The best CMS for website creation in 2025: a complete guide

Building a website in 2025 has never been easier, thanks to a wide range of Content Management Systems (CMS) that simplify web development without requiring advanced coding skills. However, with so many platforms available, choosing the right CMS for your specific needs can be challenging.

This guide will help you navigate the best CMS options in 2025, comparing their features, advantages, limitations, and pricing. Whether you’re looking to create a blog, business website, portfolio, or eCommerce store, this article will provide the insights needed to make the best choice.

We will explore Webflow, WordPress, Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, Framer, WooCommerce, Prestashop, Softr, and Bubble—some of the most powerful and versatile CMS solutions available today. Each of these platforms offers unique features tailored to different types of websites, from highly customizable design-focused tools to eCommerce-centric solutions.

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What is a CMS?

A Content Management System (CMS) is a software platform that allows users to create, manage, and modify website content without requiring extensive programming knowledge. It provides an intuitive interface that enables individuals, businesses, and developers to build and maintain websites efficiently, whether for a personal blog, an online store, or a corporate website.

Unlike traditional web development, where HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are required to design and structure pages, a CMS simplifies the process with drag-and-drop editors, customizable templates, and pre-built functionalities. This makes website creation accessible to everyone, from beginners with no technical experience to advanced developers looking to streamline their workflow.

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Key benefits of using a CMS

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1. User-friendly interface

A CMS eliminates the need for manual coding by offering visual editors, intuitive dashboards, and pre-designed templates. Platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and Webflow allow users to design websites with simple drag-and-drop functionality, while WordPress and Framer offer more flexibility for those comfortable with customization.

2. Cost-effectiveness

Developing a website from scratch can be expensive, requiring a team of developers, designers, and SEO specialists. A CMS significantly reduces costs by providing built-in tools that allow users to create and manage content independently. Open-source options like WordPress, WooCommerce, and Prestashop are free to use, though additional costs may arise for hosting, themes, and premium plugins.

3. Customization and flexibility

A CMS offers extensive customization options through themes, templates, and plugins, allowing users to create a unique website that aligns with their branding and functionality requirements. For example:

• ‍Webflow and Framer cater to designers looking for pixel-perfect control over layout and animations.‍
• WordPress and Wix offer thousands of themes and third-party integrations to extend site functionality.‍
• Bubble and Softr allow users to build custom web applications without coding, making them ideal for SaaS and membership platforms.

4. SEO optimization

A well-optimized CMS includes SEO-friendly features to improve search engine rankings. Platforms like Webflow and WordPress provide advanced meta-tag controls, clean code structure, and site speed optimization. Shopify and WooCommerce offer built-in eCommerce SEO tools, ensuring that products are discoverable in search results.

5. Scalability for growing businesses

A CMS grows with your business. Whether you’re starting with a simple blog and expanding into eCommerce or launching a small store and scaling into a multi-channel enterprise, CMS platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Prestashop provide flexible solutions. They allow for inventory management, payment integration, and automated workflows to support long-term growth.

6. Collaboration and multi-user management

A CMS enables multiple users to work on a website simultaneously, making it perfect for content teams, marketing departments, and eCommerce businesses. Features like role-based permissions ensure that different users have access to only the sections they need, improving workflow efficiency. WordPress, Shopify, and Webflow provide robust user management features that allow teams to collaborate effectively.

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Why choose a CMS over custom development?

A CMS saves time, reduces costs, and simplifies maintenance compared to custom-coded websites. It allows businesses to focus on content, marketing, and customer experience without worrying about technical complexities. Whether you’re a small business owner, an entrepreneur, or a large corporation, choosing the right CMS will provide a stable, secure, and scalable foundation for your online presence.

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Who should use a CMS?

A Content Management System (CMS) is the perfect solution for anyone looking to build and manage a website without the complexity of coding. Whether you’re an individual, a small business, or a large enterprise, a CMS provides the tools needed to create, customize, and scale your website with ease.

