The Best CMS of 2025: Best Blog, E-com and Enterprise CMSs

If your business has a website, you need a content management system (CMS). A good CMS makes it easy to add, edit and remove website content without ever writing a single line of code. Rather than continually relying on a web developer to make small changes to your website, you or a member of your team can take care of things as they come up.

Some content management systems help you build new web pages, while others are strictly for adding written copy to existing pages. If you run an e-commerce business, content management systems can help you keep your product pages organized and up to date.

The type of CMS you need depends on your business model and company size.There are a lot of details to consider when selecting the best CMS for websites. We've evaluated the best blog, e-commerce, and enterprise CMS options for every use case, including:

• WordPress
• WooCommerce
• Drupal
• Joomla
• Squarespace
• Adobe Commerce
• Adobe Experience Manager
• Hubspot
• Shopify
• Kentico
• Craft
• TYPO3
• Wix
• BigCommerce
• Ghost
• Textpattern
• Magnolia
• DotCMS
• Blogger
• Concrete
• Umbraco
• Sitecore
• Grav
• Agility CMS
• SharePoint
• Oracle WebCenter Content

Ready to get started? Let's find the perfect content management system for your business!

WordPress

There are two versions of the WordPress content management system: WordPress.com, which is proprietary, and WordPress.org, an open-source software. Both are great content management systems with extensive customization options.

If you're not very technical, WordPress.com is the place to start. For a reasonable monthly fee, WordPress takes care of hosting your website and you can create new pages directly in your web browser.

WordPress.org is free, but you must arrange your own web hosting. This structure makes it the better choice for business owners who are technical or have a professional WordPress developer to help them. Its rich customization options and wide variety of plugins make it a great CMS for SEO purposes.

The WordPress platform is a very popular CMS used by businesses of all sizes. Over 40% of all websites run on WordPress, including blogs, e-commerce stores, community forums, Fortune 500 companies, and nonprofits.

Features

• Over 59,000 available plugins
• Support for blog, landing page, and e-commerce content management
• Free and premium themes to change the way a website looks and feels
• Support for custom WordPress theme development
• Customizable back end dashboard
• Multiple user profiles

Advantages

• Works as a headless or coupled CMS
• WordPress plugins make it easy to customize site functionality.
• SEO tools like Yoast help with web content optimization.
• Includes a digital asset manager
• WYSIWYG text editing
• E-commerce functionality

Disadvantages

• There are fewer plugins for the proprietary version of WordPress
• Some plugins may slow down website speed
• Open-source WordPress has limited customer support options
• Plugins may have additional subscription fees
• Because so many people use this CMS, WordPress sites may be more accessible to hackers.

Pricing

While the open-source version is free to download, you will need to select and pay for a WordPress hosting provider. Depending on the type of hosting, billing period, and features you select, this typically costs anywhere from $2.50 to $10 per month for one small business website. Enterprise website hosting costs are likely to be higher due to increased website traffic and security features.

The coupled CMS version of WordPress is also free if you opt to use a WordPress subdomain. To connect your domain, you'll need a paid plan:

• Personal blogs start at $4 per month, billed annually.
• Small business websites start at $8 per month, billed annually.
• E-commerce sites start at $45 per month, billed annually.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce isn't a standalone CMS. It's a plugin that places an e-commerce content management system inside your open-source WordPress dashboard. The business intelligence service BuiltWith reports that over four million websites use WooCommerce, many with high traffic levels.

Features

• Allows you to accept credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal transactions
• Suitable for selling physical or digital goods
• Blends seamlessly with your WordPress site and theme
• Works with WordPress user profiles
• Provides the option to activate customer accounts
• Built-in order and inventory management

Advantages

• Works as a coupled or headless CMS
• WooCommerce is free to download along with its payment, shipping, and tax add-ons.
• Easily customize functionality with plugins
• Optional bulk upload of products using a spreadsheet
• Supports categories, subcategories, filters, and product tagging
• Suitable for selling physical or digital products

Disadvantages

• Does not include any hosting options
• No native retail point-of-sale (POS) system
• Additional plugins are required to sell tickets, memberships, and bundled products.
• Limited customer support options
• Only works on WordPress.org websites

Pricing

It's free to download WooCommerce and add product pages to your website. The cost to add additional features varies by plugin.

Drupal

Drupal is an open-source content management system similar to WordPress.org. It works for any type of website but is notably popular with enterprise-level businesses, media companies, universities, and other large institutions—including over 150 governments.

