• Trilogies have been part of storytelling for decades; they have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
• While most make hundreds of millions of dollars, not all cinematic trilogies are created equal.
• The best film trilogies include "How to Train Your Dragon" and "The Naked Gun."

In 2025, sequels, prequels, remakes, reboots, and legacy sequels are ubiquitous. Trilogies, however, are a little more special.

Some of the trilogies on this list were perhaps turned into three movies because of the potential for billions at the box office — the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy, for example, made $2.4 billion worldwide — but many of these stories simply couldn't be told in just one film.

Imagine "Lord of the Rings" ending after "Fellowship" or "Star Wars" with no "Empire Strikes Back" or "Return of the Jedi." It'd be a tragedy for any cinema buff.

More recently, the "How to Train Your Dragon" trilogy has proven so popular that an entire theme park land was created around it at Epic Universe, and a live-action remake of the first film is lighting up the box office.

Here are some of the best trilogies in Hollywood history, and where to stream them.

A friend recently asked me, “Should I use WordPress or Django for my new website?” It’s a great question, and a common one. Choosing the right content management system (CMS) can shape your entire online experience.

While WordPress has always been my go-to for building websites, I’ve spent time exploring Django CMS as well. I’ve helped others decide between the two, and I’ve even tested Django on a few personal projects just to see how it stacks up.

In this post, I’ll share what I’ve learned from both platforms—their surprising strengths, their limitations, and why WordPress still comes out on top for creating websites.

Whether you’re launching a blog, a business site, or something more complex, this side-by-side comparison will help you figure out which CMS fits your needs best.

WordPress vs. Django CMS: A Brief Overview

Both WordPress and Django CMS are powerful content management systems (CMS), but they are designed for different kinds of tasks.

I’ve created a quick comparison table below to help you understand the main differences. It explains the key features of WordPress and Django CMS side-by-side:

	WordPress	Django CMS
🎯 Purpose	Blogging, general websites	Developer-friendly, complex enterprises
⚙️ Technology	PHP, MySQL	Python, Django framework
🤹 Ease of Use	Very user-friendly	Steep learning curve
🔧 Customization	Themes, plugins (PHP)	Python code, Django apps
🛍 eCommerce	Requires a free plugin like WooCommerce or Easy Digital Downloads	Requires additional software like Oscar Commerce or Saleor
🔒 Security	Requires regular updates, security plugins	Strong security foundation out of the box
📈 Scalability	Scalable with optimization	Highly scalable
👥 Community	Huge, very broad	Small, developer-focused
👤 Target User	Non-developers	Developers

In the sections that follow, I’ll dive deeper into each of these points and help you decide whether WordPress or Django CMS is the right choice for your project.

How I Compared WordPress vs. Django CMS

I wanted to make sure this comparison was as thorough and fair as possible, so I didn’t just rely on spec sheets and marketing brochures. So, I dug deep, using my own experience and research.

Here’s how I approached it:

• Real-World Projects: I’ve built countless websites with WordPress, from simple blogs to complex eCommerce stores. I’ve seen firsthand what it can do (and what it can’t). I also set up a test environment for Django CMS so I could try everything out myself.
• Hands-on Testing: I didn’t just read about the features, I actually used them. I performed common tasks like creating pages, adding images, and installing plugins. This gave me a real feel for how each platform works in practice.
• Feature Comparison: I compared the core features of each platform, including ease of use, customization options, security, scalability, and content management capabilities.
• Finding the Right Fit: I considered different project types and identified the ideal use cases for each platform. For example, a small business website has different needs than a large enterprise platform.
• Resources and Effort: I factored in the learning curve, development time, and ongoing maintenance required for each platform. This helps you understand the true cost of ownership.
• Growing with Your Project: A content management system should be able to grow with your business. I looked at how easy it is to get started with each platform and how well they handle increasing complexity as your website grows.

Since I’m going to go into a lot of detail in my comparison of WordPress vs. Django CMS, you may want to use this table of contents to quickly navigate the article:

Overview: WordPress vs. Django CMS

Choosing a content management system (CMS) is like laying the foundation for your website.

WordPress and Django CMS are both powerful tools, but they’re designed for different kinds of projects. Picking the right one from the start can save you headaches (and potentially a lot of money) down the road.

I remember when I first started building websites, I tried everything from hand-coding HTML to using clunky website builders. Then I discovered WordPress, and I immediately knew that it was what I was looking for.

Suddenly, I could build beautiful, functional websites without needing a computer science degree. I’ve used it for everything from simple blogs to complex eCommerce sites.

So, what is WordPress, anyway? It’s the most popular website builder and CMS on the planet, powering over 43% of the web. It’s free, open-source, and incredibly versatile. Plus, there’s a massive community of users and developers ready to help you out.

Getting started is a breeze, especially with one-click installs offered by hosts like Bluehost and Hostinger (I’ve used both, and they make it super easy).

As my projects got more complex, I started hearing about Django CMS. It’s a favorite among developers who want more flexibility and control. I even tried using it for a personal project, and it was a completely different experience.

Think of it as building a house from scratch. With Django, you have complete control over every detail, but it requires a lot more technical know-how.

Django CMS is built with Django, a powerful framework that uses the Python programming language.

It is a set of tools and libraries that provide a foundation for building web applications. It’s also free and open-source, but it’s definitely geared towards developers.

