Top 10 Best WordPress Alternatives To Consider

Top 10 Best WordPress Alternatives To Consider

Are you tired of WordPress? I get it. There's no denying that WordPress is the king of CMSs, powering 40%+ of websites worldwide. But not every website needs a bloated, complicated, and expensive CMS.

Many people are looking for a simpler alternative to WordPress — maybe something with lighter security or a smoother learning curve. Fortunately, plenty of competitors have sprung up, attempting to knock WP off its iron throne.

This post is all about exploring the best WordPress alternatives on the market. We'll break down their unique features, strengths, and use cases so you can decide which platform is suitable for your site.

So, let's dive in and find your next CMS!

What to Consider When Evaluating WordPress Alternatives

Before we get to the contenders, let's set some criteria for judging the best WordPress alternatives. Here are some key factors I'll be evaluating:

Ease of Use

One of WordPress' biggest draws is its renowned user-friendliness. We'll want an alternative that's just as easy (or easier!) for non-techies to pick up and run with.

Flexibility/Extensibility

WordPress offers tons of free themes and plugins to customise your site. Ideal alternatives provide lots of built-in flexibility and third-party integration options.

Cost

Finances play a significant role for many site owners. While WordPress itself is free, hosting and premium extras can add up. We'll look at both free and paid options that fit different budgets.

Built-In Features

From blogging tools to ecommerce functionality, we'll prioritise platforms packed with valuable features right out of the box.

Speed & Performance

In our age of shortening attention spans, a slow-loading website is a surefire way to drive visitors away before they arrive. Page load times will be a critical metric.

Mobile-Friendliness

Over half of global web traffic now comes from mobile devices. Responsive design and mobile editing capabilities are must-haves.

Support & Community

Even the best CMS needs reliable support resources when you inevitably get stuck. We'll assess each platform's official support offerings and community forums.

With those benchmarks in mind, let's meet some top WordPress alternatives competing for your website!

10 Best WordPress Alternatives

1 — Ghost 

Our first WordPress alternative is Ghost—a sleek, stripped-down platform for writers and publishers. It delivers a streamlined, distraction-free writing experience tailored for modern blogging and content creation.

Ghost's clean, minimalistic interface keeps your focus squarely on the content itself. No cluttered dashboard loaded with extraneous knobs and dials—just you, your words, and a simple writing space that encourages creativity to flow.

Standout Features

• Optimised for Mobile – Ghost's web editor and themes look gorgeous on any device, thanks to the built-in responsive design.
• Lightning Fast – Ghost sites load blazingly out of the box with static files and cloud hosting options.
• Subscriber Tools – Grow your audience with sleek email newsletter and subscription management tools.

Best For

Independent publishers, brands focused on content marketing, and writers who want a stripped-down, beautiful blogging platform.

Pricing

• Free hosted version on Ghost(Pro)
• Self-hosted plans start at $9/month
• Enterprise options available

Considering its simplicity and lack of complex site-building, Ghost won't be the ideal WordPress alternative for everyone. But if you're a writer or publisher craving a lean, modern platform solely built for quality content—Ghost deserves a close look.

2 — Craft CMS

Where Ghost strips everything down to the essentials, Craft CMS goes in the opposite direction as a more robust, feature-packed WordPress alternative.

This PHP-based CMS aims to provide a more flexible framework than WordPress for powering highly customised websites and web applications. While not as intuitive for beginners, Craft CMS gives developers and designers more fine-tuned control over functionality and content modelling.

Standout Features

• Matrix Content Builder – Build complex data structures and content models you can't achieve on WordPress.
• Live Preview – See content changes in real time without needing browser refreshes.
• Craft Commerce – Native ecommerce functionality with off-the-shelf buy flows and payment processing.

Best For

Web professionals, marketers, and creatives who require more granular content architecture capabilities than WordPress provides.

Pricing

• Personal plan: $59/year for one site
• Pro plan: $299/year for unlimited sites
• Enterprise solutions are also available

Craft CMS has a steeper learning curve than WordPress but rewards that investment for complex sites and custom digital experiences. If cookie-cutter websites won't cut it, Craft CMS is a compelling WordPress alt that puts more power in your hands.

3 — Jekyll

Our next contender takes an entirely different approach than traditional CMSs. Jekyll is a free, open-source static site generator that creates blazing-fast websites without databases or bloated infrastructure.

By rendering sites into simple HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files during the build process, Jekyll sites load exceptionally quickly and offer outstanding performance. The tradeoff? You lose the ease of real-time editing and certain dynamic functionality of database-driven CMSs.

