Are you stuck between choosing Craft CMS and ExpressionEngine? Fear not, we are here to help you out. In this blog post, we will provide an unbiased and factual comparison of these two popular content management systems for web development.
Overview
Craft CMS is a modern and user-friendly CMS that focuses on flexibility and scalability. It offers an intuitive control panel, high security, and support for third-party plugins, making it a popular choice among developers.
ExpressionEngine, on the other hand, is a robust and flexible CMS that lets you create complex and dynamic websites. It has been around for almost two decades and has a loyal following among developers who value its stability and customizability.
Comparison
Ease of Use
Craft CMS has a modern and intuitive control panel, making it easy to use for both developers and content editors. It has a drag-and-drop functionality, live preview, and quick access to important settings, making the process of creating and managing content a breeze.
ExpressionEngine, however, has a steeper learning curve, especially for non-technical users. Its control panel is not as modern or user-friendly as Craft CMS, but it's powerful and customizable, allowing you to create complex sites that suit your needs.
Customizability
Customizability is one of the main advantages of ExpressionEngine. It enables developers to create custom content types, fields, and templates, making it the perfect choice for complex and unique web projects. ExpressionEngine also provides more control over the data structure, making it easier to adapt to any project requirements.
Craft CMS, while also customizable, has more limitations when it comes to overwriting core functionality. However, it does offer a vast range of plugins that can help extend its functionality.
Performance
Craft CMS tends to perform better than ExpressionEngine, particularly when it comes to page loading times, caching, and database queries. Craft CMS also has a smaller footprint, which means faster server response times and reduced server load.
ExpressionEngine, despite its robust capabilities, can be slower, especially when hosting larger and more complex sites.
Pricing
Craft CMS has a straightforward pricing scheme, with a free option for personal use, and plans starting from $299 per year for commercial use.
ExpressionEngine has a one-time fee of $299, which includes a license for one site. However, additional licenses for new projects or domains require additional purchase.
Conclusion
Both Craft CMS and ExpressionEngine are excellent choices for web development, and the one that suits you best ultimately comes down to your specific project requirements. If you're looking for a user-friendly, modern CMS that can handle most web projects and offers a good balance of customizability and performance, Craft CMS might be the way to go. However, if you need a more robust and customizable CMS that can handle complex and dynamic sites, ExpressionEngine is a good choice.