WordPress powers hundreds of millions of websites. But when issues occur internally, the vulnerability of relying on a single platform becomes apparent.
WordPress isn’t the only content management system (CMS) option. There’s a diverse marketplace of publishing platforms for those seeking alternatives.
This guide provides an overview of leading WordPress alternatives across key website categories.
We explore user-friendly website builders that offer drag-and-drop simplicity. We look at flexible open-source options for developers and tech-savvy users. We also cover blogging-focused options, ecommerce platforms, and community management tools.
For each alternative, we summarize the key features, benefits, and drawbacks to consider. Factors like budget, technical abilities, and website goals are examined to help identify the best fit based on individual needs. We also sifted through community feedback and reviews for each platform.
While WordPress commands 43.3% of all websites, there’s no shortage of quality options for creating the perfect online presence.
Website Builder Platforms
1. Wix
Wix is best suited for individuals, small businesses, and entrepreneurs who want to create a professional-looking website without extensive technical skills or a large budget.
The platform’s user-friendly drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to design and customize websites, with templates and design elements suitable for a range of purposes.
As a hosted platform, Wix handles technical aspects such as server maintenance and security updates, making it ideal for those who don’t want to deal with these tasks.
Wix also offers a free plan, allowing users to create a website for free, with limitations such as Wix branding and a non-custom domain.
One thing to remember when using Wix is that once you’ve chosen a template and started building your site, it can be challenging to switch to a different template without a full redesign.
Recent developments show Wix continues to evolve as a major player in the website builder market, with market share growing 28.9% between December 2024 and December 2025.
Wix User Comments And Reviews
Reddit’s developer and webmaster communities point to one clear weakness with Wix: site performance. Wix sites rank low in Google speed tests, which hurts both user experience and SEO. The problem stems from the drag-and-drop editor. It prioritizes ease of use over code efficiency.
Developers describe this as Wix’s core trade-off. The visual flexibility that attracts non-technical users produces bloated code.
Migration creates another pain point. Wix offers no export functionality. You can’t take your site with you if you switch platforms.
Users do praise Wix’s support. For small business owners without technical teams, responsive support matters. The calculation comes down to this: does immediate accessibility outweigh long-term performance concerns?
For straightforward sites without heavy SEO requirements, Wix works. For businesses planning to scale or compete in search-dependent industries, the limitations add up.
Key Features:
The platform includes the following capabilities:
- Full hosting solution.
- No software to self-install.
- Drag-and-drop visual builder.
- Extensions available through app market.
- Optimized for mobile devices.
- Blog module.
- Ecommerce store functionality.
- Social media tools.
Pros:
Wix is great for beginners and offers many features for free. Users can create a website in minutes without any coding knowledge.
Cons:
Users face limitations when customizing templates or migrating the site to other platforms. Once a template is chosen, switching is difficult without redesigning.
→ Read More: Wix Vs. WordPress: Which Is Better For SEO?
2. Squarespace
Squarespace targets individuals and small business owners who prioritize design quality and want to build a professional-looking website without technical skills.
The platform is popular among photographers, artists, designers, and other creative professionals because of its image-focused templates and clean, contemporary design aesthetic.
Squarespace takes a more curated approach with templates that maintain a specific aesthetic standard. This means fewer choices but a higher guarantee of professional results.
While Wix emphasizes customization and an extensive app marketplace, Squarespace focuses on integrated functionality and design consistency. This means that Squarespace users typically don’t need as many third-party apps to create a fully functional site.
Squarespace User Comments And Reviews
Squarespace produces aesthetically strong websites fast. That matters for portfolio or brochure sites with tight deadlines. But professional designers express frustration with design constraints.
Users report an inability to control precise vertical spacing, persistent bugs, and basic limitations like removing text decoration from buttons. Designers know what they want to achieve, but Squarespace’s architecture prevents implementation.
Responsive design creates more challenges. Squarespace sites can look messy and strange on different monitor sizes or tablet devices. Clients viewing sites on various devices encounter layout inconsistencies that take hours to fix.
Experienced developers choose Squarespace for client projects despite personal frustration. They prioritize the client’s ability to update content independently.