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1. Entrepreneurs, freelancers & personal brands

For bloggers, freelancers, and independent professionals, a CMS offers a cost-effective and user-friendly way to build a personal website or portfolio. Platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace make it easy to launch a site without needing technical knowledge, while Webflow and Framer provide advanced design flexibility for those who want full creative control.

2. Startups & small businesses

Startups and small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMEs) need websites that can grow with them. A CMS allows companies to scale their online presence efficiently, whether it’s adding new pages, launching a blog, or integrating marketing and CRM tools. Shopify and WooCommerce are ideal for small businesses looking to sell products online, while Webflow and Softr provide powerful solutions for service-based businesses.

3. Large enterprises & corporations

Enterprises require secure, high-performance, and scalable websites that integrate with business applications, databases, and automation tools. A CMS like WordPress (with custom development), Webflow, or Prestashop can handle large volumes of content, multi-user management, and enterprise-grade security. Businesses with eCommerce needs can benefit from Shopify Plus or WooCommerce Enterprise, offering custom payment solutions and automation for high-traffic stores.

4. E-Commerce businesses & online retailers

For businesses that sell products or services online, choosing the right CMS is critical. Shopify is the best all-in-one solution for beginners and established brands, offering built-in payment processing, inventory management, and marketing automation. WooCommerce (for WordPress users) and Prestashop provide greater flexibility for those who want complete control over their online store. Bubble is also an excellent option for those looking to build a custom online marketplace or subscription-based platform.

5. Web developers & agencies

For professionals working in web design and development, a CMS simplifies client projects by offering pre-built frameworks, reusable components, and automation tools. Webflow and Framer allow agencies to create highly customized websites with advanced animations and custom interactions, while WordPress remains the go-to choice for developers needing full control over a site’s code and functionality.

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Who shouldn’t use a CMS?

While a CMS is a great fit for most users, it may not be the best solution for those needing ultra-lightweight websites, highly complex applications, or full-stack custom development. In such cases, using a headless CMS, a static site generator, or a fully custom-coded solution may be more appropriate.

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How to choose the right CMS

Choosing the right CMS depends on several factors, including the type of website you want to build, your design needs, SEO requirements, ease of use, and budget.

The first step is to determine what kind of website you need. If you are creating a blog, WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace are excellent choices due to their easy content management and customizable templates. For business websites, Webflow, WordPress, and Wix offer strong design flexibility and scalability. If your goal is to run an eCommerce store, platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Prestashop provide specialized tools for online sales, payment processing, and product management. For more complex web applications, Bubble and Softr stand out as the best no-code solutions, allowing users to build dynamic and interactive platforms without coding.

Customization and design flexibility are also important factors. Some CMS platforms, such as Webflow and WordPress, offer full design control, making them ideal for designers and developers who want complete creative freedom. On the other hand, Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly focus on ease of use by providing pre-designed templates and drag-and-drop editors, making them better suited for beginners.

SEO and performance play a crucial role in website visibility and user experience. Webflow and WordPress are considered highly SEO-friendly, offering advanced customization for metadata, clean coding structures, and fast-loading pages. For eCommerce websites, Shopify and WooCommerce integrate powerful SEO tools to optimize product listings and improve search rankings.

Ease of use varies across different CMS platforms. Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, and Weebly are beginner-friendly and require minimal technical skills, making them great for users looking to set up a website quickly. However, Webflow, WordPress, and Bubble have a steeper learning curve, requiring more time to master but offering significantly greater flexibility and control.

Finally, pricing is a key factor in choosing a CMS. It is important to compare the cost of subscriptions, hosting, and additional plugins or themes before making a decision. Some platforms, like WordPress and WooCommerce, are free to use but may require hosting and premium plugins, while others, such as Webflow, Shopify, and Squarespace, operate on a subscription-based model with pricing plans tailored to different needs. Evaluating your budget alongside the features you require will help you find the CMS that best fits your needs.

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Top CMS platforms in 2025

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1. Webflow – the best No-Code CMS for designers

Webflow is a powerful no-code CMS designed for users who want complete creative control over their website without writing code. Unlike traditional website builders that rely on pre-made templates, Webflow enables users to build fully custom layouts using a visual drag-and-drop editor, offering the flexibility and functionality of professional web development. It is ideal for those who want design freedom while benefiting from an all-in-one platform with built-in hosting, security, and SEO tools.