You’ll need to be comfortable with coding and server administration to get the most out of it. It’s ideal for large, complex projects that demand a high level of customization and scalability.

Now that you have a basic understanding of both platforms, let’s dive deeper into the key differences between WordPress and Django CMS.

Ease of Use: Which CMS is Easier to Learn?

Ease of use is a big concern for many website builders. You’re probably looking for a platform that’s simple to navigate without prior technical expertise.

Let’s see how WordPress and Django CMS compare in terms of user-friendliness.

WordPress: Easy to Use Most of the Time

WordPress is known for its user-friendly nature. Setting up a basic blog in WordPress can be done in a matter of hours.

The block editor is intuitive, like building with digital Lego bricks. You can easily drag and drop different content blocks to create pages without coding.

And getting started is super easy. Most web hosts, like Bluehost (my personal favorite), offer one-click WordPress installs.

That means you can literally have a website up and running in minutes. WPBeginner readers get a special discount, so you can get started for just $1.99 per month.

After WordPress is installed, you’ll be able to access the admin dashboard. From here, you can customize your site’s design, add new pages, and manage your content. It’s very straightforward.

For details, see our guide on how to create a WordPress website.

Django CMS: For Developers and Code-Savvy Users

Django is built for developers who love the flexibility and control of coding. But if you’re a beginner or prefer a no-code approach, it will feel overwhelming.

You’ll need to know how to code in Python and be familiar with web development concepts to use Django CMS effectively. I’ve talked to friends who tried to use Django CMS without coding experience, and it often leads to frustration.

Even simple tasks, like changing your website’s theme or adding a contact form, often require coding or working with Django’s templating system.

Django CMS’s content editor is relatively straightforward, similar to WordPress’s older classic editor.

It lets you work with formatted text, but not create complex layouts like the newer WordPress block editor.

But most customization happens behind the scenes in code. This can be a steep learning curve for non-developers.

Here’s a quick overview of what makes Django CMS less user-friendly for non-developers:

• Installation and setup require technical knowledge of server administration and command-line tools, such as SSH and virtual environments.
• Theme customization involves editing HTML, CSS, and Django templates, which requires familiarity with Django’s templating language.
• Plugin management often requires installing and configuring Python packages.
• While the content editor is simple, managing content structures and advanced features often requires coding.

All that said, if you have a strong technical background, all of this may sound ideal.

🏅 Winner for Ease of Use – WordPress

For non-programmers, WordPress is the clear winner. It’s intuitive, user-friendly, and packed with features that make building a website a breeze.

Django CMS, while powerful, is best left to the developers. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get online, WordPress is your best bet.

Customization Options: Making Your Website Your Own

Customization options are essential for creating a unique and functional website. So, how do WordPress and Django CMS compare in terms of customization?

WordPress: Customization Made Easy

WordPress is famous for its flexibility. I’ve built countless websites using the CMS, and I’m always amazed by how much you can change without writing a single line of code. The secret is the large selection of themes and plugins.

Themes transform your website’s appearance with just a few clicks. Thousands of free and premium themes mean you’re bound to find something that perfectly matches your style.

Looking for recommendations? Here are some of my favorite themes.

If you want more customization options, most themes offer built-in options to change colors, fonts, and layouts effortlessly.

For advanced options, the theme customizer or adding custom CSS opens up a world of possibilities.

Then there are plugins, which are like apps for your website. They add all sorts of functionality, from contact forms and online stores to SEO tools and security enhancements.

With over 59,000 free plugins in the WordPress plugin directory and countless premium plugins, the possibilities are nearly endless. Just see my pick of the best WordPress plugins for all websites to get an idea of what they can do.

Django CMS: Customization for Coders

Django CMS takes a different approach to customization. Instead of using visual interfaces and drag-and-drop builders, you customize your website using code.

If you’re a Python developer, this may sound perfect. You can build virtually anything you can imagine to your exact specifications. While it requires more development time upfront, the level of customization you gain can only be achieved using code.

Features like custom product displays, complex filtering options, and unique checkout processes are all possible thanks to Django’s code-centric approach.

Here’s a glimpse into Django CMS’s customization options:

• Pre-built themes can be used as starting points for custom development. But most Django CMS projects involve building a custom theme from scratch.
• Django apps extend functionality like WordPress plugins. However, installing and configuring them requires some coding knowledge, and the selection is not as extensive as the WordPress Plugin Directory.
• Django’s templating system provides control over your website’s HTML structure and content presentation.
• Django CMS integrates with other systems through APIs, allowing you to connect your website with CRM software, marketing automation tools, and more.

If you’re not a developer, you’ll need to hire one to customize your Django CMS website. While this adds to the cost, it also gives you more control over customization.

🏅 Winner for Customization Options – WordPress

If you want easy, no-code customization, WordPress is the clear winner. Its huge library of themes and plugins makes it simple to create a unique website without touching any code.

Django CMS offers ultimate flexibility for developers, but it comes at the cost of increased complexity.

Content Management: Keeping Your Content Organized

Effective content management is essential for websites with frequent updates. You need a CMS that makes it easy to create, organize, and manage all that content.

So, how do WordPress and Django CMS compare in this department?

WordPress: Content Management Powerhouse

WordPress began its journey as a blogging tool, and content management remains one of its greatest strengths. From personal blogs to extensive content hubs, WordPress excels thanks to its flexibility and user-friendliness.