Users cite rising subscription fees and charges for features considered standard elsewhere. This includes hosting for custom domain email addresses. For ecommerce sites with specific requirements, Squarespace’s limitations force reliance on third-party plugins. Platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce include more functionality natively.
Key Features:
The platform provides:
- Professionally designed templates.
- Integrated hosting and security.
- Built-in analytics.
- Mobile-optimized design.
- Email marketing tools.
- Ecommerce capabilities.
- Blog functionality.
- Social media integration.
- 24/7 customer support.
- Custom domain connection.
Pros:
Squarespace offers aesthetic, professionally designed templates and an intuitive interface. All templates are mobile-responsive and include built-in SEO tools.
Cons:
Users may find limited flexibility in customization compared to other platforms, and costs can add up when adding certain features. The platform has fewer third-party integrations than Wix.
→ Read More: WordPress Vs. Squarespace – Which One Is Better?
3. Webflow
Webflow is for professional designers and developers who want complete control over their website without writing extensive code.
The platform bridges the gap between simple drag-and-drop builders and full custom code development. It gives designers the power of CSS, HTML, and JavaScript through a visual interface.
The platform offers sophisticated animation and interaction capabilities that are difficult or impossible to achieve in simpler builders.
Webflow’s hosting and CMS are deeply integrated with the design tools, allowing designers to create custom content structures that match their design vision.
Webflow User Comments And Reviews
Developers see Webflow as the upgrade route when they outgrow more basic builders.
Users report turning to Webflow after encountering Squarespace’s creative ceiling, looking for ways to resolve frustrations like not being able to control certain CSS properties.
One user describes the platform as “visualized CSS,” an observation that highlights Webflow’s power and barrier to entry. It offers professional design control but demands understanding web development concepts.
The content management system stands out as Webflow’s key technical advantage in competitive comparisons. Users highlight the CMS as making Webflow the top choice for programmatic SEO strategies, where thousands of pages can be generated from database structures.
When compared directly against emerging competitor Framer, practitioners note that Webflow offers a more mature CMS and native ecommerce functionality. This technical depth makes Webflow viable for complex projects that would traditionally require custom development.
Note that total ownership cost exceeds its subscription fees, as the platform may require ongoing professional maintenance. Developers report monthly retainers of $250 or more to manage Webflow sites. This maintenance involves updates, troubleshooting, and client-specific changes.
Key Features:
Webflow provides:
- Visual development environment.
- Custom CSS control through visual interface.
- Responsive design tools.
- Built-in CMS.
- Ecommerce functionality.
- Animation and interaction tools.
- SEO controls.
- Hosting included.
- Code export option.
- Template marketplace.
Pros:
Webflow offers professional-level design control without requiring hand-coding. It generates clean, semantic code and provides powerful animation capabilities.
Cons:
The platform has a steeper learning curve than simple builders and requires understanding of web design concepts. Hosting costs can be higher, especially for high-traffic sites.
4. Weebly
Weebly is a website builder platform owned by Square, designed for small businesses and individuals who want a straightforward way to create a website.
Like Wix, Weebly uses a drag-and-drop interface, but it takes a more simplified approach with fewer features and options. This makes it easier for absolute beginners but potentially limiting for users who need more advanced functionality.
Weebly is suitable for small businesses that use Square for payment processing, as the integration is seamless.
Key Features:
Weebly offers:
- Drag-and-drop builder.
- Mobile app for site management.
- Built-in ecommerce (powered by Square).
- Email marketing tools.
- Basic SEO features.
- Free SSL certificate.
- App Center for extensions.
- Member registration capabilities.
- Video backgrounds.
- Free plan available.
Pros:
Weebly is user-friendly and integrates well with Square for payment processing. It offers a free plan for testing.
Cons:
The platform offers fewer customization options than Wix or Squarespace. Design templates are more limited and basic compared to competitors.
Ecommerce-Focused Platforms
5. Shopify
Shopify is the leading dedicated ecommerce platform, designed for businesses selling products online.
Shopify was built from the ground up for online retail. This means every feature, from inventory management to shipping calculations, is optimized for selling products.
The platform powers over 4 million online stores globally, from small independent shops to major brands. The platform handles all the technical complexities of running an online store, including PCI compliance, payment processing, and secure checkout.
