WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) because of its flexibility and extensive plugin ecosystem. However, its complexity can be intimidating, especially if you’re starting out or want something straightforward.
If you want a tool that’s easier to use and doesn’t involve dealing with technical details, you might find that website builders are a better choice. These tools are designed to be simpler and more user-friendly, so you can quickly create a professional-looking website with minimal effort. However, if you still need the robust capabilities of CMS but want an alternative to WordPress, other CMS options cater to various needs.
Below, we’ll explore some of the best WordPress alternatives across both categories. Whether you’re looking for an easy-to-use website builder or a CMS with advanced features, there’s an option here that will fit your needs.
Key features to consider in a website builder or CMS
When selecting a website builder or CMS, several features must be considered to ensure the tool meets your specific needs. You’ll want a platform with the right functionality and usability blend.
Ease of use
You want a platform that’s easy to use. For website builders, look for ones with a drag-and-drop editor that simplifies web design and allows you to create pages quickly without needing technical skills. For CMS platforms, find one with an easy-to-use dashboard that helps you manage your content without hassle.
Customization options
Your website should reflect your brand’s style. Both website builders and CMS platforms should let you customize layouts, adjust color schemes, and add elements. Website builders usually offer ready-made templates you can adjust, while CMS platforms often let you use themes and plugins to achieve the look you want.
eCommerce capabilities
If you’re planning to sell products or services online, your website builder or CMS platform must be equipped for eCommerce. Here are some key features to look out for:
- Shopping cart integration. This makes the checkout process smooth for your customers.
- Secure payment gateways. Ensures customer transactions are safe.
- Inventory management. This helps you keep track of what’s in stock and what needs restocking.
- Promotional tools. Handy for running sales or special marketing campaigns to attract more customers. These features are essential—they not only make shopping easier but also help you manage your online store effectively.
Pricing and value for money
When shopping around for a website builder or CMS, comparing pricing plans is essential. Keep these points in mind:
- Base plan costs. Start by looking at what each platform offers in their basic package.
- Advanced features pricing. If you need more sophisticated features, especially for eCommerce or customizing your site, check how much you’re willing to pay.
- Overall value. Try to balance the features you need with what fits within your budget. Think about immediate costs and any future expenses for upgrading or adding new features.
11 best WordPress alternatives
Web.com
Web.com is a platform designed for small businesses and individuals who are new to creating websites. It features an AI-powered website builder that automates web design and copywriting tasks—you only need to answer a few questions to get started.
The platform offers a straightforward and user-friendly editor, which is beneficial for those who may find other website builders too complicated.
Web.com provides a range of professional templates organized by industry. This organization helps users quickly find a template that fits their specific needs. While some industries might have fewer options, there is at least one template available for each type of business.
How it’s different from WordPress: Unlike WordPress, which can require plugins for specific functionalities, Web.com offers integrated marketing and SEO tools. You can also avail yourself of Professional Design Services separately.
Key features:
- AI website builder with industry-specific templates
- Domain registration and hosting
- Marketing and SEO tools
- Professional website design services
Pricing: Starts at $1.95 per month
Wix
Wix is popular among creative individuals and small businesses for its design flexibility. The platform features a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop customization. This allows users to create websites without any coding knowledge.
How it’s different from WordPress: Wix provides more out-of-the-box design flexibility and user-friendliness without needing to handle or install updates and plugins, as WordPress often requires.
Key features:
- Drag-and-drop website editor
- Wix Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI)
- Extensive app market for a wide array of functionalities
- Mobile optimization
- eCommerce capabilities
Pricing: Starts at $17 per month
Squarespace
Squarespace is favored by creatives such as photographers and designers for its visually appealing templates. It provides a range of functionalities, including blogging and eCommerce, within a single platform.
However, Squarespace’s eCommerce features are more limited compared to some other website builders. To access these features, you need to choose one of the higher-tier plans. Similarly, some marketing tools, like promotional banners and pop-ups, are only available with the more expensive plans.
How it’s different from WordPress: Squarespace handles all updates internally and provides all tools in one package, whereas WordPress has manual updates.
