WordPress is a free and open-source Content Management System (CMS). Originally created as a blog-publishing system, it is now used by more than 60 million websites of different types, including membership sites, Learning Management Systems (LMS) and online stores. The availability of great themes and plugins within the CMS makes WordPress one of the most popular website-building solutions in use.
However, WordPress may not be the perfect choice for everyone.
There are several instances when people look for alternatives to WordPress. Some small businesses might find WordPress too costly or time-consuming. Bigger businesses might feel like WordPress has little to offer when it comes to highly specific needs. And others might feel that WordPress, being an open-source platform, comes with safety concerns they aren’t ready to address yet.
Good news: WordPress is not the only publishing platform.
Whatever your requirements are, there are various other platforms that can be more suitable to use to build your website. So, in this article, we have hand-picked the best WordPress alternatives for you to choose from.
Wix
Launched in 2006, Wix is a popular free website builder with over 154 million active users.
What makes Wix a great WordPress alternative?
Easy Customization Control: Wix and WordPress both come with a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor. But, WordPress lacks a drag-and-drop editor. Wix covers up for that and gives users unprecedented ease-of-use. You need no plugins to aid in editing your website, and the learning curve isn’t steep.
If you don’t have coding know-how and extreme patience to customize your website, go with Wix instead of WordPress.
Other Features
- Wix has a loaded app market with 200+ plugins.
- You can choose from a range of 500+ premade HTML5 templates that are all mobile responsive. Basic blogging, SEO, and even eCommerce functionalities are available in Wix.
- Wix offers a free plan (with a small ad and without a custom domain). And there are multiple premium plans to choose from, based on your needs.
Weebly
There are over 1,683,700 websites on the Internet that are powered by Weebly. And that isn’t without reason. Weebly does bring to the table quite a few features that are hard to come by in other builders.
What makes Weebly a great WordPress alternative?
Design and Layout Choices: Weebly excels when it comes to design and layout choices. You get almost 100 themes that are completely customizable using the drag-and-drop editor. WordPress lacks a drag-and-drop editor and doesn’t offer as many or as stylish and unique designs and layout choices.
If you want a designer, visually-appealing website, Weebly is the WordPress alternative that you need.
Other Features
- Being a hosted service, Weebly takes away the stress of handling the hosting aspect of your site.
- Weebly offers a good selection of in-build tools, thus, eliminating the need for plugins.
- Weebly also comes with the basic eCommerce functionalities.
Squarespace
Over 2,478,000 live websites on the Internet today are running on Squarespace. And that is enough for us to consider it as a potent WordPress alternative.
What makes Squarespace a great WordPress alternative?
Security, Simplicity, and Support: Whether you have a small business website or have a personal website, you need security for your website without much hassle. Squarespace, being a closed-source platform, takes care of that. The open-source platform, WordPress, doesn’t have much to offer in terms of security. And even support. Squarespace has 100% free support. While with WordPress, you are at the mercy of the Internet.
Over and above all this, Squarespace doesn’t confuse beginners with multiple choices and offers a streamlined experience. This is unlike WordPress that gets confusing for beginners.
Other Features
- Squarespace is easy to use, even for DIYers.
- Almost all features are built-in in Squarespace. Plugin downloads are not needed.
- For expanding businesses, there is always an option to add extras that help your business grow.
Jimdo
Jimdo is a new-age website builder that is backed with AI capabilities. Jimdo Dolphin, the AI-based builder, is a simple and effortless way to get your website up and running by just answering a couple of questions. Jimdo Creator, the regular builder, is suitable for those who want to go the DIY route.
What makes Jimdo a great WordPress alternative?
Easy AI-powered functionalities: For portfolios, personal websites, and small businesses, Jimdo offers an easy site-building experience with Creator. And 100% effortless solution with Dolphin. Not only WordPress doesn’t have any AI functionalities, but it also requires the user to have basic coding knowledge.
Other features
- Jimdo offers Live chat support, FAQs, and tutorials for beginner-level users.
- It is an SEO-friendly platform with integrated blogging features.
- With Jimdo, you get a limited but free collection of responsive templates.
Site123
SITE123, much like its name, markets itself as a website builder that can get your website live in 3 steps. Start by answering a few questions, add your content in the bespoke template, and go live.
What makes SITE123 a great WordPress alternative?
