Elevate Your Site with the Best CMS for Website Development

A content management system (CMS) plays an imperative role in building and managing your website. It helps business owners create content and manage it, especially when they have little to no programming knowledge.

More than 76 million websites have already availed benefits from a CMS solution. By collaborating with a reliable website development company and choosing a suitable CMS solution, you can build a robust website and generate traffic.

However, when there are thousands of content management systems available in the market, picking the best CMS for website development is not an easy task. Since different CMS for website development have different pros and cons, it’s crucial to choose one that aligns with your business goals and budget.

To make this task easy for you, we have compiled a list of the most popular CMS out there. Apart from encompassing the top CMS platforms, we will also discuss the notable features to keep in mind while making a choice.

Most Popular CMS Platforms to Consider for Seamless Website Development

A content management system helps in easily managing, modifying, and publishing content on your website. Below is the list of best CMS for website development that you can consider to handle your site’s content efficiently.

• WordPress
• Joomla
• Drupal
• Magento
• Contentful
• Kentico
• Shopify
• HubSpot CMS

1. WordPress

With over 43.3% of websites running on WordPress, the CMS solution is renowned as the best content management system. This content management system is popular for its high versatility and scalability. With over 58,000 plugins, WordPress is the best CMS for small businesses looking to craft an immersive website aligned with the top web design trends.

A popular example of a WordPress site is Sony Music.

Pros of WordPress

• Flexible plans easily suit individual needs and budgets.
• One of the best open source CMS for building an SEO-friendly website.
• An extensive gallery of free themes, templates, and plugins helps seamless website customizations.

Cons of WordPress

• WordPress lacks individual customer support. Users need to rely on forums and tutorials for customer services.
• Several themes and plugins are unreliable. One needs to check them for the quality aspects.

Pricing

Although WordPress is an open-source software, you need to purchase a web hosting service plan along with a domain name. The hosting services can vary depending on the provider and plan you pick.

2. Joomla

In the list of best CMS for website development, Joomla is another name that powers a large portion of live websites. Compared to other CMS web development platforms, Joomla offers added functionalities right away when you start building your website. Multilingual features are one of the notable features that separates Joomla from the other top CMS platforms.

The official website of renowned international tennis sensation Roger Federer utilizes Joomla for CMS services.

Pros of Jumla

• Easily manage a website with hundreds of sub-pages effectively.
• The CMS platform leverages two-factor authentication to prevent break-ins.
• Comprises 70+ languages for configuring and managing the websites.

Cons of Jumla

• The initial setup of Joomla is perplexing for beginners and non-technical users.
• You can observe a lack of coordination and compatibility among different plugins, modules, and extensions.

Pricing

Similar to WordPress, Joomla is free but leverages hosting services. Popular hosting service providers like Hostinger charge somewhere between $2.99/month and $9.99/month (depending on the plan) to provide hosting services.

3. Drupal

Often looked at as the best CMS for developers, Drupal offers a flexible API architecture that supports multiple digital platforms. Unlike WordPress and Joomla, this CMS website development tool provides several built-in features for improved performance and security. Moreover, websites built using Drupal get higher web traffic compared to other CMS.

The official website of the City of Los Angeles runs on Drupal.

Pros of Drupal

• Regular tests enable high security, making it the best CMS for website development.
• Drupal provides in-built modules to extend the site’s functionalities.
• An ideal pick for delivering personalized user experiences and marketing automation.

Cons of Drupal

• One needs a good programming knowledge of HTML, CSS, and PHP to use Drupal.
• Managing this CMS, like upgrading to the latest version, can be a time-consuming process.

Pricing

As Drupal mentions on its official website — ‘Drupal will always be free!’ With over 2500 themes and 40,000 modules, users can easily extend their site’s functionalities. However, web hosting will be required.

4. Magento

When it comes to developing e-commerce platforms, Magento is one of the best CMS for website development. The CMS offers several security-oriented and SEO-friendly features to ensure higher web traffic. With seamless ecommerce app development services, Magento can be used to create e-commerce stores capable of featuring a high number of orders.

One of the most popular e-commerce and electronic stores Olympus used Magento for CMS website development.

Pros of Magento

• Seamless and responsive content management across different devices.
• Magento provides secure payment gateways by integrating platforms like Cybersource and Worldpay.
• With a diverse range of languages and currencies, managing the e-commerce store in different locations becomes convenient.

Cons of Magento

• The initial setup is complicated.
• Listing e-commerce products and customizing designs can be time-consuming.

Pricing

Magento is one of the best open source CMS platforms for e-commerce development. However, for advanced enterprise solutions, you need a web hosting service along with a domain and paid integration tools.

5. Contentful

Unlike other examples of CMS, Contentful is a headless content management system that leverages APIs to present content as data. Due to this, Contentful offers a steep learning curve even for non-tech users. Besides, it is an ideal choice for companies that want a custom site integrated with other digital platforms, making it one of the best CMS for website development.

One of the notable examples of websites leveraging Contentful is the official website of Scandinavian Airlines System.