Key features:
- Professional design templates
- Integrated eCommerce tools
- SEO and marketing features
- Mobile-ready designs
- Blogging platform
Pricing: Starts at $25 per month
Weebly
Weebly is a user-friendly website builder designed for non-technical users and small businesses. It features a drag-and-drop interface that simplifies the website creation process. For eCommerce, Weebly allows you to accept payments through PayPal, Stripe, and Square, and includes options like quick shop and in-store pickup.
In addition to its eCommerce capabilities, Weebly offers basic blogging tools, built-in SEO tools, and a mobile app for editing and checking analytics on the go.
However, Weebly’s free plan comes with ads and a Weebly-branded subdomain. Customization options are somewhat limited, and advanced features require upgrading to a paid plan. Some functionalities, like abandoned cart recovery, are available only with higher-tier plans.
How it’s different from WordPress: Weebly is simpler to use for beginners and includes eCommerce capabilities even in its free plan, unlike WordPress which often requires paid plugins for similar functionality.
Key features:
- Simple drag-and-drop interface
- SEO management
- Customizable themes
- eCommerce features even with its free plan
- Mobile app management
Pricing: Free version available; starts at $10 per month.
Shopify
Shopify is a website builder designed specifically for eCommerce, and it offers a range of advanced features that set it apart from WordPress. These include features for managing customer segments, calculating sales tax, generating shipping labels, and creating discounts.
However, Shopify comes with a higher price tag than many other options, particularly for its more advanced plans, which are geared towards larger businesses.
How it’s different from WordPress: Shopify is solely focused on online stores which makes it more specialized compared to WordPress’s general-purpose approach requiring eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce.
Key features:
- Advanced eCommerce tools
- Multi-channel selling capabilities
- Secure payment options
- Inventory management
- Customizable store themes
Pricing: Starts at $25 per month
Joomla
Like WordPress, Joomla is a content management system. It’s capable of supporting various types of websites, from simple blogs to complex social networking sites. The platform has an extensive directory of extensions, with more than 5,700 options available to add extra functionality to your site. It also allows for flexible design by letting you use multiple templates on a single site.
Since Joomla is a self-hosted CMS, you’ll need to purchase both a domain name and hosting services to build your website.
How it’s different from WordPress: Joomla provides a more flexible system for content management and user permissions out of the box compared to WordPress.
Key features:
- Multilingual support
- Flexible content management
- Extensive extension directory
- Access control lists
Pricing: Starts at $99 per year
Drupal
Drupal is a well-known open-source content management system used by a range of websites, including those for government agencies, universities, and large corporations.
The platform offers several advantages, including reliable security functions, extensive libraries of modules and themes, advanced user access management, and a built-in multilingual system. However, Drupal has a steeper learning curve and requires coding knowledge for maintenance and optimization, which can be challenging for beginners.
While the software is free to download, users still need to pay for a domain name and web hosting.
How it’s different from WordPress: It’s more scalable and offers more comprehensive content structuring capabilities, which is suitable for technical users.
Key features:
- Extensive modules to alter existing functionalities or add new features
- Scalable for high-traffic sites
- Advanced content structuring
Pricing: Plans are available on different platforms
Blogger
Blogger, owned by Google, is a free platform for creating personal blogs and simple websites. It provides a fully hosted solution with a .blogspot subdomain, which means users do not need to manage their own hosting.
The platform integrates with Google services such as Google Analytics to track site traffic and Google AdSense to earn revenue. It offers free templates designed for blogging and allows integration with third-party applications through its API.
While Blogger is easy to use, especially for those familiar with Google products, it has some limitations. It uses up storage space on your Google Drive, offers limited customization options, and does not support eCommerce features. This makes it a good choice for beginners and those looking for a simple blogging solution but less suitable for users who need more advanced customization or online store capabilities.
How it’s different from WordPress: Blogger is much more limited in functionality but integrates seamlessly with Google’s ecosystem, unlike WordPress’s more expansive but complex platform.
Key features:
- Free usage
- Customizable templates
- Basic analytics
- Direct integration with Google’s suite of tools, offering you a familiar interface for those already using Google products.
Pricing: Completely free
Ghost
Ghost is a publishing platform designed to manage and create content. It offers two main options: a free self-hosted version and a paid, fully-managed service called Ghost(Pro).