There is no proprietary version of Drupal. If you don't have an in-house development team, you can enlist the help of an independent Drupal developer to set up your site.

Features

• Works as a headless or a coupled CMS
• Great for publishing web content or selling products
• Supports multilingual content
• Expand site functionality with over 47,000 Drupal modules
• Includes digital asset management features
• Content monetization capabilities

Advantages

• Supports omnichannel e-commerce and retail
• A dedicated security team and Drupal Steward firewall
• Sites are compatible with screen readers and other assistive devices
• Works with the Yoast search engine optimization plugin
• Compatible with Salesforce and other enterprise systems via API

Disadvantages

• Not as user-friendly as a proprietary CMS
• Limited themes and templates
• Does not include web hosting
• Limited customer support
• Difficult to customize

Pricing

Drupal is free to download—you just need to pay for hosting, a domain name, and any premium plugins that you'd like to use.

Joomla

Joomla is an open-source CMS that powers two million active websites. By default, this CMS supports publishing blogs and landing pages. E-commerce functionality is possible with the help of third-party extensions. Joomla users must install the CMS on a web host of their choice to build a full-featured website with a custom domain. A Joomla developer can help with this process.

Features

• Coupled CMS setup
• Robust SEO metadata and site mapping capabilities
• Supports over 70 languages
• Works with over 8,000 extensions
• Multiple user profiles
• Cache management to boost site speed

Advantages

• You can try it out on a Joomla subdomain.
• Supports ongoing website growth
• Allows the creation of PHP web applications
• Responsive templates
• Saves previous versions of your content

Disadvantages

• No included hosting for sites with custom domains
• Plugins may have additional fees
• Limited customer support
• No native retail POS system
• Has fewer plugins than open-source WordPress

Pricing

Like open-source WordPress and Drupal, Joomla is free to download and install on a web host of your choice. You will need to pay for the cost of hosting, as well as a domain name and any premium plugins.

Squarespace

Squarespace is an all-in-one platform for content management, website creation, email marketing, member portals, appointment booking, and product sales. The drag-and-drop aspect of the website builder makes it perfect for non-technical small business owners who want to easily control the layout of their websites. Squarespace Enterprise offers customized solutions for large businesses that would like to use the platform.

Over three million subscribers use Squarespace for a business website, blog, or e-commerce store.

Features

• Proprietary CMS structure that includes hosting
• Drag-and-drop page design
• Mobile app-based retail POS capabilities
• Mobile-responsive website templates
• Built-in analytics dashboard
• Free 14-day trial

Advantages

• Supports custom Squarespace development
• Users can purchase a domain through Squarespace
• No website traffic, storage, or bandwidth limits
• Suitable for managing a blend of online and in-person sales
• 24/7 customer support

Disadvantages

• A limited selection of plugins
• New versions of the CMS may not roll out to existing users' websites
• Email marketing, appointment booking, and member areas incur additional fees
• E-commerce is not available on every plan tier
• Limitations on DIY template customization

Pricing

Squarespace offers four plans:

• Basic: $16 per month or $144 per year
• Business: $26 per month or $126 per year
• Commerce: $35 per month or $312 per year
• Advanced commerce: $54 per month or $480 per year

Customers may also choose from various add-on plans. These costs are on top of the monthly or annual fee paid to create and host a website:

• Scheduling:$15 to $50 per month
• Email marketing: $7 to $68 per month
• Member Areas: $10 to $40 per month

An additional plan called Squarespace Select is available for $4,900 per year, per site. This service comes with a dedicated account manager, an SEO consultation, and design consultation.

Because Squarespace Select services are still partially DIY, many users may find hiring an independent web designer or SEO expert to be more effective.

Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento)

Adobe Commerce, formerly known as Magento, is an e-commerce CMS for businesses of all sizes. The very flexible platform is well suited for use by companies who anticipate rapid growth in the near future. Over 213,000 websites use Adobe Commerce.