Writing and editing content in WordPress is a breeze. The block editor is incredibly straightforward, allowing you to add text, images, and videos with simple drag-and-drop actions.

You can group your posts together in different ways using categories and tags. You can think of categories as the main sections of my website, and tags as a detailed index.

WordPress also has a built-in media library that makes managing images and videos super easy. You can upload, organize, and insert media into your content with just a few clicks.

And if you’re working with a team, WordPress’s user role management is extremely helpful. You can assign different roles (administrator, editor, author, and more) with specific permissions.

This makes sure that everyone has the access they need without risking accidental deletions or unwanted changes.

Need even more content management features? No problem! WordPress has thousands of plugins that can add everything from custom content types to advanced SEO tools.

Django CMS: Content Management for Developers

Django CMS offers a basic interface for creating and editing content. But it lacks the intuitive user-friendliness of WordPress. I’ve found that even simple tasks, such as creating pages or managing menus, can sometimes require technical knowledge.

And while Django CMS does offer user roles and permissions, configuring them is often more complex than in WordPress. Customizing roles or creating new ones typically involves coding or working with Django’s admin interface, which can be a hurdle for non-developers.

For instance, imagine you need to create custom user roles with specific permissions. In WordPress, this would be straightforward. Meanwhile, in Django CMS, it requires writing custom code.

Here’s a closer look at Django CMS’s content management features:

• You can create and organize pages within a hierarchical structure. However, customizing page templates and adding advanced features often requires coding.
• Adding a navigation menu is easy, but complex menu structures or dynamic menus might require custom development.
• Managing user access and capabilities is possible, but customization often involves code.
• You can track content changes and revert to previous versions of your content.
• Django CMS offers multilingual capabilities, but configuring multiple languages can be complex.

While Django CMS offers powerful content management tools, its developer-centric approach can be challenging for non-technical users.

🏅 Winner for Content Management – WordPress

For most users, especially those without a technical background, WordPress is the clear winner for content management. It offers a user-friendly interface, powerful features, and a huge ecosystem of plugins for content creation, organization, and management.

Django CMS is more flexible for developers, but it comes at the cost of increased complexity.

eCommerce: Selling Online

Selling online requires a comprehensive eCommerce platform. Let’s compare WordPress and Django’s online store capabilities.

WordPress: Great for Selling Online

WordPress doesn’t have eCommerce features out of the box. But you can quickly set up an online store with the help of plugins like WooCommerce. I’ve used WooCommerce a lot for my own projects, and I found it to be very powerful and easy to use.

After installing WooCommerce, it guides you through the setup. Then, you can add products, set up payment methods (like Stripe or PayPal), and decide how to ship things right from the familiar WordPress dashboard.

You can easily customize WooCommerce using plugins and themes designed specifically for online stores. There are plugins available for detailed shipping costs, managing subscriptions, and even adjusting prices according to specific rules.

If you need a simpler way to sell online, especially for digital items or services, I would also suggest looking at Easy Digital Downloads (EDD).

For more information, just see our guide on how to start an online store.

Django: Building a Custom Online Store

Django also doesn’t have eCommerce features built in. However, its power and flexibility let you build the exact online store you want, piece by piece.

This approach gives you total control over everything in your store. You control how data is stored, how the site operates behind the scenes, what users see, and how it integrates with other services. It’s great for making unique online stores with custom features.

While you can build an eCommerce site completely from scratch using Django, there are several tools and frameworks that can help you build faster:

• Oscar Commerce is a set of open-source tools for making eCommerce sites with Django. It provides a foundation for features such as product lists, shopping carts, checkout pages, and order management.
• Saleor started as a Django program but has grown into a powerful, headless eCommerce platform. It can build modern online stores with separate front ends and backends.

There are also simpler tools and libraries if you only need certain eCommerce features.

Building a custom store with Django requires coding knowledge. It’s a good fit for businesses with complex needs, but it’s not a suitable choice for beginners.

🏅 Winner for eCommerce – WordPress

In most cases, WordPress wins in the eCommerce category.

That’s because you can easily turn WordPress into an eCommerce platform by installing an eCommerce plugin like WooCommerce or Easy Digital Downloads. You can quickly get started selling online at an affordable price, and the large WordPress community means it’s easy to find help and information.

Django may be better for building custom online stores where you need full control over every small detail and have a large budget. For example, your developers could build a system with complex billing rules and smart ways to suggest products for specific customers.

That said, you can still get advanced eCommerce functionality with WordPress as long as you have the right tools. For instance, you can add wholesale features using Wholesale Suite or create custom eCommerce automations with Uncanny Automator.

Performance: Speed Matters

Website performance is crucial for user experience, search engine rankings, and your bottom line. So, let’s see how WordPress and Django CMS compare.

WordPress: Performance Requires Optimization

WordPress is incredibly popular, and out of the box, it’s generally fast enough for most small websites. But as your site grows, with more content, plugins, and fancy features, things can start to slow down.

I’ve seen this happen with friends’ websites. One of the biggest causes of this is poorly coded themes and plugins. That’s why it’s important to select the perfect WordPress theme and the right WordPress plugin.

And speaking of tools, a caching plugin is essential for any WordPress site. Caching works by taking a ‘snapshot’ of your web pages and storing them temporarily, instead of generating them from scratch every time a visitor arrives.

