What platform should I build my website on?
Choosing a website platform is one of the first decisions you’ll make when planning a new site, and one of the hardest to undo later. The platform decides how easy your website is to update, what it can grow into, and how much it costs to run.
A website content management system (CMS) is a platform that allows you to create, manage, and publish content for a website. It typically includes features like a user-friendly editor, templates, and tools for organising and managing content.
In this guide we explain what a website platform is, compare the main options, and help you choose the right one for your business. Our web development and web design teams help businesses make this choice every week. We’ve built hundreds of bespoke websites that perform for our clients, view our portfolio and case studies here. If you need advice from a team of experts, contact us and we’d be happy to assist.
What is a website platform?
A website platform is the software your website is built and run on. Most businesses use a CMS, which separates the content of a website from its design and functionality, making it easier to update and manage the content without needing advanced technical skills. It also allows multiple users to collaborate on creating and publishing content, making it a good choice for large organisations or teams.
Some popular platforms include WordPress, Shopify, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, Squarespace and Wix. Each platform has its own set of features and capabilities, and the right choice for you will depend on your specific needs and requirements.
If you’re wondering what platform an existing website is built on, free browser tools such as BuiltWith or Wappalyzer will usually tell you in a couple of clicks. It’s a useful way to see what competitors and websites you admire are using.
The main types of website platform
There are lots of different website platforms, but most fall into one of four groups. Each has different benefits.
Open-source CMS (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal). The software is free, you choose your own hosting, and a developer can customise almost anything. The benefit is flexibility and ownership: your website isn’t tied to one company. The trade-off is that you’re responsible for hosting, security and updates.
Hosted e-commerce platforms (Shopify). Built for selling online, with payments, products and shipping included. The benefit is speed and simplicity. You pay a monthly fee, and you work within the platform’s rules.
Enterprise e-commerce platforms (Magento/Adobe Commerce, Shopware). Designed for larger online stores with big product ranges, complex pricing or B2B ordering. The benefit is power and scalability. They need an experienced development team.
Website builders (Squarespace, Wix). Drag-and-drop tools with hosting included. The benefit is that you can get something online quickly without a developer. The trade-off is limited flexibility, and it can be harder to grow or move your site later.
There’s also a fifth option: a custom-built website, using a framework such as Laravel. This suits businesses that need functionality no off-the-shelf platform offers, such as customer portals, booking systems or integrations with in-house software.
What’s Right For Me?
There are many factors to consider when choosing a platform for your website. Some things to consider include:
- Your technical skills: Some CMS platforms are easier to use than others, so it’s important to choose one that matches your technical expertise. If you’re comfortable with coding and web development, you may want to consider a more advanced platform like Drupal. If you have limited technical skills, a user-friendly platform like WordPress or Squarespace may be a better fit.
- Your budget: Some CMS platforms are free to use, while others require a licence or subscription fee. Remember to factor in hosting, plugins, apps and ongoing support, not just the build. Consider your budget when choosing a CMS and make sure it fits your financial resources.
- Your website’s purpose: Different CMS platforms are better suited for different types of websites. For example, WordPress is a good choice for blogs and small business websites, while Magento is a good choice for large e-commerce stores. Consider the type of website you want to build and choose a CMS that is well-suited for that purpose.
- Your long-term plans: Some CMS platforms are more scalable than others, meaning they can grow with your website as it expands and evolves. If you’re planning to build a large, complex website that will require a lot of custom functionality, you may want to choose a CMS that is more flexible and scalable.
The Most Popular Platforms
WordPress
WordPress is a free, versatile platform that can be used to build a wide range of websites such as blogs, brochure websites, membership sites, portfolios and e-commerce stores (using WooCommerce). It’s the most widely used CMS in the world. It comes with a wide selection of additional functionality in the form of themes and plugins, and it’s easy for your team to update once it’s built. Learn more about WordPress.