Features

• Works as a headless CMS
• Includes a drag-and-drop option called Page Builder
• Comes with cloud-based website hosting
• SEO-friendly page architecture and metadata
• Tailor page content to customer segments
• Adapt page content in real-time based on user behavior

Advantages

• Scalable design that grows with your business
• Supports omnichannel commerce
• Highly customizable
• Allows users to schedule content changes in advance
• Available as a proprietary hosted CMS or open-source download

Disadvantages

• There are far fewer extensions for Adobe Commerce compared to WordPress.
• Steep learning curve
• May require the help of a Magento developer
• The proprietary version may be too expensive for very small businesses.
• Not the best choice for websites with a variety of content needs

Pricing

Adobe Commerce is a proprietary cloud-based solution; interested users must contact Adobe for a quote. The company also offers Magento Open Source, a free CMS software with fewer features.

Adobe Experience Manager

Adobe Experience Manager is the counterpart to Adobe Commerce. This CMS works well for creating business services websites and longer-form content, not e-commerce stores. Over 42,000 websites use Adobe Experience Manager as a CMS, including large universities and enterprise-level businesses.

Features

• Works as a headless CMS
• Page-building tools for use as a coupled CMS
• Multichannel content support
• Digital asset manager (DAM)
• Cloud-based managed services
• Adobe Sensei artificial intelligence (AI)

Advantages

• Pre-made content templates
• Use machine learning data to make customer segmentation decisions
• Push content to websites, apps, and the Internet of Things (IoT)
• Works with Android, Microsoft, Samsung, BrightSign, and Chromium-based digital signs and kiosks
• Integrates with Hootsuite and other digital marketing tools via extensions

Disadvantages

• Steep learning curve
• May require ongoing support from a web developer or IT consultant
• A limited selection of extensions
• It may be too expensive for non-enterprise businesses.
• Cannot separate CMS and DAM access if you don't need an asset manager

Pricing

Adobe Experience Manager is reportedly expensive, but the company does not reveal its pricing online. Interested businesses must contact Adobe for a quote.

Hubspot

The CMS Hub by Hubspot is a content management system for business service pages and blogs. While the Hubspot CMS can support custom website design and development, it includes drag-and-drop themes that are easy to use.

BuiltWith reports that over 85,000 websites use CMS Hub—about 70% of Hubspot's total subscriber base.

Features

• Proprietary, coupled CMS structure
• Feeds website visitor data into the Hubspot CRM
• Includes pre-built website themes
• Automatic A/B testing tools
• Attribution reports for evaluating lead generation
• Chatbot builder

Advantages

• Multilingual content and SEO
• Multiple user permission levels
• Includes web hosting and a content delivery network (CDN)
• 24/7 phone support
• 14-day free trial

Disadvantages

• Only integrates with 32 third-party apps
• Many features require other Hubspot services
• Not as customizable as WordPress or Adobe Experience Manager
• Single-channel content management
• Not ideal for e-commerce use

Pricing

Hubspot offers three pricing tiers for the CMS Hub:

• Starter: $25 per month or $270 per year
• Professional: $400 per month or $4,320 per year
• Enterprise: $14,400 per year

Non-enterprise CMS customers also have the option of a Starter CRM Suite package for $540 per year. This option includes starter versions of the Marketing Hub, CMS Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, and Operations Hub.

Shopify

Shopify is a CMS for e-commerce stores. There are several Shopify plans for solo entrepreneurs, small businesses, and drop shippers—as well as a Shopify Plus tier for enterprise-level users. Over 1.7 million businesses around the world use Shopify.

Standard Shopify users do not need to be very technical to use the platform. It comes standard with various free drag-and-drop themes and one-click integrations to help with shipping, inventory, and more. Custom Shopify design is possible, too. It requires the help of a Shopify developer who knows the platform's Liquid template language.

Shopify users can publish blogs to go along with their storefronts. However, the system is e-commerce first.

Features

• Proprietary, coupled CMS structure.
• Shopify Plus supports headless commerce.
• User-friendly back end and theme customizer
• Native retail POS hardware and software
• Embeddable "buy buttons" that work on any website
• Large library of plugins for dropshipping, marketing, and more

Advantages

• Supports sales across multiple social and web channels
• Create multilingual content in 20 languages
• Run Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads from the Shopify dashboard
• Includes web hosting, a CDN, and PCI compliance
• Unlimited bandwidth and traffic
• 24/7 customer support

Disadvantages

• Web developers must know the Shopify Liquid language to work on themes.
• Not suitable for launching websites without an e-commerce component
• Coupled Shopify is not as customizable as a headless or open-source CMS.
• Plugins may require an additional subscription fee.
• Migrating away from Shopify in the future may be complicated or require third-party services.