Shopify User Comments And Reviews
Ecommerce store owners point to Shopify’s architecture as a strength and a limitation. The platform delivers built-in ecommerce functionality for rapid store deployment. But this specialization gets frustrating when merchants need to add something outside Shopify’s core.
Users note that adding simple features still requires apps. Each additional app introduces monthly costs, performance impacts, and integration complexity.
The cost structure dominates Reddit discussions. Shopify’s monthly fees combined with transaction fees, app costs, and theme purchases create total ownership costs that can exceed alternatives for smaller operations.
When debating Shopify versus WordPress with WooCommerce, people emphasize that Shopify excels for product selling while WordPress better serves content-first sites that also sell.
Shopify’s streamlined product management makes sense when ecommerce represents the core business model. The choice depends on whether you sell products that need content support or create content that includes product sales.
Key Features:
Shopify includes:
- Hosted ecommerce platform.
- Unlimited products.
- Multiple sales channels (online, social media, in-person).
- Payment processing (Shopify Payments).
- Inventory management.
- Shipping and fulfillment tools.
- Marketing and SEO features.
- Analytics and reporting.
- Mobile app for store management.
- 24/7 customer support.
- App store with 8,000+ extensions.
- Abandoned cart recovery.
- Discount codes and gift cards.
Pros:
Shopify is purpose-built for ecommerce with powerful selling features and excellent support. It scales well from small stores to enterprise operations.
Cons:
Monthly fees plus transaction costs can add up. Extensive customization may require Shopify expertise or additional apps.
6. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an enterprise-focused ecommerce platform that competes directly with Shopify but takes a different approach to features and pricing.
While Shopify emphasizes simplicity and an app ecosystem, BigCommerce includes more features in its core platform. This means merchants need fewer third-party apps to run their stores.
BigCommerce appeals to businesses that are growing rapidly or have complex product catalogs with many variations and attributes.
BigCommerce User Comments And Reviews
In its YouTube review, Ecommerce Platforms said that BigCommerce is a good and flexible platform, but mentioned issues with user-friendliness, revenue-based pricing, and the fact there is no native point of sale system.
On Reddit, users say that BigCommerce is more feature-complete out of the box than competitors like Shopify. So the learning curve and pricing can be worth it for the right use case.
The BigCommerce developer and agency network is smaller than Shopify’s. Limited activity on Reddit and other platforms indicates fewer users. This smaller talent pool poses risks for businesses planning customization or ongoing development.
Key Features:
BigCommerce provides:
- Hosted ecommerce platform.
- No transaction fees.
- Unlimited products and bandwidth.
- Multi-channel selling.
- Built-in product filtering.
- Advanced product options and variants.
- B2B functionality.
- Abandoned cart saver.
- Persistent cart.
- Real-time shipping quotes.
- Product reviews and ratings.
- Google AMP.
- SEO features.
- Marketing tools.
Pros:
BigCommerce includes many advanced features in its base plans without requiring additional apps. No transaction fees help high-volume merchants save money.
Cons:
The platform has a steeper learning curve than Shopify. Design customization requires more technical knowledge.
7. PrestaShop
PrestaShop is a free, open-source ecommerce platform particularly popular in Europe and among merchants who want complete control over their online store.
Unlike Shopify or BigCommerce, PrestaShop requires self-hosting, which means users need to find their own hosting provider and manage technical aspects of running a server.
PrestaShop offers extensive customization possibilities through its add-on marketplace, with thousands of themes and modules available.
Key Features:
PrestaShop includes:
- Open-source ecommerce software.
- Free to download and use.
- Unlimited products.
- Multi-store management.
- Multi-language and multi-currency support.
- Product comparison feature.
- Abandoned cart tracking.
- Advanced inventory management.
- Guest checkout.
- CMS pages.
- SEO-friendly URLs.
- Addon marketplace for extensions.
- International payment gateways.
- Responsive themes.
Pros:
PrestaShop is free, open-source software with no vendor lock-in. It offers extensive customization and a large international community.
Cons:
Users need technical skills for setup and maintenance. Hosting costs and premium modules can add up over time.
8. Adobe Commerce (Magento)
Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) is an enterprise-level ecommerce platform designed for large businesses with complex needs.
