Which web design platform is right for you?

Here is a comparison of the best web design platforms based on your specific requirements and needs as a website owner or web designer.

If you’re new to web design, the sheer number of popular web design tools and software can be a little daunting.

However, it’s important to know the main pros and cons of the most popular web design platforms so that you don’t make the wrong choice and end up with unnecessary development costs when starting from scratch.

It’s important to know what you want to get out of a web design platform and how much you’re willing to pay for it.

Web design platforms can be subscription-based or free.

Furthermore, different platforms offer different features, each targeting specific segments of the market.

Which web design platform is right for you?

For example:
 • Platforms such as Magento and Shopify are designed for e-commerce websites.
 • Joomla and Drupal are highly adaptable and may be preferred by advanced developers with knowledge of HTML and PHP programming.

Here is a comparison of the best web design platforms based on your specific requirements and needs as a website owner or web designer.

Non-subscription-based platforms
Non-subscription-based platforms allow you to host your website on your own server, as you are not actually renting the platform.

Bear in mind that just because these platforms are not ‘subscription-based’ does not mean you won’t have to pay any fees.

You may need to factor in additional costs, such as plugins, themes and extra features.

WordPress (Which web design platform is right for you?)

Over the last decade, the world’s best-known non-subscription platform has been WordPress.

Although WordPress was originally designed for online blogs and still provides excellent support for blog websites, it has evolved into a highly flexible, free, open-source platform.

Although the WordPress platform itself is free, you may need to spend money on a domain name, hosting and features such as plugins and pre-designed themes.

Many of these plugins and additional features are well worth the investment.

For example, if you’re doing SEO for your website, you can install the Yoast or All in One SEO Pack plugins to help optimise your WordPress site for search engines.

If there are any additional features you’d like your website to have, there’s probably a plugin for it. WordPress is also a CMS (content management system).

A CMS allows your clients to manage their own websites and make simple changes or additions, such as adding a blog post.

Drupal and Joomla (Which web design platform is right for you?)

Drupal and Joomla are part of the family of flexible, subscription-free CMSs like WordPress, but they are not as popular and do not have as many plugins and templates as WordPress.

However, some experienced developers prefer these platforms. If you’re just starting out in development, you’ll need to do some further research to see whether they would be more suitable for your needs.

Which web design platform is right for you?

SaaS platforms (Which web design platform is right for you?)

Subscription-based SaaS web design platforms usually charge a monthly fee and may charge additional fees depending on the platform provider, although some of them also offer free versions.

These platforms usually offer e-commerce functionality and more technical and security support. Examples of subscription-based platforms include Wix, Weebly and Shopify, amongst others, whilst Bulgarian options include CloudCart and others.

E-commerce platforms (Which web design platform is right for you?)

If you run a company involved in retail, you’ll want a website designed to support your business and your customers.

Although all the platforms discussed so far can be turned into e-commerce platforms, they may not be the best options for this purpose.

The most popular e-commerce platforms are WordPress with the WooCommerce plugin, Magento and Shopify.

WordPress with WooCommerce (Which web design platform is right for you?)

If your website is already built using WordPress, you can easily install a plugin called WooCommerce, which allows you to add products and process credit card payments.

This is a simple and convenient option, but for larger businesses and websites with thousands of products, platforms such as Magento or Shopify may be more suitable.

Magento (Which web design platform is right for you?)

Magento is the trusted e-commerce web design platform for many major brands, such as Coca-Cola, Ford, Nike and others.

Its numerous, feature-rich extensions provide a wide range of options for pricing, discounts and data collection.

However, Magento can become quite expensive for large websites.
The Community Edition starts at $10 per month and can go up to $250 per month for small websites. The Enterprise Edition can cost between $25,000 and $125,000 per year, making it more suitable for large companies with a higher budget.

Which web design platform is right for you?

Shopify (Which web design platform is right for you?)

Shopify is another popular e-commerce platform that is more accessible and user-friendly, as it provides plenty of online tutorials to help you build your website.
It’s worth noting that Shopify charges both a monthly fee and a transaction fee, but this is manageable, as most other platforms require you to use a payment gateway.
With Shopify, you already have a payment method set up through the platform, so if you decide to use a different payment method, you may be charged an additional 0.5% to 2%

CloudCart (Which web design platform is right for you?)

This Bulgarian e-commerce platform allows you to create an online shop with a user-friendly and attractive design. Its simple structure and ease of use encourage retailers to choose CloudCart over other options. It’s worth noting here that the minimum monthly plan costs around £17, whilst additional features, beyond the free ones, can cost up to around £300–345.
There are various factors you need to take into account before choosing the right web design platform for your needs, but ultimately, understanding what your website needs to be successful is a learning process.
If you already know what your website needs, WordPress is an excellent choice due to its flexibility and wide range of additional features.

If you know exactly what you need or are unsure which platform would be best for you, it’s best to send us an enquiry so that we can prepare a personalised quote for you.