This significantly reduces server load and speeds up your site. I personally recommend WP Rocket for its user-friendly interface and powerful optimization features.

We used it for a long time here at WPBeginner and had a great experience with it. You can see our full WP Rocket review for more information.

Overall, WordPress can be incredibly fast with proper optimization. We’ve even put together a comprehensive guide to help you boost your WordPress site’s speed and performance.

Django CMS: Built for Speed

Django CMS is built on the high-performance Django framework, which is designed for speed and efficiency from the ground up.

Because features and customizations are built with code, there’s less reliance on plugins or extensions that could add bloat and slow down a website.

Django’s efficient architecture and the streamlined, custom-coded nature of the site can result in better performance, lower page load times, and the ability to handle higher traffic volumes.

But it’s important to remember that even with Django CMS, poorly written code can negatively impact performance. If you’re not an experienced Django developer, you should hire one to make sure your site is optimized for speed and efficiency.

Beyond just being fast, Django is also incredibly scalable. This means a Django CMS site can easily grow with your business, handling a large increase in traffic, content, and features without a significant drop in performance.

🏅 Winner for Performance – Django CMS

Out of the box, Django CMS generally outperforms WordPress in terms of speed and efficiency (as long as you’re using efficient coding practices). However, with proper optimization, WordPress can also achieve excellent performance.

If you’re willing to put in the effort (or hire someone who is), then WordPress can handle even high-traffic events. But if speed is your top priority and you have the technical expertise, Django CMS might be a better choice.

Security: Keeping Your Website Safe

Security breaches can devastate a website. They can result in lost data, frustrated users, and a damaged reputation.

So, let’s talk about how WordPress and Django CMS compare when it comes to keeping your site safe.

WordPress Security: Staying Ahead of the Threats

With the right precautions, WordPress can be incredibly secure. I’ve used it for years on countless sites, and I’ve learned a few tricks along the way.

First of all, it’s best to keep everything updated. The WordPress core software is regularly patched for security vulnerabilities, so those updates are your first line of defense.

I always recommend setting up automatic updates whenever possible because it’s one less thing to worry about.

Next, you’ll want to be picky about your themes and plugins. Just like I wouldn’t install software from a suspicious website on my computer, I’m careful about what I add to my WordPress sites.

It’s best to stick to reputable sources like the official WordPress directory and well-known developers. And remember, you’ll need to keep those plugins and themes updated, too. Updates often fix security vulnerabilities that could be used to hack your website.

On top of following these best practices, I also recommend using a security plugin. This tool will typically offer malware scanning, firewall protection, and more.

For more on keeping your WordPress website safe, see our ultimate WordPress security guide.

Django CMS Security: A Solid Foundation

Django CMS uses the Django framework’s strong security foundation right out of the box. This is a major advantage for developers who want to prioritize security from the ground up.

For instance, when users submit content on a Django site, the system automatically cleans it up. This prevents a common type of attack called XSS (Cross-Site Scripting), where malicious code tries to sneak onto your site through user input.

Also, for every form you fill out on a Django site, there’s a unique, invisible security token attached to it. This makes it much tougher for attackers to hijack your session or trick you into doing something unintended.

That said, Django requires a lot of the same security best practices as WordPress (or any other CMS), such as regular updates, strong passwords, and two-factor authentication.

Secure coding practices and proper configuration are also important, especially when dealing with sensitive data.

If you’re not a developer, you’ll need to hire a Django expert to make sure your site is configured securely, and you may need them to run regular security audits.

🏅 Winner for Security – Django CMS

Django CMS is more secure out of the box, thanks to the framework’s built-in protections. However, with proper precautions, like regular updates, careful plugin selection, and a solid security plugin, WordPress can also be very secure.

Ultimately, the security of any website depends on your diligence and the steps you take to protect it, regardless of the platform you choose.

Community and Support

A supportive community and readily available resources are essential when building a website. Let’s see how WordPress and Django CMS compare for community and support.

WordPress: A Global Community at Your Fingertips

WordPress is the most popular website builder and has a huge, global community of users, developers, and designers.

Whether you’re stuck on a coding problem, need help choosing a plugin, or just want some general advice, there’s always someone willing to help. And there are plenty of helpful WordPress resources, including Get Started documents, courses, workshops, and lessons.

You’ll find answers to almost any question you can imagine. You can learn more on the official Learn WordPress and Make WordPress pages.

And here at WPBeginner, we offer many different tutorials like this one, a newsletter, free video tutorials, the WPBeginner Engage Facebook Group, a YouTube channel, and more.

Learn how to make the most out of WPBeginner’s free resources in this guide.

Django CMS: A Smaller, More Focused Community

Django CMS has a smaller, more niche community compared to WordPress. This smaller community means you’re interacting with a highly skilled and dedicated group of individuals who are willing to share their expertise.

However, the smaller community does mean fewer readily available resources. You’ll find less documentation, fewer online tutorials, and a smaller selection of pre-built themes and plugins.

This can make it more challenging to find solutions to common problems. You might have to rely more on your own problem-solving skills or reach out directly to the community for assistance.

The Django CMS community is active on platforms like Stack Overflow and specialized forums. While it might take a bit more effort to find answers, the quality of support is often very high. You’re more likely to get in-depth technical assistance from experienced developers.

