Table of Contents
A Content Management System (CMS) makes creating, updating, and maintaining a website easier. Many companies start with ready-to-use CMS software because it provides a quick and easy way to build a website. But is it always best to go for an off-the-shelf CMS, or will custom CMS software be more advantageous for you?
Here’s a guide to help you decide between CMS software development and purchasing a pre-built CMS solution.
An introduction to custom CMS software and off-the-shelf CMS software
Off-the-Shelf/Ready-to-use CMS
Pre-built content management systems like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla are popular because they are accessible and affordable.
The cost to subscribe to these platforms is typically low, ranging from free (for open-source options like WordPress) to a few thousand dollars (for paid ones). Implementation time can be fast, with basic websites ready within a few days to weeks. These systems need less technical skill to manage compared to custom-built CMS. The underlying framework has already been developed, and documentation is readily available. Off-the-shelf CMS also has large communities of users that provide support forums, plugins, and templates.
The ease of use and speed of off-the-shelf systems make them a good fit for small businesses and organizations with simple content needs, standard workflows, and limited budgets. However, companies with more complex processes, diverse data, and growth plans may find that pre-made CMS needs more customization and scalability in the long term. The flexibility is limited compared to custom systems tailored to their needs.
Custom CMS Software
Unlike off-the-shelf CMS software, custom content management systems are built from scratch to meet an organization’s unique needs.
A significant benefit of custom CMS is the ability to fully customize the features, design, and functionality to match complex business requirements. These systems can be designed to integrate seamlessly with other internal software and data sources. Custom programming provides more security and is less vulnerable to hacking than out-of-the-box CMS. Since custom systems are developed to match an organization’s specifications, they can readily scale as business needs grow and evolve. There is also full ownership of the IP and code.
However, there are some downsides to custom CMS as well. The upfront development costs range from $100,000 to over $1 million based on project scope (as deduced from multiple cost-related projections of custom enterprise software development across the web). Implementation takes more time, typically a few months to a year. Ongoing maintenance also requires experienced technical staff.
Therefore, custom CMS solutions are best suited for large enterprises and organizations with advanced, customized needs that off-the-shelf software cannot meet. However, companies must carefully weigh the higher initial investment and development time required against the long-term advantages.
Related Reading: Know about WordPress worth for a Business website
Things to consider if you want to choose an off-the-shelf CMS solution
You must thoroughly evaluate different off-the-shelf CMS options when choosing one. This checklist can help.
- Is the CMS easy for content editors to use to update content?
- Does it have the built-in features you need, or does it require lots of custom development?
- What is the platform’s track record for security?
- How quickly are the security vulnerabilities patched?
- What is the one-time licensing fee?
- What are the ongoing annual fees for support/upgrades?
- How large and active is the user community?
- Is documentation/support readily available?
- How SEO-friendly is the default platform and content model?
Additionally, if you choose a CMS software like WordPress or Wix, it becomes crucial to identify the developer support needed to deploy a website effectively. In this case, you can hire an internal resource to manage the CMS (one to two should be enough), WordPress developers, or similar resources with expertise in your chosen CMS from third-party vendors. The latter will save you the effort spent on hiring, training, and managing the developers.
Things to consider if you choose custom CMS software development
In any case, custom enterprise software development is trickier than purchasing a subscription to a solution. That is why defining these requirements is necessary to help guide the development of a custom CMS tailored to your business needs.
- Clearly define all required features, functionality, and workflows the CMS must support.
- Determine how the CMS will integrate with existing CRM, marketing automation, etc.
- Plan for future growth in traffic, users, content volume, and functionality.
- Design a flexible architecture that can adapt to changing needs.
- Incorporate robust security protocols and infrastructure from the start.
- Develop a detailed budget covering development, testing, deployment, and ongoing management.
- Allow ample time for design, development, user testing, troubleshooting, and iterations.
- Create a long-term product roadmap and plan for major future releases.
- Factor in hosting requirements, development, staging, and production environment costs.
Beyond all these, the most significant consideration is who will develop the content management system. You can assemble an experienced in-house team or hire web/app developers from a third-party company to build, launch, and maintain the CMS. The former will require investment into recruiting and training the right resources, while the latter will require less effort. But, if you choose a third-party web development company, ensure clarity on IP rights and ownership of custom code and platform.
In either case, you must also determine who will be responsible for documentation, training, and ongoing user support.
Choose the solution that fits your company best
An off-the-shelf content management system and custom CMS software serve different needs despite having the same purpose. So, you can only decide if you are clear on what you want and can afford (in terms of time, money, and effort). However, you always have the option to consult specialists, like a third-party software development company.
Hopefully, this guide helped you sort out the problem of custom vs. off-the-shelf CMS.
Author Bio: Amelia Swank is a senior web and app developer with over eight years of experience. Currently with SunTec India, she specializes in digital solutions, specifically WordPress, Shopify, and Magento development. Her passion for technology fuels her writing, which aims to spread insights to all. Amelia closely follows the latest IT advances to share her expertise with those interested.
