The 5 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
Tired of WordPress limitations? You're not alone.
While WordPress content management system has its perks, even so, its limitations can be frustrating.
This article will discuss the top five WordPress alternatives that offer better performance, security, and ease of use.
Get a coffee, and let’s have a smooth ride together!
Here is what we will talk about:
Why WordPress Alternatives?
How to Choose the Best WordPress Alternative?
Why WordPress Alternatives?
There’s no doubt WordPress isn’t going off the CMS market anytime soon. As of December 2024, it powers over 43.7% of websites worldwide, offering unmatched flexibility with thousands of themes and plugins, allowing you to build virtually any site.
But here’s the truth: It’s not a perfect fit for everyone!
Here are some reasons why you might want to consider WordPress alternatives:
Security Concerns
WordPress sites can be vulnerable to hacking, attacks, and spam, especially when using defective plugins. Recent eSecurity Planet data shows millions of WordPress websites are under threat after a security breach involving several popular plugins.
Some users also reported malicious codes in some WordPress plugins serving as gateways for security breaches.
Maintenance Requirements
Managing a WordPress site involves regular updates and maintenance to ensure optimal performance and security. This ongoing upkeep can be time-consuming and require technical expertise, which isn't ideal if you're looking for a more hands-off solution.
Learning Curve
WordPress can be overwhelming for beginners due to its extensive features and customization options. The platform's complexity demands technical backgrounds, making it confusing for users seeking a straightforward website-building experience
Plugin Dependency
WordPress plugins enhance a site’s functionality, but relying on them can cause compatibility issues and potential security vulnerabilities. Most importantly, using too many plugins affects your site’s performance, causing plugin conflicts, file permission errors, and more.
How to Choose the Best WordPress Alternative?
There are tons of WordPress competitors, but not all are best for your needs.
Here are some questions to consider before choosing the best WP alternative for your site:
What is the primary purpose of your website?
How easy does the CMS platform need to be for you to use?
What is your budget for building and managing your site?
Do you want control over hosting and domain management?
How important is strong security for your website?
How much control do you need over SEO settings?
Answers to the questions above make your graph perfect for the right WordPress alternative option to sign up for.
But wait 😲
We don’t want to put the cart before the horse. It’s good we decipher between the two WordPress sites so that we are on the same page.
WordPress.com Vs WordPress.Org: What’s the Difference?
Starters new to WordPress can be confused about the site they should click on when they search for “WordPress” on search engines. There are two WordPress sites:
WordPress.com - A hosted platform where your website runs on WordPress’s servers. Setting up and managing is easier without worrying about hosting or technical maintenance.
WordPress.org - A self-hosted version of WordPress that gives you complete control over your website. You’ll need to purchase hosting and manage technical aspects like updates, backups, and security.
The Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
Here are the top five alternatives to WordPress for different use cases:
1. Wagtail (& Traleor)
Wagtail is an open-source CMS powered by Django and Python. This CMS platform is developer-friendly and an ideal choice for websites requiring unique features or integration with existing workflows.
It has a StreamField feature which allows editors to build pages how they want without coding and helps website builders control how pages are displayed.
Other features, such as multilingual support, content API (use Wagtail as a headless CMS with your preferred frontend technology), a form builder, intuitive content organization, built-in security features, and more, ensure that you can build a performant, SEO-friendly, and easy-to-manage website.
Wagtail requires some programming knowledge to create your website, but there is Traleor, a fully managed Wagtail-powered CMS that enables you to set up your website just like Wordpress.com.
Traleor provides custom, no-code website development and management tools with a Wagtail CMS at its center. These tools help you create top-notch websites and allow your editors to easily manage the website regardless of their technical skills.
Traleor Website Example
Bridge Labs uses Traleor CMS to power its insights pages, allowing its editors to easily manage and create new content without any technical skills required.
Unique Features
- Advanced and unlimited integrations
- Fully managed hosting and security
- Headless and custom CMS
- Allows multiple team collaboration
- Custom domain and templates
- Premium support
Pricing
Starter - $0/month
Prime - $20/month
Enterprise - $50/month
Choose a plan and create the website that best matches your brand’s uniqueness.
Good to know: WordPress vs Wagtail: Which CMS is Right for you?
2. Wix
Wix is another alternative to WordPress for anyone who wants to create a stunning website without the complexity and maintenance headaches.
It is user-friendly and has amazing features, like the drag-and-drop editor, which makes it easy to create a compelling website without any coding knowledge. It also offers over 900+ free customizable templates, allowing you to choose a design that perfectly suits your brand.
One of Wix's biggest advantages is its all-in-one solution. You don't need to find a separate web host, install plugins, or configure themes. Wix takes care of everything, leaving you free to focus on creating great content.