Here are some key differences in community support:

• While Django CMS has official documentation, it’s often more technical and assumes a higher level of coding knowledge compared to WordPress’s user-friendly documentation.
• The Django CMS community is active on various platforms, but the overall size and activity level are significantly lower than WordPress’s massive online presence.
• A smaller selection of readily available themes and plugins means you’ll likely need to invest more time in custom development or searching for suitable third-party solutions.

If you’re comfortable with independent learning and problem-solving, the smaller Django CMS community might not be a major drawback. However, it doesn’t compare to WordPress’s large and active community, which offers readily available resources.

🏅 Winner for Community and Support – WordPress

For most users, WordPress offers better support due to its large, active community and readily available resources.

However, developers will appreciate Django’s smaller, more focused community, although it requires more independent problem-solving.

Cost: Which CMS Is More Affordable?

WordPress and Django differ significantly in their overall cost. I’ll give you some real-world examples so you can get a better idea of what to expect.

WordPress: Budgeting for Your Site

WordPress itself is free, but you’ll need web hosting and a domain name (around $10-20 per year). Web hosting is where your website is stored, and a domain name is your site’s address.

Hosting costs can range from a few dollars a month for basic shared hosting (perfect for beginners) to hundreds or even thousands for high-performance managed hosting (ideal for larger sites with lots of traffic).

Let me give you a few examples of what to expect:

• 💵 Basic Blog: $50-150 per year (hosting, domain, a simple theme)
• 💸 Small Business Website: $100-500 per year (hosting, domain, a slightly more advanced theme, a few premium plugins)
• 💰 eCommerce Store: $ 500-2,000+ per year (hosting, domain, a premium WooCommerce theme, several specialized plugins, potentially some custom development)

I’ve used both shared and managed hosting, and the best choice really depends on your specific needs.

For example, when WPBeginner was launched, we first used shared hosting to keep costs low. As the site grew, we switched to managed hosting for better performance and security.

While there are many excellent free themes and plugins available, premium options can significantly enhance your site’s functionality and design.

I often recommend premium plugins for features like advanced SEO or eCommerce functionality. These can be one-time purchases or ongoing subscriptions. Either way, you’ll need to factor those into your budget.

Finally, if you need custom development work, you might need to hire a developer or designer. This can add to the overall cost, but it’s often worth the investment for a truly unique and functional website.

For more details, see our guide on how much it really costs to build a WordPress website.

Django CMS: Factoring in Development Costs

Like WordPress, Django CMS is free. But because it’s more developer-focused, the overall cost is usually higher.

You’ll still need hosting and a domain name, but you’ll likely need more powerful (and more expensive) hosting options like VPS or cloud hosting to handle Django’s requirements.

I’ve found that this can be a significant difference in ongoing expenses compared to basic WordPress hosting. Expect to pay $50-200+ per month for suitable hosting.

The most significant cost difference, however, typically comes from development. Django CMS almost always requires a developer for setup, customization, theme creation, and maintenance.

 I’ve seen projects range from a few thousand dollars for a basic setup to tens of thousands for complex, custom-built applications. While you’ll save on premium themes and plugins (Django customization is done through code), developer fees are a substantial part of your budget.

For example, a simple Django CMS website could cost $3,000-$8,000 in initial development costs, while a complex web application could easily exceed $20,000.

🏅 Winner for Affordability: WordPress (Usually)

WordPress is more affordable for most users, especially those starting with a smaller budget. I’ve helped a lot of different people launch websites on a tight budget using WordPress. The lower hosting costs and free themes and plugins make it a great choice for getting started.

However, for some complex custom projects, Django might be a better long-term investment, despite the higher upfront development costs.

The Verdict: Choosing the Right CMS for Your Needs

For most users, especially those who prefer not to work with code, WordPress is the clear winner. Launching websites with WordPress is easy, even for people with limited technical skills. It’s quick to set up, easy to use, and incredibly versatile thanks to the massive library of themes and plugins.

If you want a user-friendly way to create and manage content, WordPress is hard to beat. It’s like having a trusty toolbox filled with all the tools you need to build just about anything.

However, if you’re tackling a complex project that demands serious customization, high scalability, and robust security right out of the box, then Django CMS might be a better choice.

To help you make the right decision, here’s a table summarizing the typical users and primary use cases each platform is designed for:

Who It’s For	WordPress	Django CMS
Typical Users	Bloggers, small businesses, content creators, non-developers	Developers, large enterprises, startups needing custom solutions
Primary Use Cases	Blogs, portfolios, simple business websites, eCommerce stores (with plugins)	Complex web applications, custom CRMs, data-driven sites, highly scalable platforms

I always recommend carefully considering your priorities, technical skills, and budget before making a decision.

FAQs About WordPress vs. Django CMS

Now that you have read our comparison of WordPress vs. Django CMS, you may still have some questions. Here are some brief answers to frequently asked questions.

Is WordPress or Django easier for beginners?

WordPress is much easier to use for beginners and users without coding experience. It has a user-friendly interface, one-click installation, and a large library of themes and plugins. This makes it quick to set up and manage content.

Is Django CMS good?

Yes, Django CMS is considered a good content management system. It’s a strong choice for complex projects where a standard, off-the-shelf content management system (CMS) might be too limiting. However, most users will find WordPress a better choice for their blog or website.

Which is better for content, WordPress or Django CMS?

I prefer WordPress for content-focused websites. Its core design and editor are built for usability, and extending content types is simple using themes and plugins.

