So you are new to the digital world, and you want to have a website and start selling products online? You came across CMS and Website Builder, and you have no idea what they are. We will speak your language and show you what they are, and help you decide between CMS vs Website Builders. You could have a website fast and easy!
What is CMS?
CMS – content management system. It is a specially developed software to manage, organize content of different sort like articles, pictures, videos, etc. It is common to be open source, which means that you can see the software’s entire code. This kind of software is often free to use under a specific license like GPL, GNU, etc.
The great thing about using CMS is that usually, there is a large community of developers who are improving it continually by adding features or writing additional software (plug-ins, extensions, themes, etc.) to make it even better.
Popular CMS are WordPress, Joomla, Magento, and many more.
Recommended: Plugins – why are they useful for my WordPress site?
So, to make it easy!
CMS is like the OS (operating system) on your computer. An environment that offers you the base functionality, and later you can build on top by adding plug-ins and extensions.
What is a Website Builder?
Website Builder is a software that many hosting providers offer for creating a website. In contrast to CMS, most Builders are closed source. You can’t see their code and change anything. But at least they are free, most of the time.
Website Builders have a very simple and easy to use interface. Usually, you have a set of elements like columns, pictures, text boxes, layouts, etc. You organize them the way you like with drag and drop.
They are perfect for making a CV-like page for professionals that looks great and has contact information.
It is also very appropriate for businesses that are just getting online and need to have an internet presence. With a page, people can find you easily, call you and come to your physical location.
So, to make it easy!
Using a Website Builder is like making a collage from newspapers and magazines. You cut the pieces that you want and organize them the way you like. Easy, fast, and limited to the Builder’s features.
CMS vs Website Builder – comparison
Price
Both CMS and Website Builders are usually free, but! CMS has many paid plug-ins, and if you need to hire a professional to install it, it could get expensive.
Some Builders come in a package with the hosting only. Then the price could be harder to determine.
Customization
CMSs are winning by far. They usually have a huge library of additional plug-ins that you can easily download, while the Builders have narrow choices for customization.
Features
CMS beats the Website Builder. With all the extensions you can get, you can make your CMS site everything, including a great e-commerce platform. You can even get a developer’s help to create a unique feature that only you need.
Ease of use
Both are easy to use, even for beginners, but the Builders have an edge with their drag and drop approach.
Maintenance
While most of the CMSs include free auto-update features, you might still need to check a specific update of some of your plug-ins. The Builders come as software that automatically updates, and you don’t need to take actions
Conclusion
Think about why do you need a website. If the reason is just for having an online presence, and you don’t want to spend time learning, go for the Website Builder. If you want to use it for e-commerce, have more features, and find easily people who can manage it, go for one of the popular CMS solutions. WordPress is the most popular now, so give it a look.
