Open-source dominates the content management scene, but is there still a place for proprietary software? Probably not – we’ll explain why.
Should You Pay For Your Content Management System?
A decade ago, it wasn’t too uncommon for webmasters to create their sites entirely from scratch, pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into code. Web design was something limited almost entirely to a technological elite; a camp of web developers with the necessary knowledge to work with languages such as HTML.
Times have changed. Technical knowledge – while still an asset – is nowhere near as vital as it used to be, thanks to the advent of the content management system. Using one of these platforms, virtually anyone can construct a website from the ground up – regardless of how much knowhow they possess. Building a website has never been easier.
The web has changed in another way, as well. It used to be a widely-accepted fact that, if you wanted access to any real power when designing your website, you’d shell out for a software license. Over the past few years, however, we’ve seen an overwhelming influx of open-source software; applications that are free to use, whose source code is readily available, and which – in many cases – can perform completely on par with traditional platforms.
With this fact in mind, I would today like to pose a question to everyone: is it still worthwhile to pay for your content management system? Is there still a reason to use a licensed CMS with so many great open-source platforms available? In short, has open source effectively killed premium content management systems?
The answer to those questions isn’t actually as simple as you might think.
Let’s look at WordPress, for example – currently the world’s dominant content management system. Thousands of websites use it to meet their needs, and its development community is one of the most active and vibrant on the web. It’s also free to use – at least, on the surface.
One thing a lot of people don’t realize is that ‘open source’ doesn’t always mean ‘completely free.’ In the case of WordPress, for example, you could shell out for hosting, spend money on commercial plugins, or buy premium themes. The choice to spend, however, is yours - you aren’t missing out on any functionality by opting out.
Unlike with a software license, you’re not paying for basic functionality. You’ve already got access to that without having to pay a cent. You’re paying for a particular set of features or functions that you need – and nothing more than that. You won’t, for example, buy a transactional plugin on a blog which lacks a digital storefront.
It’s a different, more modular purchasing system…and it works significantly better than having to pay for a single license (which is bound to include at least a few features you don’t strictly need).
So, to get back to our earlier question…should you pay for your content management system? If you’re talking about shelling out for a licensed CMS, then the answer is a firm “absolutely not.” Open source software has already proven itself superior to licensed platforms in almost every way; WordPress is definitive proof of this.
However, if you’re considering paying in order to buy features to customize a platform like WordPress, it’s definitely worth your while. Just make sure you’re unlocking features your website needs before you do. There’s no sense spending money on stuff you don’t need, after all.