Pricing

There are five different Shopify plans to choose from:

• Shopify Lite allows users to add a "purchase" button to any existing website for $9 per month. It does not include the full Shopify CMS.
• Basic Shopify is $29 per month. It supports e-commerce sales and limited retail POS transactions.
• Standard Plans are $79 per month and include support for e-commerce and retail POS sales.
• Advanced Shopify costs $299 per month and supports e-commerce and retail POS sales with reduced transaction fees.
• Shopify Plus starts at $2,000 per month.

The "pro" version of Shopify's retail POS is available for an additional $89 per month, hardware not included.

Kentico

Kontent by Kentico is an enterprise CMS for managing content across websites, apps, and e-commerce storefronts. The platform requires technical development experience to set up and deploy. Once the software gets integrated with a company's tech stack, individual users can update content without writing code.

However, due to the headless and enterprise nature of the platform, it makes sense that it isn't as popular as Shopify or Squarespace. Kentico users include large publications, universities, and businesses.

Features

• Proprietary, headless CMS structure
• Multichannel content delivery
• Automated content translation
• Complete control over page design
• Built-in content task manager
• Real-time collaboration

Advantages

• Create front-end customer and back-end user logins
• Support for location-specific content
• Content delivery is customizable around the user journey
• Dedicated success managers for every Kentico customer
• Phone and email support

Disadvantages

• A small user base means there aren't as many online resources about this CMS.
• High monthly cost
• Steep learning curve
• A very limited selection of plugins
• Does not include any front-end themes

Pricing

The cost to use Kentico's CMS ranges from $1,249 to $2,499 per month. The service includes a free trial and developer account to test features.

Craft

Craft is an enterprise CMS used by global brands like Adidas, Netflix, Ikea, and Volkswagen. The company says that Craft CMS powers over 150,000 sites.

It's a very technical, open-source platform for publishing content or launching an e-commerce store. Like other open-source content management systems, Craft does not include web hosting. Anyone using this CMS will need the help of a web developer to set up the program. If using the headless option, you'll need the help of a web designer as well.

Features

• Headless and coupled CMS capabilities
• Manage multiple websites through one Craft interface
• Supports location-based multilingual sites
• The live preview shows changes in real-time.
• Built-in digital asset manager
• Group and individual user permissions

Advantages

• Category and tag-based taxonomies
• Supports custom form creation
• Block-based WYSIWYG content editor
• Edit images directly in the Craft DAM
• Optional member portals

Disadvantages

• Steep learning curve
• Most users will require technical assistance to set up the Craft CMS.
• A limited selection of plugins compared to WordPress or Shopify
• Some plugins are no longer updated
• No native retail POS system

Pricing

Craft allows individuals to use their CMS for free on one project, with one user account. Businesses that need headless capabilities and multiple user accounts must pay for the Pro tier. Craft Pro costs $299 for the first year and $59 per year after that. This fee does not include web hosting, a domain name, or the cost of premium plugins.

TYPO3

TYPO3 is an open-source CMS primarily meant for use by enterprise-level companies. It is a very technical program that requires web development and design experience to set up. BuiltWith reports that there are just over 300,000 live websites using TYPO3 for content management, including high-traffic corporate and travel-related brands.

Features

• Headless and coupled CMS capabilities
• Push content to websites, apps, and the IoT
• Includes customizable CSS themes for traditional use
• Integrate and create Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)
• Compliant with European and U.S. accessibility regulations
• Multilingual site support

Advantages

• Includes two years of security bug patches
• Preview content on mobile and desktop screen sizes
• Multi-site user roles
• Manage sites in multiple languages through one user login
• Support for non-Latin characters
• Compatible with the Yoast SEO plugin

Disadvantages

• Steep learning curve
• Does not include web hosting
• Not as many plugins as WordPress
• Limited customer support
• Ongoing customization requires web development and design experience

Pricing

TYPO3 is free to use. Like Drupal, Joomla, and open-source WordPress, users are responsible for setting up web hosting and obtaining a domain name.

Wix

Wix is a direct competitor to all-in-one content management systems like Squarespace. It may be used to launch business websites, blogs, or e-commerce stores and has 200 million users as of 2021. Wix is a great CMS for small businesses that want to DIY their websites and large enterprises seeking more customized solutions.

Wix includes a page builder, where individual users can select from over 800 drag-and-drop templates. Professional web designers can use Editor X, Wix's more robust editor similar to no-code design tools like Webflow.

