Your server — no external dependency
Global, US-controlled
GDPR-native
Yes
No
CLOUD Act / FISA exposed
No
Yes
Ad tracking
No
Yes
End-to-end encryption
No
No
Open source
No
Yes
Ownership
Bastian Allgeier (independent, private)
Automattic Inc. (private) / WP Engine (private)
Founded
2012
2005
Compare head-to-head