Standout Features

• Static Files = Security & Speed – No databases or PHP means fewer vulnerabilities and lightning-fast load times.
• Integrated Blog Engine – Jekyll's built-in blogging tools make it perfect for stripping traditional blog platforms.
• Hosting Flexibility – Host your static Jekyll site for free on GitHub Pages or your preferred host.

Best For

Developers, designers, and content publishers who prioritise site performance over real-time editing and dynamic functionality.

Pricing

Jekyll is 100% free and open-source, but you'll need to cover web hosting costs separately.

While Jekyll takes some technical skills to wield correctly, it hits the Sweet spot for many sites that value pure speed and security over database-driven complexity. If a static file architecture fits your project needs, Jekyll is worth a look compared to traditional WordPress installs.

4 — Joomla

Joomla has been a trusted WordPress alternative for web admins since 2005 as one of the oldest and most well-established open-source projects.

This veteran PHP-based CMS powers numerous sites worldwide with its broad feature set accommodating everything from basic websites to enterprise-level applications. However, many consider Joomla's back-end interface dated and less intuitive than WordPress in recent years.

Standout Features

• Multilingual Support – Create multilingual sites without relying on third-party plugins or extensions.
• Nested Categories – Organise your content in powerful nested hierarchies unavailable on WordPress.
• Robust User Management – Easily manage access levels, user groups, actions, and permissions across your site.

Best For

Enterprise websites that require top-tier access control, global brands with multilingual needs, and complex applications, intranets, or content hubs.

Pricing

• Free core software
• Paid third-party templates and extensions

Joomla undoubtedly has a steeper learning curve than WordPress for beginners. However, this powerful, extensible CMS remains a solid choice for large organisations or highly customised sites and apps beyond simple brochureware or blogs.

5 — Squarespace 

Have you heard enough about self-hosted CMSs? Our next WordPress alternative takes a different approach as a user-friendly website builder and all-in-one hosted platform.

Squarespace has earned a solid reputation for its dead-simple setup process and stunningly designed, responsive templates. Do you require a beautiful portfolio site, business website, or online store that is FAST? Squarespace makes it ridiculously easy.

Standout Features

• Award-Winning Templates – Hands down some of the best pre-built designs in the website builder space.
• All-In-One Platform – Hosting, metrics, email, domains, and ecommerce functionally built into one package.
• Zero Plugins Required – Every design element and feature comes pre-integrated into your Squarespace site.

Best For

Non-techies, creatives, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants a pro-quality website with minimal hassle.

Pricing

• Business plans from $23/month
• Basic ecommerce from $27/month
• Advanced ecommerce from $49/month

The biggest downside of Squarespace is its closed, proprietary ecosystem. You're renting their platform without complete control or the ability to customise code. But if you're willing to trade some flexibility for an incredibly intuitive, modern website builder, Squarespace shines as a great WordPress alternative—especially for smaller sites and online stores.

6 — Wix

Another hugely popular website builder, Wix markets itself as a supremely beginner-friendly platform, requiring zero code or tech skills to create professional websites.

With its cloud-based architecture and drag-and-drop editing interface, Wix makes it stunningly simple to piece together a slick website with an online store, booking system, or any feature you need—all without wrestling with WordPress.

Standout Features

• True WYSIWYG Editing – Make design changes instantly with Wix's proper front-end visual builder.
• Professional Effects – Add animation, video backgrounds, and scroll effects with a few clicks.
• 100s of Templates – Choose from a massive selection of modern templates for almost any use case.

Best For

Small businesses, restaurateurs, photographers, musicians, freelancers—anyone looking for ultra user-friendly website creation without touching code.

Pricing

• Free plan available
• Paid plans from $14/month
• Business & ecommerce plans from $23/month

Wix makes creating a decent-looking site accessible for anyone, as long as you accept its constraints. You rent Wix's closed platform without open-source flexibility and play by its rules. However, for basic needs and ease of use, Wix deserves its popularity as a top WordPress alternative.

7 — Drupal

Drupal has been a respected enterprise-level content management framework since 2001. While less user-friendly than WordPress, this free, open-source platform offers unparalleled flexibility, performance, and robust security for technically skilled teams.

Large organisations and governments entrust their high-stakes websites and digital applications to Drupal's industrial-strength architecture and scalability. This immense power also comes with a much steeper learning curve that can quickly overwhelm new users.

