If you’re not acquainted to the world of CMS (or software for managing content (CMS) The following is the simplest definition of what it’s all about:
content management system allow people who don’t have the technical skills to design full-sized, professional-looking websites without needing to modify a single line or line of code.
We’ll go through the the top 9 most popular CMS platforms, based on their market share. We’ll examine each CMS platform’s features and needs, the types of business that are most appropriate for the platform, and more.
The 10 Most Popular CMS Platforms
The information contained in this article comes from these sources: BuiltWith and W3Techs.
1. WordPress (30+ Million Live Websites)
- CMS Market Share: 43.1%
- Live websites made with WordPress (Global): 36,000,00+
- Live websites made with WordPress (USA): 3 1,812,000+
- Percentage of sites using WordPress among the top 1,000,000 of websites: 28.79 Percentage
The most popular of CMS’s WordPress is still leading the market by a large margin. For the entirety of the Internet (websites constructed using or without an CMS), 35.6 percent of them areWordPress websites.
WordPress is an open-source program which means it’s free to download and install. However, establishing or uploading the content of your WordPress website requires you to purchase a custom domain as well as hosting.
Another advantage to WordPress is that it provides thousands of professional themes. You can also use virtually every feature with hundreds of plugins. A majority of plugins are available for cost-free (premium plugins are also available for specific uses) Additionally, WordPress themes typically are priced between $15 and $60and up.
Pros:
- SEO-friendly features
- Mobile-friendly features
- User-friendly
- Blogging function (WordPress software was developed to allow blogging)
- E-commerce is a feature that can be used
Cons:
- WordPress is easy to use, however it’s not easy to master and use in the beginning if you’re new to the site.
Additional information: How to build websites by using WordPress (homepage tutorial)
2. Shopify (1.8+ Million Live Websites)
- Market Share: 5.7%
- Online websites (Global): 4,192,000+
- Websites live (USA): 2,717,000+
- Websites that rank in the top 1,000,000 websites: 2.26 percent
Shopify is a market leading company in the eCommerce sector. Contrary to the other four most popular CMS platforms Shopify offers SaaS (software as an service).
The platform charges you an amount (from $29 to $299 per month) to handle the technical aspects of your store like hosting security, SSL certification, and any other tasks that you’ll need to manage your store.
Shopify integrates into its platform all the functions needed by eCommerce store owners require like the ability to collect payments, ship inventory management, discount and inventory management, and much more. Shopify has a variety of plugins to allow you to modify your store.
Do you love WordPress but you want to try out Shopify? It is possible to incorporate Shopify into your WordPress website, too.
Pros:
- SEO-friendly features
- Mobile-friendly features
- User-friendly
- Blogging functionality
- eCommerce is a feature that can be used
Cons:
- Cost – There’s a monthly cost to use the platform
3. Wix (Paid)
- CMS Market Share: 3.6%
- Online websites (Global) 8251,000+
- Online websites live (USA): 1,032,000+
- Percentage of websites that are in the top 1,000,000 sites: 0.76 percent
Wix is among numerous web builders created to be used by beginners. It’s also hosted fully, and Wix manages all technical aspects.
Wix provides a no-cost limited plan. Premium upgrades are available in paid plans, which begin at $13-$39 per month for websites with basic features and $23 to $500per month for eCommerce and business websites.
Pros:
- Features that are SEO friendly (better in the last few years)
- Mobile-friendly features
- User-friendly
- Blogging is a feature (not the same as WordPress)
- eCommerce is a feature (not so robust like Shopify)
Cons:
- Cost: There’s an annual fee for using the service, but Wix offers a no-cost limited plan.
- The options for customization and features are restricted for established companies.
4. Squarespace (Paid)
- Market Share: 3%
- Websites that are live (Global): 2,983,000+
- Websites live (USA): 2,225,000+
- Percentage of websites that rank in the top 1,000,000 websites: 0.63 %
Squarespace is a drag-and-drop site-building platform that doesn’t need the installation of your host server as there is no open source code. Like Wix, Squarespace has hosting, SSL certificates, support and many other features built in the software. The features are available in price, which ranges from $11 to $40 per month.
Squarespace is renowned for its sleek, modern templates. The design is minimalist and class, and the templates have lots of white space.
Pros:
- SEO-friendly features
- Mobile-friendly features
- User-friendly
- Blogging function (not so robust and secure as WordPress)
- eCommerce is a feature (not so robust like Shopify)
Cons:
- Cost – There’s an annual fee for using the platform
- The options for customization and features are limited for businesses that are more established.
