9 Best Content Management Systems for Startups
A well-suited content management system (CMS) enables effective display and management of your content, ultimately impacting your desired outcomes such as revenue generation, brand awareness, and market penetration. Selecting the right CMS can be a daunting task, particularly if you are uncertain about the necessary functionalities or have budget constraints. To assist you, we have compiled a list of the top content management systems specifically tailored for startups.
Wordpress
With its immense user base of over 60 million and being the preferred choice for about 25% of websites worldwide, WordPress stands out as the most intuitive and widely used platform. WordPress powers nearly half of the internet, making it an incredibly influential force. This open-source web software offers a free and customizable framework, allowing users to enhance its functionality through the integration of plugins.
Key Features
Website creation and design, blogging platform, customizable themes and templates, plugin support for added functionality, SEO optimization tools, media management (images, videos, etc.)Pricing
Free
HubSpot CMS Hub
Hubspot CMS Hub is a comprehensive content management system tailored for marketers and entrepreneurs. With its foundation on HubSpot's CRM platform, which encompasses a wide array of marketing automation, sales, service, and operational tools, CMS Hub offers an ideal solution for both expanding businesses and large enterprises seeking an all-encompassing system to oversee their website.
Key Features
Content creation and management, drag-and-drop website builder, SEO optimization tools, mobile optimization, customizable templates and themes, personalization and smart contentPricing
Pricing starts from $23 per month
Joomla
Joomla is a widely-used free open-source CMS platform that provides a variety of templates and extensions. While the platform itself is free, you will need hosting and a domain name. According to our CMS market share report, Joomla powers approximately 1.72% of all websites. Having been launched in 2005, Joomla has a long-standing presence similar to WordPress. It offers an extensive range of features and is often available for easy installation with many web hosts. However, due to its complexity, Joomla is more suitable for experienced website creators and developers rather than beginners.
Key Features
Website creation and management, template and theme customization, user management and permissions, extensions and plugins for added functionality, multilingual support, SEO-friendly featuresPricing
Free
Wix is a user-friendly website builder and landing page tool that is ideal for beginners and small businesses. It offers a wide range of features and affordable pricing options. Whether you want to create a custom landing page or utilize pre-made widgets, Wix's drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to design without any coding skills.
Key Features
Built-in SEO optimization tools, ability to build custom web pages, integration with over 50 payment solutionsPricing
From $4.50 per month
Webflow
Webflow is a powerful web design and development tool that empowers users to create stunning, responsive websites without the need for coding knowledge. With its intuitive visual interface, users can effortlessly design and customize every aspect of their websites, from layout and typography to animations and interactions. Webflow offers a wide range of pre-designed templates and components, as well as the flexibility to create completely unique designs from scratch.
Key Features
Visual web design interface, drag-and-drop functionality, responsive design capabilities, customizable templates and themes, code-free website development, e-commerce functionality, hosting and domain managementPricing
From $23 per month, billed annually
Drupal
Drupal is a popular open source CMS platform utilized by prominent websites like The Economist and various university sites. This platform is ideal for developers or individuals with access to developer resources. It excels in building highly customized websites that require efficient data management. If you are interested in hosting a Drupal site, SiteGround provides reliable services. They offer free installation and assistance in transferring existing Drupal sites.
Key Features
Flexible and scalable platform, extensive module and plugin ecosystem, customizable themes and templates, multilingual support, user management and permissions, SEO-friendly featuresPricing
Free
SquareSpace
Squarespace offers a comprehensive website builder that serves as an all-in-one content management system (CMS). With a Squarespace website subscription, you gain access to content hosting, professionally designed layouts, built-in support for SEO best practices, a user-friendly platform for creating visually appealing websites and online stores, and the convenience of editing your site from anywhere using the Squarespace app.
Key Features
Website builder with drag-and-drop functionality, templates for various types of websites, customizable designs and layouts, mobile-responsive websites, e-commerce functionality, analytics and reporting, integration with third-party tools and servicesPricing
From $12 per month, billed annually
Shopify
Shopify is a comprehensive, self-contained CMS platform that eliminates the need for purchasing hosting, installing software, or handling updates and backups. With its user-friendly drag and drop interface, Shopify facilitates in-store sales, making it an ideal choice for businesses with both physical and online stores.
Key Features
E-commerce website builder, customizable themes and templates, product and inventory management, order and payment processing, SEO optimization tools, App store for additional functionality, multi-channel selling (online store, social media, etc.)Pricing
FFrom $39 per month
Magento
Adobe's Magento is a robust eCommerce platform that provides endless opportunities for tech-savvy merchants. Although there are two versions available, namely Magento Open Source and Magento Commerce, we will concentrate on the widely preferred self-hosted option in this discussion.
Key Features
E-commerce website development, product catalog management, order and inventory management, payment gateway integration, shipping and fulfillment management, customer account managementPricing
Available upon request
EasyWP
EasyWP by Spaceship offers lightning-fast WordPress Hosting with hassle-free management, allowing you to launch your website in seconds. EasyWP offers the flexibility and customization of standard WordPress while ensuring enhanced security, stability, and effortless setup, making it a standout CMS choice for users seeking simplicity without compromising on performance.