WordPress is, to this day, one of the most popular tools that people use to create websites of their own. It’s a flexible site creation system that, if used properly and to its fullest extent, will allow you to create almost any website imaginable. That being said, people are also looking for some WordPress alternatives, too.
If you’re one of these individuals, you’re in luck! In this article today, we’ll be looking at some WordPress competitors, and weighing the pros and cons of each of them. Granted that, on top of sites like WordPress, website creation enthusiasts also search for easier alternatives, we’ll be talking mainly about website builders.
First things first, though - before we get to the specifics, it’s worth acknowledging a couple of things, and mentioning the main reasons why people DO turn towards WordPress alternatives, instead of using the website building tool in question.
Table of Contents
- 1. WordPress - The Foundation of the Internet
- 2. Why Search for WordPress Alternatives?
- 3. Top 6 WordPress Alternatives
- 3.1. Weebly - Simplicity is the Name of the Game
- 3.2. Squarespace - Amazing Usability and Templates
- 3.3. Wix - A Wide Assortment of Features
- 3.4. Webflow - Part Website Builder, Part CMS
- 3.5. Site123 - Perfect for Beginners
- 3.6. Shopify - An eCommerce Alternative
- 4. Conclusions
WordPress - The Foundation of the Internet
In order for you to truly appreciate the actual reasons why someone would want to find WordPress alternatives, it’s important to address just what exactly WP is, and what sorts of features does it bring to the table.
And, well, to be frank with you, the answer would be “all of them”. No, I’m not joking.
WordPress, by definition, is a content management system. Think of it as a website builder that has an incredible amount of customization and extra features, content management-wise.
Being the most popular CMS in the world, one of the main notable features of WP is exactly that - if you’re proficient with the system, you’ll be able to create literally any type of website out there, and add any feature to it that you could imagine.
How is that possible, I hear you ask? Well, don’t get me wrong - the default, vanilla version of WP doesn’t come packed with every single feature imaginable - instead, it’s done with the help of user-made plugins.
You see, while using WordPress, you will be able to access something that is known as the plugin hub. Here, you’ll find thousands of plugins and addons - both made by individual developers, and by firms - all of which you will be able to add to your WordPress dashboard, and then use as you see fit.
The scalability of the tool is, for a fact, incredible. No matter if you’d want to create an eCommerce platform, a blog (these were the initial, “traditional” WP-made sites), a portfolio, or any other site, WordPress allows you to do that, completely free of charge.
Table: Some general information about WordPress
That’s the other thing, too - there aren’t all that many sites like WordPress, ones that would be completely free to use. All that you need to do is download WP, set it up, and that’s it - you can start working! Speaking strictly on WP terms, the only form of monetization comes via some of the plugins - even that is completely optional, though.
The natural idea that you might have at this point probably sounds a little something like this - “this is too good to be true!”. Well… You’re not completely wrong - if you were, then you wouldn’t be looking for WordPress alternatives, now would you?
Why Search for WordPress Alternatives?
Now, if WordPress is as amazing as it is, why do thousands of people around the world turn towards WordPress competitors, and various other WordPress alternatives?
Well, there are actually a few reasons for why that’s the case! Let me give you a quick rundown.
First and foremost, at the very top of this ‘reason list’, you have the aspect of difficulty. WordPress does, admittedly, possess a much steeper learning curve than your average website builder. This is mostly due to two separate reasons - the CMS itself being very specific in how it’s used, and the fact that, if you want to get the full potential out of WP, you’ll need to be proficient in coding.
Specificity-wise, the interface of WordPress is nothing like you will encounter anywhere else. For many individuals, when they’re just starting out, it tends to come off as unintuitive and clunky, with you having to take very specific steps to even create a page in a dedicated, specific section of your site. When you have super-simple WordPress alternatives, you could probably see why that’s the case.
On top of that, while WP is free to use, if you want the site that you’ll create to actually be brought online, you will have to take care of hosting all by yourself - meaning, you’ll need to pick a provider, educate yourself on the topic, and do all of the nitty-gritty processes on your own.