Features

• Proprietary, coupled CMS design
• Drag-and-drop website builder
• Multilingual website support
• Includes hosting and security certificates
• Built-in analytics dashboard
• User roles and permissions

Advantages

• Multichannel e-commerce across web, social media, Amazon, and eBay
• Native retail POS hardware and software
• Dropshipping integrations
• Support for membership and subscription sales
• 24/7 customer support

Disadvantages

• Storage and bandwidth caps vary by plan
• A smaller list of available plugins than on some other platforms.
• No headless version for enterprise use
• Built-in analytics are limited to certain higher-tier plans
• Free plan restrictions include a long subdomain URL and Wix ads

Pricing

Wix offers multiple pricing plans to suit different business needs. Website-only plans are suitable for personal and small business use without e-commerce sales. Options include:

• Free: $0 per month, with restrictions
• Combo: $14 per month
• Unlimited: $18 per month
• Pro: $23 per month
• VIP: $39 per month

Companies in need of e-commerce functionality must upgrade to one of Wix's three higher-tier business plans:

• Business Basic: $23 per month
• Business Unlimited: $27 per month
• Business VIP: $49 per month

Enterprise CMS plans start at $500 per month.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a dedicated CMS for e-commerce use, powering over 54,000 live websites. While the standard version of BigCommerce attracts high-revenue businesses, there is another "BigCommerce Essentials" platform for companies with less than $400,000 in online sales per year.

Interestingly, BigCommerce works with several other content management systems on this list. Enterprise customers can use BigCommerce to power stores on sites built with WordPress, Drupal, Magnolia, or Adobe Experience Manager.

Features

• Proprietary, headless enterprise CMS
• Coupled CMS for small business
• Drag-and-drop page builder available on coupled enterprise and essentials plans
• No additional transaction fees
• Third-party retail POS integrations
• Multichannel enterprise commerce across web, social, Amazon, Walmart, and eBay

Advantages

• Multilingual, localized enterprise sites
• Location-specific enterprise inventory catalogs and pricing
• Built-in email marketing and retargeting features on Essentials plans
• Optional blog capabilities
• Enterprise-level support for retail and wholesale commerce
• 24/7 customer support

Disadvantages

• No native retail POS system
• No open-source version
• Fewer than 1,500 available plugins
• Product filtering is not available on several Essentials plans.
• Enterprise pricing only available through a sales call.

Pricing

BigCommerce enterprise plans are priced per customer and are only available by contacting the company for a quote. Essentials customers may choose from three plans:

• Standard: $29.95 per month or $359.40 per year
• Plus: $79.95 per month or $863.40 per year
• Pro: $299.95 per month or $3,239.52 per year

Ghost

Ghost is an attractive CMS that positions itself as an alternative to membership newsletter platforms like Substack and Revue. Built-in email and membership features simplify posting content online, distributing it through email, and implementing a paywall. Over 49,500 websites use the Ghost CMS, which is primarily popular with smaller businesses.

While Ghost is available as a traditional, hosted CMS, customizing the front end requires a level of familiarity with HTML and CSS. The assistance of a web designer may be helpful to get Ghost set up. After that, it's easy to use thanks to its WYSIWYG editor and stock photo integrations. The publication-focused nature of Ghost's interface makes it best suited for blogs and newsletters, not business services sites or e-commerce.

Features

• Open-source, coupled CMS structure
• Headless use requires considerable development work
• Attractive, free theme options
• Built-in content distribution via email
• Email-based membership signup
• Embed or link custom integrations through JavaScript and API webhooks

Advantages

• Unsplash integration for one-click royalty-free stock photo placement
• Open-source and managed hosting options
• Membership and subscription sales focused
• No additional transaction fees on top of Stripe payment processing
• Import and export email subscriber lists
• WYSIWYG content editor

Disadvantages

• A very limited selection of integrations
• Steeper learning curve than Shopify, Squarespace, or Wix
• Extensive theme customization is done in the Handlebars templating language
• Basic theme customizations require familiarity with HTML and CSS
• E-commerce use requires third-party integrations

Pricing

Ghost is available as a free, open-source download. Users are responsible for arranging web hosting, a domain name, and any necessary security features.

For users who prefer a complete package, managed plans are available directly through Ghost and some third-party providers like Midnight. Users who purchase a plan through Ghost may choose from four options. The cost for each plan scales up depending on the number of content memberships a business sells.