One of Webflow’s standout features is its dynamic CMS, making it easy to manage blogs, portfolios, business websites, and even complex applications. Unlike WordPress, which requires third-party plugins for advanced functionality, Webflow integrates everything natively, ensuring better performance and security without external dependencies.

Pros of using Webflow

Webflow’s unmatched design flexibility allows users to customize every aspect of their site, from animations and interactions to responsive layouts. The visual editor feels similar to Figma or Adobe XD, with the added advantage of instantly generating clean HTML and CSS code.

It is also highly SEO-friendly, producing lightweight, fast-loading websites. Users can manually optimize meta tags, structured data, and canonical URLs, ensuring strong search engine rankings. Built-in SSL encryption, fast CDN hosting, and site performance tools further enhance security and speed.

Another major advantage is Webflow’s self-sufficiency. Unlike WordPress, which often relies on multiple plugins for SEO, security, and optimization, Webflow provides everything within its core platform, reducing the need for additional integrations.

Cons of using Webflow

Webflow has a steep learning curve, especially for beginners unfamiliar with responsive design concepts like box models, flexbox, and grids. While its visual editor is powerful, new users may require time to adapt. Fortunately, Webflow University provides extensive tutorials and guides to help users get started.

It is also not the most beginner-friendly CMS. Unlike Wix or Squarespace, which focus on simplicity, Webflow requires a more hands-on approach to customization. This makes it better suited for designers, agencies, and businesses rather than users looking for a quick, template-based solution.

Webflow pricing

Webflow follows a subscription-based pricing model, with different plans for individuals, businesses, and eCommerce users:

• ‍Basic plan – $12/month: suitable for simple static websites with no CMS functionality.‍
• CMS plan – $16/month: ideal for blogs and content-driven sites, offering dynamic collections and custom databases.‍
• Business plan – $36/month: supports higher traffic, additional CMS items, and enhanced performance features.‍
• eCommerce plans – from $29/month: includes secure checkout, inventory management, and payment gateway integrations.
  

Webflow is a top choice in 2025 for those who want a modern, scalable, and SEO-optimized CMS with full design flexibility and powerful built-in features.

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2. Framer – the best CMS for effortless design & publishing

Framer is a modern no-code website builder designed for creators who want to build visually stunning, high-performance websites without coding. It provides an intuitive drag-and-drop editor that seamlessly integrates with responsive layouts, animations, and CMS collections, making it ideal for agencies, startups, and businesses that need an efficient design workflow. Unlike traditional CMS platforms, Framer emphasizes speed, ease of use, and dynamic content management, making it one of the top choices for 2025.

Pros of using Framer

Framer excels in design freedom while maintaining a smooth user experience. It allows users to quickly create and publish websites with built-in CMS functionality. The platform supports CMS collections, responsive components, and SEO optimizations, ensuring that websites are both beautiful and well-ranked in search engines.

The CMS also includes collaborative features, enabling teams to work together efficiently with version history and editor roles. Hosting is fully managed, with fast-loading pages, integrated SSL, and cloud-based scalability.

Cons of using Framer

Despite its strengths, Framer is best suited for designers and businesses rather than developers who require deep backend customizations. Compared to Webflow or WordPress, it offers less extensibility for advanced features and integrations. Additionally, some plans may have limitations on storage and bandwidth, making it more suited for marketing sites, portfolios, and small business websites rather than complex applications.

Framer pricing

Framer offers flexible pricing plans tailored to different user needs:

• ‍Mini plan – €10/month: best for landing pages, offering 2 pages, 10GB bandwidth, and custom domain support.‍
• Basic plan – €20/month: suitable for standard websites, providing 1,000 pages, 50GB bandwidth, and password protection.‍
• Pro plan – €40/month: ideal for growing sites, including 10,000 pages, 100GB bandwidth, and 10 CMS collections.
  

Each plan includes responsive design tools, SEO optimization, and secure hosting, ensuring that users can scale their websites efficiently.

