Big Tree CMS is a free, open-source, self-hosted content management system for building and maintaining websites. It suits small businesses and organisations that want a straightforward editing experience, flexible templates and control over their hosting without the complexity of a large platform.
What is Big Tree CMS?
Big Tree CMS is a PHP and MySQL content management system originally developed by the digital agency Fastspot. It gives website owners an administration area for creating pages, managing media, publishing updates and maintaining site content.
The platform is designed to stay out of the developer’s way. Templates can be built using standard HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP, rather than a proprietary templating language. That makes it flexible for a developer, while the editing interface is intended to be approachable for non-technical content teams. You can learn more from the official Big Tree CMS website.
As of 2026, Big Tree CMS is best viewed as a lightweight, self-hosted CMS with a mature feature set. Available project information indicates that it is in maintenance mode, with no major new feature roadmap. That makes it more attractive for existing sites or focused projects than for businesses looking for a rapidly expanding ecosystem.
| Area | Big Tree CMS position |
|---|---|
| Software cost | Free and open source |
| Hosting model | Self-hosted |
| Main technology | PHP and MySQL or MariaDB |
| Best suited to | Small business, institutional and editorial websites |
| Technical involvement | Low for everyday editing, higher for setup and customisation |
| Main consideration in 2026 | Smaller ecosystem and limited future feature development |
The CMS itself does not have a monthly licence fee. Your likely costs are hosting, domain registration, development work, maintenance and any specialist integrations you choose to add.
5 Best Features of Big Tree CMS
- A clean editing interface
The administration area is built around practical content management rather than a crowded collection of settings. Editors can work with pages, images, files and structured content without needing to understand the underlying PHP code.
For a small organisation, this can make routine updates easier to delegate. A marketing assistant could update service pages or upload campaign images without asking a developer to change every piece of content.
- Flexible templates using standard PHP
Developers can use normal HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP when creating templates. There is no requirement to learn a separate proprietary markup language before building a website.
This is useful when a business has an existing design system or needs precise control over its page structure. It also reduces the risk of becoming locked into a highly specific development approach.
- Useful publishing controls
The platform supports practical tools such as scheduled publishing, content expiry, previews and version-related workflows. Content age alerts can also help editors identify pages that need reviewing.
These features are valuable for websites with changing information. For example, an organisation could prepare an announcement in advance or flag an old service page for review before it becomes misleading.
- Media management and site integrity checks
Big Tree CMS includes central media management, image cropping, captions and file handling. Its site integrity tools can help identify broken links and other content problems.
This gives small teams a more manageable way to maintain a growing website. Finding a broken link inside the CMS is far more practical than manually checking every page after a content change.
- A lightweight, extensible foundation
The system includes modules, forms, reporting tools and options for custom applications. It can also support integrations and more specialised functionality where a developer is available.
The main benefit is proportion. A brochure website does not necessarily need the infrastructure of a large enterprise platform. A leaner CMS can offer a faster, more controlled starting point, provided its available extensions meet your requirements.
Big Tree CMS in Action: 3 Examples
1. A local professional services website
Example scenario: A small consultancy has a website with service pages, team profiles, case studies and a contact form. The owner wants to update copy and add new case studies without relying on a developer for every change.
Big Tree CMS could provide a focused editing environment for those tasks. A developer would initially create the design and page templates, while the business team would manage the ongoing content.
2. An organisation with regular announcements
Example scenario: A membership organisation publishes news, event information, reports and notices throughout the year. Some pages need to go live on a specific date, while older information should be reviewed or removed.
Scheduled publishing, content expiry and content age alerts could make this workflow more dependable. The team would still need a clear review process, but the CMS can support that process rather than leaving everything to memory.
3. A custom-designed campaign or information site
Example scenario: A business needs a distinctive website for a campaign, service launch or public information project. Its designer wants a custom layout that does not resemble a standard theme.
The platform’s use of ordinary web technologies gives a developer considerable control over the front end. This makes it a possible choice where design freedom matters more than access to thousands of ready-made plugins.