5. Joomla! (1,5+ Million Live Sites)
- CMS Market Share: 2.7%
- Online websites (Global): 1,343,000+
- Websites live (USA): 321,000+
- Websites that rank in the top 1,000,000 websites: 1.47 percent
Although Joomla! is one of the most popular CMS platform, it’s not as popular as WordPress which is ahead in terms of share of market.
However, Joomla! is a feasible CMS for a variety of sites. It’s open source and free of charge, just like WordPress as well, and will need a domain that is custom-designed and hosting in order to get it get it up and running. One-click installation is provided by the majority of web hosting providers.
Like WordPress extensions, Joomla! provides extensions that permit users to modify the appearance of their website’s functions.
Pros:
- SEO-friendly features
- Mobile-friendly features
- Blogging functionality
- eCommerce is a feature that can be used
Cons:
- Not the best for beginners.
6. Drupal (Open Source)
- CMS Market Share: 1.8%
- Websites that are live (Global): 583,000+
- Online websites live (USA): 226,000+
- Percentage of websites that are in the top 1,000,000 websites: 2.98 percent
Similar to WordPress like Joomla! and WordPress Joomla!, Drupal is open-source and free software that requires the purchase of a custom domain and installing it on the hosting servers. It also has thematic themes as well as modules to permit you to personalize your website’s functions and features.
Why should you select Drupal instead of WordPress? While WordPress is simpler to use, Drupal is a powerhouse that is focused on complicated social publishing communities that have a lot of content and huge databases.
Pros:
- SEO-friendly features
- Mobile-friendly features
- Blogging functionality
- eCommerce is a feature that can be used
Cons:
- For user experience Drupal could require the assistance of a developer. assistance
7. Adobe Experience (Paid)
- CMS Market Share: 1.7%
- Websites that are live (Global): 38,000+
- Online websites live (USA): 16,000+
- Percentage of websites that rank in the top 1,000,000 websites: 0.45 percent
If you’ve ever edited any type of visual media , you’ve been familiar with Adobe. The range of products includes Photoshop to Premier The company also provides an CMS service that is dubbed Adobe Experience Manager.
Adobe Experience Manager advertises itself as an unmanned cloud-based CMS. It’s designed to function as an all-in-one platform with features to assist with managing content as well as interaction with customers.
Pros:
- Flexible multi-platform features
- Robust system
Cons:
- Price is based on a quote
- A steep learning curve
8. Google Sites (Free)
- CMS Market Share: 1.2%
- Websites that are live (Global): 775,000+
- Websites live (USA): 547,000+
- Percentage of websites that are in the top 1,000,000 sites: 0.2 0.2%
Google Sites strives to be an entry-level introduction to web development. It is accessible to anyone since it’s linked with the Google account. This means it’s completely free , just like the majority of Google’s offerings, with certain options.
It comes with a drag-and drop system as well as 15 free templates. There are templates for purchase that are available from stores such as Steeple. Because Google Sites is connected to your account, any upgrades to your storage must be applied to the service.
Pros:
- User-friendly
- Beginner-friendly
- Free
Cons:
- It lacks features to fully complete website.
9. PrestaShop (Open Source)
- CMS Market Share: 1%
- Online websites (Global): 296,000+
- Websites live (USA): 72,000+
- Websites that rank in the top 1,000,000 sites: 0.22 Percentage of websites in the top 1,000,000: 0.22
PrestaShop is a CMS service around it’s eCommerce platform. It’s an open source freemium service that charges only to add additional modules and templates.
In its role as an eCommerce platform, Prestashop caters to small and mid-sized companies.
Pros:
- User-Friendly
- Free
- eCommerce is a feature that can be used
- Open-source code can mean lots of flexibility.
Cons:
- Made for small and medium-sized companies, not more extensive eCommerce services.
- Issues with modules need experts to resolve the issue.
TL;DR
WordPress remains the most popular among every CMS platforms. It’s user-friendly and there are plenty of resources available, and it’s highly customizable.
If you’re in search of a do-it-yourself option, Wix or Squarespace will be the best choice, according to your business model.
If you’re running an eCommerce business and are seeking an open-source option, Shopify would be a excellent option. An alternative is to purchase an WooCommerce plugin for your WordPress page.
If you’re looking for an all-encompassing collaborative with a CMS platform, you should consider choosing Adobe Experience.
Are you ready to create your own website? Begin by following this step-by step guide.