Framer is a top choice in 2025 for those seeking a fast, no-code website builder with seamless publishing, CMS capabilities, and excellent performance. It’s perfect for designers, agencies, and businesses that want to create high-quality websites without dealing with complex coding workflows.

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3. WordPress – the best CMS for blogs & content-based websites

WordPress is the most widely used CMS in the world, powering over 40% of all websites. It is known for its versatility, flexibility, and extensive plugin ecosystem, making it the go-to choice for bloggers, content creators, businesses, and even large enterprises. Whether you’re running a personal blog, a news website, or a corporate platform, WordPress provides scalability and customization like no other CMS.

Unlike other platforms that focus on no-code development, WordPress offers full control over site functionality through custom themes, plugins, and direct code editing. It supports thousands of themes that cater to different industries and SEO-friendly structures that help improve search engine rankings. With a massive global community, users have access to countless tutorials, forums, and support resources, making it an ever-evolving CMS.

Pros of using WordPress

One of WordPress’s biggest strengths is its customization potential. With over 50,000 plugins and thousands of free and premium themes, users can extend their website’s functionality in endless ways. Whether you need advanced SEO tools, social media integrations, eCommerce solutions, or multilingual support, WordPress has a plugin for everything.

The platform is also highly SEO-friendly, with plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math helping users optimize content, generate XML sitemaps, and improve keyword targeting. Its blogging capabilities remain unmatched, offering built-in content scheduling, media management, and category organization.

Additionally, WordPress is open-source, meaning developers can modify, extend, and customize every part of a website. This makes it ideal for businesses and agencies looking for a scalable, self-hosted solution that can grow over time.

Cons of using WordPress

Despite its strengths, WordPress requires ongoing maintenance to keep plugins, themes, and core updates secure and optimized. Unlike fully hosted solutions like Shopify or Squarespace, users must manage their own hosting, backups, and security.

Another drawback is that too many plugins can slow down a website, especially if they are poorly coded or conflict with one another. To ensure fast performance, users must choose lightweight themes, optimize images, and use caching plugins.

WordPress pricing

WordPress is technically free to use, but hosting, themes, and premium plugins come at additional costs. WordPress.com offers subscription plans for different user needs:

• ‍Personal plan – $4/month: ideal for simple blogs with a custom domain and basic features.‍
• Premium plan – $8/month: best for freelancers and personal brands, offering customization and monetization tools.‍
• Business plan – $25/month: includes advanced design customization, SEO tools, and Google Analytics integration.‍
• eCommerce plan – $45/month: designed for online stores, supporting payment gateways and product management.

For users who want full control over their website, self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org) is recommended. This requires separate hosting, a domain, and manual site management, but it provides unlimited flexibility and scalability.

WordPress remains the best CMS for content-based websites, offering a balance between powerful customization, SEO optimization, and community-driven support. Whether you’re a blogger, entrepreneur, or enterprise, WordPress provides a solid foundation for long-term online success.

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4. Shopify –the best CMS for eCommerce

Shopify is the leading CMS for eCommerce, designed specifically for businesses that want to sell products online with ease. Unlike general website builders, Shopify offers a complete eCommerce ecosystem, including secure payment processing, inventory management, shipping integration, and multi-channel selling. Whether you’re launching a small store or scaling an enterprise-level business, Shopify provides a reliable, scalable, and user-friendly platform for managing an online store.

One of Shopify’s key strengths is its fully hosted infrastructure, meaning users don’t have to worry about web hosting, security, or software updates. Everything is managed within Shopify’s ecosystem, making it an ideal choice for entrepreneurs and businesses that want to focus on selling rather than technical maintenance.

Pros of using Shopify

Shopify is tailored for eCommerce, offering a seamless and intuitive experience for online sellers. It comes with built-in payment gateways, including Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, and other third-party options, making it easy to accept payments globally. Additionally, Shopify supports multi-channel selling, allowing businesses to sell on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.

Another major advantage is its secure and user-friendly interface. With pre-designed templates, drag-and-drop builders, and an extensive app store, Shopify enables users to customize their store without coding experience. The platform also ensures strong security with SSL encryption, fraud detection, and PCI compliance, protecting customer data and transactions.