Adobe Commerce comes in two versions: the free, open-source Magento Open Source and the premium Adobe Commerce Cloud with advanced features and hosting.
The platform is built for flexibility and can handle extremely large catalogs, high transaction volumes, and complex business logic that smaller platforms can’t support.
Adobe Commerce User Comments And Reviews
The Adobe Commerce/Magento ecosystem demands more resources than simpler ecommerce platforms. Users agree that success depends on experienced partners, as project outcomes hinge on partner quality more than platform features.
Magento’s complex design means poor execution leads to costly technical debt, while expert work offers advanced features that justify its enterprise status. Businesses should budget for licensing, hosting, development, and support.
The Adobe Commerce Cloud gets mixed reviews. Some worry about performance, cost, and vendor lock-in, questioning if Adobe’s managed infrastructure justifies the higher price over self-hosted Magento.
The debate on best ecommerce solutions often cites Magento/Adobe Commerce as the enterprise choice for large, resource-rich businesses. It suits those with high revenue, complex catalogs, or demanding processes beyond what Shopify Plus or BigCommerce can handle.
Key Features:
Adobe Commerce offers:
- Enterprise ecommerce platform.
- Open-source version available (Magento Open Source).
- Unlimited products and orders.
- Multi-store and multi-language support.
- Advanced catalog management.
- B2B functionality.
- Customer segmentation.
- Personalization tools.
- Page builder.
- Business intelligence.
- API-first architecture.
- Headless commerce capabilities.
- Marketing automation integration.
Pros:
Adobe Commerce handles complex ecommerce requirements at scale with extensive customization possibilities. It’s suitable for large catalogs and high-traffic stores.
Cons:
The platform requires significant technical expertise and budget. Setup and maintenance are complex and typically require a development team or agency.
Open-Source CMS Platforms
9. Joomla
Joomla is an open-source CMS that offers more structure and complexity than WordPress while being more accessible than Drupal.
The platform occupies a middle ground in the CMS spectrum. It provides more built-in functionality than WordPress but doesn’t require the technical expertise that Drupal demands.
Joomla appeals to developers building community sites, social networks, or portals that need user management and permissions systems more sophisticated than WordPress offers by default.
Joomla User Comments And Reviews
In its YouTube video, WebTech with Brett, the channel preferred the user experience of Joomla. In comparison to WordPress, he found the two platforms almost equal in performance, giving an edge to Joomla for slightly faster loading times.
On Reddit, Joomla doesn’t seem to have a large community, but users say it does what it’s built to do well.
Key Features:
Joomla provides:
- Open-source CMS.
- Multi-language support built-in.
- Advanced user management.
- Menu system.
- Template system.
- Extension directory.
- Media manager.
- Banner management.
- Contact forms.
- Article management.
- SEO-friendly URLs.
- Content versioning.
- Access control levels.
- Two-factor authentication.
Pros:
Joomla offers more advanced user management than WordPress and includes multi-language support natively. It’s suitable for complex sites with multiple content types.
Cons:
The learning curve is steeper than WordPress. The extension ecosystem is smaller, and community resources are fewer.
10. Drupal
Drupal is a powerful open-source CMS designed for complex, large-scale websites and applications.
The platform requires significant technical expertise but offers unmatched flexibility for developers who need to build complex content architectures and custom functionality.
Drupal powers some of the world’s most complex websites, including government portals, university systems, and Fortune 500 companies, because it can handle virtually any content structure and workflow requirement.
The recent introduction of Drupal CMS, a no-code distribution of Drupal, aims to make the platform more accessible to non-technical users while preserving its technical capabilities.
Drupal User Comments And Reviews
Users note that Drupal requires more resources than simpler CMS options. The cost of professional Drupal maintenance illustrates the platform’s complexity and need for specialized expertise.
Organizations using Drupal should budget for ongoing support and understand that routine updates need professional developers. This cost makes Drupal more suitable for enterprises.
While Drupal CMS aims to lower barriers for non-technical users, it still requires more technical skills than most small businesses have. Organizations should assess if they have internal tech resources or budget for ongoing support before choosing Drupal.
Key Features:
Drupal includes:
- Open-source CMS.
- Highly flexible content architecture.
- Advanced user permissions.
- Taxonomy system.
- Views for creating queries.
- Multi-site management.