Django CMS provides an editing interface, but setup and customization require coding expertise.

Do I need coding skills to use WordPress or Django?

You can build functional websites with WordPress without coding skills, thanks to its user-friendly dashboard and extensive plugin ecosystem. However, you can choose to hire a developer if you need extensive customization.

Django, on the other hand, fundamentally requires coding skills for development, setup, and customization.

Is WordPress or Django more customizable?

WordPress provides extensive customization for non-developers through themes for appearance changes and plugins for adding features. Django offers customization at the code level due to its nature as a framework.

Which platform is more secure, WordPress or Django?

Django CMS is often considered to have a stronger built-in security foundation. However, if you keep its core, themes, and plugins up to date, then WordPress can also be very secure, especially when you use a reputable security plugin.

Is WordPress faster than Django?

Django CMS is designed for speed and has a performance advantage, particularly for complex and high-traffic websites. However, if you spend time optimizing WordPress, its performance can also be excellent.

Which is more affordable, WordPress or Django?

WordPress can be a more affordable option for getting started, especially for basic websites. There are many free themes and plugins, and basic hosting can be inexpensive. However, costs for premium themes, plugins, and development help can add up.

Django projects typically require developer involvement from the start, which can lead to higher upfront costs. But for complex projects, this can be a worthwhile investment for long-term scalability and maintainability.

Are there a lot of resources for Django?

WordPress has a much larger community and more resources, including documentation, tutorials, and available developers.

Django CMS has a smaller but active and developer-focused community. There are resources, but nowhere near as many as for WordPress.

When should I choose WordPress vs. Django CMS?

I recommend choosing WordPress if you need a user-friendly CMS for blogs, small business websites, or content-focused sites where ease of use is important.

You may want to opt for Django CMS if you are building complex websites, web applications with content management needs, or projects requiring high levels of customization, scalability, and security.

Bonus Resources: Website Building & Content Management

I hope this tutorial helped you compare WordPress vs. Django and their pros and cons.

You may also want to see some other helpful resources we have at WPBeginner:

• Best and Most Popular CMS Platforms (Compared)
• How to Choose the Best Website Builder
• How to Make a WordPress Website (Ultimate Guide)
• How to Start a WordPress Blog (Beginner’s Guide)
• How to Start an Online Store (Step by Step for Beginners)
• Popular Sites Using WordPress as a CMS
• How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting (Compared)
• How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post WordPress vs. Django CMS: Which Is Better for Your Website? first appeared on WPBeginner.

From a plugin built for a local baseball team to one of the most trusted tools in the WordPress ecosystem, TablePress is a story of steady growth, community focus, and user-first development.

Its creator, Tobias Bäthge, didn’t start as a software engineer. He studied control engineering and stumbled into plugin development while helping his sports team with their website. What began as a side project has grown into a full-time business now used by over 700,000 websites worldwide.

In our interview, Tobias shared lessons from nearly two decades of plugin development—why steady support, thoughtful features, and doing less (but better) lead to long-term success.

“The most important thing right now isn’t actually coding—it’s finding a product idea and bringing it to the people.”

Tobias Bäthge – Creator of TablePress

Keep reading to learn how Tobias turned a free plugin into a thriving business, without losing sight of the people who use it every day.

Video Interview with Tobias Bäthge

If you’d like to watch the complete video interview with Tobias, then you can check it out here:

Or you can use the links below to see what we covered in the interview (and more):

🙋 Meet Tobias Bäthge: From Baseball Fan to Plugin Creator

Tobias Bäthge didn’t plan on becoming a WordPress developer. He was studying control engineering at university when he joined a local baseball team and offered to help with their website.

They needed a way to publish schedules, stats, and player info, but there weren’t any suitable plugins available.

“In baseball, what do you need tables for? Schedules, rosters, statistics… the plugin I found didn’t have all the features I was looking for.”

Tobias Bäthge

This kind of origin story—solving a personal need without a bigger plan—is one we see often at WPBeginner. It’s how many of the most useful WordPress plugins get their start.

Tobias found that WordPress was easy to use, but it didn’t have a good solution for managing tables. So he took matters into his own hands.

That plugin became WP-Table Reloaded, and it quickly found an audience beyond the baseball field. Other WordPress users started installing it, offering feedback, and asking for new features.

What started as a personal project turned into something much bigger, used by thousands of people who needed a better way to manage tables in WordPress.

It’s a pattern we’ve seen across many successful WordPress plugins: start small, stay useful, and let real-world use guide your growth.

📈 From WP-Table Reloaded to TablePress: Building for Real Users

As more people started using WP-Table Reloaded, Tobias found himself spending more time in the WordPress forums answering questions, fixing bugs, and helping users get the most out of the plugin.

When users take the time to give feedback, it’s a sign they believe in your plugin’s potential. Tobias recognized this early and made sure to be attentive to his users.

“I think people valued that they received fast and prompt support… I think that’s really one key element that people realized: if they get stuck, they can always approach me.”

Tobias Bäthge

In fact, Tobias has posted over 50,000 times in support forums.

That level of commitment built his plugin’s reputation as a trustworthy, well-supported tool.

He also made a conscious decision to keep the plugin focused. Instead of adding every feature request, he used his own needs as a filter and carefully weighed the long-term impact of each change.