Shopify’s app ecosystem is one of the best in the industry, offering thousands of apps and integrations for marketing, customer support, dropshipping, analytics, and automation. This makes it easy for store owners to add extra functionalities as their business grows.

Cons of using Shopify

One downside of Shopify is that it charges transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments, which can increase costs for merchants using third-party gateways. Additionally, while Shopify is highly optimized for eCommerce, it is not as flexible for content-heavy websites or businesses that require advanced design customizations without coding.

Compared to WordPress + WooCommerce, Shopify has fewer customization options, and some features may require paid apps, making it slightly more expensive for users who need advanced functionalities.

Shopify pricing

Shopify offers three main pricing plans to accommodate different business needs:

• ‍Basic plan – $27/month: best for new businesses, includes essential eCommerce tools and basic reports.‍
• Shopify plan – $79/month: ideal for growing businesses, offering lower transaction fees, professional reports, and advanced features.‍
• Advanced plan – $289/month: Ssuitable for large businesses, providing the lowest transaction fees, advanced reporting, and custom pricing based on location.

Shopify also offers a 14-day free trial, allowing users to explore its features before committing to a plan.

For businesses that want an all-in-one eCommerce solution with seamless integrations, high security, and scalability, Shopify is the best choice in 2025. Whether you’re running a small boutique, a dropshipping business, or a large-scale online store, Shopify provides everything needed to sell, manage, and grow your online presence efficiently.

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5. Wix / Wix Studio – the best CMS for beginners

Wix is one of the most user-friendly CMS platforms, designed for individuals and small businesses who want to create a website quickly without coding skills. With its drag-and-drop editor and AI-powered website builder, Wix makes web design accessible to everyone, from bloggers and freelancers to small business owners and online stores. It offers a wide range of pre-designed templates, built-in SEO tools, and an extensive app marketplace, allowing users to build a professional-looking website in just a few clicks.

Unlike more advanced platforms like Webflow or WordPress, Wix focuses on ease of use, making it an excellent choice for beginners who don’t want to deal with complex customizations or technical maintenance.

Pros of using Wix

One of the biggest advantages of Wix is its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, which allows users to fully customize their website layout without writing code. It also includes Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence), an AI-powered tool that automatically creates a personalized website based on the user’s needs.

Wix is also budget-friendly, with affordable pricing plans suitable for personal websites, small businesses, and freelancers. It offers free hosting, built-in security, and automatic updates, ensuring a hassle-free experience.

For users who need extra functionality, the Wix App Market provides hundreds of integrations, including eCommerce tools, booking systems, social media plugins, and marketing automation.

Cons of using Wix

Despite its ease of use, Wix has some limitations in customization compared to platforms like Webflow or WordPress. While it provides pre-designed templates and flexibility with the editor, it lacks full design control, making it less ideal for professional designers or developers.

Another drawback is that the free plan includes Wix branding and ads, which can make a website look less professional. To remove ads and use a custom domain, users must subscribe to a paid plan.

Wix pricing

Wix offers several pricing tiers to accommodate different website needs:

• ‍Basic plan – $12/month: best for simple websites with essential features and custom domains.‍
• Unlimited plan – $20.40/month: ideal for growing businesses, providing more storage and advanced analytics.‍
• VIP plan – $34.80/month: Iincludes priority support, additional bandwidth, and enhanced website features.
  

Wix is a top choice in 2025 for anyone looking for a beginner-friendly, affordable, and hassle-free CMS. It’s perfect for users who prioritize simplicity over deep customization and want to launch a beautiful, functional website with minimal effort.

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6. Squarespace – the best CMS for visual websites

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Squarespace is a website builder known for its sleek, modern templates and high-quality design features. It is the go-to CMS for creatives, artists, photographers, and businesses that want a visually stunning and professional-looking website. With its all-in-one platform, Squarespace provides built-in hosting, security, SEO tools, and analytics, making it a great choice for users who want a polished, ready-to-go website without dealing with third-party plugins or technical setup.