Ghost plans start at $11 per month for 500 members and cap at $3,019 for over 385,000 members. Once a user surpasses that threshold, they must contact Ghost for custom pricing.

Textpattern

Textpattern is another free and open-source CMS. It's highly customizable yet very technical, so the average user may need development help to fully take advantage of everything Textpattern offers.

This CMS has just over 2,200 active users, primarily personal, small business, and publication websites. There is no e-commerce functionality available in Textpattern by default or through a plugin.

Features

• Open-source coupled CMS
• Works with custom theme designs
• Simple user interface
• Reusable snippets to speed up content creation
• Multilingual back-end available in 50 languages
• User roles and permissions

Advantages

• Try out a hosted demo before downloading Textpattern
• Content-first design for straightforward publishing
• Lightweight software with minimal bloat
• Manage multiple sites
• Highly customizable with the help of a developer

Disadvantages

• It uses a unique markup language, not standard HTML.
• No WYSIWYG editor
• Content formatting uses the Textile syntax
• Fewer than 50 available plugins
• No e-commerce functionality
• No centralized theme library

Pricing

Textpattern is free to download; users are responsible for arranging web hosting and a domain name.

Magnolia

The Magnolia CMS powers over 2,800 live websites, including enterprise-level companies and media outlets like American Express, BMW, Thomas Cook, Toyota, and the New York Times.

Businesses may customize the Magnolia platform to suit any need through the use of APIs.

Features

• Headless, open-source CMS
• Supports omnichannel marketing campaigns
• Customizable analytics dashboard
• Digital asset management
• Automated content translation with Google Translator
• Works with BigCommerce

Advantages

• WYSIWYG content editing
• Integrates with MarTech platforms like Salesforce and Marketo
• Automated content translation
• Customer support team
• Free 30-day trial

Disadvantages

• Limited plugin selection
• No free option
• Requires development experience to set up
• Must be used as a headless system
• Some features require additional plugin purchases

Pricing

Enterprise businesses interested in this CMS must contact Magnolia for a custom quote. Self-hosted and managed cloud options are available.

DotCMS

DotCMS is a versatile content management system. It may be customized by java developers or managed by non-technical users thanks to its no-code templates. It is an enterprise-level system currently in use on at least 1,900 websites. Multiple brands and institutions use DotCMS, including Fitbit, Goodyear, and White Castle.

Features

• Proprietary, hybrid CMS
• Headless and coupled capabilities
• Supports no-code website creation or custom design
• Content versioning and historical site snapshots
• Personalize content delivery based on user attributes
• Workflow automations that streamline content creation

Advantages

• Manage multiple sites
• Built-in form creator
• Preview content as different customer segments
• Multiple user roles and permissions
• Headless e-commerce capabilities
• Digital asset management

Disadvantages

• Limited plugin support
• No native retail POS component
• Integrations require API development
• Significant learning curve
• No free version

Pricing

DotCMS is available to customers through a custom quoting process.

Blogger

Blogger is a free content management system that's part of the Google ecosystem. It is a straightforward blog CMS and does not lend itself well to creating business landing pages or e-commerce sites. Over 682,000 blogs use this CMS—its users are primarily independent publications, small businesses, and educational institutions.

As one of the older blogging platforms on this list, Blogger is great for beginners. Its interface is very simple and requires no coding or technical experience to set up.

Features

• Proprietary, coupled CMS
• Pull in other content through embedded widgets
• Reader comment and moderation capabilities
• Post tagging and filtering
• Mobile blog management
• Part of Google's AdSense network

Advantages

• Easy to set up in a few clicks
• WYSIWYG content editor
• Built-in analytics
• Mobile responsive designs
• Limited customer support

Disadvantages

• Limited theme options
• Infrequent updates
• No plugin library
• Only suitable for blog content
• Users must have a Google account

Pricing

Blogger is a free service available to any Google user. It includes hosting, but users must pay for the cost of a custom domain if they do not want a blogspot.com subdomain address.

Concrete

Concrete is an open-source CMS used by large organizations like the U.S. Army and Britain's ITV. Over 62,000 live websites use the Concrete content management system, most of which receive a medium to high traffic volume.

The platform works well for creating business services pages and corporate blogs. Companies may achieve e-commerce functionality with plugins for Stripe and Shopify. Initially installing and configuring Concrete requires the help of a PHP developer, but a WYSIWYG editor and drag-and-drop features mean you can add content to your Concrete website without much technical knowledge.

