WordPress Alternatives: 10 Free Platforms for Website Development
I’ve been building WordPress sites since 2009. After 16+ years and 800+ client projects, I still think WordPress is the best choice for most websites. But it’s not the best choice for every website.
WordPress powers over 43% of the web. That’s not an accident. The plugin system, theme flexibility, and community support make it unmatched for complex projects. But here’s what people don’t talk about: the hidden costs. Premium themes, paid plugins, managed hosting, performance optimization, security monitoring, and the time you spend updating everything. For a simple blog or portfolio, that overhead can feel like overkill.
I started exploring alternatives when clients asked me for simpler, cheaper options. A photographer who just needs a portfolio. A consultant who wants a landing page. A small business owner who doesn’t want to deal with plugin updates. For those cases, there are platforms that get the job done faster and with less maintenance.
Here are 10 WordPress alternatives I’ve tested, with honest opinions on each.
1. Webflow
Best for: Designers who want pixel-perfect control without coding
Webflow sits between a website builder and a development platform. It gives you visual control over HTML, CSS, and JavaScript without writing code. The learning curve is steeper than Squarespace or Wix, but the results are more professional.
I tested Webflow for a client’s agency site. After the initial learning phase (about a week), I could build custom layouts that would have taken custom theme development in WordPress. The CMS is limited compared to WordPress, but for marketing sites and portfolios, it’s more than enough.
Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $18/month for a custom domain. E-commerce starts at $42/month.
Where it wins: Design freedom, clean code output, no plugins to manage.
Where it falls short: Steeper learning curve, limited CMS for complex content, more expensive at scale.
2. Framer
Best for: Interactive landing pages and startup sites
Framer started as a prototyping tool and evolved into a full website builder. Companies like Facebook, Google, and Spotify have used it. The standout feature is animations. You can add smooth transitions, hover effects, and scroll-based animations without writing JavaScript.
I built a landing page on Framer and was surprised by how polished the animations felt. The responsive design tools handle mobile layouts well, and the whole experience feels modern. For startup landing pages and product sites, Framer produces results that look like they cost $10,000 to build.
Pricing: Free plan for up to 3 projects. Pro plan starts at $20/month.
Where it wins: Animations and interactions, modern design output, fast publishing.
Where it falls short: Limited CMS, overkill for simple blogs, animations can feel gimmicky if overused.
3. Shopify
Best for: E-commerce stores of any size
If you’re selling products online, Shopify is the platform I recommend over WooCommerce for most people. I know that’s controversial coming from a WordPress guy, but hear me out: Shopify handles payments, inventory, shipping, and security out of the box. With WooCommerce, you’re stitching those together yourself with plugins.
Over 4.1 million live sites run on Shopify. The first store I set up on it took under an hour, including product listings. That same setup on WooCommerce would have taken a day of plugin installation and configuration.
Read: Shopify Review: I tried Shopify for the First Time, and I LOVED it!
Pricing: 14-day free trial. Plans start at $39/month. Advanced plan at $105/month. Shopify Plus starts at $2,000/month for enterprise.
Where it wins: E-commerce features, payment processing, inventory management, abandoned cart recovery.
Where it falls short: Transaction fees if you don’t use Shopify Payments, limited blog functionality, template customization is restricted.
4. Squarespace
Best for: Creatives, photographers, and small business owners who want beautiful sites fast
Squarespace powers over 5 million websites, and most of them look good. That’s the main selling point: you pick a template, customize it, and get a professional-looking site without design skills. The templates are all responsive, and the drag-and-drop editor is intuitive.
I used Squarespace for a friend’s photography portfolio. Done in a few hours. No plugins, no hosting configuration, no security worries. For people who want a site that looks like a designer built it, Squarespace delivers.
Pricing: Starts at $16/month (Personal). Business plan at $23/month. Commerce plans from $27/month.
Where it wins: Beautiful templates, built-in SEO tools, no maintenance.
Where it falls short: Limited customization, no plugin system, can feel restrictive for complex needs.
5. Hostinger Website Builder
Best for: Budget-conscious beginners
Hostinger is known for affordable web hosting, but their website builder is a solid product in its own right. It’s a simple drag-and-drop builder with AI-assisted design features. I tested it for a small project and had a live site within an hour.
With over 29 million users globally, Hostinger has the infrastructure to back up their builder. The templates are modern, the editor is fast, and the pricing is hard to beat.
Pricing: Starts at $2.99/month with free hosting, free domain (first year), and unlimited bandwidth.
Where it wins: Price (hard to beat $2.99/month), includes hosting, fast setup.
Where it falls short: Limited template selection, fewer features than Webflow or Squarespace.
6. Web.com
Best for: Small business owners who need something live today
Web.com’s DIY builder is built for speed, not customization. You pick a template, swap in your content, and publish. Over 3 million websites have been created on their platform. It’s not trying to compete with Webflow on design flexibility. It’s trying to get your site live in an afternoon.
Pricing: $1.95 for the first month, then $10/month. E-commerce at $13.95/month.
Where it wins: Speed of setup, simplicity, affordable entry point.
Where it falls short: Basic templates, limited customization, long-term cost adds up compared to alternatives.
7. Weblium
Best for: AI-assisted website creation for non-designers
Weblium’s standout feature is its AI design assistant. While you’re building, the AI adjusts layouts, aligns elements, and ensures everything looks professional. Over 200,000 websites have been built on the platform.
