10 Best and Most Popular CMS Websites in 2024

This guide delves into the top 10 most popular CMS websites, providing a roadmap to navigate their features, advantages, and pricing. 

Shopify 

Shopify, an all-in-one hosted CMS platform, provides online businesses with a seamless and comprehensive solution.

Key Features 

• No Hosting Hassles: Shopify eliminates the need to purchase hosting services, install software, or manage intricate tasks like updates and backups. This allows businesses to focus on what matters most – their content and customers.
• Intuitive Drag and Drop Interface: Shopify’s user-friendly interface empowers users with an intuitive drag-and-drop mechanism. The dashboard is streamlined from adding products and creating collections to setting up discount codes. 
• A variety of themes and apps: Shopify’s CMS offers numerous free and paid themes, allowing you to customize your online store to align with your brand’s aesthetic and functionality needs. Moreover, over 8000 apps enable store owners to add features like customer reviews, social integration, SEO tools, and more.

• In-Store Sales Support: One distinctive feature differentiating Shopify is its seamless integration with in-store sales. Shopify’s in-store sales support includes features like centralized inventory management, order tracking, and customer data consolidation for managing sales efficiently for businesses with physical and online storefronts.
• Customization Capabilities: Shopify provides extensive customization options, allowing you to reflect your brand identity effortlessly. You can modify the layout, customize how your products are presented, and integrate your brand identity into the website, from logos to color schemes to create a truly unique and branded online presence.

Pros & Cons 

Pros 

• Robust e-commerce capabilities
• Intuitive user interface
• Seamless in-store sales integration
• Mobile responsiveness
• Extensive app integrations

Cons

• Transaction fees on third-party payment gateways
• Additional costs for advanced features

Pricing

• Starter: $5/month
• Basic: $39/month
• Shopify: $105/month
• Advanced: $399/month
• Plus: From $2000/month

Joomla!

Setting itself apart from other CMS platforms, Joomla‘s core software presents a myriad of functionalities, with a particular focus on multilingual features. 

Key Features 

• Banner Management Tool: Joomla offers a robust banner management tool, empowering website owners to create and run advertising campaigns. Website owners can leverage this tool to attract advertisers, showcase sponsored content, or promote their products and services. This feature also adds a monetization dimension to the platform, enabling store owners to maximize their online revenue.

• Multilingual Setting: Joomla takes pride in its extensive multilingual support. With over 70 languages in the platform’s core software, users can effortlessly create websites catering to a global audience. This multilingual flexibility sets Joomla apart as an inclusive CMS choice.

• Search Functionality: Enhancing user experience, Joomla incorporates a built-in search tool and an intelligent search feature. These tools assist visitors in finding relevant information on a website efficiently, contributing to a positive and user-friendly interaction.

Pros & Cons

Pros 

• Open-source flexibility
• Robust banner management tool
• Extensive multilingual support
• Built-in search and smart search features
• Versatility in functionality right away
• Efficient management of extensive sub-pages
• 2-factor authentication for enhanced security

Cons

• Non-beginner-friendly web development terminology in the control panel
• Lack of compatibility between modules, extensions, and plugins

Pricing

• Personal: $99/year
• Business: $199/year
• Agency: $399/year

WooCommerce

WooCommerce, seamlessly integrated into WordPress, stands out as a robust e-commerce solution. 

• Built-In WordPress Blog: Leveraging the power of the “built-in” WordPress blog, WooCommerce facilitates the telling of brand stories and audience-building. This feature adds a personal touch to your online presence and boosts traffic to your store, enhancing overall visibility.

• SEO and ecommerce marketing: WordPress and eCommerce marketing when used together, provide a customized solution for content management that includes blogging, product descriptions, email marketing, landing pages, or user reviews. And different SEO plugins like Yoast help store owners to sell their products online. 

• Custom Solutions for High-Volume Stores:  You can choose from a wide range of themes or create a custom one to match your brand aesthetics. WooCommerce provides complete control over your website’s styling and structure using custom CSS and HTML.

Pros & Cons 

Pros 

• Seamless integration with WordPress
• Storytelling capabilities for brand engagement
• Built-in WordPress blog for content marketing
• SEO and search optimization tools
• Open-source platform for versatile content creation

Cons

• Dependency on WordPress updates for security patches
• Customization complexities for non-developers

Pricing

• WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin; like WordPress, it is free to use.
• WooCommerce offers a range of themes priced between $35 and $129 for users seeking more advanced and professional design options.

Drupal

Drupal emerges as a robust open-source CMS, offering various features that position it as a secure and versatile platform for content creation and web development.

