TL;DR
While WordPress remains a dominant CMS, several alternatives in 2025 offer unique features catering to diverse needs.
Platforms like Squarespace and Wix provide user-friendly interfaces ideal for small businesses and creatives, while Webflow offers advanced design capabilities for professionals.
E-commerce solutions such as Shopify deliver robust online store functionalities. For those seeking open-source flexibility, Drupal and Joomla are viable options.
Each platform presents distinct advantages and limitations; selecting the right one depends on your specific website requirements and technical expertise.
WordPress dominates the Content Management System (CMS) landscape, powering over 40% of websites worldwide. However, its popularity doesn’t mean it’s the perfect fit for everyone.
Some users seek alternatives due to concerns over security vulnerabilities, performance bottlenecks, or the need for features WordPress doesn’t natively offer. Which then means plugins. Which then again means even more vulnerabilities and performance issues.
Whether you’re a small or medium business owner, a designer, or a developer, finding the right CMS can transform your website’s potential.
Let’s explore the top WordPress alternatives for 2025 and discover which platform aligns best with your needs.
TL;DR - Quick Intro to Each WordPress Alternative
1. Webflow: Webflow caters to professionals with its robust design tools and ability to create intricate, responsive websites without writing code. While it offers incredible creative and structural freedom, its steep learning curve might intimidate beginners.
In turn, that’s why Webflow is the most powerful and flexible platform on this list… Unless you need it for ecommerce. Then…
Considering Webflow? Meet with our team of web design, web and webapp development experts!
2. Shopify: Shopify is designed for e-commerce excellence, providing robust tools for building, managing, and scaling online stores. Despite its strengths in online retail, its blogging features and transaction fees for non-Shopify payments can be limitations.
3. Wix: Wix stands out for its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, enabling beginners to create visually appealing websites with minimal effort. However, its scalability and reliance on paid plans for advanced features may not suit growing businesses.
Even more so, if you need anything more than just a basic website.
4. Laravel + Statamic: Statamic blends the flexibility of Laravel with a clean, intuitive content management interface, making it a powerful choice for developers. However, its reliance on Laravel will require advanced technical expertise.
This makes it one of the most performant and flexible choices… Assuming you are coding the whole thing from scratch.
5. Squarespace: Squarespace offers an excellent blend of simplicity and aesthetics, making it ideal for users who want a beautiful website without dealing with technical complexities.
However, its limited customization and higher costs for advanced plans may deter users with more complex needs.
6. Drupal: Drupal offers unmatched flexibility and scalability, making it ideal for large organizations with complex needs. However, its technical demands require a higher level of expertise than any other platform on this list.
7. Joomla: Joomla provides a great balance of simplicity and advanced features, particularly excelling in multilingual support. However, its limited plugin ecosystem and steeper learning curve can be challenging for beginners.
8. Ghost: Ghost is a minimalist CMS tailored for bloggers, offering speed and simplicity for content-focused websites. Its lack of e-commerce capabilities and limited customization can be restrictive for other use cases.
9. HubSpot CMS: HubSpot CMS combines website creation with powerful marketing tools, making it a standout choice for businesses focusing on lead generation. However, its higher cost and less flexible design options might not appeal to all users.
10. Duda: Duda is built for teams, offering collaborative tools and fast-loading websites. Its limited integration options and high costs for advanced features might not suit all users, especially those seeking extensive customizations.
11. Hygraph: Hygraph shines as a developer-oriented CMS, delivering unparalleled flexibility and scalability through its API-first approach. However, it demands technical expertise and is less accessible to non-developers.
1. Webflow: Offers Complete Design and Website Structure Freedom
Platform Overview
Webflow combines the best of web design and development, catering to professionals who want full creative control. It’s known for its responsive design capabilities and CMS features tailored to teams that wanna move fast and do amazing stuff.
The biggest upside of Webflow is that Webflow CMS is so simple to use and powerful. But with great power comes… Well, great fails if you don’t have enough experience in making your own CMS architecture.
Hence for more complex builds it is key that you get a team that has done it many times before, to save you time, money, and any future headaches.
