Which CMS should one use these days?

In a digital world where almost every organization – from small sole proprietorships to global corporations – needs a website, the content management system (CMS) plays a crucial role. Choosing the right CMS can determine the success or frustration of a web project. But which CMS is the best choice today? The answer depends on various factors – technical knowledge, design and functionality requirements, budget, scalability, and security.

In this article, we take a detailed look at the most popular CMS platforms in 2025, their strengths, weaknesses, and areas of application.

First, our approach at dietz.digital

The whole topic is important, but also somewhat like the choice between Apple and Microsoft. It is often filled with emotions, passions, or simply special knowledge of the preferred system. One tends to defend the system they want to use.

In the past, we implemented dozens of projects with Typo3. We are no longer convinced of this, as it seems outdated and has poor usability for content managers. We implement various projects with WordPress because it is extremely flexible. This site is implemented with Framer, as it has a very modern architecture and optimally combines AI, languages, and speed. Content is quickly in place and quickly live. SEO fits perfectly.

Additionally, we use headless systems like Storyblok. However, it must be clearly decided in advance whether the effort is justified. The system shows its strengths when there are many targets to which data/content is sent. However, this is often not necessary.

I also do not address so-called enterprise systems like Adobe Experience Manager. We are not experts for this system, which is typically only used in corporate structures. To be honest, it is often used very rudimentarily and is far too costly for the application utilized. But there are other reasons for that.

It often also depends on the client, who already has a CMS in use that we then take over.

So, there will never be a system that covers everything.

Here is an example that we often encounter:

Clients often want to maintain the website themselves. Or at least do so for specific areas. This is a demand that often cannot be reconciled with the design and autonomy of a page. The more complex and dynamic the design, the more labor-intensive the maintenance becomes. No matter which CMS, it always means that the learning curve increases. Here, clients are often overwhelmed, as they actually have another job and only intervene in the CMS from time to time. This also increases the likelihood of errors.

Every CMS needs to be maintained. Caches and other issues such as plugins, SEO, GEO, etc., are in play and must also be considered.

If the company does not have an independent editorial team dedicated solely to this task, we think little of the client maintaining it themselves. It makes more sense to define clear processes for how content is created and processed, while the agency takes care of the CMS.

1. What is a CMS anyway?

A content management system (CMS) is software that allows content to be created, managed, and published on a website – without requiring programming skills. Most CMS offer user interfaces that allow texts, images, videos, and other content to be organized and styled.

CMS can generally be divided into two categories:

• Monolithic CMS (e.g., WordPress, Joomla, Drupal): Frontend and backend are closely linked.

• Headless CMS (e.g., Strapi, Contentful, Storyblok, Sanity): Completely separates content management and output – ideal for modern web apps, mobile applications, or multi-channel publishing.

2. WordPress – The all-rounder with market leadership

✅ Advantages:

• Market leader with over 40% share of all websites worldwide.

• Large community, many plugins and themes.

• Easy to understand – ideal for beginners.

• Regular updates and security features.

❌ Disadvantages:

• Can become slow or confusing under high traffic or complex requirements.

• Dependency on plugins can increase maintenance effort.

Who is it suitable for?

• Small to medium-sized businesses.

• Anyone who wants to create a website with minimal technical effort.

WordPress remains the most popular CMS in 2025 – rightfully so. The flexibility is great, with the Gutenberg editor and page builders like Elementor enabling modern designs without programming. Nevertheless, WordPress is increasingly criticized for its somewhat outdated architecture, especially compared to modern headless systems.

3. Webflow – Design meets performance

✅ Advantages:

• Visual editor – true “What You See Is What You Get” (WYSIWYG).

• Ideal for designers without deep technical know-how.

• Very good performance (hosting included).

• Automated backups, integrated SEO tools.

❌ Disadvantages:

• No open source, monthly costs.

• Less flexible with highly customized web applications.

• Limited CMS functionality for larger projects.

Who is it suitable for?

• Creatives, agencies, start-ups with a design focus.

• Landing pages, portfolios, simple business websites.

Webflow combines CMS, design tool, and hosting in one platform. In 2025, it is particularly interesting for visually-oriented projects – you build the website directly “in the browser,” without having to worry about servers or PHP. However, Webflow is less suitable for complex logic or data models.

4. Typo3 – The widely used CMS in Germany

✅ Advantages:

• Flexible and scalable, but also a "techie tool"

• Good rights management

• Suitable for multisite installations

• Stable open-source architecture.

❌ Disadvantages:

• High entry barrier

• Technically complex – not usable without a developer

• Less plug-and-play than WordPress

• For content managers and maintenance by clients, it is too technical and does not offer a proper WYSIWYG

  
  

Who is it suitable for?

• Businesses, authorities, universities

• Projects with multiple editors, languages, and sites, but they must be technically savvy

Typo3 is strongly established in Germany and Austria. It offers many possibilities but is unsuitable for beginners.

5. Headless CMS – The future for developers and scalable projects

Popular providers:

• Contentful

• Sanity

• Strapi (open source)

• Storyblok (visual editor + API)

• Directus

✅ Advantages:

• Frontend-independent – ideal for omnichannel.

• Developer tooling at the cutting edge (GraphQL, APIs, SDKs).

• Very good performance and flexibility.

• Content can be created once and deployed everywhere (app, website, digital signage, etc.).

❌ Disadvantages:

• Requires technical know-how (frontend development necessary).

• No built-in page builder or theme system.

• Often associated with recurring costs (SaaS solutions).

Who is it suitable for?

• Tech-savvy companies, start-ups with an app/web-app strategy.

• Projects focused on scalability, internationalization, headless commerce.

Headless CMS are no longer just a trend in 2025 – they are a necessity for modern web architectures. Especially in conjunction with frameworks like Next.js, Nuxt, or SvelteKit, they deliver impressive results in terms of loading speed, flexibility, and maintainability.

6. Joomla, Drupal & Co – Niches with their own justification

Joomla offers a good balance between flexibility and user-friendliness but is overshadowed by WordPress. Drupal is extremely powerful but, like Typo3, is more for technically skilled users and complex projects.

Both systems are still in use in 2025 – mostly in existing installations or specific projects. For new websites, however, most people choose more modern alternatives.

7. Criteria for CMS selection

When choosing a CMS, the following questions should be clarified:

• How technically proficient am I (or my team)?

• What content should the website depict?

• How important are design freedom and individuality?

• Will the website be used only online, or also in apps or other channels?

• How large is the project? Will it grow in the future?

• Are there legal requirements (e.g., GDPR, accessibility)?

The answer to these questions often leads automatically to the suitable CMS. For example, someone who needs a portfolio website with a strong focus on design will be happy with Webflow. A rapidly growing tech start-up should think headless. A smaller company with a blog and contact form is well served with WordPress.

Conclusion: There is no best CMS – only the right one

2025 clearly shows: There is no “best CMS,” but “the right CMS for the specific use case.” WordPress remains the first choice for simple and medium-sized websites, Webflow delights designers and creatives, while headless CMS like Strapi, Storyblok, Contentful represent the future of digital scalability.

Companies that rely on professional, highly customizable web solutions are well advised with headless architectures. Freelancers and agencies that need to deliver quickly tend to reach for WordPress or Webflow.

The central recommendation: Do not blindly follow a hype – but realistically assess your own requirements and resources.