# CKEditor 5 vs TinyMCE: two finished editors, two GPL-or-commercial licences

*Source: https://www.editorstack.cc/compare/ckeditor-vs-tinymce — last updated 2026-09-17. Licensed CC BY 4.0 with attribution to EditorStack.*

## Summary

- CKEditor 5 and TinyMCE solve the same problem the same way: a finished editor with a toolbar, a plugin system and vendor-maintained React, Vue and Angular integrations, offered under GPL-2.0-or-later for self-hosting or under commercial terms.
- Measured: CKEditor 5 48.5.1 at 161.2 kB gzip for ClassicEditor with four plugins, TinyMCE 8.9.1 at 393.9 kB for its core, icons, theme and model with no plugins — the heaviest bundle in our benchmark.
- Vendor-published entry prices differ: TinyMCE Essential at $79 per month paid annually, CKEditor 5 Essential at $160 per month or $144 on the annual toggle, both with 5,000 editor loads. The GPL routes are free for both and both require a licence key setting.

## At a glance

| Product | Type | Licence | Frameworks | Bundle (min+gzip) | Price from | Self-hosted | White label | Score |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [CKEditor 5](https://www.editorstack.cc/libraries/ckeditor) | library | GPL-2.0-or-later OR commercial | Any (framework-agnostic) | 161.2 kB gzip | from $144/mo | Yes | Unverified | not scored |
| [TinyMCE](https://www.editorstack.cc/libraries/tinymce) | library | GPL-2.0-or-later OR commercial | Any (framework-agnostic) | 393.9 kB gzip | from $79/mo | Yes | Unverified | not scored |

## The same product shape

Many comparisons in this dataset set a framework against a finished product. This one does not.
[CKEditor 5](/libraries/ckeditor) and [TinyMCE](/libraries/tinymce) both install as a working editor
with a toolbar, both extend through plugins, both publish their own React, Vue and Angular packages,
and both store HTML.

They also share a licensing position they did not always share. CKEditor 5 has offered
GPL-2.0-or-later since its first npm release in 2018, alongside commercial terms. TinyMCE was MIT
through 6.x, became GPL-2.0-or-later in 7.0.0, and from 8.3.0 offers GPL-2.0-or-later or its self-hosted commercial agreement. For a closed-source
product, both now mean a commercial contract.

So the decision comes down to weight, price shape, interface and which premium features you need.

## Where CKEditor 5 wins

**Less than half the JavaScript.** 161.2 kB gzip against 393.9 kB in our measurements, though the two
entries are not identical configurations — CKEditor's includes four plugins, TinyMCE's none.

**Fewer lines to start.** Nine lines in our benchmark application against fourteen, because TinyMCE's
bundling guide requires separate icon, theme, model and skin imports.

**A documented widget framework.** The framework tutorials build custom block widgets with their own
model and view, which suits products with structured content inside rich text.

**Documented localisation breadth.** 41 fully translated UI languages and right-to-left support out
of the box.

## Where TinyMCE wins

**A lower vendor-published entry price.** Essential at $79 per month paid annually against CKEditor
5's $144 on annual billing, at the same 5,000 editor loads.

**A lower listed overage rate on the free plan.** $40 per 1,000 loads beyond the free 1,000, against
CKEditor's $60, both as vendor-published on the day we checked.

**A cloud path without a self-hosted key.** Loading from Tiny Cloud needs no licence key in your
configuration; CKEditor's cloud distribution needs a commercial key.

**A menu bar by default.** Our default TinyMCE build showed File, Edit, View, Insert and Format menus
as well as the toolbar, which matches what users of desktop word processors expect.

## Branding in the GPL builds

Both free self-hosted builds carry vendor branding. CKEditor's documentation says the GPL
configuration displays a "Powered by CKEditor" logo. Our TinyMCE 8.9.1 GPL build showed a
"Get all features" button and a TinyMCE credit in the status bar. If the editor ships under your
brand, price the commercial licence before comparing features.

## Migration between them

Both store HTML, so content moves with less effort than between block-based editors; the work is in
the elements one editor's schema allows and the other's strips, and in plugin-specific markup such as
embeds. The integration layer — toolbar configuration, custom plugins, upload handlers — is a rewrite
in either direction.

If the licence is the reason you are comparing these two at all, the other route is out of both,
towards a permissive licence. Our
[TinyMCE alternatives guide](/alternatives/tinymce) covers those routes.

## Decision checklist

1. **Can our product comply with the GPL?** If not, both are commercial purchases.
2. **How many editor loads a month?** Both price around loads; model yours against each tier.
3. **What is our JavaScript budget on the editing route?** The measured gap is 232.7 kB.
4. **Do we need collaboration or AI?** Both sell them; compare the add-on prices, not the base plans.
5. **Does the editor ship under our brand?** Confirm what removes the branding under your licence.

## The number that matters

232.7 kB — the gzip gap between the two in our [bundle benchmark](/research/bundle-size-benchmark-2026).
Load either one lazily on the editing route, and see the [rich-text category page](/categories/rich-text)
for the permissively licensed options.


## Frequently asked questions

### Which is lighter, CKEditor 5 or TinyMCE?

CKEditor 5, in our measurement: 161.2 kB gzip for ClassicEditor with Essentials, Paragraph, Bold and Italic, against 393.9 kB for TinyMCE's core, icons, Silver theme and DOM model. Both grow with every plugin you add.

### Which is cheaper?

On vendor-published entry plans, TinyMCE: Essential at $79 per month paid annually against CKEditor 5's Essential at $144 per month on annual billing. Both include 5,000 editor loads, and both free cloud plans include 1,000 loads a month.

### Can I use either for free in a closed-source product?

Not under the GPL. Both self-hosted GPL routes impose GPL obligations on your product; closed-source distribution needs a commercial licence from the vendor.

### Do both need a licence key?

Yes. CKEditor 5 takes licenseKey: 'GPL' for self-hosted GPL use. Self-hosted TinyMCE 8 must be given a valid key or the editor is disabled, with 'gpl' for GPL use.