We are that team! Anyways…
USPs of Webflow: Most Significant Features
- Advanced visual design tools for complete creative control
- Responsive design capabilities for mobile-friendly websites
- Built-in CMS features tailored for both the most simple and the most complex content architectures
- Integrations with modern tools like Zapier and Google Analytics
- Hosting included with SSL, fast loading speeds, and global CDN
- SEO-friendly features for better search engine visibility
- Decent API that is being improved constantly
Pros and Cons
Webflow caters to professionals with its robust design tools and ability to create intricate, responsive websites without (or with) writing code. While it offers incredible creative freedom, its steep learning curve might intimidate beginners.
It’s easy to argue that it’s the best tool in the market. So it’s natural that picking up on all the features and superpowers that Webflow has, could be compared to learning all the features of Photoshop - even if you get like 20% you already can do almost anything.
Pros:
- Robust design tools and interactions
- No coding is required for advanced features
- Though, custom code and scripts integrate very well into it
- Very very SEO-friendly… if your content and SEO team understands how it works (and how it differs from other platforms)
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve
- More expensive than competitors
Use Cases
Best for any type of website, except ecommerce. AND I MEAN! Every. Type. Of. Website.
Except for ecommerce. That one goes to Shopify.
Pricing Information
Webflow’s pricing starts at $18/month for basic plans, with CMS plans available at $29/month. Advanced features like team collaboration and client billing require higher-tier plans.
Also using Webflow might require workspace plans that can be free, or cost from $28 to $60 per seat, per month.
Comparison with WordPress
Webflow’s advanced design tools and visual editor outshine WordPress, but its steep learning curve can be a drawback for beginners.
But for those who can crack Webflow and become proficient in it - WordPress starts looking like an inflexible joke.
Almost no website structure is too complex or too complicated for Webflow.
2. Shopify: Best Choice for E-Commerce
Platform Overview
Shopify is designed for e-commerce excellence, providing robust tools for building, managing, and scaling online stores.
USPs of Shopify: Most Significant Features
- Comprehensive e-commerce functionality for managing products, payments, and shipping
- Secure and reliable hosting with SSL included
- A vast library of third-party apps to enhance store functionality
- Mobile-optimized themes and seamless integration with social media platforms
- Built-in analytics and marketing tools for better business insights
Pros and Cons
Shopify offers plans starting at $39/month, with an advanced option available for $399/month. Additional costs may apply for third-party apps and features.
Pros:
- Robust e-commerce features
- Secure and reliable hosting
- Extensive app ecosystem
Cons:
- Limited blogging features
- Transaction fees for non-Shopify payment gateways
Use Cases
Ideal for online stores of all sizes.
Pricing Information
Shopify offers plans starting at $39/month, with an advanced option available for $399/month. Additional costs may apply for third-party apps and features.
Note that each country and location will see a bit of a different pricing in their currency, f.i. for me Shopify’s pricing is in euros.
Comparison with WordPress
Shopify surpasses WordPress in e-commerce functionality but lacks flexibility for other website types.
However, after their metaobject release in 2023, it’s really hard to say that you could not build complex CMS websites in Shopify. It requires real know-how knowledge, but unlike before 2023 - it’s very much doable!
3. Wix: A Beginner-Friendly Website Builder with Flexible Designs
Wix is a versatile website builder that offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making it ideal for beginners and professionals alike. With a vast library of customizable templates, built-in SEO tools, and an extensive App Market, users can create anything from personal blogs to full-fledged online stores.
Wix provides two editing options: Wix ADI for quick, AI-assisted website creation and Wix Editor for complete design control. The platform also supports eCommerce, bookings, and memberships, making it a scalable solution for growing businesses. Whether you're launching a portfolio or an online shop, Wix combines ease of use with powerful customization options.