Yet again - with website builders, all of this is taken care of for you. Even with sites that aren’t often better than WordPress, people simply choose them in order to keep things simple.
With the reasoning outlined and behind us, let’s move on to the list of the best WordPress alternatives, shall we?
Top 6 WordPress Alternatives
As you read through the list below, do keep in mind that it isn’t presented in any specific manner, and instead, all of the names seen below have some unique reasons why they are considered to be great alternatives to WordPress.
Weebly - Simplicity is the Name of the Game
If you fall into the group of people who are looking for WordPress alternatives due to the unique difficulty of the CMS, website builders like Weebly should be some of the first platforms that you check out.
Indeed - while website builders, in general, are among the simplest website creation tools on the market, even in this category, there are tools that are simpler to use than others. Weebly would be one of them.
Having full drag-and-drop functionality, Weebly will allow you to get straight to the site creation processes, without having to sit there and try to figure things out, even if you’re completely new to website building. The tool is reported to be intuitive and very straightforward to use - good stuff!
Following that, Weebly has some great uptime statistics, too - building a website with this site creation tool, you can expect uptime levels of around 99,98%. What this means is that Weebly has chosen a great hosting service, and can guarantee its users stability and some reliable uptime performance - in other words, your website should be online and reachable, for the most part.
With more than 350 different applications and addons, a selection of modern and pretty designs, and mobile app support, you can expect Weebly to truly be one of the best WordPress alternatives on the market. While it’s not one of the sites like WordPress - one’s a website builder, the other is a CMS -, it will still grant you a lot of flexibility and scalability!
What is the Price of the Weebly Website Builder?
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, while WordPress is free to use, you will have to pay for the hosting services of your website - that can prove to be somewhat expensive, depending on the provider that you pick!
With Weebly, though, you will always have to pay a set amount of money at the end of the month, but will receive a hassle-free website creation experience. The prices of the builder are:
- FREE - only the very basic features available
- CONNECT - $5 per month
- PRO - $12 per month
- BUSINESS - $25 per month
Some very decent pricing! And there’s even a free plan available, too - that said, if you want to truly experience what Weebly has to offer, and are looking for a long-term website creation and management solution, the paid plans are surely going to be a better pick.
Squarespace - Amazing Usability and Templates
If you’ve spent any time researching the most popular WordPress alternatives anywhere around the internet, you’ve probably bumped into Squarespace a few times before. Rightfully so, too - Squarespace might perfectly well be one of the best website builders on the market, in addition to being a great WordPress alternative.
Now, what makes Squarespace so special?
Well, getting the obvious out of the way, Squarespace has some of the most modern and beautiful-looking website templates that you will come across. They are in-line with the industry trends, made by professionals, desktop-, tablet, and mobile-friendly, and quite flexible, customization-wise, too.
This does automatically solve one of the quirks that some people have with WordPress - the fact that the themes over at the CMS in question might look a bit outdated if you don’t involve custom code into things. However, naturally, this isn’t the only reason why people tend to consider Squarespace one of the best WordPress alternatives.
Following the awesome templates, you then have things such as general usability. Being an industry-leading website builder, Squarespace is going to be very simple and straightforward to use, while still maintaining a high level of customizability and some advanced features that even the more-proficient website creators are bound to appreciate.
What is the Price of the Squarespace Website Builder?
If you like Squarespace’s proposition of value, and think that it’s surely one of the better WordPress alternatives, all that’s left to do is figure out the pricing options of the builder - if they suit you, make sure to check the platform out! The prices for Squarespace’s plans are:
Squarespace is, admittedly, one of the pricier WordPress alternatives. Speaking strictly from the pricing perspective, you could come out with having spent less money with WP. That said, the CMS won’t provide you with as beautiful templates or as significant ease of use as are available with Squarespace. Worth keeping in mind!
Wix - A Wide Assortment of Features
When it comes to Wix, I won’t even say - “if you’ve looked at some different WordPress alternatives out there, you might have heard of this website builder”. No, Wix is actually the one exception here - no matter if you have or HAVE NOT looked at WordPress competitors, I’m pretty sure you’re familiar with Wix.
