The Top 5 CMS Applications in 2025

Whether you’re launching a blog or building an eCommerce site, choosing the right CMS is an important step. At purely.website, we support a wide range of CMS platforms on our secure UK based web hosting.

Here are five of the best CMS applications, fully supported on purely.website hosting packages.

1. WordPress

Ideal for: Blogs, business websites, portfolios, eCommerce (with WooCommerce)

Market share: Powers over 40% of all websites globally

WordPress is the world’s most popular CMS, and for good reason. It offers unmatched flexibility, a vast plugin ecosystem, and an intuitive editor that makes content creation accessible for beginners and professionals.

• User-friendly visual editor
• Tens of thousands of free and premium themes
• Plugin library for SEO, security, eCommerce, analytics and more
• Active global community and regular updates
• Supports multilingual sites and complex layouts

Perfect for: Small businesses, bloggers, charities, online stores

2. Joomla

Ideal for: Community portals, membership sites, complex navigation structures

Known for: Native multilingual support and user management

Joomla strikes a balance between flexibility and power, with more structure than WordPress and less complexity than Drupal. It’s suited to users who need strong content organisation, access control, and advanced module management.

• Built-in access control and user permissions
• Native multilingual support
• Extensive module and extension directory
• Advanced menu and layout configuration
• Ideal for sites needing structured content and workflows

Perfect for: Clubs, associations, educational websites, medium sized businesses

3. Drupal

Ideal for: Large-scale websites, enterprise platforms and education

Strengths: Custom workflows, high security, scalability

Drupal is a developer-centric CMS designed for building custom applications and data-driven platforms. It’s widely adopted by universities, NGOs, and governments for its ability to handle complex data structures and high traffic volumes.

• Highly customisable content architecture
• Advanced user role and permission management
• Multilingual capabilities
• Built-in caching and performance tools
• Active security team and frequent updates

Perfect for: Government websites, universities, custom platforms

4. PrestaShop

Ideal for: Small to medium online stores

Focus: eCommerce with full control

PrestaShop is a robust open-source eCommerce CMS, designed for merchants who want to own their platform rather than rely on SaaS solutions. It includes everything needed to run a secure and functional online shop.

• Built-in product, inventory, and order management
• Marketing tools including vouchers, promotions, and abandoned cart emails
• Support for multiple currencies and languages
• Customisable themes and over 3,000 modules
• SEO-ready out of the box

Perfect for: Retailers, international sellers, shop owners avoiding platform fees

5. Grav

Ideal for: Developers, tech-savvy users, minimalist websites

Unique selling point: Flat-file architecture (no database required)

Grav is a fast, modern flat-file CMS that focuses on speed and simplicity. It’s ideal for users who prefer flexibility, version control, and low server resource usage without sacrificing design or features.

• Flat-file structure (no MySQL needed)
• Fast performance and minimal overhead
• Built-in markdown support
• Git-friendly workflow for developers
• Flexible theming and plugin architecture

Perfect for: Developers, agencies, minimalist portfolios and docs

Why Choose purely.website for CMS Hosting?

All these platforms are fully supported on our web hosting packages, where you’ll benefit from:

• UK-based servers
• Free SSL certificates and daily backups included as standard
• Containerised hosting for enhanced security and reliability
• A beginner-friendly control panel for easy management
• Expert support ready to assist with any issues you face