Platform Overview
USPs of Wix: Most Significant Features
- Drag-and-drop interface for easy customization
- AI-assisted design tools to create personalized websites
- Extensive template library for different industries
- App Market to extend functionality with SEO, analytics, and e-commerce features
- Free plan available with basic features
Wix is a beginner-friendly website builder offering extensive design flexibility through its drag-and-drop editor. Its App Market adds functionality ranging from e-commerce to SEO tools.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Intuitive editor with AI-assisted design
- Large template library
- Free plan available
Cons:
- Limited scalability for large projects
- Ads displayed on free plans
Use Cases
Perfect for personal websites, small businesses, and event pages.
Pricing Information
Wix provides a free plan with ads, while premium plans start at $17/month. Business and e-commerce plans begin at $29-36/month.
Comparison with WordPress
Wix offers a more user-friendly experience but falls short in scalability and advanced customization compared to WordPress.
4. Laravel + Statamic: A Flexible CMS for Laravel Enthusiasts
Platform Overview
Statamic is a modern, flat-file CMS built on Laravel, offering developers a seamless way to create and manage dynamic websites without the complexity of traditional databases. Designed for flexibility, it integrates effortlessly with Laravel, making it an excellent choice for developers who want a powerful, customizable content management system. Statamic provides an intuitive control panel, version control with Git, and advanced content modeling, giving teams full control over site structure and content workflows.
With built-in APIs, extensibility through Laravel packages, and headless capabilities, it serves as both a traditional CMS and a robust backend for modern web applications. Ideal for developers and agencies, Statamic combines Laravel’s power with a user-friendly interface, making content management streamlined and efficient.
USPs of Laravel + Statamic: Most Significant Features
- Built on Laravel for seamless integration and developer customization
- The flat-file architecture ensures faster load times
- User-friendly interface with advanced features for developers
- Excellent multilingual support and robust content management options
- Active community and regular updates
Statamic is a flat-file CMS built on Laravel, offering a developer-friendly platform with modern features and intuitive editing interfaces. It’s tailored for projects where Laravel’s power and scalability are essential.
Pros and Cons
Statamic blends the flexibility of Laravel with a clean, easy-to-use content management interface. However, its reliance on Laravel may require some technical expertise.
Pros:
- Modern, intuitive interface
- Developer-focused with Laravel integration
- Strong community support
Cons:
- Requires knowledge of Laravel
- Paid license for Pro features
Use Cases
Ideal for developers building highly customized websites with Laravel or agencies looking for a robust backend.
Pricing Information
Statamic offers a free plan for personal use. Pro licenses, designed for business and advanced use, start at $259/year.
Comparison with WordPress
Statamic excels in flexibility and modern development practices compared to WordPress but lacks its extensive plugin ecosystem.
5. Squarespace: A Go-To CMS for Creatives and Small Businesses
Squarespace is a design-focused website builder offering stunning templates, built-in SEO, and eCommerce tools, making it ideal for creatives and small businesses.
With an intuitive drag-and-drop editor and all-in-one hosting, it simplifies website creation without sacrificing customization.
USPs of Squarespace: Most Significant Features
- Professionally designed templates for a polished look
- Built-in e-commerce, blogging, and portfolio tools
- Integrated marketing and SEO features for a broader reach
- Drag-and-drop website builder for easy customization
- Reliable hosting and robust support
Squarespace is a versatile, all-in-one website builder targeting creatives and small businesses. It offers stunning templates, built-in e-commerce features, and an intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
Pros and Cons
Squarespace offers an excellent blend of simplicity and aesthetics, making it ideal for users who want a beautiful website without dealing with technical complexities. However, its limited customization and higher costs for advanced plans may deter users with more complex needs.
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface
- Gorgeous, professional templates
- Integrated e-commerce and marketing tools
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Higher cost for advanced features
Use Cases
Ideal for portfolios, blogs, and small online stores.
Pricing Information
Squarespace pricing starts at $16/month, with an advanced e-commerce plan costing $49/month. Discounts are available for annual subscriptions.
In euros that would be…
Comparison with WordPress
Squarespace excels in design simplicity and ease of use but lacks the extensive plugin library and customization options of WordPress.
6. Drupal: A Powerful Open-Source CMS for Complex Projects
Drupal is a highly flexible and scalable open-source CMS designed for complex websites requiring advanced customization, security, and performance.