It’s the website builder that has been dominating the digital advertising industry for the past few years now. Rightfully so - everything that Wix promises, it does appear to deliver, and the majority of the builder’s users appear to be very satisfied with the tool in question.
Is it one of the sites like WordPress? No - Wix is probably on the opposite side of the spectrum, both usability- and general feeling-wise. This can act as both a good and a bad thing, depending on what it is that you’re looking for.
If you’re seeking out WordPress alternatives because you’re looking for a simple way of how to create a website, Wix might be ideal for you - the builder makes the process extremely simple and quick. It also comes with a selection of some free-to-use widgets and apps, so you will be able to enrich your website and make it actually-functional, too.
On top of that, Wix has over 500 different templates for you to pick from and use. That’s a huge number! You’ll have the opportunity to customize your website, and make it look unique and interesting, too.
While Wix is often viewed as one of the better WordPress alternatives, it’s worth mentioning that, if you need some advanced customizability, WP is still going to be the better option. In fact, it’s actually an unfair comparison, either way - WordPress is the most customization-friendly site creation tool in the world, and placing a website builder in front of it just isn’t really all that fair.
Instead, Wix is the “much simpler” alternative for individuals who don’t want to think about coding or web development, and are simply interested in, say, launching a blog or a small eCommerce website as soon as humanly possible. If you like to keep things simple, and don’t require a lot of resources, Wix could be a great pick for you!
What is the Price of the Wix Website Builder?
Wix is priced like so:
The pricing is thought to be rather decent, granted that you do receive a lot of useful features for the money that you pay.
Webflow - Part Website Builder, Part CMS
As far as this list of WordPress alternatives is concerned, Webflow is probably one of the closest things that you will receive when it comes to sites like WordPress.
Why is that the case? Well, Webflow is a website builder with some CMS functionality. This, in turn, makes it a very unique tool for site creation.
Admittedly, though Webflow has a rather niche target audience. It’s a website builder that is aimed at individuals who are simply possessed with the idea of creating the most beautiful websites on the entire internet. In other words, it’s a very web designer-oriented tool.
This becomes evident when you take a look at the features that Webflow provides, too. They are mostly centered around the templates - all of which are super-interactive, and provide advanced customization options. This is, yet again, thanks to the CMS part of the builder.
Evidently, Webflow (same as WordPress) is going to be one of the more-difficult website builders on the market. While ease of use is one of the main selling points of all builders out there, given Webflow’s unique position and advanced functionality, the builder in question can’t really claim to be super-simple to figure out.
This can be viewed as a con, sure. However, if you’re looking for WordPress alternatives not because you need a simple-to-use tool, but due to some other reason, and you’re proficient with programming (front-end development), Webflow’s advanced-level functionality will provide you with a lot of perks - most of which are centered around the intuitiveness and visual appeal of your potential site.
What is the Price of the Webflow Website Builder?
Webflow is a unique pick when it comes to WordPress alternatives - that’s for sure. However, apart from being unique feature-wise, the builder does also have a wide selection of plans for you to check out, too. If you’re interested in what Webflow has to offer, here are the pricing options for the builder in question:
The Site plans are:
- Basic - $12 per month, billed annually
- CMS - $16 per month, billed annually
- Business - $36 per month, billed annually
eCommerce options:
- Standard - $29 per month, billed annually
- Plus - $74 per month, billed annually
- Advanced - $212 per month, billed annually
The Account plans:
The price tags are quite diverse - you could try out the builder for free, but there are also high-tier, more-expensive eCommerce options, too. Surely an interesting pick, as far as the best alternatives to WordPress are concerned!
Site123 - Perfect for Beginners
The point of WordPress being an advanced-level platform (and thus, being rather complicated to use) has been “driven home” quite a few times in this article already. That said, this hasn’t been done without a reason, either - a single look online will reveal to you that it’s actually the main reason why people are looking for WordPress alternatives, in the first place!
Having said that, though, you would probably have a difficult time finding a more beginner-oriented website builder than Site123, at least as far as general simplicity is concerned.