Features

• Open-source, coupled CMS structure
• Large theme library
• Modular drag-and-drop page blocks
• One-click updates, themes, and extensions
• Blog syndication and comment management
• SEO-friendly sitemap and directory
• Built-in multilingual content translation

Advantages

• Easy to add and edit content after installation
• Mobile responsive
• Integrates with business CRMs
• Author and user roles
• Managed hosting option available

Disadvantages

• Fewer than 1,000 plugins
• E-commerce may require additional service subscriptions
• No native retail POS system
• Does have a learning curve
• Customer support isn't free

Pricing

You can download Concrete CMS and install it on a web host for free if you know how. For teams that would prefer a more managed solution, Concrete offers three plans:

• Easy: up to $45 per month, no customer service support
• Pro: up to $745 per month, as-needed customer support for $180 per hour
• Fully managed: price upon request, includes ongoing customer support

Umbraco

Umbraco is a flexible content management system that bills itself as "the friendly CMS." Users may choose to subscribe to a fully hosted version of Umbraco or use a free download on the web host of their choice. Installing and configuring Umbraco requires the help of a .NET developer.

There are more than 731,000 active installs of Umbraco's CMS, including large enterprise sites like Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, and McDonald's. At its core, Umbraco supports landing pages and blogs, but e-commerce is possible with the help of extensions.

Features

• Open-source, coupled CMS structure
• Minimal, user-friendly back end
• WYSIWYG text editor
• Live multilingual content previews
• "Starter kits" to help launch blogs, stores, and more
• View analytics alongside the content editor

Advantages

• Choice of free or hosted options
• Hosted versions include Transport Layer Security (TLS), a newer version of Secure Socket Layers (SSL)
• Workflow-based editing
• Multi-device responsive preview modes
• Free, 14-day hosted Umbraco trial

Disadvantages

• May need to source themes from third parties
• A limited selection of plugins
• Multiple available versions may make selection confusing
• Basic hosted plans do not include CMS customer support
• Hosted plans have storage, pageview, and bandwidth limits

Pricing

Umbraco's open-source CMS is available for free or with personalized support for $7,500 per year and up. The company also offers four Umbraco Cloud plans for users who do not want to arrange web hosting:

• Starter: $39 per month
• Standard: $209 per month
• Professional: $569 per month
• Enterprise: $5,440 and up per month

A no-code hosted version of the CMS, called Umbraco Uno, is also available at the same price points.

Umbraco Heartcore, a headless CMS, is available for $49 per month and up.

Sitecore

Sitecore is an enterprise-grade content management system used by Puma, Subway, Procter & Gamble, and Volvo. Large companies may use it to create business landing pages, blogs, and powerful e-commerce shops. There are more than 17,700 sites currently using the Sitecore CMS.

Features

• Proprietary, hybrid headless CMS
• Push content to multiple channels, including IoT devices
• Personalize content a visitor sees based on their behavior
• Digital asset management
• AI-powered e-commerce search
• Dynamic e-commerce category creation

Advantages

• Widespread A/B testing
• Cross-channel visitor tracking
• Geography-based e-commerce personalization
• Automated email marketing content
• Omnichannel data consolidation

Disadvantages

• Use of all tools may require multiple license subscriptions
• AI personalization is not available on all plans.
• Pageview caps on every plan
• Salesforce integration may incur an additional fee
• No native retail POS system

Pricing

Sitecore is a very technical solution for large businesses that receive millions of page views per year. The company offers a complex array of plan configurations, so a conversation with a Sitecore representative is required to get a pricing quote.

Grav

Grav is a flat-file CMS, which organizes elements in a series of folders, not a database. This structure makes the program very lightweight compared to a CMS like WordPress, but Grav has its own set of technical challenges.

Installing and configuring Grav requires familiarity with HTML, PHP, Twig, command-line tools, and using GitHub.

Grav may be a suitable option for technical users who want to maintain a small informational site or blog.

Features

• Open-source, coupled CMS
• Smart caching system to improve site speeds
• Run multiple sites from one Grav installation
• Editable SEO metadata for every page
• Simple site backup and restoration
• One-click updates

Advantages

• Multilingual support
• Customizable content taxonomies
• Content version control
• Customizable themes
• User roles and permissions

Disadvantages

• Steep learning curve
• No WYSIWYG editor—format text with HTML or Markdown
• Basic themes may appear dated
• A limited selection of plugins
• Premium plugins have an additional fee
• Not suitable for e-commerce use

Pricing

Grav is free to download. As with other free, open-source content management systems, users are responsible for arranging web hosting and a domain name.