With robust content management capabilities, extensive module support, and enterprise-level security, it’s a top choice for large organizations, governments, and developers building dynamic web applications.
USPs of Drupal: Most Significant Features
- Highly customizable with an extensive module library
- Scalable for enterprise-level and high-traffic websites
- Advanced user permissions and roles for complex organizations
- Strong security features, widely used by governments
- Excellent support for multilingual and multisite setups
Drupal is a powerful open-source CMS favored by developers for its flexibility and scalability. It supports complex websites with extensive customization.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Highly customizable
- Excellent for complex, large-scale projects
- Strong security features
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Requires technical expertise
Use Cases
Best for enterprise-level websites, government portals, and large organizations.
Pricing Information
Drupal is free to download and use, but additional costs may arise for hosting, maintenance, and custom development.
Comparison with WordPress
Drupal offers greater flexibility and security, but WordPress is easier for non-technical users.
7. Joomla: Perfect for Multilingual and Community-Based Websites
Joomla is a powerful open-source CMS known for its built-in multilingual support and strong community features.
With flexible content management, extensive extensions, and advanced user access controls, it’s ideal for forums, membership sites, and global businesses.
USPs of Joomla: Most Significant Features
- Built-in multilingual support without additional plugins
- Flexible architecture for diverse website types
- Strong community support with frequent updates
- Advanced user management and access control
- Free to use with optional premium templates and extensions
Joomla is an open-source CMS known for its balance between simplicity and advanced functionality. It supports multilingual sites out of the box.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Flexible and scalable
- Strong multilingual support
- Free to use
Cons:
- Limited plugin ecosystem
- Less beginner-friendly
Use Cases
Great for community-based websites and large, multilingual sites.
Pricing Information
Joomla is free to use, but expenses may include hosting premium templates, and extension purchases.
Comparison with WordPress
Joomla offers more built-in features but lacks WordPress’s extensive plugin library.
8. Ghost: Ideal for Bloggers and Content Creators
Ghost is a modern, open-source CMS built for professional publishing, offering a clean, minimal interface focused on speed and SEO.
With built-in membership and monetization features, it’s perfect for bloggers, journalists, and content creators looking to grow their audience and revenue.
USPs of Ghost: Most Significant Features
- Lightweight and fast-loading platform
- Optimized for SEO and content-driven websites
- Minimalistic design focused on publishing and newsletters
- Built-in membership and subscription models
- Easy integrations with modern tools like Zapier and Stripe
Ghost is a CMS designed specifically for content creators and bloggers. It emphasizes speed, simplicity, and clean design.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Fast and lightweight
- Optimized for SEO and content delivery
- Minimalistic interface
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Not ideal for e-commerce
Use Cases
Perfect for bloggers and publishers focused on content.
Pricing Information
Ghost pricing starts at $11/month for basic plans, with higher tiers offering custom domains, advanced integrations, and team management features.
However! As your audience grows, the price will grow fast as well.
Comparison with WordPress
Ghost is faster and simpler for blogging but lacks the versatility of WordPress.
9. HubSpot CMS: Seamlessly Integrates Marketing and Website Management
HubSpot CMS is a powerful, all-in-one platform that combines website management with built-in marketing, CRM, and automation tools.
Designed for businesses, it offers drag-and-drop editing, personalization features, and seamless integration with HubSpot’s ecosystem to optimize lead generation and customer engagement.
USPs of HubSpot CMS: Most Significant Features
- Seamless integration with HubSpot's marketing and sales tools
- User-friendly drag-and-drop editor for quick website creation
- Built-in CRM for managing customer relationships
- Strong analytics tools to measure website and marketing performance
- Secure hosting with built-in speed and SEO optimizations
HubSpot CMS integrates seamlessly with its marketing suite, making it ideal for inbound marketing and lead generation.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Built-in marketing tools
- User-friendly
- Secure and reliable
Cons:
- Higher cost
- Limited design flexibility
Use Cases
Best for marketing-driven businesses and startups.