“I always tried only doing things that I thought I would need myself… because if you add something, you can’t really remove it later.”

Tobias Bäthge

Around the same time, he also started digging through the code of other popular plugins, studying how they used WordPress APIs and structured their files.

At WPBeginner, we often recommend this kind of hands-on exploration. For many developers, real-world examples are the fastest way to level up.

By 2011, Tobias realized that WP-Table Reloaded needed a fresh start. The original codebase had grown too limiting, and some of the early design decisions were holding the plugin back. So he started over—and TablePress was born.

“I realized it’s hard with the current technical setup of the plugin… if I start fresh, I can set up a better foundation.

Tobias also made sure the transition from WP-Table Reloaded was seamless, building automatic import tools to prevent users from losing any data.

The result? TablePress kept the clean, user-friendly experience people loved while becoming far easier to maintain, extend, and support. That’s why we still believe it’s one of the best WordPress table plugins on the market.

🚀 Going Full-Time With TablePress: Business, Balance, and Motivation

For years, TablePress was something Tobias worked on in his free time. But in 2022, he made a major decision: to leave his job as a research assistant at a university and focus on TablePress full-time.

It wasn’t easy, especially without a business background or entrepreneurial role models to follow. “I didn’t have a role model. Everybody around me had jobs, no one was self-employed. So I had a lot of respect for the business side,” he said.

The transition meant learning everything from tax laws to payment systems, on top of building new premium features and maintaining the free version. But it also required something deeper: learning to say no.

“Learning to say no is what helped me to start doing TablePress as a profession.”

Tobias Bäthge

That meant saying no to a steady job, no to distractions, and even no to certain feature requests, so that he could build something sustainable on his own terms.

One of the biggest rewards? The freedom to design his day around what really matters.

“I actually take the freedom of taking my kids to kindergarten first in the morning. It gives me energy.”

That balance is also what keeps him motivated, along with the opportunity to keep learning as WordPress evolves.

“What keeps the motivation high is I can learn while working.”

Tobias Bäthge

For Tobias, going full-time wasn’t about going fast. It was about focusing on what matters, building sustainably, and staying connected to the community that helped him get started.

💡 Real Talk: Advice for Aspiring WordPress Plugin Developers

Tobias didn’t build a successful plugin overnight. TablePress grew slowly, through consistent improvements, user feedback, and a strong foundation of trust. That’s also where he thinks every plugin developer should start.

“In the very beginning, providing fast, helpful support can go a long way.”

In Tobias’s case, those early interactions built momentum. Answering questions, fixing bugs, and simply being available created word-of-mouth buzz and trust, long before making money came into play.

We’ve seen time and again: strong support is often a plugin’s best marketing.

But support isn’t the only piece of the puzzle. Tobias recommends starting with a real need—ideally, one you have yourself.

That way, you’re solving a problem you understand deeply, rather than guessing at what users might want.

“You have to kind of do the research first… you need something that separates you from existing solutions.”

Tobias Bäthge

He also sees the freemium model as one of the best ways to build and validate a plugin business, but cautions that it requires careful balance.

“The free version has to provide value on its own… but you can’t give away too many features or people won’t upgrade.”

For Tobias, it’s not about building something flashy. It’s about staying grounded, solving real problems, and doing it in a way that users genuinely appreciate.

💥 Related Post: Looking for more inspirational content? Check out our interview with Ionut Neagu, the founder of Themeisle.

🧠 Staying Focused and Productive as a Solo Founder

With over 700,000 active installs and no full-time team, TablePress is a solo operation at scale. That means Tobias has to be extra intentional with his time, tools, and energy.

One of the first lessons? Learning to say no, not just to feature requests, but to himself.

“Learning to say no—to yourself and to others—is key to setting priorities.”

Tobias Bäthge

Tobias breaks up his day into blocks of time focused on different areas of the business, including support, development, marketing, and documentation. That helps him avoid context-switching and make real progress without burning out.

Another key to his workflow is automation. Over the years, Tobias has built systems that handle everything from plugin releases to syntax checks to version testing. This has freed up time for more important work.

Many solo developers in our community tell us the same thing: automating routine tasks is the only way to scale sustainably.

“Those tasks should be automated… they just work in the background and free you from so much stress.”

Tobias Bäthge

He remembers when pushing a new version of the plugin was a stressful, manual process, and how that stress sometimes delayed releases by weeks.

“Now I have the testing set up in the background… I can much quicker and easier say, okay, new plugin release, click, boom.”

It’s a reminder that good systems don’t just make you more efficient. They make you more confident, too.

🔮 Looking Ahead: TablePress and the Future of WordPress

Tobias is optimistic about where WordPress is going, especially with the ongoing evolution of the block editor and a shift toward more interactive, browser-based experiences.

“There’s a major change happening in the editing experience—it’s an entirely new programming paradigm.”

Tobias Bäthge

That change presents new opportunities for TablePress, from improved interfaces to richer interactions inside WordPress itself. And for Tobias, it also brings new motivation.

But he’s also cautious not to change things just to get people’s attention. In fact, one of the most important lessons he’s learned is how overwhelming updates can be for less technical users.

To get his point across, he shared a relatable anecdote from his own life. He talked about seeing his grandparents, who are in their late 80s, navigate new technology. Tobias, the careful observer, notices when they struggle with updates on their smartphones.

When things move or change unexpectedly, it’s easy for users to feel lost. That has shaped his design philosophy.