I tried it, and the AI suggestions were genuinely helpful for keeping designs consistent. But I found it restrictive when I wanted to break away from the AI’s layout recommendations. For people who aren’t designers and want the AI to handle visual decisions, Weblium is a smart pick.
Pricing: Free plan available. Pro plan at $8.25/month. E-commerce at $19/month.
Where it wins: AI design assistance, affordable pricing, fast setup.
Where it falls short: AI can feel restrictive, smaller template library than competitors.
8. Drupal
Best for: Developers building large, complex websites
Drupal powers over 1.5 million sites, including universities, government agencies, and large enterprises. It’s the most powerful open-source CMS after WordPress, but the learning curve is steep. You need PHP knowledge and comfort with the command line.
I’ve used Drupal for a client project that required complex user permissions and multi-language content. Drupal handled those requirements natively. WordPress would have needed several plugins to match the same functionality.
Pricing: Free (open-source). Hosting costs $20-50/month for managed Drupal hosting.
Where it wins: Complex content types, granular permissions, multi-language support, security.
Where it falls short: Steep learning curve, developer-dependent, smaller plugin/module library than WordPress.
9. Joomla
Best for: Sites that need more than WordPress but less than Drupal
Joomla sits between WordPress and Drupal in terms of complexity and power. Over 2 million websites use it. It’s popular with non-profits and small businesses that need built-in multi-language support and flexible user management without Drupal’s complexity.
I built a non-profit site on Joomla once, and the built-in multi-language support was a significant advantage. No plugins needed, just configure the languages and start translating content. The admin interface feels dated compared to WordPress, but it’s functional.
Pricing: Free (open-source). Hosting costs $5-10/month for basic plans.
Where it wins: Built-in multi-language, better user management than WordPress, free.
Where it falls short: Dated admin interface, smaller community, fewer extensions than WordPress.
10. Site123
Best for: Getting a basic site live in under an hour
Site123 is the simplest builder on this list. You follow a step-by-step process, plug in your content, and you’re done. No design skills. No decision fatigue. Pre-made templates with minimal customization options mean you can’t mess up the design.
I tried it for a small side project and had a site live in under an hour. The result was basic but functional. For freelancers who need a quick portfolio or small businesses that need an online presence yesterday, Site123 works.
Pricing: Free plan available with Site123 branding. Basic plan at $12.80/month. E-commerce at $28.80/month.
Where it wins: Speed of setup, zero learning curve, guided process.
Where it falls short: Limited design options, basic SEO tools, not suitable for growing sites.
Which Platform Should You Choose?
After testing all 10 platforms, here’s my quick recommendation based on what you need:
- Building an online store? Shopify. Don’t overthink it.
- Want design control without code? Webflow.
- Need a beautiful portfolio or business site? Squarespace.
- On a tight budget? Hostinger Website Builder.
- Building a complex web application? Drupal.
- Need everything (blog, custom functionality, full control)? WordPress is still the answer.
WordPress remains my primary recommendation for serious websites that need to grow. But for simpler projects, these alternatives save time, money, and headaches. Pick the one that matches your needs now, not the one with the most features you might never use.
What is the best free alternative to WordPress?
For design-focused sites, Webflow offers a free plan with powerful visual editing. For absolute beginners, Weblium and Site123 have free tiers that let you publish a basic site quickly. For developers, Drupal and Joomla are free open-source platforms with strong feature sets. The best choice depends on your technical skill level and what type of site you’re building.
Is WordPress still worth using?
Yes, for the right projects. WordPress is the best option when you need a blog with custom functionality, a membership site, a complex WooCommerce store, or a site that will scale significantly over time. Its plugin system and community support are unmatched. But for simple portfolios, landing pages, or basic business sites, the alternatives listed here can get you online faster with less maintenance.
Which website builder is cheapest?
Hostinger Website Builder at $2.99/month is the cheapest paid option that includes hosting and a free domain. Weblium ($8.25/month) and Site123 ($12.80/month) are also affordable. If you want a fully free option, Drupal and Joomla are open-source, though you’ll need to pay for hosting separately ($5-10/month).
Can I move from WordPress to one of these platforms?
Moving from WordPress to a hosted platform (Squarespace, Shopify, Webflow) usually means rebuilding your site. There’s no one-click migration tool between them. You can export your WordPress content and manually import it into the new platform. For sites with 50+ pages or complex functionality, the migration effort may not be worth it. For small sites, rebuilding on a new platform can take just a few hours.
Which platform is best for e-commerce?
Shopify is the best e-commerce platform for most online stores. It handles payments, inventory, shipping, and tax calculations out of the box. WooCommerce (WordPress) is better if you need maximum customization and control, but requires more setup and maintenance. Squarespace’s commerce features work for stores with small catalogs. For large enterprise stores, Shopify Plus or custom solutions are the way to go.
Do I need coding skills to use these WordPress alternatives?
Most of the platforms listed here require zero coding. Squarespace, Hostinger, Site123, Weblium, and Web.com are fully drag-and-drop. Shopify requires no code for basic stores. Webflow and Framer benefit from understanding HTML/CSS concepts but don’t require you to write code. Only Drupal and Joomla need actual programming skills for customization.
Which platform has the best SEO features?
WordPress with an SEO plugin (like Rank Math or Yoast) still offers the most control over SEO. Among the alternatives, Webflow has strong built-in SEO controls including custom meta tags, alt text, canonical URLs, and sitemap generation. Squarespace also includes decent SEO tools. Shopify handles basic SEO well but is limited on technical SEO customization. Site builders like Site123 and Web.com have minimal SEO features.
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