Content Management System (CMS) Software

What is the best Content Management System (CMS) Software?

A Content Management System (CMS) is a suite of software tools for creating, editing, storing, publishing, and collaborating on digital content.

CMS systems are important because they provide more control over website content and give companies the ability to make necessary edits or changes so that content stays updated and relevant for a great web experience. 

The top CMS features include:

  • Content Creation
  • Content Editing
  • Workflows and Organization Tools
  • Role-Based User Permissions
  • Personalization
  •  Reporting & Analytics
  • Security & Compliance
  • Flexibility 
  • Scalability
  • Multilingual Content Tools

The benefits of a Content Management System (CMS) are:

  • Employees spend less time tracking down necessary documents and information.
  • Paper documents can be converted to digital documents, allowing easy access on your network. This may allow businesses to save resources on file storage.
  • Because file sharing is now easier, collaboration among employees in different departments or locations is facilitated.
  • Relationships with long-term customers improve thanks to Case Management Software that closely tracks all customer interactions.
  • Online and social media presence is improved with W-CMS tools that make content creation and sharing easier.
  • Compliance with legal regulations is easier to ensure and document.
  • Customizable Content
  • Simple Content Collaboration
  • Seamless Scheduling of Content
  • Mobility & Accessibility
  • Quick, Easy Installation

There are several types of CMS solutions including W-CMS and DMS.

  • Web CMS solutions are used primarily for creating, managing, and publishing content online. W-CMS tools and features are designed to help enhance your company’s web presence through social media, blogs, online storefronts, and websites. A CMS website can help promote successful ecommerce and offer the opportunity to gather and organize feedback gained through customer interaction with your website or social media sources.
  • DMS solutions, on the other hand, are designed to aid in the storage, organization, and management of internal documents or materials that are not intended for sharing outside of your organization. A DMS solution best benefits companies that rely upon large amounts of internal data or documents and can also help streamline internal business processes as well.

Open-source CMS deployment is becoming increasingly popular, especially for web content management. An open-source CMS is an easily accessible system for managing and publishing online content with ease. The open-source nature of this type of solution is typically much more cost effective and is constantly being enhanced, upgraded, and improved through a community of developers.

If your business revolves around large amounts of highly sensitive content and data, then you may opt for a proprietary CMS solution instead. A proprietary solution will likely cost more to implement, but will offer increased levels of customization and security for internal document management.

CMS system pricing varies depending on the type of solution you choose for your business, and providers offer subscription and licensing pricing models. In a subscription based pricing model, you will pay a monthly fee based on the number of users and specific tools and features you’ll need. However, in a licensing model, you will pay a larger, one-time fee to license the software and manage it inside your company.

Choosing the perfect CMS solution that will serve your business content needs for years to come may seem a complex task. However, if you plan and prepare properly with these key tips for selecting your CMS, you’ll likely choose a solution that will serve your business well into the future.

Top 10 Content Management System (CMS) Software

WordPress / Widen / Box / DocuShare / Content Central / Dropbox / Agility / Canto / Adobe Experience Manager / Shelf

WH Score
8.2
M-Files
19reviews
Starting Price:N/A
M-Files is the leading document management platform for knowledge work automation. It revolutionizes the way knowledge workers handle their processes, from creating and managing documents to automating workflows, collaborating externally, conducting enterprise searches, and ensuring security. M-File...
WH Score
8.2
MODX
29reviews
Starting Price:N/A
In 2004, MODX’s founders had an itch to scratch. They wanted to build websites with semantic HTML, style them only using CSS, and to have an easy way to protect content behind a login. As it turned out, no Content Management System existed that ticked all the right boxes.
WH Score
8.2
Concrete5
14reviews
Starting Price:N/A
By choosing to supply an open source content management system, concrete5 provides users with a fully customizable experience in managing their websites, social media presence, marketing, and community engagement. The essential features of concrete5 begin with content editing tools that allow users ...
WH Score
8.2
Contentful
26reviews
Starting Price:$0 per user / per month
Specializing in headless CMS, Contentful is a feature-rich platform that molds content based on varying devices and platforms. The solution comes equipped with a centralized console, so all requirements can be accessed from a single point of truth.    
WH Score
8.1
Acquia CMS
9reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Acquia is a cloud-based platform that helps clients engage with their customers through the digital world. They offer products in web content management, e-Commerce, and Internet security. Acquia is used by clients in the government, healthcare, financial services, higher education, and the media an...
WH Score
8.1
Alfresco
13reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Alfresco Enterprise Content Management allows users to integrate all of their existing processes, websites, applications, and profiles into one easy-to-use management system. Through the platform, users can extend content, customize messages, and get more value out of how and where they are represen...
WH Score
8.1
Brandfolder
14reviews
Starting Price:N/A
In order to share, access, manage, and store all of your brand’s many assets, Brandfolder is a digital asset management service that gives you a single collaborative space for your entire team. It starts with a basic visual platform that makes it easy to find different file types based on icon...
WH Score
8.1
Nuxeo
12reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Nuxeo is a digital asset management platform that allows professionals to manage all of their digital content, from documents, audio, and video, to images, presentations, and more. Their services are divided into six modules: Capture, Search, Configure, Integrate, Scale, and Analyze. Capture allows ...
WH Score
8.1
Sitefinity
12reviews
Starting Price:N/A
Sitefinity is a web-based content management system that offers businesses a way to improve their customer relations through better engagement, and more targeted retention behavior. Sitefinity offers these services to clients in multiple industries, including consumer goods, financial services, and ...
WH Score
8.1
Webdam
24reviews
Starting Price:N/A
WebDAM offers users all the functionality of the best digital asset management tools on the market, allowing enterprises to store, search through, organize, and share all of their digital files from one simple workspace. WebDAM acts as a central knowledge base for your team, giving them a virtual li...
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