Standout Features

• Unmatched Customisation – Build virtually any complex website or web app thanks to Drupal's modular, API-first approach.
• Top-Tier Security – Drupal's rigorous code audits and stringent controls meet the highest security standards.
• Granular Access Permissions – Create hyper-refined roles and permissions for various user types and groups.

Best For

Government and enterprise sites, high-traffic content publishers, complex web applications, and large engineering teams comfortable with Drupal's technical demands.

Pricing

• Free core software
• Hosting and third-party integration costs
• Premium themes and distributions available

Unless you have deep technical resources, Drupal's flexibility and power come at the cost of user-friendliness for smaller sites or solo creators. But if you need an ultra-secure, rock-solid foundation for mission-critical web applications at a massive scale, Drupal shines as a genuinely enterprise-grade WordPress alternative.

8 — Grav

On the lighter, leaner end of the spectrum, Grav takes a different tack as a flat-file CMS requiring zero databases.

By storing all website data in simple files (rather than databases), Grav sites can take advantage of web server-level caching for lightning-fast page load speeds. With its modular foundation built on modern technologies, Grav aims to provide flexibility and extensibility without the code bloat of some older systems.

Standout Features

• Flat-File Architecture – No databases mean superior speed, security, and portability.
• Git Content Sync – Upgrade your website files by pushing them to a Git repo.
• Free and Open-Source – Build sites quickly and affordably with Grav's zero cost and open codebase.

Best For

Developers, designers, agencies, and clients who need fast sites without ongoing hosting or infrastructure costs.

Pricing

• 100% free core software
• Optional paid hosting is available
• Premium themes and plugins via GPM

With Grav, you trade database-driven features for performance and portability. This makes it another potential sweet spot for blogs, documentation sites, lean marketing sites, or anywhere sheer speed trumps things like ecommerce or complex data structures.

9 — Concrete5

Founded over 15 years ago, Concrete5 is one of the more established open-source players in the alternative CMS movement. Its mission? Provide user-friendly editing capabilities along with developer-friendly freedom.

Unlike rigid page-building experiences, Concrete5's in-context “Front-End” editing lets you easily modify content directly on your published pages. There's also a full deck of developer tools for teams who demand more advanced functionality from their websites and applications.

Standout Features

• In-Context Editing – Edit content seamlessly right on the page without switching views.
• Built-In Ecommerce – Concrete5 ships with fully native ecommerce capabilities; no add-ons are required.
• Page Type Composer – Create custom data structures and page types without code.

Best For

All-purpose websites and web apps where editors and developers need a flexible, extendable collaborative platform.

Pricing

• Free download
• Hosting required separately
• Premium tools, themes, and hosting are available

Concrete5 occupies an excellent middle ground between WordPress' simplicity and enterprise-grade needs. It provides accessibility for casual users alongside robust tools for engineers building more complex sites, apps, and workflows.

10 — Weebly

Our last full-fledged WordPress alternative is another famous website builder competing for beginner-friendly ease of use. Weebly maintains over 50 million entrepreneurs and small business owners have used its intuitive drag-and-drop tools.

While not the most feature-packed compared to hosted solutions like Squarespace, Weebly hits the sweet spot for basic needs at an affordable price point. It provides a quick visual interface for launching clean websites and simple stores without digging into code.

Standout Features

• Drag-and-Drop Editor – Build your site visually with the direct manoeuvrability of page elements.
• Responsive Builder – All Weebly themes use a mobile-first, responsive approach.
• eCommerce Options – Create a fully-loaded online store complete with shopping cart, inventory, coupons and more.

Best For

Solopreneurs, freelancers, consultants, makers, and anyone requiring a quick-start website builder without frills or overhead.

Pricing

• Free plan available
• Paid plans from $6/month
• Ecommerce plan $26/month

Weebly won't satisfy the needs for highly complex websites or web apps. However, slapping together an attractive informational site or basic online store qualifies as a lean, cost-effective WordPress alternative requiring minimal effort.

Closing Thoughts

There you have it—thoroughly exploring ten compelling WordPress alternatives with unique strengths and ideal use cases. Hopefully, this guide will give you fresh ideas and perspective on the CMS landscape beyond WordPress.

Will one of these options dethrone the WP empire? Probably not anytime soon. WordPress continues to lead the market for good reason.

But as you can see, the competition is fierce. Whether you require a trimmed-down blogging system, advanced enterprise CMS, lightweight static platform, or zero-code website builder, you know many compelling alternatives to meet your needs.

So take the plunge and venture beyond WordPress! Whichever platform you choose, I'm confident you've got all the insights to pick the best WordPress alternative for your following website or web project.

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