3 Things That Could Be Better
- The ecosystem is smaller than WordPress
WordPress has a much larger community, marketplace and pool of freelance specialists. With Big Tree CMS, you may have fewer ready-made extensions and fewer developers who already know the platform.
This is not necessarily a problem for a simple site, but it matters if you expect to add complex membership, commerce, multilingual or marketing features later.
- It is not a fully managed website builder
Big Tree CMS is self-hosted. That means someone must look after the hosting environment, backups, security updates, PHP compatibility and technical troubleshooting.
Everyday content editing can be simple, but the initial setup still benefits from technical support. A non-technical owner should not assume that installing the CMS removes all responsibility for website maintenance.
- The maintenance-mode status affects long-term planning
As of 2026, available project information indicates that Big Tree CMS is being maintained rather than developed through a major new feature programme. That may suit an established site that already works well, but it creates uncertainty for a new project expected to evolve for many years.
Before choosing it, check that the current release, integrations and hosting environment meet your needs. You should also establish who will support the site if your original developer becomes unavailable.
Top 2 Alternatives to Big Tree CMS
- WordPress: A broader, more widely supported CMS with a much larger plugin and theme ecosystem. It is usually the safer choice when you want many third-party integrations, frequent feature development or a large choice of support providers.
- Concrete CMS: Another open-source CMS focused on in-context editing and structured website management. It offers a different balance between editor friendliness and developer control, and may be worth considering for organisations that want a more visual editing workflow.
3 Tips to Get More From Big Tree CMS
- Plan your content structure before development
List your main page types before asking for the site to be built. Typical examples include services, team members, case studies, news items, events and downloadable resources.
A clear structure makes the administration area easier to use and helps prevent every page becoming a one-off design. It also makes future content additions more predictable.
- Create a maintenance checklist
Decide who will review content, how often pages should be checked and where backups will be stored. Include PHP compatibility, CMS updates, user permissions, form testing, broken links and image quality.
Zest City Web Hosting can provide a suitable hosting foundation, but your team should still know what is being monitored and who is responsible for action when an issue appears.
- Keep customisations documented
Record the purpose of each module, integration and template change. Note which forms connect to external services and which pages rely on custom code.
This documentation will save time when you need a redesign, developer handover or hosting move. If the site needs a new visual direction rather than just content changes, Zest City’s website design services can help you review the wider user experience.
Free with Zest City Web Hosting
Big Tree CMS is one of 79 apps available free with Zest City Web Hosting : included on every shared hosting programme and platform we offer, with genuine 1-click installation (no server admin, no manual setup, live in minutes). No extra licence fees, no separate app-store account.
The Zest City install option is designed to remove the fiddly part of setting up a self-hosted CMS. Customers using the relevant hosting service can choose the app through the hosting environment, with the underlying platform supported by 20i infrastructure.
Zest City Web Hosting is most useful when you want one place to manage the hosting foundation and get help choosing an appropriate application. You can review the Big Tree CMS install option before getting started.
Remember that “free” refers to the CMS licence. You will still need a hosting plan and domain, while custom design, migration and ongoing technical support may involve additional costs.
FAQs
Is Big Tree CMS free?
Yes. Big Tree CMS is free and open-source software, so there is no core CMS licence fee. You still need to pay for hosting and a domain, unless those are included in a separate service package.
Is Big Tree CMS good for beginners?
It can be suitable for beginners who are only responsible for adding and editing content. The initial installation, template development, updates and troubleshooting are more technical, so a new site owner may benefit from managed hosting or developer support.
Is Big Tree CMS better than WordPress?
Neither platform is automatically better for every website. Big Tree CMS offers a smaller, more controlled environment, while WordPress provides a larger ecosystem, more extensions and a wider choice of specialists.
What is Big Tree CMS used for?
Big Tree CMS is used for self-hosted websites such as small-business sites, institutional websites, editorial platforms and custom information projects. It is most appropriate when a developer can create the templates and the site owner wants a straightforward way to manage content.
Not sure Big Tree CMS is the right fit : or want to see the other 78 apps you get free? Talk to Zest City about your web hosting and we’ll help you pick the right app, the right hosting plan, and show you what else we can do for your site, from design to ongoing support.
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