Open source means that the entire community of programmers has access to the code. Within the system as a whole, anyone can change anything. Generally speaking, if you’re on a tight budget, it’s far better to invest in high-quality content and marketing and use the more cost-effective WordPress for site management.
You can build a good website on WordPress too
WordPress is probably the most widely used open-source content management system. There are a whole host of unfounded prejudices against WordPress. For example, that websites built on WordPress will always look cheap and unprofessional, or that it isn’t suitable for large projects. Neither of these is true. Take a look, for example, at atrium-flora.cz, www.svetsvateb.cz, autonacesty.cz, bydleni-hrou.cz – all these sites are built on WordPress and serve their owners very well.
A major advantage of WordPress is its cost. Thanks to the huge number of ready-made templates available for purchase, the cost of creating a website is significantly reduced. This means that even smaller businesses, which would otherwise be unable to afford a high-quality website due to cost, can now have very attractive and conversion-focused sites.
“WordPress can be very appealing to smaller firms or even sole traders who have limited budgets for their online presence. Whilst the development of bespoke websites with custom graphics and a content management system typically costs hundreds of thousands, developing a website on WordPress typically costs tens of thousands,” explains Development Director Tomáš Odl.
However, WordPress has its limitations; it will never be sufficient for more demanding projects. For such projects, we develop our own content management system, AitomCMS; we are currently offering the fifth generation of this system under the name AitomCMS 5.
Many companies choose WordPress partly because of access to the template code. The whole idea of open source is based on sharing data, including the complete code. You can take your website and switch to another agency at any time; virtually everyone knows how to use WordPress (though the question is, to what standard). On the other hand, securing the website against hacker attacks is much more challenging. As one of the few agencies, AITOM provides its clients with the complete code of the AitomCMS 5 content management system; so we retain this advantage of WordPress, but in addition we guarantee higher security.
How does the AitomCMS 5 content management system compare to the aforementioned popular open-source WordPress?
AitomCMS 5 vs. WordPress
| Features |
AitomCMS 5 |
WordPress |
|
Module updates |
There is no risk that the website will stop working or that any changes will occur during an update |
When updating, there is a risk that if a module is not written precisely, it will only start working after some time, once the author has modified it (this is usually beyond the author’s control). |
|
Maintenance costs |
Updates can only be carried out by a professional coder. |
Virtually no specialist support is required, meaning zero service charges |
|
Security |
More secure |
More vulnerable to hacker attacks (regular updates reduce the risk) |
|
Well-known vulnerabilities |
Our system is used only by our clients and is not widely known, so it is not a frequent target for attackers |
WordPress vulnerabilities are widely known, so it is easier to attack them. |
|
Possible modifications |
The CMS is ours; all modifications are possible and do not cause problems during system updates. |
In terms of customisation, almost anything is possible, but we need to find the right plugin or write custom code. If no one has addressed the issue before, custom development can be costly. Additional custom code may cause issues during updates. |
|
Ownership of the code |
You purchase the code as part of the licence |
You purchase the code as part of the template licence. The system cores are covered by the GPL licence, i.e. open source, and are available to everyone. |
|
Exit plan |
100% code portability |
100% code portability |
|
Price |
Higher price |
Lower price |
|
Graphics |
Custom |
Based partly or entirely on a template. Custom graphics can also be designed, but this significantly increases the price. |
|
Server performance requirements |
Lower |
Higher |
|
Microsite creation for partners |
You need to switch to a different interface |
Handled within a single administration panel |
|
Intuitive controls |
Very intuitive |
Very intuitive |
|
Development |
Developed by a small team, so releasing a new version is more expensive and takes longer |
Developed by the whole community, so development is faster and free |
|
Versioning |
5 versions back |
Unlimited |
In the table, we compare the advantages of individual content management systems based on our subjective opinion. As you can see, both have a whole range of advantages. There are always several factors to consider when making a decision. We will always recommend the most suitable content management system for your specific project as part of our initial assessment.