- Workflow and moderation.
- RESTful web services.
- Multi-language support.
- Module system for extensions.
- Theme system.
- Responsive design.
- Security-focused development.
- Headless CMS capabilities.
Pros:
Drupal excels at handling complex content structures and can scale to massive traffic levels. It has excellent security and is suitable for enterprise deployments.
Cons:
The platform requires significant technical expertise for setup and ongoing management. The learning curve is steep, and development costs are higher than simpler CMS options.
Blogging Platforms
11. Ghost
Ghost is an open-source publishing platform focused on professional publishers, bloggers, and content creators.
While WordPress has evolved from a blogging platform into a general-purpose CMS, Ghost deliberately maintains its focus on publishing and membership businesses.
The platform includes native membership features, newsletter functionality, and payment integration, making it suitable for creators building direct relationships with their audience.
Ghost is available as both a hosted service (Ghost(Pro)) and self-hosted software for those who want to manage their own infrastructure.
Key Features:
Ghost offers:
- Open-source publishing platform.
- Native membership management.
- Built-in newsletter functionality.
- Payment integration (Stripe).
- SEO-optimized architecture.
- Fast performance.
- Modern editor.
- Custom themes.
- Multi-language support.
- Email automation.
- Analytics dashboard.
- API for custom integrations.
- Headless CMS capabilities.
Pros:
Ghost is fast, focused, and includes membership and newsletter features natively. The modern editor provides an excellent writing experience.
Cons:
The platform offers fewer extensions and themes than WordPress. It’s specifically designed for publishing, so it’s less suitable for other website types.
12. Medium
Medium is a publishing platform that puts content quality and distribution over customization and control.
Medium isn’t software you host; it’s a publishing network where writers create content that’s distributed to Medium’s built-in audience.
Writers on Medium benefit from the platform’s recommendation algorithm, which can expose content to readers interested in similar topics.
Medium offers a Partner Program that allows writers to earn money based on engagement from Medium members, though most writers earn modest amounts.
Medium User Comments And Reviews
Reddit users say Medium provides quick access to audiences but with limited flexibility.
While the Partner Program offers income through engagement, earnings require high publication frequency and large audiences. Writers seeking income often pursue other strategies.
For those valuing credibility, thought leadership, or expertise sharing without immediate revenue, Medium’s distribution benefits may outweigh modest financial gains. The platform suits writers, seeing it mainly as a distribution channel instead of their main business platform.
Key Features:
Medium provides:
- Hosted publishing platform.
- Built-in audience.
- Clean reading experience.
- Content recommendation system.
- Partner Program for monetization.
- Publications feature.
- Social features (claps, comments).
- Email subscriptions.
- Mobile app.
- Writing statistics.
- Import from other platforms.
- No hosting or technical management required.
Pros:
Medium offers immediate access to an established audience and requires no technical setup. The platform handles all design and hosting concerns.
Cons:
Users have minimal control over design and monetization options. Content exists on Medium’s platform rather than a domain you own. Algorithm changes can significantly impact visibility.
13. Blogger
Blogger is a free blogging platform owned by Google that has been around since 1999.
The platform offers basic blogging functionality at no cost, making it accessible to beginners who want to start blogging without a financial investment.
While Blogger hasn’t evolved as much as other platforms, its Google ownership means reliable hosting and integration with Google’s services.
Blogger User Comments And Reviews
The platform’s limitations lead bloggers to consider switching to more capable platforms like WordPress. Blogger’s lack of customization, limited plugins, and basic features suit simple personal blogs but hinder growth.
Its integration with Google services offers convenience and reliable hosting, but limited updates and stagnation suggest Google views Blogger as a legacy product. Beginners may experiment with it, but serious bloggers will need to migrate to more active platforms.
Key Features:
Blogger includes:
- Free blogging platform.
- Google account integration.
- Custom domain support.
- Basic templates.
- AdSense integration.
- Traffic statistics.
- Comment system.
- Mobile app.
- No hosting costs.
- Multiple authors.
- Scheduled posting.
- Email posting.
Pros:
Blogger is free with unlimited bandwidth. Google hosting provides reliability, and it integrates with AdSense for monetization.
