A CMS that runs on your server
Claude CMS installs on your own web hosting. Your pages, your database, your files — all under your control. No platform to depend on. No data leaving your server without your say-so.
Self-hosted PHP/MySQL CMS with MCP tool endpoints. Deploy to any LAMP/LEMP stack. Full filesystem and database access. Cancel the licence and the site keeps serving pages.
Platform-hosted means playing by someone else's rules
SaaS platforms vs self-hosted infrastructure
When your site runs on Wix, Squarespace, or Webflow, they control the infrastructure. They can change pricing, remove features, or shut down — and take your site with them. Self-hosting puts you in control.
Platform-hosted CMSs tie your data, routing, and execution environment to the vendor's stack. A self-hosted CMS means your DB is on your server, your files are on your disk, and your routing logic is in your own PHP. Zero vendor dependency at runtime.
Data ownership
Your content, your visitor data, your form submissions — they live in your database, on your server. Not on a platform you don't control.
MySQL database on your host. No external data pipeline. All page content, settings, and uploads live in your filesystem and DB. GDPR compliance stays in your hands.
No price surprises
Platform-hosted CMSs raise prices regularly. With self-hosting, your hosting cost is fixed — and Claude CMS is just £6.99/month for the connector.
Hosting cost is yours to negotiate independently. The Claude CMS connector licence is the only SaaS element. Cancel it and your existing site continues to run unchanged.
Full technical control
PHP files, the database, server configuration — all accessible and editable. Platform-hosted builders put these behind locked doors.
Direct filesystem I/O, raw SQL execution, PHP cron access, .htaccess rewrite rules, SMTP configuration. No platform abstraction layer to work around.
Your hosting + Claude's intelligence
Architecture: LAMP stack + MCP server
Claude CMS is a PHP application that installs on your web hosting. Once connected to Claude, you manage your entire website through conversation.
Claude CMS is a PHP/MySQL application with an MCP JSON-RPC layer (mcp.php). It exposes 17+ tool endpoints. Claude connects via Bearer token auth. Every tool call executes synchronously against your production server.
Installs on any standard host
SiteGround, Namecheap, A2 Hosting, GoDaddy, or any host that supports PHP and MySQL. Shared hosting is fine for most sites.
PHP 7.4+ with PDO_MySQL and mod_rewrite (Apache) or equivalent (Nginx). No Composer, no Node.js, no Docker. Single-file installer bootstraps the full schema.
Site works without the connector
If you ever cancel your Claude CMS subscription, your site keeps working. The pages are in your database, the files are on your server — nothing disappears.
The MCP licence only gates the tool endpoints. The index.php router and all published pages continue serving without the connector. You lose the ability to make changes via Claude, not the site itself.
Move hosts anytime
Because it's self-hosted, you can migrate to a different provider whenever you want. Export the database, copy the files, and you're done.
Standard MySQL dump + filesystem rsync. Update config.php with new DB credentials. No platform migration API, no vendor lock-in on the infrastructure layer.
Full filesystem access via Claude
Claude can read, write, and edit any file on your server. Create custom features, form handlers, integrations — anything your site needs.
Tools: file_read, file_write, file_delete, file_rename, file_list. Auto-backup on every write. Protected files (config.php, .htaccess) are immutable.
Self-hosted vs SaaS
| Claude CMS (self-hosted) | Wix / Squarespace / Webflow | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your data lives | Your server | Vendor's servers |
| Site works if you cancel | ✅ Yes | ❌ Site goes offline |
| Move to a different host | ✅ Standard DB export | ❌ Not possible |
| PHP execution | ✅ Full access | ❌ Not available |
| Database access | ✅ Direct MySQL | ❌ Not available |
| GDPR / data residency | ✅ Your hosting, your choice | Vendor-controlled |
| Hosting cost control | ✅ Shop around freely | Locked to vendor pricing |
| AI-powered management | ✅ Claude builds & manages | Limited AI suggestions |
What hosting do you need?
Technical requirements
Any standard web hosting will work. Most sites already have compatible hosting — if you have a domain, you likely already have what you need.
Standard LAMP/LEMP stack. The installer checks for required extensions and reports any missing dependencies before making changes.
Web hosting
Web server
Any shared, VPS, or dedicated hosting that supports PHP. SiteGround, Namecheap, A2 Hosting, Hostinger, and most providers all work.
Apache with mod_rewrite or Nginx with equivalent rewrite config. URL rewriting required for the router. PHP 7.4 minimum; 8.x recommended.
A database
MySQL / MariaDB
A MySQL database — included with almost all hosting plans. You don't need to set it up yourself; the installer handles it.
MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+. PDO_MySQL extension required. The installer creates all tables and indexes automatically.
A Claude account
A Claude Pro, Max, or Team account with MCP integrations available. This is how you connect Claude to your site.
Claude.ai Pro/Max/Team with MCP integration support, or Claude Desktop. The connector implements the standard Anthropic MCP JSON-RPC spec.
Not sure if your hosting is compatible?
Pre-flight check
Get in touch — we'll check your hosting and confirm compatibility before you subscribe.
Contact us with your host and PHP version. We'll confirm PDO_MySQL availability and mod_rewrite support before you commit to anything.
Your site, your server, your terms
Claude CMS from £6.99/month. Installs on your own hosting. First month free.
30-day free trial. Any PHP 7.4+/MySQL 5.7+ host. Zero vendor lock-in on your infrastructure.