• Advanced Security: Drupal’s open-source nature brings a unique advantage – the continuous scrutiny, maintenance, and input from a global community of developers. Supported by a dedicated team of security experts, Drupal consistently addresses and releases security fixes, ensuring one of the most secure and stable platforms.

• Content Creation and Integration: Drupal’s core design emphasizes web publishing, seamlessly integrating a diverse digital marketing tools and technologies ecosystem. 

• Multilingual Support: Drupal supports automated language translation for over 100 languages, ensuring a global reach for your content.

• Personalization: The authoring experience in Drupal is synonymous with in-line efficiency. The website creates a personalized customer experience by utilizing data from geolocation, browser history, device type, and behavior taxonomies. 

• Marketing Automation: Drupal empowers users to create automated marketing campaigns, enhancing reach and engagement.

Pros & Cons 

Pros 

• Advanced security through open-source collaboration
• Global developer community for continuous improvement
• Seamless integration with digital marketing tools
• Efficient content management through Web services support
• Multilingual support for global content accessibility

Cons

• Coding knowledge of PHP, CSS, and HTML required.
• Time-consuming management tasks, such as upgrading to a new version.

Pricing 

Drupal, being open-source, is initially free of charge and consistently receives updates like other software in the open-source realm. 

BigCommerce

BigCommerce, a powerhouse in e-commerce solutions, facilitates online selling and boasts a feature-rich content management system. 

• Page Builder Visual Editor: BigCommerce simplifies site page management with an intuitive drag-and-drop solution through the Page Builder Visual Editor. This user-friendly feature enables users to launch and edit pages effortlessly, eliminating the need for coding expertise.

• Theme Customization: With BigCommerce, users can access fully customizable themes underpinned by built-in HTML, CSS, and Javascript. This ensures that businesses can tailor the appearance of their online stores according to their unique branding and design preferences.

• Checkout Customization: BigCommerce offers unparalleled control over the checkout experience. Through a server-to-server checkout API and SDK, users can customize every aspect of the checkout process, enhancing the user journey and ensuring a seamless transaction experience.

• WordPress Integration: Recognizing the popularity of WordPress, BigCommerce provides seamless integration for users building their sites on this platform. With full backend platform enablement from BigCommerce for WordPress, businesses can leverage the strengths of both platforms for a robust online presence.

Pros & Cons

Pros 

•  Intuitive Page Builder Visual Editor for easy page management
• Fully customizable themes with built-in HTML, CSS, and Javascript
• Extensive checkout customization through a server-to-server API and SDK
• Seamless mobile optimization for a responsive site across all themes
• WordPress integration with full back-end platform enablement

Cons

• Lack of diversity in free themes, leading to a similarity among them
• The absence of an RSS feed for the blog, limits content distribution options

Pricing

• Standard: $29/month
• Plus: $79/month
• Pro: $299/month
• Enterprise: Custom

Ghost

Ghost, a platform celebrated for simplicity and elegance, offers a sophisticated content management system that grants users complete control over their website and brand.

• Complete Brand Control: Ghost empowers users with unparalleled control over their website and branding. From launching a custom website to tweaking design settings, Ghost ensures that your unique brand takes center stage while efficiently managing the technical aspects in the background.
• Custom Theme Marketplace: Further customize with Ghost’s marketplace, which hosts hundreds of customized themes. Users can choose from this extensive collection or build a completely bespoke design from scratch, ensuring every website reflects its owner’s distinctive style.

• Professional-Grade Editor: With a calm and intuitive design, the editor features advanced workflows by default. You can say goodbye to clumsy toolbars and drag-and-drop mishaps; immerse yourself in storytelling with an interface that remains discreet until needed and powerful when utilized.

• Concierge Migration: Whether migrating from Substack, Medium, WordPress, or other platforms, Ghost offers a free service to transfer your content, ensuring a smooth and seamless transition.

Pros & Cons 

Pros 

• Tailored for professional publishing, appealing to bloggers and journalists
• Clean and minimalist interface for an uncluttered user experience
• Optimized for speed, ensuring swift website performance
• SEO-focused design for enhanced visibility and search engine ranking
• Specialized approach, making it a preferred choice for specific user needs

Cons

• Less feature-rich compared to some other CMS platforms
• Specialized nature may limit versatility for broader website requirements
• Learning curve for users accustomed to more feature-intensive interfaces

Pricing 

• Starter: $9/month
• Creator: $25/month
• Team: $50/month
• Business: $199/month

Magento

Magento stands tall as one of the premier eCommerce platforms, offering various features that contribute to its reputation. 

