When building or having a website built, you can use different types of content management systems (CMS). A CMS is a software application where you can manage, create and put content online. With a CMS, creating and updating content in Web pages suddenly becomes a lot easier, with no technical knowledge required. To get a good understanding of some of the popular platforms and to decide what suits you best, I’ve listed the pros and cons for you.
Have website created in WordPress
WordPress is a very user-friendly platform and a website can easily be set up without a technical background. Maintenance is also very easy. WordPress also has the largest community of users and developers. There are many tutorials available and a lot of information can be found for necessary support and troubleshooting. With an infinity of plugins, you can extend the website completely to suit your needs and there is something available for every topic.
Finally, WordPress is SEO-friendly. This platform is out-of-the-box reasonably optimized for search engines and by using plug-ins such as Rank Math, the findability of your website can be improved in an approachable way.
WordPress is open-source, so it is available for free. You still need to register a domain name and arrange a hosting package. Of course, we can help you with this. You will have to pay for specific themes and plug-ins or premium features, but the free options may get you a long way.
What are the disadvantages of WordPress?
On a security level, WordPress is an easier target because the number of users is so large. Furthermore, complex themes and the overuse of plugins can affect website load times. Therefore, it is important to check and update these regularly. This is because themes and plugins can conflict and therefore cause problems. Thus, they should be updated regularly. Furthermore, WordPress also includes standard features that are not always necessary for every website. This can lead to overkill or unnecessary difficulty.
Having a website created in Webflow
The biggest advantage of Webflow is that you can put together a good Web site yourself with little knowledge. Furthermore, Webflow focuses on good responsiveness. This is essential for good presentation on different devices with different screen sizes. You can also be online very quickly with a Webflow website.
One disadvantage of Webflow is that it has limitations in design freedom. Basically, the platform is free, only this has its limitations and you will have to pay extra for additional features. You cannot publish your website on its own hosting and there is also no possibility of custom domains. Webflow does offer subscriptions at different levels. Think of subscriptions for individuals, but also for large-scale companies.
Having a website created in Shopify
Shopify is a platform specializing in e-commerce. In this, it is mainly about building and managing an online shop. You can use this platform without any technical knowledge and Shopify has its own shop full of applications, with which you can add all kinds of functionalities. Finally, Shopify also takes care of things like hosting, security and payments.
Shopify, like many platforms, also uses different subscriptions. There are many add-ons available, so you can make it as cheap or expensive as you want. The entry-level subscription is €21 per month.
Finally, Shopify offers many standard templates, so you have limited ability to customize your shop into something completely unique. To make your shop completely unique, you need to have the necessary knowledge of coding.
Having a website created in Wix
Wix, like many other platforms, is very user-friendly and very suitable for beginners. It has a wide range of templates and apps, allowing you to create many different types of websites. Wix has a free version available. This version is convenient, but you will also have to deal with Wix ads here. This can be perceived as distracting. In addition, Wix is less scalable for large websites, so it can be limited compared to platforms such as WordPress. Should you want to expand Wix, you can do so with a basic package starting at €10 per month.
Having a website created in SquareSpace
SquareSpace offers visually appealing templates and is especially suitable for the creative minds among us. It also offers features such as domain registration, hosting, e-commerce and is focused on responsiveness. It offers a total solution.
The disadvantages are the limited customization options, making SquareSpace less flexible than other platforms. The e-commerce part has the necessary limitations for complex web shops, so Shopify is a better choice due to more specialization in this.
Squarespace, like most platforms, also offers different subscriptions and starts from €11 per month.
What is a CMS and why do you use it?
What are the benefits of WordPress?
What are the disadvantages of WordPress?
What makes Webflow interesting?
Why should you choose Shopify?
What are the pros and cons of Wix and Squraespace?
Wix is great for beginners, but less scalable. Squarespace offers beautiful designs and all-in-one, but is less flexible and less suitable for complex web shops.