Agility CMS

Agility is an enterprise-focused CMS that blends headless capability with traditional content authoring capabilities. It is suitable for managing content across large business and e-commerce websites.

This CMS holds a smaller market share than its competitors, with only a few hundred websites using the platform. Their customers are quite large, though, including Hockey Canada, Shoppers Drug Mart, Scotiabank, Mitsubishi Electric, PepsiCo, and Visit Orlando tourism.

Features

• Proprietary, hybrid headless CMS
• Includes a CDN
• Full data encryption
• Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities
• Supports multiple sites
• Digital asset management

Advantages

• Built-in workflows for content teams
• Integrates with other services via APIs and webhooks
• Multilingual capabilities
• Manage pages and sitemaps without development help
• Schedule content to post in the future
• Dedicated customer success manager on some plans

Disadvantages

• No free plan options
• Highest-tier plan capped at 25 users
• No multi-factor authentication on the base plan
• Success manager only available for top-tier customers
• Base tier plan caps all content and assets at 50,000
• No plugins

Pricing

Agility is a CMS for companies with large budgets—the base plan costs $900 per month. Users also have the option of a $1,800 per month Pro plan or custom enterprise pricing.

Because Agility CMS does not have any plugins, users will need the help of a web developer to integrate essential business services via API.

SharePoint

Enterprise-level businesses that rely heavily on Microsoft business software may use SharePoint as a CMS for their company intranet. SharePoint sites support sharing documentation or fostering communication and collaboration.

Setting up SharePoint as a CMS and connecting intranet sites requires development work. Once setup is complete, non-technical users can add and edit documents with ease.

Features

• Proprietary, coupled CMS for intranet sites
• Includes SharePoint site templates
• Microsoft Office integrations
• Document search capabilities
• Integrates with Yammer conversations
• Supports custom workflows and apps

Advantages

• Multiple administrator and user roles
• Access online or via an app
• Flexible document sharing and control
• May create company-wide or team-specific sites
• Works on Macs and Windows PCs

Disadvantages

• Not for public-facing websites
• Has a learning curve
• Setup may be complex
• Users must develop an organizational taxonomy
• Office 365 is necessary to get the most out of SharePoint.

Pricing

SharePoint is available as a cloud-based solution. There are three available plans:

• SharePoint Online Plan 1: $5 per user, per month
• SharePoint Online Plan 2: $10 per user, per month
• Office 365: $20 per user, per month

Oracle WebCenter Content

Oracle WebCenter Content is another internal CMS for enterprise-level businesses. Unlike SharePoint, businesses may also use WebCenter for managing content on external websites.

WebCenter Content is useful for creating document repositories, wikis, and team sites. It does not support e-commerce stores.

Setup and deployment of Oracle WebCenter Content is fairly technical, requiring IT support and Java development work. Large enterprises like Mazda, Lyft, Siemens, and 7-Eleven all use Oracle database solutions.

Features

• Proprietary, traditional CMS
• Limit access to approved individuals
• Supports text, memos, slides, emails, and more
• Document approval workflows
• Digital asset management and multimedia capabilities
• Text recognition in digitized documents

Advantages

• Assign multiple user roles and permissions
• Folder-style document organization
• Create document shortcuts
• Search document metadata and full text
• Add documents through a web browser or Microsoft Office apps

Disadvantages

• Complete Oracle Cloud packages may contain features that some businesses do not need.
• Not ideal for creating marketing-focused websites
• Strong learning curve
• No Google Workspace integration
• Complex pricing model

Pricing

Oracle offers some content management features in its Always Free Cloud Tier plan. This package includes 10GB of object storage and may be suitable for small teams or users who would like to explore Oracle services before committing to a paid plan.

Paid Oracle Cloud plans with more services range in price from $0.098 per hour to $918 per hour.

Setting up a CMS

If the best CMS for your needs requires setting up hosting or building a custom front end, there are independent professionals who can help. Upwork's work marketplace is the place to hire web developers, front-end designers, IT managers, and content strategists. Start creating content more strategically by posting a job on Upwork today.

Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this section. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.