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WordPress powers 43% of all websites using CMS technologies. It’s popular because it’s scalable, SEO-friendly, and highly customizable. Major companies like Zoom.us, Salesforce.com, and Grammarly.com use WordPress.
In contrast, competitors like Wix and Joomla have only 10% and 2% of the market share, respectively. These numbers suggest WordPress will remain dominant for the foreseeable future.
However, WordPress isn’t perfect for everyone. Here’s why:
- It’s difficult to use without coding skills or a budget for a developer.
- It has the highest number of hacks among CMS platforms, with 90% of vulnerabilities linked to plugins.
- Frequent updates can disrupt its functionality.
Given these drawbacks, it’s worth exploring alternatives to find the best CMS for your needs.
Check out the comparison table below for a quick overview of what to consider when choosing a CMS.
Scroll down for detailed reviews of all the WordPress alternatives in the table.
1. Drupal
Drupal is one of the most powerful CMS platforms available. Many developers consider it a great alternative to WordPress. It’s used by various brands, agencies, news outlets, and institutions that have the resources for an in-house development team.
Drupal website example
- Check out the Arsenal FC website’s features that take advantage of standard, out-of-the-box Drupal 8 modules (e.g., blocks view module) to increase customer engagement.
Joomla’s been around nearly as long as WordPress. It still remains one of the most popular content management systems around the world. It provides a robust and complex platform that can produce any type of website. For additional features, you can use nearly 6,000 apps.
When comparing WordPress vs. Joomla in terms of their backends, Joomla has more out-of-the-box features, like non-standard content types, user management, multilingual support, and templates.
What makes it a great WordPress alternative?
- Built-in multilingual support to aid global businesses
- Banner management tool to create ad campaigns and track them
- More default types of media files and an option to determine which ones are uploadable
Downsides
- It might have been the main WordPress competitor in the past but since Drupal and other CMS WordPress alternatives, it’s hard to find something differentiating about it
- Site structure modification, content creation, and maintenance requires expert coding know-how
Cost
- Joomla is an open-source platform that is free to use
- You have to pay for registering a domain and a hosting provider
- There may be extra costs for web development and maintenance
You can use a shared demo installation of Joomla to have a feel about its main and admin pages.
Alternatively, there’s a great tutorial video showing beginners how this CMS works.
2. Joomla
Joomla is an open-source CMS and a free alternative to WordPress. It combines the user-friendliness of WordPress with the flexibility of Drupal. This makes Joomla, along with Drupal, an excellent choice for news sites, university and government websites, and corporate websites.
Joomla website example
- Visit IKEA’s and Harvard University’s websites to see a full range of Joomla capabilities. They use several Joomla extensions to make them accessible, responsive, and multilingual.
Drupal is a platform meant for developers skilled in HTML, CSS, and PHP. Although it has fewer themes and modules compared to WordPress, it remains highly customizable and flexible. Due to its technical complexity, projects may take longer to complete.
You don’t need to start from scratch when coding on Drupal. If you need a new feature, there’s likely a module for it. Modules, which are collections of PHP, JavaScript, and/or CSS files, number around 48,000 in Drupal’s library.
However, Drupal’s themes library and third-party options aren’t as extensive as WordPress’s.
Why is it a top WordPress alternative?
- Handles complex security issues with ease (e.g., PCI compliance, database encryption)
- Supports high-traffic websites and processes large amounts of data
- Offers vast content management capabilities due to its modular design
Downsides:
- Tweaking the source code is time-consuming and harder to learn than WordPress
- Its technical complexity might be excessive for standard websites and blogs
Costs:
- Free to use platform
- Costs for domain and hosting
- Salary for the development team
3. Magento Open Source
Magento Open Source is a robust, self-hosted platform with extensive configurability, positioning it as a strong competitor to WordPress. It’s ideal for those who have outgrown WooCommerce and need a sophisticated ecommerce solution to manage thousands of SKUs and handle high visitor traffic efficiently.
Magento website example
- Magento 2 helps Land Rover display multiple stocks (clothing, accessories, travel, etc.) and easily navigate within the categories. Everything from layout to carousel pictures help them define their brand voice.
Magento software is free, but you’ll need to pay for hosting and Magento extensions, which can become expensive due to the substantial server resources required for optimal performance.
Magento’s robust dashboard enables you to manage multiple stores, use various global shipping providers, and handle transactions in multiple countries, languages, and currencies. It can easily scale to support large ecommerce operations.
Designing your store requires at least intermediate web development skills, and it may take time to familiarize yourself with Magento’s extensive features and extensions. Some Magento 2 extensions offer functionalities that can be configured through settings. If you’re inexperienced and download unnecessary extensions, it could add extra load to your store.
Why is Magento a Great Alternative to WordPress?
