When planning a new website, one of the biggest decisions you’ll make is choosing the right content management system (CMS). Your CMS is the foundation that determines how your website performs, how easy it is to manage, and how much flexibility you have as your business grows.
With 18 years of experience building custom websites, we’ve seen how the choice of CMS can make or break a project. Two of the most popular options for businesses that want control, creativity, and scalability are WordPress and Craft.
Both are open-source platforms built for modern digital experiences. But which one is right for you? Let’s take a closer look.
This Article Will Cover:
Ease of Use
Usability matters in daily content management; no one wants a frustrated client, not least an experienced WordPress agency like ours. A CMS should empower your team, not hold them back. That’s where our almost two decades of experience have won over countless internal marketing teams. We think ahead and streamline how WordPress holds together.
Craft: Built for Developers
Craft is a powerful CMS that offers complete control over your content structure. It’s popular among web developers because it doesn’t dictate how your site should look or behave. That freedom, though, comes at a cost.
Once a Craft website is built, updating content can be straightforward, but building or changing templates usually requires technical knowledge. Unless you have developers in-house or an agency partner on hand, that can limit how agile your marketing team can be.
WordPress: Built for Everyone
WordPress was designed to simplify content management for all users. Its user-friendly dashboard allows you to edit, publish, and organise content quickly — no code is required.
With the intuitive Gutenberg editor, teams can easily create engaging page layouts using visual content blocks. That’s one reason why over 40% of the web runs on WordPress.
Flexibility
No two websites are the same, so flexibility is key. You need a platform that can adapt as your business evolves.
Craft: A Developer’s Playground
Craft offers incredible flexibility — if you have the technical skills to make the most of it. Everything from your content model to your front-end templates can be fully customised. For complex, highly bespoke projects, that level of control can be appealing.
However, because Craft requires more development effort, even small updates can take longer or cost more. It’s a developer-first platform that thrives in the right hands but can feel restrictive for marketing teams that want to experiment and move quickly.
WordPress: Customisable and Scalable
WordPress strikes the perfect balance between flexibility and usability. With thousands of plugins and themes, it can handle everything from a simple brochure site to a full-scale ecommerce store.
If you need to go further, a skilled agency can build custom features that make your site truly unique. That flexibility is one of the reasons WordPress continues to dominate the CMS market. For inspiration, check out our guide to Why Choose WordPress.
Integrations
Modern websites need to work seamlessly with your existing tools — from CRMs to analytics platforms and ecommerce systems.
Craft: Manual but Precise
Craft supports third-party integrations through plugins and APIs. This gives you the freedom to connect almost any system, but it often requires manual setup and ongoing maintenance.
If you have a technical team or a long-term agency partner, Craft’s approach can work well. But for smaller teams, it can mean extra development time and cost every time an integration needs to be updated.
WordPress: Seamless and Supported
WordPress’s global popularity means there’s almost always a plugin or API ready to connect your favourite tools. Whether it’s HubSpot CRM for WordPress, Google Analytics, or custom ecommerce integrations, the WordPress ecosystem has it covered.
This makes it quicker — and often cheaper — to build and maintain a fully connected digital ecosystem.
Community and Support
A thriving community can make all the difference when maintaining and improving your CMS.
Craft: A Tight, Passionate Network
Craft’s developer community is small but dedicated. You’ll find helpful advice on their forums and Slack channels, and updates are rolled out regularly. However, because the user base is smaller, resources and tutorials are harder to come by compared to larger platforms.
WordPress: A Global Powerhouse
With millions of developers, designers, and users contributing to the platform, WordPress has one of the largest open-source communities in the world. You’ll find answers, tutorials, and new features at every turn.
This also means constant innovation, security improvements, and plugin updates. And if you’d prefer professional support, our WordPress retainer service ensures your site stays fast, secure, and up to date without lifting a finger.
Cost and Long-Term Value
It’s easy to focus on the upfront costs, but the total cost of ownership (TCO) over time is what really matters.
Craft: Premium from the Start
Craft CMS isn’t free. You’ll need a paid licence, and since it’s more complex to develop, setup costs tend to be higher. Ongoing maintenance and updates also rely heavily on your developer or agency.
That investment might be worth it for enterprise-level projects. But for most businesses, Craft’s costs can quickly add up.
WordPress: Free and Future-Proof
WordPress is open source and free to use. Your main costs come from hosting, development, and ongoing maintenance, which are flexible and scalable.
Combine it with managed WordPress hosting, and you’ll have a cost-effective and high-performing platform. Over time, that lower TCO makes WordPress a clear winner for many businesses.
So what should you choose?
Both Craft and WordPress are powerful, modern CMS platforms — but they’re built for different audiences.
If you have a dedicated technical team and want complete control over every aspect of your site, Craft might be something you want to consider.
But if you’re looking for a proven, easy-to-manage, and scalable platform that empowers your whole team, WordPress is hard to beat. We’re huge advocates of it. We’ve seen CMS platforms come and go since 2008, and WordPress has outlived them all and continues to go from strength to strength.
At Fhoke, we’ve spent nearly two decades perfecting our craft as a WordPress agency in London. Whether you’re launching your first site or upgrading an existing one, our team can help you harness the power of WordPress to build a website that looks beautiful, performs brilliantly, and grows with your business.
