12 best content management systems of 2024

Choosing the right content management system (CMS) is important for anyone who wants more control over their website’s design, content, and functionality. 

Whether you’re a beginner looking for simplicity or an experienced developer needing advanced functionality, a good CMS helps you create, manage, and scale your website easily.

In this article, we’ll guide you through 12 of the best CMS platforms of 2024, focusing on what makes them unique and how they can help you achieve your website goals.

12 best CMS platforms for 2024

Here are the 12 best and most popular content management systems and their features:

CMS platform	Best for	Pricing	Key features
WordPress	Most websites, from blogs to eCommerce	Free for core software, hosting starting from $£1.95/month	58,000+ plugins, customizable themes, SEO-friendly
Joomla	Multilingual websites and complex site structures	Free for core software, hosting starting from $£2.95/month	Multilingual support, banner management, advanced user roles
WooCommerce	Online stores	Free as a WordPress plugin, hosting starting from $£2.95/month	Product management, payment gateways, shipping options
Drupal	Large-scale websites and more experienced developers	Free for core software, hosting starting from $£2.95/month	Custom content types, multilingual support, high performance
HubSpot CMS	Marketing-focused websites	Freemium, paid plans starting from $15/month	Built-in SEO tools, CRM integration, marketing tools
Adobe Commerce	Large-scale eCommerce businesses	Available upon request	Multi-store management, multilingual, secure checkout
PrestaShop	Small to medium eCommerce stores	Free for core software, requires web hosting	Product management, payment gateways, SEO tools
Craft CMS	Custom websites and developers	Freemium, paid plans starting from $279/project + $99/year	Custom content types, intuitive control panel
Ghost	Bloggers and content creators	Starting from $9/month	Built-in SEO tools, subscription options, fast loading times
Strapi	Developers seeking a headless CMS	Free for self-hosted, paid plans starting from $29/month	Custom APIs, headless architecture
Grav	Developers who prefer flat-file CMS	Free	Flat-file architecture, modular design
OctoberCMS	Developers using Laravel	Free for core software, pro licenses starting from $29/project	Built on Laravel, modular structure

1. WordPress

Best for: most websites, from simple personal blogs to complex eCommerce sites

Pricing: free for core software, Managed WordPress Hosting starting from $£1.95/month

With over 58,000 plugins, WordPress lets users create anything from a personal blog to a large eCommerce store, all without needing advanced technical skills.

The intuitive dashboard simplifies content management, and the built-in media management tools as well as user roles, let you easily optimize your website, control access, and add content-rich media.

For beginners, opting for Managed WordPress Hosting simplifies the setup process and helps automate updates, backups, and security. With Hostinger’s various AI tools, like the WordPress AI Troubleshooter and AI Content Creator, you can automatically fix errors and create content, helping you maintain a smooth, engaging site regardless of your technical background.

Pros:

• Extremely versatile and scalable, making it suitable for all kinds of websites
• An extensive library of plugins and themes for easy customization
• Managed WordPress Hosting simplifies maintenance, updates, and security

Cons:

• Some plugins and themes can cost extra

2. Joomla

Best for: multilingual websites and complex site structures
Pricing: free for core software, hosting starting from $£2.95/month

Joomla is a CMS with built-in multilingual support, making it an excellent choice for websites catering to global audiences.

Unlike other CMS platforms, Joomla includes advanced features out of the box, like banner management tools and user role management, which make it easier to organize and oversee content on complex websites.

For beginners, Joomla may present a steeper learning curve than other platforms on our list.

Pros:

• Multilingual support is built into the core software
• Strong user management tools for complex websites

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve for beginners
• Compatibility issues with some extensions and templates

3. WooCommerce

Best for: online stores
Pricing: free as a WordPress plugin, hosting starting from $£2.95/month

WooCommerce transforms any WordPress website into a full-featured online store.

It’s perfect for beginners looking to sell products, as it supports various payment gateways, shipping options, and product types like digital downloads and subscriptions.

With its intuitive dashboard, you can easily manage products, orders, and inventory. WooCommerce’s flexibility lets you scale your store as your business grows, making it a great long-term solution.

Pros:

• Fully customizable and scalable for any store size
• Integrates seamlessly with WordPress

Cons:

• Requires plugins for many advanced eCommerce features
• Not as beginner-friendly as some dedicated eCommerce platforms

4. Drupal

Best for: large-scale websites and more experienced
Pricing: free for core software, hosting starting from $£2.95/month

Drupal is a powerful CMS known for its performance and security, making it a favorite among developers managing large websites.

While Drupal is more complex than WordPress or Joomla, it offers advanced content management features. They help you create custom content types, manage multilingual content, and ensure your site runs efficiently even under high traffic.

For beginners with technical support or a willingness to learn, Drupal offers great scalability and performance.

Pros:

• Excellent security and performance for large websites
• Flexible and customizable for developers

Cons:

• Requires advanced technical skills
• Time-consuming to maintain and upgrade

5. HubSpot CMS

Best for: marketing-focused websites
Pricing: freemium, paid plans starting from $15/month

HubSpot CMS combines content management with marketing and sales tools, making it ideal for businesses aiming to grow their online presence.

It’s designed for ease of use, with an intuitive drag-and-drop editor and built-in SEO recommendations that help beginners optimize their content without technical knowledge.

HubSpot CMS integrates seamlessly with the HubSpot CRM, letting you personalize content for your visitors based on their interactions with your site. While this is useful for those opting for other HubSpot tools, the costs can quickly increase if you look for more features and functionalities.