The platform includes features like Markdown support, which allows users to write content using plain text formatting. It also provides tools for managing memberships and subscriptions, including a native signup system and email newsletters.
Ghost is a suitable alternative to WordPress for businesses that focus on content and are interested in features for memberships and subscriptions. However, if you want to run an online store, you might want to explore other platforms with more developed eCommerce features.
How it’s different from WordPress: It strips down to essential features for blogging without the overhead of plugins and themes typical in WordPress.
Key features:
- Streamlined interface
- Fast loading times
- Minimalist design
Pricing: Starts at $9 per month.
Adobe eCommerce (formerly Magento)
Adobe eCommerce, which used to be called Magento, is a platform designed for larger businesses with complex needs. It’s built to handle many products and support complex sales processes.
The platform allows for a lot of customization, so businesses can adjust their online stores to fit their specific requirements. It also integrates with other systems like ERP and CRM tools, helping to streamline business operations.
Compared to WordPress, Adobe eCommerce is better equipped to handle the needs of large-scale businesses. It offers advanced features and can manage more extensive product catalogs and transactions. However, it can be more complicated to set up and use, often requiring technical expertise. It also tends to be more expensive due to licensing, hosting, and maintenance costs. This makes it a better fit for large enterprises than smaller businesses or those looking for simpler solutions.
How it’s different from WordPress: It’s far more robust and scalable for large businesses than WordPress, specifically tailored for complex, large-scale eCommerce needs.
Key features:
- Advanced eCommerce features
- Customizable product management
- Extensive marketplace
- Powerful integrations
- Scalable framework
Pricing: They have different prices for Adobe Commerce Pro and Managed Services.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a hosted platform designed for medium to large-scale eCommerce stores. It offers features such as managing multiple brands from a single account, syncing online and offline payments, and promoting products on social networks. The platform includes tools for creating promotions, accepting payments in various currencies, and segmenting customers for better targeting.
However, BigCommerce can be costly as your business grows, and it has limited blogging and template customization options compared to WordPress. While it provides robust eCommerce tools, it may not be the most budget-friendly choice for all businesses.
How it’s different from WordPress: Offers a more out-of-the-box, business-oriented eCommerce solution compared to WordPress, which requires additional eCommerce plugins.
Key features:
- Comprehensive eCommerce tools
- Multi-channel sales
- SEO and marketing tools
- Wide range of templates
Pricing: Starts at $39 per month
Choosing the right WordPress alternative
Choosing the right alternative to WordPress requires careful consideration of your specific needs to ensure the platform you choose aligns with your goals. This could be for creating a personal blog, a professional portfolio, or an online store.
- Flexibility is key for building a website. Your chosen alternative should have a wide range of functionalities and minimal coding requirements. Additionally, it should have robust design tools and user-friendly interfaces that prioritize aesthetics and ease of use.
- Scalability is crucial; the platform you choose should accommodate growth to support increasing traffic and content expansion. You should be able to upgrade to a higher plan seamlessly to accommodate your growth.
- Reliable support is also vital. Choose platforms that provide extensive support through tutorials, community forums, or direct customer service. This support is crucial for troubleshooting and optimizing your site, especially if you lack technical expertise. Web.com offers live chat (24/7), email, and phone assistance along with video tutorials on YouTube and knowledge base articles.
Ultimately, the best platform for you will depend on your unique needs. This ensures the platform meets your current needs and is also capable of supporting your future growth.
Frequently asked questions
While WordPress is widely used due to its flexibility and extensive plugin system, platforms like Web.com also offer unique advantages, especially for those seeking a more guided, user-friendly website-building experience.
“Better” can depend on specific needs. For users looking for simplicity, excellent customer support, and an all-in-one platform, Web.com stands out as a strong alternative. Web.com provides tools and services that streamline the web development process.
WordPress is a powerful choice for those who need extensive customization and control. However, for users who prioritize ease of use and integrated solutions, Web.com offers a compelling alternative with its robust website building and marketing tools.
WordPress remains a top CMS for those who value open-source flexibility and a vast community. Yet, for many users, particularly small businesses and those new to building websites, Web.com provides a more accessible and equally powerful platform with dedicated support and integrated services.