Is Site123 better than WordPress? Well, the builder provides minimal customization features, which isn’t perfect. On top of that, it lacks a lot of features that you’ll find with WP, so this is a shame, too.
All of that being said, though, the one thing that Site123 DOES have over WordPress is simplicity. In fact, this extends even further, and can be applied when comparing Site123 with some other website builders, too.
Site123 doesn’t have a lot of flashy features, and isn’t as flexible as many of the other site creation tools out there - WordPress included. However, if you’d like to keep things simple, while also utilizing some proper SEO tools and not having to worry about site speed and uptime, well… Site123 has got you covered!
You’ll be able to build a rather simple website - it won’t necessarily be very feature-heavy, and perhaps won’t come equipped with the “most modern and advanced template in the industry” (that title likely belongs to Squarespace, either way), but will surely provide an amazing learning experience (via trial & error) to anyone who’s just starting out with website creation.
A niche option as far as WordPress alternatives go, sure, but an interesting one, at that!
What is the Price of the Site123 Website Builder?
When it comes to the pricing options of Site123, things are actually quite… Interesting. Take a look for yourself:
There is basically but a single plan that you can pick - no different tiers with different perks, none of that. Even here, Site123 still keeps things super-simple!
Naturally, on top of that, you could go for the free plan, too - while it won’t prove Site123 to be one of the better WordPress competitors, it’s still a great option if you just want to try things out without committing to the builder financially!
Shopify - An eCommerce Alternative
Surely, we couldn’t really talk about the best WordPress alternatives without mentioning an eCommerce-related solution, now could we?
As you might expect, WordPress does naturally have eCommerce-related features, too - these tend to come with the WooCommerce plugin. The plugin in question provides you with the ability to create a fully-fledged eCommerce platform, and sell online without an issue.
Something that I can tell you from my own, personal experience, though, is that it’s not as simple as it may seem, when you’re just starting off. Having to set up WooCommerce for the first time, you do already have to have some sort of foundation as far as your website goes, and possess a lot of time and patience, too.
As far as Shopify is concerned, though, well… None of that is an issue that you’d need to worry about. While Shopify does have some alternatives on its own, if you’re searching for a tested-and-proven way to create an online shop in no time, then Shopify might just be one of the best WordPress alternatives in this regard.
For starters, it’s a very simple eCommerce solution - with Shopify, you’ll be able to build an online shop in a very beginner-friendly manner. The features are plenty (although you do have to purchase an advanced plan to unlock them), and they are simple to add and customize on your site.
The builder does offer some modern templates, too, so you don’t need to worry about your website looking outdated, or feeling unintuitive from the visitor’s side of things. Great!
All things considered, Shopify is a very simple, modern, and advanced feature-heavy alternative to WordPress for anyone who’s looking to create an online store or some eCommerce-related business.
What is the Price of the Shopify Website Builder?
With Shopify, the plans and pricing that you can expect are:
While some of the more-advanced features are, yet again, only going to be available with the ADVANCED SHOPIFY plan, you can still get some amazing value out of the builder with the entry- and mid-level plans, too. It’s a pretty costly builder alternative, sure, but granted that we’re talking about an eCommerce-specific site creation tool here, this was to be expected.
Conclusions
That concludes our list of the best WordPress alternatives, and some of the more-popular WordPress competitors on the market!
Now, obviously, WordPress still remains an amazing tool for anyone who wants to create a website with it. However, it’s surely nice to know that there are, for a fact, some top-tier alternatives out there, no matter what you might be looking for. Simplicity, eCommerce functionality, top-tier templates, and so on - whatever it is that you need, there is a solution for it!
Table: Information regarding the companies behind Squarespace, Webflow, and WordPress
If you’d like to check out some additional website builders - not necessarily ones that would be WordPress alternatives -, you can visit our list of the best website builders on the market, in general.
On top of that, if you’ve decided that WordPress is, for a fact, the optimal way to go, remember that you will need some reliable website hosting in order for your website to be reachable by anyone online. We have a list of the best hosting services, too - check it out, make your pick, and start building a website today!
All in all, thanks for reading this article about various WordPress alternatives! Good luck, and until next time!