Cons:
Design options are limited, and customization requires HTML/CSS knowledge. The platform hasn’t evolved and offers fewer features than modern alternatives.
14. Substack
Substack is a platform designed for subscription newsletters and has become increasingly popular among journalists and writers.
The platform combines email newsletter delivery with a web publication, allowing writers to build paid subscriber bases without managing separate website and email tools.
Substack handles all the technical infrastructure, including payment processing, email delivery, and web hosting, taking a 10% fee from paid subscriptions.
Key Features:
Substack provides:
- Newsletter and publication platform.
- Email delivery infrastructure.
- Payment processing for subscriptions.
- Web-based reading experience.
- Mobile app for readers.
- Podcast hosting.
- Community features.
- Discussion threads.
- Recommendation network.
- Analytics dashboard.
- Custom domains.
- Multiple subscription tiers.
Pros:
Substack handles all technical aspects of running a subscription publication. Writers can start publishing immediately, and the platform has a built-in discovery mechanism.
Cons:
Substack takes 10% of subscription revenue plus payment processing fees. Writers don’t own the subscriber list platform relationship. Limited design customization options.
Headless CMS Platforms
15. Contentful
Contentful is a headless CMS that separates content management from content presentation, allowing developers to deliver content to any platform or device through APIs.
Contentful stores content as structured data that can be delivered to websites, mobile apps, digital displays, or any other channel. This can assist organizations that need to deliver content across multiple channels and want flexibility in how that content is presented.
Contentful requires developers for the presentation layer, making it suitable for organizations with development resources.
Contentful User Comments And Reviews
Developers agree that selecting a headless CMS depends on the application’s needs. For React projects, factors like content modeling, API performance, developer experience, and pricing are key.
Contentful is a strong enterprise option with advanced tools but is costly. Choosing between Contentful and alternatives like Sanity or Strapi depends on priorities such as enterprise features, support, open-source flexibility, or affordability.
Key Features:
Contentful includes:
- Headless CMS architecture.
- Content modeling and management.
- RESTful and GraphQL APIs.
- Multi-language support.
- Content previews.
- Workflow and collaboration tools.
- Media management.
- Webhooks for integrations.
- Developer-friendly documentation.
- SDKs for multiple languages.
- Content delivery network.
- Version control.
Pros:
Contentful provides flexibility to deliver content to any channel. It scales well and offers excellent developer experience with strong APIs and documentation.
Cons:
The platform requires front-end development resources to build the presentation layer. Costs can be high for larger content operations, and non-technical users may find it complex.
16. Sanity
Sanity is a headless CMS that prioritizes customization and developer experience. It offers a flexible content platform that can adapt to virtually any use case.
The platform features Sanity Studio, a customizable editor that can be tailored to specific workflows and content structures.
Sanity uses structured content and real-time collaboration, making it suitable for teams that need to manage complex content operations.
Like Contentful, Sanity separates content from presentation, allowing content to be delivered to websites, apps, and other platforms through its APIs.
Key Features:
Sanity provides:
- Headless CMS with customizable studio.
- Structured content editing.
- Real-time collaboration.
- GraphQL and GROQ query language.
- Content Lake for unified content storage.
- Media management with transformations.
- Version history.
- API-first architecture.
- Webhooks and integrations.
- Developer-friendly tools.
- Free tier available.
- Portable Text for rich content.
Pros:
Sanity offers customization of the editing experience and powerful query capabilities. The real-time collaboration features work well for content teams.
Cons:
Like other headless options, Sanity requires developer resources for implementation. The learning curve can be steep for complex configurations.
17. Strapi
Strapi is an open-source headless CMS that developers can self-host and customize.
Strapi is free to download and run on your own infrastructure, making it appealing to organizations that want complete control over their CMS.
Strapi supports both RESTful and GraphQL APIs and can be deployed to any hosting environment that supports Node.js.
Strapi User Comments And Reviews
Users agree that Strapi’s self-hosted CMS provides control but requires effort to manage updates, backups, and security.
Discussions around deployment for full-stack apps with Strapi highlight the benefits of Node.js hosting, databases, and scaling.
But developers have to manage both backend and front-end infrastructure, which is more complex than simpler options like Contentful. Skilled teams can benefit from this, but organizations without DevOps expertise might face difficulties.