Cost-effective website building solution: The basic SITE123 plan comes at $10.80 (when paid annually). And while WordPress is in itself a free platform, you need to make a lot of payments as and when you progress. From hosting fees to premium plugins and templates, there are a lot of expenses tied to WordPress. You might also have to pay for a WordPress developer’s services. But, SITE123 offers ease and is a cost-effective website building solution for those on a budget.
Other features
- SITE123 has an easy to use app market with fantastic apps.
- You get robust live chat support from the SITE123 team.
- SITE123 also offers mobile and tablet responsive templates for building your website.
Shopify
Shopify is the ultimate eCommerce website builder with over 1 million stores. It is the go-to platform for small and large online sellers alike.
What makes Shopify a great WordPress alternative?
One-stop, Robust eCommerce functionalities: While WordPress also offers eCommerce functionalities with WooCommerce, Shopify’s in-build functionalities outshine. Shopify offers ease of use, design flexibility, and unmatched sales features. For those running short of time, Shopify also offers customer support services. WordPress and the WooCommerce plugin don’t have as many functionalities and require a higher level of tech know-how.
Other features
- Shopify lets you set up shop with no coding and technical skills.
- Being an eCommerce centric builder, it offers several payment methods, sales channels, and other sales-relevant features.
- Shopify comes with hosting and security. And you don’t have to pay extra for that.
Joomla
More than 2.5 million websites use Joomla as their CMS. And with 300+ Joomla websites being added every day, it is undisputed that it does deserve consideration as a WordPress alternative.
What makes Joomla a great WordPress alternative?
Secure & flexible CMS: Joomla has quite a few inbuilt functionalities, especially for SEO, that WordPress lacks. This gives Joomla an added edge in terms of flexibility. Now, WordPress does try to cover up with plugins; it causes security concerns along the way. Also, WordPress doesn’t have SSL and 2-factor authentication, which Joomla offers as inherent features.
Other features
- Joomla is a free, open-source CMS that is easy-to-use.
- It comes with eCommerce support and external plugin options (though most of what you’ll need is in-built).
- There is an active community of Joomla users that can help you utilize it in the best way.
Webnode
Webnode is another great website builder that comes with a broad spectrum of features that are suitable for different sets of users. It is a low-cost, easy, and effective solution that gives tough competition to WordPress.
What makes Webnode a great WordPress alternative?
Cost-effective builder with security and support features: Webnode offers customer support, backup, and recovery options too. These come with premium plans starting at $3.95/month. Nothing of this sort is available with WordPress, and you have to use plugins or your expertise to navigate.
Plus, WordPress seems free, but the costs of premium plugins, templates, and hosting make Webnode a cost-effective alternative.
Other features
- Webnode is beginner-friendly and extremely easy to use.
- You get an option to optimize individual pages for SEO purposes.
- Webnode has blogging, eCommerce, and even statistics and analytics tools too.
Ghost
John O’Nolan, deputy lead for the WordPress User Interface team, posted a blog way back in 2012 about how frustrating it was to work with WordPress as a blogging platform. And that’s how the idea for Ghost germinated. This is enough to show that Ghost is, in essence, an alternative for WordPress blogs.
What makes Ghost a great WordPress alternative?
Content-centric platform: Ghost and WordPress both started as a blogging platform. And Ghost remains focused on content creation and posts. WordPress has evolved, and blogging has just become a part of the package. Ghost comes with inbuilt SEO and social functions that make it a loved choice for journalists, writers, and publishing portals. You’ll need plugins to do all that in WordPress, which invariably slows it down.
Other features:
- Written in Node.js, Ghost comes with a free self-hosted plan. You can also go for Ghost hosted solutions that start at $29/month.
- Ghost comes with Markdown support for when you want a helping hand.
- It offers a fast, clean, and appealing publishing solution with a prime focus on content.
Duda
Duda is another popular website builder that aims at easing the process of web development for small businesses.
What makes Duda a great WordPress alternative?
No hassle web building solution for beginners: Duda offers all the basic functionalities, available at multiple price points. And it has supportive and informative customer support. This aids the website building process, which is already simple in Duda, as compared to WordPress.
Other features
- Duda has a feature-loaded dashboard that offers multiple choices. It might take some time to get used to, but once done, it is easy to use.
- You get decent enough blogging, eCommerce, and even integration capabilities.
- Duda’s help center, extensive knowledge base, and live support make it a great pick for beginners.
Now that you know what the best WordPress alternatives are, we believe you’ll be able to find the best publishing platform that suits your specific needs.