Pricing Information
HubSpot CMS offers a Starter plan at $25/month, while advanced options with more robust marketing integrations go up to $1200/month.
It’s hard to explain Hubspot pricing, and it is known to be one of the most expensive options out there. But! It can be worth it if you need many other, non-website-related, Hubspot features.
Hubspot is an all-in-one, enterprise-grade marketing platform first, websites are just a tiny feature on the side of it.
Comparison with WordPress
HubSpot CMS excels in marketing integrations but offers less design flexibility than WordPress.
10. Duda: Speedy, Collaborative CMS for Agencies
Duda is a fast, flexible website builder designed for agencies, offering collaborative tools, white-label solutions, and automation features.
With a drag-and-drop editor, responsive templates, and built-in client management, it streamlines website creation while ensuring high performance and scalability.
USPs of Duda: Most Significant Features
- Collaborative tools for agency teams
- Mobile-first design with responsive website creation
- Fast-loading websites powered by optimized hosting
- White-label options for agency branding
- Extensive template library and customization options
Duda is a website builder focused on speed and team collaboration, targeting freelancers and agencies.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Collaborative tools
- Mobile-friendly designs
- Fast loading speeds
Cons:
- Limited third-party integrations
- Higher cost for advanced plans
Use Cases
Great for agencies managing multiple client websites.
Pricing Information
Duda plans begin at $19/month for basic use, with team-focused plans and advanced features available at higher price points.
Comparison with WordPress
Duda is better for agencies but doesn’t match WordPress’s plugin variety.
11. Hygraph: A Developer-Friendly Headless CMS
Hygraph is a powerful headless CMS designed for developers, offering GraphQL-based content management for flexible and scalable digital experiences.
With API-first architecture, multi-source content federation, and advanced role management, it’s ideal for enterprises building complex, omnichannel applications.
USPs of Hygraph: Most Significant Features
- API-first architecture for omnichannel content delivery
- Scalable for enterprise-level applications
- Flexible content modeling and schema editing
- Advanced developer tools for custom integrations
- Secure and reliable hosting with excellent support
Hygraph is a headless CMS tailored for developers needing API-first architecture and scalability.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- API-first approach
- Excellent for omnichannel content delivery
- Highly scalable
Cons:
- Developer-oriented
- Higher learning curve
Use Cases
Ideal for developers creating complex, content-heavy applications.
Pricing Information
Hygraph offers a free tier for entry-level use, with premium plans starting at $199/month, catering to advanced and enterprise-level needs.
Comparison with WordPress
Hygraph offers unmatched flexibility for developers but lacks the beginner-friendly nature of WordPress.
Honorable Mentions
While these platforms offer excellent features and unique benefits, they didn’t make the main list due to narrower use cases or less widespread adoption compared to the top contenders. Nevertheless, they are valuable options for specific needs.
Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento Open Source): Adobe Commerce is a self-hosted, highly configurable platform ideal for businesses that have outgrown simpler e-commerce solutions. It excels in managing large inventories and high-traffic volumes, making it a robust choice for advanced e-commerce needs.
Weebly: Weebly is a user-friendly website builder that offers a range of customizable templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. It's particularly suitable for small businesses and personal projects seeking a straightforward website creation process.
Typo3: Typo3 is an open-source CMS known for its scalability and flexibility, making it suitable for enterprise-level websites. It offers extensive multilingual support and a robust permission system, catering to complex organizational needs.
Umbraco: Umbraco is a flexible and friendly open-source CMS that provides a robust platform for developers and content creators. It offers a clean user interface and the ability to create highly customized websites, making it a strong choice for those seeking a balance between simplicity and flexibility.
Conclusion
Choosing the right CMS depends on your unique needs. For e-commerce, Shopify or Squarespace shine. Designers might gravitate towards Webflow, while developers could opt for Drupal or Hygraph.
Bloggers seeking simplicity will find Ghost appealing. Each platform has strengths and limitations, so consider your technical expertise, budget, and project requirements to find the best fit for 2025.
Need help choosing? Schedule a free consultation with Nexus Creative, we can help you!