Key Features:
Strapi offers:
- Open-source headless CMS.
- Self-hosted option.
- Customizable admin panel.
- Content type builder.
- Role-based access control.
- API auto-generation (REST & GraphQL).
- Plugin system.
- Media library.
- Internationalization.
- Webhooks.
- Developer CLI.
- Database flexibility (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, MongoDB).
Pros:
Strapi is open-source and free to self-host. It offers extensive customization possibilities and a modern developer experience.
Cons:
Self-hosting requires technical expertise for deployment and maintenance. While the code is free, hosting and support costs should be factored in.
Static Site Generators
18. Hugo
Hugo is a static site generator that builds websites from plain text files, creating HTML pages that can be hosted anywhere without requiring a database or server-side processing.
Static site generators like Hugo produce fast websites because they serve pre-built HTML rather than generating pages on each request like traditional CMS platforms do.
Hugo is written in Go and is known for being one of the fastest static site generators available, capable of building sites with thousands of pages in seconds.
The platform suits developers building documentation sites, technical blogs, and content-focused websites that don’t require dynamic features like user comments or real-time updates.
Hugo User Comments And Reviews
Developer communities praise Hugo for its rapid build speed, enabling quick deployment of large sites. This performance provides developers with near-instant previews, potentially increasing productivity. Its speed justifies learning its template syntax and conventions.
Hugo suits technical teams familiar with markdown, git, and command-line tools, but may present challenges to non-technical editors used to visual editors and previews.
The static architecture also limits features like search, comments, or dynamic content, requiring third-party services or client-side JavaScript.
Key Features:
Hugo includes:
- Static site generator.
- Extremely fast build times.
- No dependencies to install (single binary).
- Flexible content organization.
- Template system.
- Built-in server for development.
- Image processing.
- Multi-language support.
- Shortcodes for custom content.
- Data files support.
- Theme system.
- Markdown support.
- Automatic RSS feeds.
Pros:
Hugo is fast and produces secure, high-performance websites. Sites can be hosted on simple static hosting services at low cost.
Cons:
Static site generators require technical knowledge and aren’t suitable for non-technical users. Dynamic features require third-party services or custom development.
19. Jekyll
Jekyll is a static site generator that was created by one of GitHub’s co-founders and has strong integration with GitHub Pages for free hosting.
Like Hugo, Jekyll builds websites from text files, but it’s written in Ruby and uses the Liquid templating language.
Jekyll has been around longer than Hugo and has a large ecosystem of themes and plugins, making it one of the most popular static site generators.
The platform is popular for project documentation, personal blogs, and simple company websites that don’t require complex dynamic features.
Jekyll User Comments And Reviews
GitHub Pages with Jekyll benefits open-source projects by removing hosting costs and the need for technical expertise, as Jekyll can build sites automatically from markdown files. Users highlight that ease of hosting helps offset Jekyll’s slower build times versus Hugo for small sites.
The Ruby dependency causes friction in some environments. Jekyll projects require a Ruby toolchain, adding complexity compared to Hugo’s single binary. While Ruby-savvy teams see this as an advantage, others may prefer static generators in their language of choice.
Key Features:
Jekyll provides:
- Static site generator.
- GitHub Pages integration.
- Plugin system.
- Liquid templating.
- Markdown support.
- YAML front matter.
- Collections for content types.
- Sass support.
- Draft posts.
- Permalinks customization.
- Theme system.
- Command-line interface.
- Data files.
Pros:
Jekyll integrates seamlessly with GitHub Pages for free hosting. It has a large community and many available themes and plugins.
Cons:
Build times are slower than Hugo, especially for larger sites. Requires Ruby installation and can have dependency management issues.
Why Consider Alternatives To WordPress?
The dominance of WordPress as a CMS doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for every website. Several factors drive website owners to explore alternatives:
- Platform concerns: The fallouts within the WordPress ecosystem, have created uncertainty about the platform’s direction and stability.
- Specific needs: While WordPress is versatile, some websites have particular requirements for which other platforms are better suited.
- Ease of use: Some users find WordPress challenging, especially if they lack technical skills.
- Maintenance and security: As an open-source platform, WordPress requires users to handle updates, backups, and security measures themselves.
- Built-in features: Some alternatives come with built-in features that WordPress requires plugins for.
