9 Best Free and Open-Source CMS Platforms in 2024

Summary: Discover the best options for building your website with our list of free and open-source CMS platforms. Get the details on each software to find the best fit for you!

In today’s digital age, businesses and organizations must have a strong online presence to stay relevant and competitive. A content management system (CMS) is essential for managing website content, enabling users even without technical skills to create, edit, and publish web pages.

While many CMS platforms are available on the market, open-source software offers some distinct advantages. Open-source CMS platforms offer greater flexibility and customization options, allowing users to customize their websites exactly as they want. Additionally, open-source software is typically free of charge or available at a lower cost than proprietary software.

With that said, let’s explore the best free and open-source CMS platforms available in the market.

Why Use Open Source and Free CMS Software?

Open-source and free Content Management Software has become increasingly popular among website developers in recent years. These systems offer a range of benefits that make them a top choice for businesses and individuals looking to build their online presence.

One of the obvious reasons is that open-source and free CMS software is extremely cost-effective. As the name suggests, these platforms are free to use, and users can save significant amounts of money on licensing fees when compared to proprietary software solutions.

• Flexibility: With open-source and free CMS software, developers can customize and modify the codes to meet specific business needs.
• Community Support: Open source CMS platforms have large communities of developers who contribute to its development, share knowledge, and provide support.
• Security: Open-source CMS software is often more secure than proprietary systems since it undergoes rigorous testing by a large community of experienced developers for security vulnerabilities.
• Integrations: Free and open-source CMS platforms are designed to integrate easily with third-party applications such as social media platforms, multiple payment gateways, and marketing automation systems.

Top 9 Free and Open Source CMS Platforms

While there are many CMS platforms available in the market, not all of them are free or open source. Here’s a list of the top free and open-source CMS platforms that offer robust functionality and customization options.

Shopify

Shopify is a free CMS system for the online store. It provides a hassle-free building, management, and scaling of online stores. Its rich app ecosystem, payment solutions, and AI-powered search ensure both back-end efficiency and customer experience. Shopify is the perfect fit for organizations that have growth aspirations on the global multichannel platform.

Key Features of Shopify CMS

• Drag-and-drop store builder that boasts sleek templates.
• Comprehensive app store to enhance functionality.
• Inbuilt payment processing system
• Scalable solutions for small and enterprise-level businesses.
• Analytics and reporting tools.

Pros:

• Easy setup and management of stores.
• Safe and integrated payment gateway.
• Powerful customer support system.

Cons:

• Advanced features are very costly.
• Limited customizations without coding knowledge

WordPress

WordPress is one of the well-known CMSs, famous for flexibility and open source origin. With such ability, users can create websites ranging from those simple blogs to an enterprise level. It’s capable of providing a robust library of plugins and themes and doing full customization. Having a user-friendly interface and many active participants, it’s very popular among content creators and developers.

Key Features of WordPress:

• Excellent integration with WordPress
• Open-source and highly customizable
• Large library of numerous plugins and extensions
• Features physical and digital product sales
• Control over store data and hosting.

WordPress Pros:

Cost-effective with open-source flexibility.

Huge community support for debugging issues.

Scalable to meet the growing needs of business organizations.

WordPress Cons:

• Advanced functionality demands technical know-how.
• Multiple plugin dependencies could make it hard to maintain.

Magento (Adobe Commerce)

Magento is a fully-fledged CMS purpose-built for e-commerce companies seeking scalability and personalization. Its modular design supports multi-level catalog management and integration with third-party solutions. The platform is designed more for B2B and omnichannel commerce, providing an upper hand for enterprises that target a variety of markets.

Key Features:

• AI-driven advanced personalization tools
• Smooth integration with other Adobe products
• Multi-store support
• Flexible APIs for third-party integrations
• Highly scalable with high growth requirements

Pros:

• Recommended for enterprises with high customization requirements
• Advanced marketing and personalization tools
• Scalability for heavy loads and traffic

Cons:

• Expensive for premium editions
• Requires technical knowledge for setting up

Drupal

Site building can be complex due to the strong flexibility in content management. Drupal is widely preferred by governments and enterprises for the effective security features offered. Modular in their system and API-first, this tool supports different integrations and high customization degrees.

Key Features:

• High-level security features for confidential data.
• Highly customizable for unique business requirements.
• Multilingual support is integrated into the system.
• Scale-up architecture supports high-traffic websites.
• Community-driven, professional support and modules.

Pros:

• Exceptional security features for critical data.
• Tailored for complex and high-level projects.
• Excellent performance with heavy traffic.

Cons:

• Expert knowledge needed for installation, setting, and management.
• Ease of use in Wix is not user-friendly for beginners.

Wix

Wix is a free CMS website that simplifies website development through drag-and-drop functionality and AI design tools. It can be ideal for small to medium businesses in offering an array of templates, integrated SEO tools, and e-commerce features. Wix makes it easy for anybody to launch visually appealing and functional sites without the need for coding expertise.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Editor: Wix provides an accessible editor that lets people build websites without coding knowledge.
• Extensive Template Library: there are over 800 industry-specific, customizable templates to choose from.
• Integrated SEO and Marketing Tools: Optimize your website for search engines or run email campaigns right from the platform.
• Built-In E-commerce Tools: set up an online store with features like product galleries, secure payments, and inventory tracking.
• App Market Integration: Access third-party apps for booking, analytics, and more to make your website more functional.