Unlike Wix or Webflow, Squarespace focuses on design consistency, offering beautifully crafted templates that are fully responsive on all devices. It is especially popular for portfolio websites, personal brands, and small businesses that prioritize aesthetics and user experience.

Pros of using Squarespace

Squarespace is best known for its stunning, professionally designed templates that require minimal customization. Every template is fully responsive, ensuring that websites look great on desktop, tablet, and mobile without additional design tweaks.

It also offers built-in SEO tools and analytics, allowing users to track their website’s performance and optimize their content for search engines. Unlike WordPress, which relies on third-party plugins for SEO, Squarespace has integrated tools for metadata editing, sitemaps, and mobile optimization.

For creatives and businesses, Squarespace provides powerful portfolio features, eCommerce options, and blogging tools. It also includes secure hosting, automatic updates, and 24/7 customer support, making it a reliable all-in-one solution.

Cons of using Squarespace

One of the main drawbacks of Squarespace is its limited third-party integrations compared to WordPress or Shopify. While it supports essential marketing and social media tools, users looking for advanced automation, extensive app libraries, or deep API integrations may find it restrictive.

Additionally, Squarespace tends to be more expensive than some competitors like Wix or WordPress, especially for users who need eCommerce functionality. While it provides a premium user experience, it might not be the best choice for those on a tight budget.

Squarespace pricing

Squarespace offers different pricing plans to cater to various user needs:

• ‍Personal plan – $11/month: ideal for blogs, portfolios, and personal websites, offering elegant templates and basic features.‍
• Business plan – $17/month: designed for small businesses, including advanced design customization and basic eCommerce features.‍
• Commerce plans – From $24/month: best for online stores, offering secure payment processing, product management, and zero transaction fees on higher-tier plans.
  

Squarespace is a top CMS choice in 2025 for users who want a visually appealing, easy-to-manage website with built-in tools for SEO, analytics, and eCommerce. It’s perfect for creatives, entrepreneurs, and businesses that value aesthetic design and an all-in-one platform over extensive customization.

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7. PrestaShop – the best open-source eCommerce CMS

PrestaShop is an open-source CMS designed specifically for eCommerce businesses that require full control over their online store. Unlike Shopify or Wix, which operate on a subscription-based model, PrestaShop is completely free to use, allowing businesses to customize and scale their stores without monthly fees. It is ideal for entrepreneurs, small-to-medium businesses, and enterprises that want a flexible and customizable eCommerce solution.

Being self-hosted, PrestaShop gives store owners complete freedom to choose their own hosting, domain, and third-party integrations. This makes it an excellent choice for businesses that want advanced customization, multilingual support, and control over their store’s performance and security.

Pros of using PrestaShop

One of the biggest advantages of PrestaShop is its high flexibility and scalability. Since it is open-source, businesses can modify every aspect of their online store, from design and layout to functionality and performance. Users can choose from thousands of modules and themes available in the PrestaShop Marketplace, allowing them to create a fully customized eCommerce experience.

PrestaShop also supports multilingual and multi-currency features, making it a great option for international businesses. Unlike Shopify, which charges transaction fees, PrestaShop lets store owners integrate payment gateways of their choice without extra costs.

Additionally, because it is self-hosted, businesses are not locked into a single platform and can optimize their website’s performance with the hosting provider of their choice. This allows for better control over loading speeds, SEO, and security.

Cons of using PrestaShop

While PrestaShop is highly flexible, it requires technical knowledge to set up and maintain. Users need to handle hosting, updates, security, and optimization themselves, which can be challenging for beginners. Unlike Shopify, which provides managed hosting and support, PrestaShop users must manage their own servers and configurations.

Additionally, while the core software is free, businesses may incur costs for hosting, premium themes, and paid modules to enhance functionality. Custom development may also be required for advanced customizations, making it less beginner-friendly.

PrestaShop pricing

PrestaShop itself is free to use, but additional costs include:

• ‍Hosting: costs vary depending on the provider and store size.‍
• Add-ons and modules: some extensions and themes require a one-time or subscription fee.‍
• Development costs: customizations may require hiring developers or purchasing premium services.
  

