GovCMS alternative

Magnolia Cloud and Magnolia DX Core can be deployed in IRAP-assessed configurations on Australian-hosted infrastructure (AWS Sydney, Azure Australia East). Magnolia itself does not have a single all-encompassing whole-of-government certification, but it can be deployed inside an agency boundary that does. We design the deployment to satisfy the agency security plan and the ASD Information Security Manual (ISM) controls that apply.

For PROTECTED workloads, we deploy Magnolia on customer-owned AWS or Azure infrastructure inside the agency security boundary, applying the relevant ISM controls (boundary security, identity, logging, vulnerability management). Where the agency holds an existing IRAP assessment we extend it; where they do not, we work with their IRAP assessor to scope Magnolia into the new assessment. For OFFICIAL and OFFICIAL:Sensitive workloads, Magnolia Cloud in the Australian region is usually sufficient.

Noice charges against our 2026 rate card (AUD 165 to AUD 275 per hour or AUD 1,320 to AUD 2,200 per day, ex GST). GovCMS SaaS pricing sits at AUD 35k to AUD 100k per year per site at the most common tiers, before customisation. A typical Magnolia deployment for a single agency site costs AUD 180k to AUD 450k for first build plus AUD 60k to AUD 140k per year for Magnolia licence and managed hosting. The math turns Magnolia-favourable for agencies with two or more sites, heavy customisation, or material editorial automation needs. We model the five-year TCO during discovery.

Yes. We have migrated agencies off GovCMS Drupal onto Magnolia using Migration Accelerator. The tool captures content from GovCMS, infers the content shape, and writes pages into the target under human approval. The migration plan respects content freeze and Federal Election sensitivity windows so editorial pace is not disrupted.

Yes. WCAG 2.1 AA is the floor for every public-facing build we deliver. We design from accessible patterns up, run automated checks in CI, and run manual screen-reader and keyboard testing before release. WCAG 2.2 AA is our default for new builds in 2026. The lift to AAA is scoped where the agency policy requires it.

CivicTheme is a Drupal-first design system. We can re-implement CivicTheme components as Magnolia components for visual consistency with adjacent agency sites. Where the agency wants full SDP alignment we deliver Magnolia under SDP design guidelines, integrate with whole-of-government navigation patterns, and use the SDP accessibility tone of voice.

Yes. Magnolia authoring is familiar to GovCMS Drupal authors: WYSIWYG editing, content modelling, multi-language, scheduling and workflow are all native. Authors are typically productive on the new platform within their first day of training. We embed two of our team in the editorial room during the first content-load sprint.

A single-site agency migration runs ten to eighteen weeks end to end. Multi-site, multi-portfolio migrations run six to nine months. Most of the timeline is content modelling, accessibility testing and security accreditation, not technical extraction.

We are pursuing a place on the GovCMS Digital Experience Platform tools and services panel (AusTender SON3816897) as a Magnolia partner. While that work proceeds we partner with existing panel members where the procurement pathway requires it. We can also deliver outside the panel via Digital Marketplace, individual agency procurement or the relevant DTA arrangements.