Pros:

• Integrated with HubSpot’s marketing and sales tools
• Easy to use, even for beginners

Cons:

• Limited customization compared to open-source platforms
• Costs can increase significantly for advanced features

6. Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento)

Best for: large-scale eCommerce businesses
Pricing: available upon request

Adobe Commerce, formerly known as Magento, is designed for enterprises and large online stores.

The platform comes with features like multi-store management, multilingual support, and multi-currency options. It’s ideal for managing vast product catalogs and handling high-volume traffic.

While the initial setup can be complex, Adobe Commerce’s scalability makes it perfect for aggressively growing businesses. The platform also provides advanced SEO tools, mobile responsiveness, and a secure checkout process to enhance customer experience.

Pros:

• Ideal for large, complex online stores with multiple products and languages
• Advanced eCommerce features like multi-store and multi-currency support

Cons:

• Requires technical knowledge for setup and management
• Time-consuming and resource-intensive for smaller businesses

7. PrestaShop

Best for: small to medium-sized eCommerce stores
Pricing: free for core software, hosting starting from $£2.95/month

PrestaShop is a user-friendly CMS for creating online stores with features like product management, payment gateways, and SEO tools.

Its straightforward interface lets beginners easily manage inventory, monitor orders, and add new products without needing technical skills.

The platform’s modular nature means you can extend functionality by adding themes and modules, though some of these come at an extra cost.

Pros:

• Easy to use for beginners with limited technical skills
• A large library of themes and modules for customization

Cons:

• Not good for growing and scaling businesses
• Some extensions and modules can be expensive

8. Craft CMS

Best for: custom websites and developers
Pricing: freemium, paid plans starting from $279/project + $99/year

Craft CMS is highly customizable, offering an intuitive control panel that makes managing content straightforward for beginners while providing advanced features for developers.

Its content-first approach lets you create custom content types, perfect for websites that need tailored structures.

Although it requires developer knowledge to set up, once configured, Craft CMS gives non-technical users an easy-to-navigate interface to manage posts, pages, and media.

Pros:

• Flexible and highly customizable
• Developer-friendly but easy for content editors to manage

Cons:

• Requires developer knowledge for setup
• Paid license required for the full feature set

9. Ghost

Best for: bloggers and content creators
Pricing: starting from $9/month

Ghost is a minimalist CMS designed specifically for blogging and publishing.

Its simple and fast interface helps content creators focus on writing and delivering content without unnecessary distractions.

For beginners, Ghost offers built-in SEO tools, membership, and subscription options, making it easy to monetize content and grow an audience. The platform’s clean design ensures fast loading times, which is crucial for retaining visitors.

Pros:

• Simple and intuitive for content creators
• Fast loading times and optimized for search engines

Cons:

• Limited customization options compared to other platforms
• Not ideal for complex websites

10. Strapi

Best for: developers seeking a headless CMS
Pricing: free for self-hosted, paid plans starting from $29/month

Strapi is an open-source headless CMS that gives developers full control over how content is managed and delivered.

It’s a great option for developers building websites or apps that need to serve content across multiple platforms. The admin panel is user-friendly for beginners, but this platform shines when used to create custom APIs for content delivery.

For users needing flexibility and scalability, Strapi is a great solution to consider.

For even more control, consider hosting it on a VPS. Hostinger’s Strapi VPS plans, for example, streamline the setup process with a pre-installed template, making it easier to get started with the CMS.

Pros:

• Completely customizable and flexible for developers
• Headless architecture supports content delivery across different platforms

Cons:

• Requires technical knowledge to set up
• No out-of-the-box front-end design

11. Grav

Best for: developers who prefer flat-file CMS
Pricing: free

Grav is a flat-file CMS, meaning it doesn’t require a database, making it extremely fast and lightweight.

For beginners, Grav offers a straightforward way to manage content through an easy-to-use admin panel. It’s ideal for users who need a simple but customizable website without the complexity of a database-driven CMS.

The platform’s modular architecture helps developers add functionality as needed, giving flexibility to scale.

Pros:

• Extremely fast and easy to set up
• Highly customizable without needing a database

Cons:

• Overly compled for non-technical users
• Limited support for complex websites

12. OctoberCMS

Best for: developers looking for a Laravel-based CMS
Pricing: free for core software, pro licenses starting from $29/project

Built on the popular Laravel framework, OctoberCMS is a developer-friendly platform with deep customization and control over website content.

Developers can easily create custom content types, while non-technical users can manage pages and posts through a simple, clean admin interface.

OctoberCMS is modular, meaning you can extend its functionality with plugins, making it a flexible option for various types of websites.

Pros:

• Built on Laravel, making it familiar to developers
• Simple admin interface for content managers

Cons:

• Not beginner-friendly due to its developer focus
• Smaller community compared to other CMS platforms

Conclusion

Using the right CMS can make all the difference in the success of your website.

WordPress remains the top choice for its versatility and ease of use, making it ideal for beginners and experienced users alike. Paired with Managed WordPress Hosting, you can simplify the site management process even further and let your web host handle updates and site security on your behalf.

For those looking to build an online store, WooCommerce seamlessly integrates with WordPress, helping you to scale your eCommerce business with ease. The platform’s flexibility ensures that you can customize and expand your store as your business grows, offering a long-term solution for online selling.

Best CMS FAQ