PrestaShop is a top CMS choice in 2025 for businesses that want a fully customizable, open-source eCommerce solution. It is perfect for entrepreneurs and established brands that require complete control over their store and are comfortable managing hosting, security, and performance optimization.

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8. Bubble – best for No-Code web applications

Bubble is a no-code development platform designed for users who want to build complex web applications without writing code. Unlike traditional CMS platforms like WordPress or Shopify, Bubble is tailored for creating dynamic, data-driven applications, making it an excellent choice for startups, SaaS companies, and entrepreneurs looking to launch a custom web app, marketplace, or automation tool.

With its visual drag-and-drop interface, Bubble allows users to design, develop, and deploy web applications without needing backend coding expertise. The platform also includes database management, API integrations, and workflow automation, making it highly customizable for various use cases.

Pros of using Bubble

One of Bubble’s biggest strengths is its ability to create fully functional web applications without coding. Users can build everything from social networks and marketplaces to dashboards and internal business tools, all within a drag-and-drop environment. The workflow automation engine allows users to define complex interactions, user actions, and database relationships without touching a single line of code.

Another advantage of Bubble is its scalability. Unlike traditional CMS platforms that are focused on static websites, Bubble supports real-time data processing, advanced user authentication, and complex business logic, making it ideal for businesses that need interactive and database-driven web applications.

Additionally, Bubble allows users to connect with external APIs, third-party services, and payment gateways, providing extensive flexibility for building applications that require integrations with Stripe, Google Maps, or external databases.

Cons of using Bubble

While Bubble is a powerful no-code platform, it has a steeper learning curve compared to simpler website builders like Wix or Squarespace. Users who have no experience with database management or workflow automation may need to invest time in learning how to structure their applications properly. However, Bubble Academy provides comprehensive tutorials and documentation to help users get started.

Another limitation is that Bubble lacks pre-built templates for traditional websites, meaning it is not ideal for blogs, portfolios, or basic business sites. While it excels at building interactive applications, users looking for simple content management may find WordPress or Webflow to be better alternatives.

Bubble pricing

Bubble offers several pricing tiers depending on project complexity and team size:

• ‍Free plan: allows users to experiment with Bubble and build basic projects.‍
• Personal plan – $25/month: suitable for freelancers and solo entrepreneurs launching MVPs.‍
• Professional plan – $115/month: best for growing startups, offering more capacity, performance optimization, and API integrations.
  

Bubble is a top CMS alternative in 2025 for businesses and individuals looking to develop fully customized web applications without code. It is perfect for startups, SaaS platforms, and advanced users who need a highly flexible, data-driven solution without traditional development constraints.

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9. WeWeb – the best CMS for No-Code web applications with self-hosting

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WeWeb is a no-code web application builder that offers a visual development environment, self-hosting capabilities, and scalability for growing businesses. Unlike traditional CMS platforms like WordPress or Shopify, WeWeb is designed for developers, startups, and enterprises looking to create custom web applications without extensive coding.

With features such as code export, role-based access, and data caching, WeWeb bridges the gap between no-code development and professional-grade web applications, making it a top choice for companies that need performance, security, and flexibility.

Pros of using WeWeb

One of the standout features of WeWeb is its code export and self-hosting capabilities, allowing businesses to have full control over their applications. Unlike Bubble, which operates within a closed ecosystem, WeWeb enables users to deploy their projects independently, ensuring better scalability and security.

WeWeb also supports role-based access, data caching, and production staging, making it ideal for teams collaborating on complex applications. Additionally, its visual editor allows users to build front-end applications while integrating seamlessly with backend databases and APIs.

Cons of using WeWeb

While WeWeb offers extensive customization and hosting flexibility, it requires more technical knowledge than platforms like Wix or Squarespace. Users looking for a simple drag-and-drop website builder may find it less intuitive. Additionally, higher-tier plans can be expensive, making it more suitable for businesses and developers rather than individual users.