Pros of Contentful

• From mobile apps to web browsers, Contentful is highly adaptable to all digital platforms.
• The CMS platform is flexible with several types of content.
• User management and content modeling become seamless with this CMS.

Cons of Contentful

• While focusing on the backend, it often neglects to adjust the actual website layout.
• Although it’s feasible with all digital platforms, users need technical knowledge to create content specifically for them.

Pricing

Contentful follows a freemium pricing model. Users with a web hosting solution and a domain name can access it for free. However, the company charges around $489/month for additional tools and support.

6. Kentico

Kentico is another cloud-based headless CMS platform that leverages API development tools. It is a great CMS web development platform for sites that need multi-functionality. Its in-built marketing tools offer a competitive edge, making it the best CMS for website development with headless architecture.

A prominent example of a large enterprise website using Kentico is Skype.

Pros of Kentico

• Managing content and improving digital strategies becomes seamless with Kentico.
• Its marketing tools help reach wider audiences and engage with site visitors
• Kentico also comes with robust data backup features.

Cons of Kentico

• It is one of the high-priced CMS website development tools.
• To grow a website, users will need proficient technical knowledge.

Pricing

The headless CMS platform charges users based on customized plans and requirements. For instance:

• The developer’s plan is free.
• Its Scale plan is available at $2449/month.
• For the enterprise plan, there will be a custom price plan based on the requirements.

7. Shopify

With cloud-based hosting and integrated e-commerce functionalities, Shopify is considered one of the best web content management systems for e-commerce development. This CMS platform contains several options for the users to design, create, and build the store online easily with advanced features.

Gymshark, a popular British fitness apparel and sportswear e-commerce store, was originally developed on Shopify.

Pros of Shopify

• By leveraging the best ecommerce APIs, users can create well-structured and optimal e-commerce stores.
• The CMS platform comes with integrated payment systems.
• Shopify is a great pick for businesses dealing with drop shipping.

Cons of Shopify

• Pricing is a notable issue with Shopify. Its pricing structure often increases.
• The CMS has limited customization features and its content management portal is tedious, too.

Pricing

Shopify offers a free trial to the users. After that, they need to choose a specific plan based on their site requirements:

• Starter – $5 per month
• Basic – $29 per month (billed annually
• Shopify – $79 per month (billed annually
• Advanced – $299 per month (billed annually
• Plus – Starts at $2,000 per month

8. HubSpot CMS

Being one of the most popular CMSs out there, HubSpot offers users an option to create a website without constant edits and updates. Its user-friendly website development tools aid in crafting a site without any technical expertise. Moreover, with its integrated marketing and sales tools, businesses can easily enhance their reach and engagement.

A popular job portal Stellar Recruitment utilizes the potential of HubSpot CMS.

Pros of HubSpot CMS

• Increased user engagement with social media and email marketing tools.
• The CMS comprises a dedicated team that monitors the platform 24/7 for cyber threats and attacks.
• Best CMS for website development as it helps manage the site with smart content, SEO, and design management tools.

Cons of HubSpot CMS

• HubSpot comes with a limited range of website design themes and plugins
• There is hardly any direct technical support channel available for customer queries.

Pricing

The pricing plans for HubSpot CMS start at $23/month and go to $1,200/month.

How to Choose the Best CMS for Website Development?

While picking the best CMS web development platform, it’s crucial to look for the one that duly caters to your business needs. Below are some notable factors to keep in mind while choosing the best CMS tools for your website.

Pricing

There are different types of content management systems — some are open-source and free to access. Others are paid and charged a specific fee to use them. In fact, to use the best open source CMS, you need to pay for hosting. The pricing model of these CMS can significantly impact your overall cost of website development.

SEO-Friendliness

Another factor to consider whether the chosen platform is the best CMS for website development is its SEO-friendliness. Make sure that the CMS platform you pick offers you the relevant tools that help your site rank on search engines.

Personalization

Not all CMS website development tools offer this but personalization is a great addition when it comes to choosing the right platform. The right plugins and themes should be included in the content management system, helping in boosting website functionalities, improving its performance, and increasing conversions.

Security

This is one of the most crucial aspects to consider while choosing the best CMS for website development, especially when you know that it will hold ample user data. Some of the top CMS platforms manage security for you, while with others, you need to take responsibility for the same.

Usability

No matter how advanced your website’s CMS is, if it’s challenging to use or needs high-scale development knowledge, it can’t be the best CMS for website development. Ensure that the CMS platform is in sync with business objectives and give your enterprise a push toward its goals.

How Can Appventurez Help You With Developing a Robust Website?

Exploring the best CMS for website development and management is a hefty task, especially when there are so many options available in the market. However, a reliable website development company can help you select an ideal CMS solution for your business.

With over a decade of professional experience in website development and design, our experts at Appventurez can assist you with choosing the best content management system. Besides, we are well-versed in crafting immersive websites, delivered with seamless website design services.

Apart from website creation, our developers can also build robust web apps with impeccable web application development services. So, if you have a great idea in mind or want to enhance your existing website, we have got your back. Consult our experts and elevate your digital presence with a perfect web solution.