Shopify
Shopify is a proprietary e-commerce platform that is specifically designed for building online stores. It offers a range of features for managing products, processing payments, and handling shipping and tax options. Unlike some platforms, Shopify is extremely easy to use and set up, making it ideal for beginners. That being said, Shopify is only available if you pay a monthly fee, and some features rely on paid apps. Learn about Shopify.
Joomla
Joomla is similar to WordPress in many ways. It is open-source, user-friendly, and offers a wide range of features and extensions. One of the main strengths of Joomla is its flexibility and scalability. It is a good choice for building large, complex websites that require custom functionality and integration with other systems, although it has a smaller community than WordPress. Learn more about Joomla.
Drupal
Drupal is a CMS that is known for its flexibility and scalability. It is often used to build large, complex websites that require custom functionality and integration with other systems. Drupal can be more challenging to use than some other platforms, so it is often used by developers and advanced users. It requires a bit more technical knowledge to set up and maintain than some other CMS platforms. Learn more about Drupal.
Magento (Adobe Commerce)
Magento, now sold as Adobe Commerce (with a free open-source edition), is an e-commerce platform that is particularly well-suited for building large, complex online stores. It offers a wide range of features for managing products, processing payments, and handling shipping and tax options. There are many benefits to Magento, however, it is more complex and harder to use than other platforms, and it needs specialist developers to maintain. Learn more about Magento.
Shopware
Shopware is an open-source e-commerce platform that’s popular with growing retailers and B2B businesses. It offers strong product management, flexible pricing rules and built-in tools for creating content-led shopping experiences. It’s a good alternative to Magento for businesses that want enterprise features with a more modern, easier-to-manage admin area.
Laravel (custom build)
Laravel isn’t a CMS. It’s a PHP framework developers use to build bespoke websites and web applications from the ground up. It’s the right choice when your website needs to do something specific, such as customer logins, quoting tools or connections to your CRM, stock or booking systems. It takes longer to build, but you get exactly what your business needs.
Squarespace and Wix
Squarespace and Wix are website builders with templates, hosting and support included. They’re a sensible starting point for a sole trader or a simple portfolio site. Most growing businesses outgrow them, as you have less control over speed, SEO and functionality, and moving to another platform later usually means rebuilding.
What’s the best platform for building a marketing website?
If your website’s main job is to generate enquiries, for most businesses we’d recommend WordPress. It gives your marketing team full control over pages, blogs and landing pages without needing a developer for every change, it works well with SEO tools such as Yoast, and it connects easily with forms, CRMs and analytics.
If you’re selling online, Shopify suits most small to mid-sized stores, while Shopware or Magento are better for large catalogues and B2B ordering. If your website needs to work like software, a Laravel build is often the better long-term choice.
Whichever platform you choose, the things that make a marketing website work are the same: a clear structure, fast load times, strong calls to action and content that answers your customers’ questions.
How to choose a website platform
If you’re still not sure what platform you need, or where you should build your website, work through these steps:
- Write down what the website must do. Generate enquiries, sell products, take bookings, or give customers a login?
- Decide who will update it. If your team will add content, choose a platform with an editor they’ll find easy.
- Set a realistic budget, including hosting, licences, apps and ongoing maintenance.
- Think three to five years ahead. Will you add e-commerce, new languages or integrations?
- Check you’ll own your website. Make sure you can access your content and move it if you need to.
- Speak to a developer before you commit. A short conversation can save a costly rebuild later.
Get Us To Do It For You.
It can be overwhelming to build a website yourself; there is so much to consider and so many things you can do wrong. If you have plenty of time on your hands and enjoy learning, this could be for you. If not, we’re here to help.
We’ve been building websites since 2009 and have definitely learnt a thing or two along the way. Our web development team builds on WordPress, Shopify, Shopware and Laravel, and our web design team makes sure your new website looks great and turns visitors into customers. Our dedicated team of website experts have built hundreds of bespoke websites that perform for our clients, view our portfolio and case studies here.
If you need advice from a team of experts, contact us and we’d be happy to assist.
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