WeWeb pricing

WeWeb offers multiple pricing tiers based on project needs:

• ‍Free plan – $0: allows users to experiment with WeWeb, using all features in development mode with access to templates and UI kits.‍
• Starter plan – $39/month: includes live applications, custom domains, 50,000 monthly app visits, 1GB storage, and 200GB bandwidth.‍
• Scale plan – $149/month: designed for growing businesses, offering 250,000 app visits, 10GB storage, 400GB bandwidth, role-based access, and production staging.‍
• Enterprise plan – custom pricing: tailored for large organizations with custom storage, unlimited project plans, SSO, versioning, and staging.
  

WeWeb is a top CMS alternative in 2025 for businesses and developers who want to build scalable web applications with full ownership and self-hosting capabilities. It is perfect for those looking for a no-code solution with advanced performance, security, and customization options.

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10. Softr – the best No-Code CMS for building web apps and directories

Softr is a versatile no-code website and app builder that allows users to create websites, web apps, and online directories with ease. Designed for businesses, startups, and individuals, Softr enables users to build functional applications without coding, making it an excellent alternative to Bubble and Webflow.

One of Softr’s standout features is its seamless integration with Airtable, allowing users to manage and display structured data effortlessly. This makes it a great choice for building membership platforms, job boards, marketplaces, and internal business tools. Unlike Bubble, which focuses on advanced workflows, Softr is more beginner-friendly, making it accessible to those without technical expertise.

Pros of using Softr

Softr is incredibly easy to use, featuring a drag-and-drop builder and pre-built templates that help users create web apps quickly. It is an ideal choice for non-technical users who want to launch a directory, portal, or dashboard without building a custom backend.

Additionally, Softr offers Airtable integration, allowing businesses to use Airtable as a database, eliminating the need for a complex backend infrastructure. The platform also supports membership-based websites, meaning users can restrict content, manage subscriptions, and create gated communities.

Cons of using Softr

Despite its flexibility, Softr lacks deep customization options compared to Webflow or Bubble. While it allows users to create functional applications, advanced customizations may require custom code. This makes it less ideal for highly complex applications that require advanced logic and backend functionalities.

Another limitation is that Softr’s design flexibility is somewhat restricted, meaning users may have fewer options for achieving a fully custom look compared to Webflow. However, it remains an excellent solution for those prioritizing speed, simplicity, and functionality over design freedom.

Softr pricing

Softr offers multiple pricing plans to suit different needs:

• ‍Starter plan – $24/month: ideal for basic websites and directories, providing access to essential features.‍
• Professional plan – $65/month: suitable for businesses needing advanced functionality, app development, and team collaboration.‍
• Business plan – $165/month: designed for enterprises requiring high scalability, data integration, and workflow automation.

Softr is a top CMS choice in 2025 for businesses and entrepreneurs looking to build functional web apps and directories quickly. With its no-code interface, Airtable integration, and membership capabilities, it is perfect for those who want to launch scalable platforms without technical complexity.

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Conclusion: which CMS is right for you in 2025?

Choosing the right Content Management System (CMS) in 2025 depends on your specific needs, whether you’re building a blog, business website, eCommerce store, portfolio, or web application. With so many powerful options available, the best CMS for you will depend on factors such as ease of use, customization, scalability, SEO capabilities, and pricing.

• ‍For designers and businesses needing full creative control, Webflow and Framer offer advanced design flexibility with no-code tools.‍
• For bloggers and content creators, WordPress remains the most powerful and widely used CMS with its vast plugin ecosystem.‍
• For eCommerce entrepreneurs, Shopify, WooCommerce, and Prestashop provide scalable solutions tailored to online stores.‍
• For beginners or small businesses, Wix and Squarespace are great options for quickly launching a professional website without coding.‍
• For advanced web applications and SaaS platforms, Bubble, Softr, and WeWeb offer no-code solutions with database and workflow automation.

Regardless of your choice, each CMS provides unique advantages tailored to different types of websites and users. Whether you’re looking for simplicity, customization, or powerful eCommerce functionality, 2025 offers more CMS options than ever before to help businesses and individuals build fast, optimized, and scalable websites.

By assessing your goals, budget, and technical expertise, you can choose the CMS that best aligns with your long-term vision, ensuring a strong online presence and future growth.