- Versatility and Security: Magento offers more versatility and better security than WordPress, making it a strong option for long-term growth.
- Robust Features: It boasts advanced inventory and order management capabilities, thanks to unlimited product attributes.
- Multi-Channel Support: Ideal for businesses operating across multiple channels, Magento allows for the creation of separate product catalogs for each channel and supports bulk uploads.
Downsides
- Steep Learning Curve: Magento can be challenging to learn and master.
- Ecommerce Focused: Like Shopify, Magento is primarily designed for ecommerce and may not be as effective for other purposes.
Cost
- Free Platform: Magento Open Source is free to use.
- Additional Costs: You will need to cover hosting and domain expenses. There are also paid add-ons, themes, and potentially high developer fees.
Try It Out
- Demo Available: You can test-drive Magento on a public installation demo.
- Beginner-Friendly Videos: Watch videos to see how others use it, which is great for beginners.
4. Wix
It’s a perfect WordPress alternative for bloggers, personal projects like portfolios, and creative agencies. Choose it if you prioritize adding video backgrounds, scroll effects, and animations to your pages.
Wix website example
Check out all the scrolling and visual effects on Mariela Mezquita’s portfolio website.
Wix stands out as a WordPress alternative primarily due to its user-friendly interface and extensive template library. With Wix, users can effortlessly create a professional-looking website using the drag-and-drop editor or utilize the Wix ADI for quick setup. The platform also offers the flexibility to bypass templates and dive into HTML and CSS customization for more advanced users.
One of Wix’s strengths is its comprehensive package, which includes free web hosting, domain, and SSL security protocols, streamlining the website creation process for beginners. Additionally, Wix provides robust SEO tools like Wix SEO Wiz, guiding users through steps to enhance their site’s visibility in search engine results.
However, it’s essential to consider the downsides. Wix does have limited control over your site compared to WordPress, and it may prove to be more expensive in the long term.
Regarding pricing, Wix offers a range of plans, starting from $4.50 per month for basic website plans and $17 per month for business and ecommerce plans. While there is a limited free plan available, users can upgrade to access additional features and support.
Overall, Wix caters to users seeking a straightforward website building experience with ample customization options and support, making it a compelling alternative to WordPress for many users. If you’re new to website building, Wix offers resources to help you become proficient quickly.
5. Shopify
Shopify serves as a formidable contender to WordPress, particularly for those venturing into ecommerce. Ideal for small businesses and larger retailers lacking technical expertise, Shopify provides an intuitive platform tailored to online commerce needs, making it a compelling choice for entrepreneurs seeking seamless online store solutions.
Shopify website example
- Check out the professional-looking design and products display on Happiness Abscissa.
Shopify excels over WordPress in several key areas, particularly in the realm of ecommerce:
Integrated Ecommerce Platform: Shopify offers a fully hosted ecommerce solution, meaning everything you need to run an online store is included under one roof. This saves you time on tasks like backups and maintenance, compared to WordPress where you may need to manage hosting, security, and updates separately.
Advanced Marketing and Ecommerce Features: Shopify provides advanced marketing and ecommerce features such as detailed reports, abandoned cart recovery, and integrated email marketing tools. While WordPress has plugins that can offer similar functionality, Shopify’s native features are often more streamlined and easier to implement.
PCI Compliance and Security: Shopify ensures that its platform is PCI compliant and fully secure for credit card payment processing, which is essential for online stores. While WordPress can also achieve PCI compliance with the right setup, it often requires more technical expertise and additional security measures.
However, there are some downsides to using Shopify:
Limited Versatility: Shopify is primarily designed for ecommerce purposes, so it may not be the best choice if you have other needs beyond selling products online, such as blogging or content management.
Transaction Fees: If you choose not to use Shopify Payments (the platform’s built-in payment gateway), you may incur additional transaction fees on top of standard processing fees. This can add to the overall cost of using Shopify.
In terms of cost, Shopify offers several pricing plans:
- Basic Shopify: $29 per month
- Shopify: $79 per month
- Advanced Shopify: $299 per month
Additionally, there’s Shopify Lite, which costs $9 per month and is geared towards in-person sales and adding a Buy Button to existing websites. For enterprises and large-scale businesses, Shopify offers Shopify Plus with custom pricing tailored to specific needs.
Conclusion
After comparing WordPress alternatives, consider these key points:
- Free alternatives to WordPress are rare; even open-source options entail hosting costs.
- For simpler websites, WordPress might be excessive.
- Hosted ecommerce platforms offer easy online store setup without coding.
- Developers may find more secure and scalable options than WordPress for large ecommerce sites.
- Bloggers can explore alternatives with WordPress-like functionality but easier management.
- Prioritize your goals to choose the best platform for your online presence.
Also Read:- How to crack Python interview questions?