Pros:

• Easy to use, even for beginners or small business.
• It has many built-in solutions for SEO and marketing.
• Also, the templates are highly visual, responsive, and also professional.

Cons:

• Fewer backend controls for developers or advanced users
• Premium features could be costly to subscription

Squarespace

This popular open source CMS is famous for its clean, design-focused approach. With its professionally designed templates and robust blogging tools, it integrates analytics. It is perfect for creatives and small businesses. It really provides beauty with functionality to make distinguished websites.

Key Features:

• Stunning, award-winning design templates.
• Built-in e-commerce tools for small businesses.
• Marketing tools, including email campaigns.
• Mobile-friendly and responsive designs.
• Easy integration with third-party services.

Pros:

• Visually appealing designs with a creative focus.
• All-in-one platform for website and marketing.
• Simple, intuitive interface.

Cons:

• Limited customization compared to competitors.
• Costly for large-scale e-commerce needs.

Joomla

Joomla is an all-in-one CMS that offers plenty of flexibility through its modular architecture and numerous extensions. This is accompanied by a balance between user-friendliness and complexity, including multilingual capabilities and some strong content management functionality, making it capable of supporting a variety of applications, from simple sites to rather complex portals.

Key Features

• Flexible CMS Framework: Joomla is open source, and developers have the flexibility to extensively customize it.
• Multilingual Support: It offers in built translation tools to create multiple language websites.
• Advanced User Management: Assign and manage the role of users and other access levels for collaborative projects
• Extensive Extension Directory: Thousands of free and paid extensions to expand functionalities
• Scalability: Suitable for building any website from a small blog to an enterprise portal

Pros:

• Extremely robust tools for managing complex websites
• Built-in multilingual support means that no other additional plugins are required.
• Developers who want maximum customizability.

Cons:

• Slightly higher learning curve for non-technical users.
• Much fewer and less user-friendly templates than competitors.

HubSpot CMS Hub

HubSpot CMS Hub integrates content management with marketing tools, enabling seamless lead generation and customer engagement. This opensource CMS offers personalization, adaptive testing, and built-in SEO tools, making it a strong choice for businesses focused on inbound marketing and CRM integration.

Key Features:

• Built-in CRM for streamlined customer management.
• Marketing automation tools for enhancing engagement.
• Strong analytics to create data-driven decisions.
• Drag-and-drop content creation tools.
• Third-party apps integration for extending functionality.

Pros:

• Unified marketing, sales, and CRM space.
• Excellent inbound marketing technique management
• Scales up with business growth

Cons:

• Expensive at the pricing level for advanced features.
• Limited CMS design flexibility.

Contentful

Contentful, which is a free content management system redefines content management with its API-first, headless CMS approach, empowering developers with the freedom to build highly customized digital experiences. It has structured content models and multi-channel delivery capabilities that cater to organizations that want dynamic and scalable content strategies.

Key Features

• API-First Architecture: Contentful can deliver content across different platforms through flexible APIs.
• Content Modeling: Create and structure custom content types tailored to the needs of your projects.
• Cloud-Based CMS: Content is accessed securely anywhere without having to host.
• Omnichannel Delivery: Publish across websites, apps, and other digital platforms without hassle.
• Collaboration Tools: Teams can collaborate with role-based access permissions and workflow features.

Pros

• Best for distributed content across multiple channels.
• API-driven flexibility for unparalleled control over the content.
• Scalability to meet the needs of growing businesses.

Cons

• Requires a technical person to set up and integrate.
• The price can be very steep when content grows.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is an e-commerce-focused CMS offering scalability and solid performance. It’s pretty flexible because it supports multiple payment gateways as well as omnichannel selling. It’s equipped with a number of pre-built integrations and SEO tools, all intended to assist businesses grow an online presence without much hassle.

Key Features:

• Multi-channel support for wider reach.
• Advanced SEO tools for improved search visibility.
• Has no transaction fee even on third party gateways.
• Customizable themes, which are mobile responsive
• Works efficiently with high-volume businesses.

Pros:

• Scalability and growth are entirely focused.
• Optimized for SEO and marketing.
• Transparent pricing without hidden fees.

Cons:

• Limited design flexibility in comparison with some platforms.
• Slightly steep learning curve for beginners.

Suggested Read: Best AI Content Generator Tools for Content Marketers

How to Choose the Best CMS Software?

Choosing the best Content Management System (CMS) software for your website can be quite an overwhelming task. With a range of options available in the market, it is easy to get confused and pick the one that doesn’t fit your needs or budget.

However, with careful consideration and evaluation of different options, you can identify the right CMS software for you. Here’s what features you need to check before choosing any CMS software:

• Identify your website’s needs: You need to identify your website’s requirements, like if you want to build an online store or just a blog site.
• Consider ease of use: Look for a CMS that has an intuitive interface that makes it easy for you to manage your content.
• Evaluate customization options: Check if the CMS allows customization of templates, themes, and plugins according to your business needs.
• Security and updates: Choose a CMS that comes with regular updates and security patches to keep your website secure from hacking attempts.
• Look at pricing models: Consider the cost of CMS license or subscription, as well as any additional fees for add-ons or support services.
• Evaluate scalability: Choose a CMS that can grow with your business and adapt to changing needs over time. This ensures that you won’t have to switch platforms every few years as your business expands.

FAQs Related to Open Source CMS