- Performance considerations: Research from HTTPArchive shows that WordPress ranks last among major CMS platforms for Core Web Vitals performance.
- Customization philosophy: While WordPress offers many customization options, some users prefer platforms that allow more granular control over appearance and functionality.
- Simplicity: Other publishing platforms might be better fits for users who want a simple platform to publish content without dealing with the complexities of managing a website.
Understanding The WordPress/WP Engine Dispute
The “internal issues” at WordPress reference an ongoing legal battle between WordPress/Automattic and hosting provider WP Engine that began in September 2024. WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg publicly criticized WP Engine at WordCamp US, leading to WordPress.org temporarily blocking WP Engine’s access to plugins and themes.
WP Engine filed a lawsuit alleging extortion and abuse of power. A court-ordered preliminary injunction restored WP Engine’s access, but litigation continues.
How To Choose An Alternative To WordPress
Choosing the right WordPress alternative depends on your specific needs and goals. Consider these factors when making your decision.
- Purpose of your website: Determine its primary purpose. Is it a blog, an online store, a portfolio, or a complex business website?
- Budget: Consider your budget for building and maintaining your website. Some alternatives are free (Blogger, Drupal, Joomla), while others require subscriptions (Squarespace, Webflow) or take percentage fees (Substack, Medium).
- Technical skills: Assess your technical skills and those of your team. Some alternatives are designed for users with little coding experience, while others may require more technical knowledge.
- Customization and flexibility: Evaluate how much control you want over your website’s appearance and functionality.
- Scalability: Consider your website’s potential for growth. If you anticipate significant traffic increases or content expansion, choose a platform that can scale with your needs.
- Support and community: Look into the level of support and the size of the community surrounding each alternative.
- Hosting: Decide whether you prefer a self-hosted solution or a managed platform.
- Features: List the features your website requires, such as multilingual support, membership systems, or advanced product variations. Ensure that your chosen alternative offers these features natively or through extensions.
- SEO capabilities: While Google’s John Mueller confirms that the choice of CMS doesn’t affect rankings, platforms differ in how easily you can implement SEO best practices.
Which Platform Is Right For You?
With so many options, determining the right alternative to WordPress depends on matching platform strengths to your specific needs and goals.
For individuals and small businesses seeking easy-to-use website builders, Wix, Squarespace, or Webflow offer intuitive interfaces with varying levels of design control. Wix provides the most flexibility and features, Squarespace emphasizes visual design, and Webflow caters to those wanting professional-grade control without coding.
For pure blogging and publishing, Ghost, Substack, and Medium each serve different writer needs. Ghost works best for publishers building sustainable businesses with memberships and newsletters. Substack simplifies subscription publishing with built-in payments and delivery. Medium provides maximum distribution to a built-in audience without technical concerns.
For online stores, Shopify leads the market with its comprehensive ecommerce toolkit and 8,000+ apps, making it suitable for most online retail operations. BigCommerce offers more built-in features without app costs, appealing to growing businesses. PrestaShop and Adobe Commerce serve merchants who need complete control or enterprise-level features.
For developers and tech-savvy users who value flexibility and customization, headless CMS options like Contentful, Sanity, and Strapi enable modern application architectures. Traditional open-source platforms like Joomla and Drupal provide robust frameworks for complex sites, with Drupal CMS now offering a no-code entry point.
For publishers prioritizing speed and performance, static site generators like Hugo and Jekyll eliminate database queries entirely, though they require technical knowledge. These platforms excel at documentation, technical blogs, and content that doesn’t need frequent real-time updates.
Looking Ahead
The CMS market continues evolving, with WordPress maintaining dominance and website builders gaining ground. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Wix grew 28.9%, Squarespace grew 9.7%, and Shopify grew 3%, while WordPress contracted 2.9%. This reflects industry trends toward managed solutions with lower technical overhead.
No matter your requirements, thoroughly assessing your website goals, budget, and technical abilities will help you select the right platform. Each alternative offers advantages for specific use cases. The best choice aligns with how you work, what you’re building, and where you want to grow.
More Resources:
- Should You Still Use WordPress?
- WordPress SEO Myths Busted: What You Really Need To Know
- WordPress SEO Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock
