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Design Sense Content Management System (CMS) vs Wordpress

What is the difference between a custom Content Management System by Design Sense and popular free open-source CMS platforms such as Wordpress?

We often have clients asking us to compare our quotes with others they have received for websites built using different open-source CMS platforms. However this is like asking us to compare apples with oranges. There are a few key differences between what we offer for CMS and the free solutions out there. For the purposes of this article, we are using Wordpress as the main comparison.

Flexibility – Function & Design

Wordpress is a free publishing software that can be used to create basic websites which include a blog in the standard installation.  All other functions that you may want on your website e.g. a calendar, online store etc. must then be added by using plugins or widgets. While there is a vast array of these to choose from, you may not be able to find one that does just what you want it to. In comparison, when Design Sense builds a custom CMS for you, we can tweak every last detail down to a T so that it will operate exactly how you want it to.

From a design point-of-view, Design Sense offers complete flexibility with custom website design. Most Wordpress website designs start with generic themes that can be customised, however depending on how design focussed the developer is they may not bother doing much customisation to fit with your company’s brand.
CMS Complexity & Usability

The Wordpress CMS is designed to be “one size fits all”, making it quite complex with a lot of features, many of which you will never use. It can take a bit of work learning to get around the CMS, and for those who are not too tech-savvy, it can be frustrating and time-consuming to use. Design Sense’s core CMS has been designed to be as easy and straightforward as possible. We will then add to it only the functions you require to enable you to manage the content you need to as easily as possible.

Security & Updates

“Users of WordPress need to be diligent about security because they are using software that is popular enough to be of interest to criminals who conduct large-scale automated attacks.”

Wordpress requires constant updates as the software is continually evolving. They recommend always using the latest version as a security measure. Regular updates may incur ongoing costs if your developer is going to handle them for you, and trying to attempt updates yourself can be problematic if you don’t know what you’re doing.  As it is an open source CMS, anyone can develop themes and plugins. This is why a lot of the security issues occur, and a lot of the plugins don’t get updated by their developer, or they get discontinued and you then have to find a new one.

In comparison, the Design Sense CMS will most likely not need updating unless you want to add features to it. This means are generally no ongoing costs associated with the maintenance of your website.

Future Website Revamps & Track Record

Once your website has been developed by Design Sense, you will never need to pay the initial setup cost again. You then have the core of your website which can be updated and revamped any number of times as your business grows, at a fraction of the cost. We have had countless clients come to us seeking help as they have lost touch with their developer, or their website cannot be updated the way they want it to be. In these cases unfortunately we have to recreate their websites from scratch. Many of them wish they had come to us first!

What we offer is much more than just a website and you need to be wary of some of the “cookie cutter” solutions out there. We are local, we care about your business and we are here to work with you and your website as you expand.