It also features enterprise-grade security that prevents security breaches and multi-cloud hosting that ensures 99.9% uptime.
Unique Features
- AI website builder that instantly creates a functional website you can customize to your needs
- Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor to customize your site
- Built-in SEO checklist to increase your site’s visibility
- Built-in marketing tools to grow your business reach
- One year free custom domain for premium plan subscribers
- Easy connection with Google Analytics, Zapier, and more
Cons
- Limited scalability
- Expensive pricing for advanced features
Pricing
- Starter: Free
- Light: $17/month
- Core: $29/month
- Business: $36/month
- Business Elite: $159/month
3. Webflow
Webflow, a visual-first CMS, allows users to build, manage, optimize, and scale websites that generate results.
Webflow has pre-designed templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that allows you to design your website exactly how you want it. With Webflow, you're not limited to rigid themes or templates—you can create a truly unique online presence.
However, Webflow isn't just a design tool – it's also a powerful development tool. With Webflow, you can create custom interactions, animations, and effects without writing code. Furthermore, you can integrate with different third-party tools and services, making adding complex functionality to your site easy.
Additionally, Webflow offers hosting with a pocket-friendly budget. With this, you can enjoy:
- Fast page loads and reliable uptime
- Automatic backups and security updates
- Scalable infrastructure to handle high traffic volumes
Unique Features
- Webflow AI assistant that builds your website faster and more efficiently
- Visual-first CMS to manage your content publishing
- Built-in tools for analytics, A/B testing, and SEO
- APIs and integrations to connect with external tools
- Secure hosting
Cons
- Beginners may find it challenging to navigate
- Limited SEO features
- Team collaboration features are available only on higher-tier plans
Pricing
Starter: Free
Basic: $14/Month
CMS: $23/Month
Business: 39/Month
Enterprise: Contact Webflow
4. Squarespace
Create a website tailored for your business with Squarespace in six simple steps.
You start by choosing a template among its industry-leading website templates and get a one-year free custom domain name using its AI-powered domain search tool. The one-year free plan is available if you subscribe to the annual premium plan.
Squarespace's website builder allows you to customize your site with the best fonts, colors, and photos. You can also optimize and promote your site with email marketing, social media, and SEO tools.
This CMS platform works well for eCommerce brands. You can create an online store with payment, checkout, shipping, and fulfillment features for easy customer experience.
Unique features
- Online logo tool to create one free logo
- Built-in analytics tool to track site insights
- Domain search tool
- Website templates for different purposes
Cons
- Limited customization options
- Performance issues with large sites
- Limited third-party integrations
Pricing
Personal - $25 monthly
Business - $36 monthly
Commerce Basic - $40 monthly
Commerce Advanced - $72 monthly
5. Shopify
Shopify is the primary WordPress alternative for eCommerce brands. This CMS platform features thousands of themes, apps, and integrations to create an online store that captures customers' attention.
It features a no-code website builder for creating eCommerce stores to sell products, whether from product-sourcing apps or personally built ones. Its drag-and-drop WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) functionality makes creating your store and adding unlimited products easy.
Most importantly, Shopify offers fraud analysis as an added security. You can also use its domain name generator to find and purchase your store’s domain name.
Unique Features
- Fully customizable website
- Online and offline store sales integration with a POS system
- Unlimited product addition
- Free tools and apps
Cons
- Limited blogging features
- Shopify charges transaction fees unless you use its in-house payment gateway.
Pricing
Basic - $32/month
Shopify - $92/month
Advanced - $399/month
Plus - $2300/month
Our Top Pick Among WordPress Alternatives
Your WordPress alternative option should be based on your needs. Here are the different alternatives to WordPress and their uniqueness:
| WordPress Alternative | Best for |
|---|---|
| Wagtail | Content-heavy websites that need a highly customizable CMS |
| Traleor | Fully-managed wagtail-based CMS tailored for your needs. Perfect for businesses with unique requirements who want to focus on creating content rather than the technical aspect. |
| Wix | Beginners and small businesses looking for a simple, all-in-one website builder |
| Webflow | Designers and developers who want full creative control without extensive coding |
| Squarespace | Creative professionals and small business owners who prioritize aesthetics and simplicity. |
| Shopify | eCommerce businesses, especially those focused on scaling online stores |
Conclusion
Irrespective of your content creation needs, there’s a CMS platform perfect for your goals.
The key to choosing the best option lies in understanding your priorities whether it is ease of use, design flexibility, advanced functionality, or cost-effectiveness. Every alternative we looked at has special advantages that are tailored to specific audiences.
Ultimately, the best platform is the one that aligns with your brand goals and empowers you to bring your ideas to life.
So, take the time to explore these options, experiment their features, and find the perfect fit for your next big project.