• Security, SEO, and Customization Focus: Magento strongly emphasizes security, search engine optimization (SEO), and customization. These pillars of strength ensure that eCommerce sites leveraging Magento offer a secure shopping environment and stand out in terms of visibility and tailor-made experiences.
• Scalability for Bigger Stores: Tailored for larger online stores, Magento boasts remarkable scalability. This platform efficiently handles a substantial number of products and orders, making it a preferred choice for businesses looking to expand and accommodate a high volume of transactions.

• AI-Driven Personalization: Magento leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to elevate the user experience. Through AI, the platform delivers personalized site searches, product recommendations, and browsing enhancements, ensuring that users find what they need quickly and efficiently.

• AI-Enhanced Marketing and Merchandising: Magento integrates AI and machine learning into its toolkit, providing business-specific and user-friendly tools. This enhances marketing strategies and elevates merchandising efforts, enabling businesses to connect with their audience more effectively.

Pros & Cons 

Pros 

• Efficiently manage multiple stores across diverse locations, languages, and currencies.
• Responsive content management for optimal viewing on mobile devices.

Cons

• Complicated initial setup process.
• Time-consuming customization of design and product listings.

Pricing

Magento is free of charge. However, users must consider additional expenses, such as a web hosting provider and a custom domain for the store. Domain costs can vary, starting from $10 and potentially reaching up to $500 based on specific requirements.

Blogger

Blogger, a user-friendly content management system, caters to individuals seeking an effortless yet powerful platform for blogging.

• Design Flexibility: Blogger empowers users to choose the perfect blog design. Individuals can effortlessly create a beautiful blog that aligns with their unique style with easy-to-use templates featuring flexible layouts and many background images. 

• Built-in Analytics: Users can identify popular posts, comprehend their audience’s origin, and discern their interests through the platform’s intuitive analytics tools. For more detailed insights, Blogger seamlessly connects with Google Analytics, providing a comprehensive view of blog performance.
• Google AdSense Integration: Blogger effortlessly connects with Google AdSense, a widely used advertising program. Google AdSense handles ad placement on your blog, optimizing visibility for maximum impact. The platform uses sophisticated algorithms to display ads tailored to your readers’ interests, enhancing engagement.

Pros & Cons 

Pros 

• User-Friendly Interface
• Cost-Effective Blogging Platform
• Built-in SEO Features
• Integration with Google Services

Cons

• Limited Customization Options
• Lack of Updates
• Limited Support

Pricing

Blogger offers a cost-free solution for website creation, requiring no initial setup fees. Users can create a website using the .blogspot subdomain without incurring any charges. 

Bitrix24

Bitrix24 stands out as a comprehensive business management solution with robust features designed to enhance efficiency and collaboration.

• Automate Sales and Marketing Activities: Efficiently manage tasks from autoresponders and email sequences to reminder notifications. Apply rules to trigger actions such as creating tasks, adding calendar events, and changing lead or deal status based on events like incoming messages, web form submissions, calls, and emails.

• Connect With Third-Party Apps: Whether it’s accounting, project management, VoIP integration, chatbots, or HR, Bitrix24 supports many integrations. Popular integrations include Zapier, Google Analytics, Zendesk, Evernote, and PayPal. For those seeking even more customization, a REST API allows the creation of additional apps.

• Manage Client Projects: Bitrix24 simplifies project management by handling project details, creating tasks, and facilitating client collaboration. The platform’s versatility enables tracking billable hours, eliminating the need for third-party tools in project management.

• Know Your Customers: The platform provides a 360-degree view, including timelines for tracking interactions. Take actions such as commenting, conducting calls, sending messages, and setting tasks from a centralized dashboard.

• Organize Schedules: The system goes beyond basic scheduling by confirming meetings, sending reminders, connecting with external calendar apps, and facilitating calendar sharing among participants.

Pros & Cons 

Pros 

• Efficient Workflows Automation
• Useful Report Generation Tool
• Seamless Integration with Necessary Applications
• Customization Options Based on User Needs
• Device Compatibility Across Various Networks

Cons

• Challenging User Interface for Daily Tasks
• Lack of Prompt and Supportive Customer Support

Pricing

• Basic: $49/month
• Standard: $99/month
• Professional: $199/month
• Enterprise: $399/month

Wrapping Up 

Choosing the right CMS website plays a pivotal role in the success of your online presence. Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, catering to diverse needs. Whether you prioritize ease of use, advanced features, or customization, there’s a CMS out there that suits your requirements.