“Ironing out wrinkles and making things easier to use is sometimes more appreciated than a big new feature.”

Tobias Bäthge

As WordPress continues to grow and change, Tobias is focused on keeping TablePress intuitive, consistent, and reliable for beginners and advanced users alike.

💭 Final Thoughts

Tobias Bäthge didn’t set out to build a business, but he did set out to build something useful.

Nearly two decades later, TablePress stands as a model of focused development, user-first design, and long-term sustainability in the WordPress ecosystem.

His story is a reminder that you don’t need to move fast or make a lot of noise to be successful. Instead, consistency, clarity, and community support can take you a long way.

For Tobias, what matters most is building something reliable—something that solves a real problem and keeps working over time. That means saying no to change for change’s sake and putting user experience first.

“Sometimes too much change is too much… especially for less technical users.”

Tobias Bäthge

Whether you’re building your first plugin or trying to turn your side project into a full-time venture, Tobias’s journey is proof that thoughtful, steady progress can still help you win.

📚 Bonus: Expert Resources for WordPress Plugin Developers

Want to follow in Tobias’s footsteps and build your own successful plugin? Here are some helpful WPBeginner resources that can help you out:

• How to Learn WordPress for Free (Step by Step)
• Best WordPress Developer Job Sites
• How to Submit Your Plugin to the WordPress Plugin Directory
• How to Track Plugin Engagement With Analytics
• WordPress SEO Tips for Plugin Pages
• WordPress Career Options – How to Make a Living With WordPress

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post From Side Project to 700K+ Active WordPress Installs: Tobias Bäthge on the Organic Growth of TablePress first appeared on WPBeginner.

I started my first blog with a shared hosting plan because I just needed the cheapest way to get my content online.

But as my blog grew and traffic picked up, I noticed things getting slower. Sometimes, my site would take forever to load, and I knew I had to make a change.

That’s when I found myself lost in comparison articles, trying to figure out the difference between upgrading shared hosting, moving to VPS or cloud hosting, or switching to managed WordPress hosting.

It all felt complicated. I didn’t have a big budget, and every option had its own set of pros, cons, and confusing jargon. I just wanted someone to explain it in plain English and tell me which one actually made sense for my situation.

If you’re in the same boat, this guide is for you. I’ll break down the differences, share what worked for me, and help you figure out which hosting option fits your needs, without all the guesswork.

What Is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is like renting space for your website on the Internet. When someone visits your site, they’re actually connecting to a special computer called a server that stores and delivers your website files.

That server keeps your site online, loads your pages, and handles all the behind-the-scenes work. Without hosting, your website simply can’t exist on the web.

Related 🔗: What’s the Difference Between Domain Name and Web Hosting (Explained)

There are different types of hosting, and each one offers a different balance of price, performance, support, and ease of use. Some plans are cheap and simple to get started with. Others give you more speed and flexibility, but can cost more.

Here’s a quick look at how shared hosting, cloud hosting, and managed WordPress hosting compare in terms of cost and beginner-friendliness:

Hosting Type	Best For	Key Benefit	Typical Cost
Shared Hosting	Beginners & personal blogs	Affordable and easy to start	$2.75–$10/month
Managed WordPress Hosting	Non-tech users & busy site owners	Hands-off speed and security	$5–$30/month
Cloud Hosting	Growing sites & resource-heavy projects	Scalable and high-performance	$10–$100+/month

As you can see, shared hosting is easy to get started, and managed WordPress hosting is good for non-tech and busy site owners. Cloud hosting becomes a strong contender once your site grows or you need more control.

Now, let’s look at each of these hosting options in detail and see how they stack up against each other.

How I Compared Shared Hosting, Cloud Hosting, and Managed WordPress

To help you choose the right hosting type for your WordPress site, I followed a hands-on, experience-driven approach backed by careful research:

• Real-World Experience: At WPBeginner, we have been helping users with WordPress hosting decisions since 2009. We’ve personally used shared, managed, and cloud hosting across different projects and client websites.
• Hands-On Testing: I’ve set up WordPress sites on all three hosting types to observe how they perform, how easy they are to manage, and what challenges beginners might face.
• Feature Comparison: I compared critical differences in setup, support, scalability, speed, and pricing to help beginners understand what really matters.
• Use Case Insights: I included real-world examples based on where each hosting type fits best, whether you’re launching a small blog, running a business site, or growing an online store.
• Pricing Research: I verified current pricing trends and listed realistic starting costs for each hosting type to make comparisons easier for budget-conscious users.

Our goal is to make hosting choices feel less intimidating and help you start your WordPress journey with clarity and confidence.

What Is Shared Hosting?

Most people, including me, start with shared hosting. It’s the most affordable option, which makes it perfect for getting your site off the ground.

With shared hosting, your website lives on the same server as many other sites. Think of it like renting a room in a big apartment building. You get your own space but share the same walls, electricity, and plumbing.

This setup works fine for starting a blog, personal websites, or anyone with light traffic. But things can slow down as more people visit your site, or your neighbors get noisy (meaning high traffic on other sites).

That’s exactly what happened to me. My blog was growing, but the site started lagging. I needed something faster—but at the time, I wasn’t ready to spend too much or manage anything complex.

Here’s a closer look at what you can expect with shared hosting.

Pros of Shared Hosting:

• Affordable: Shared hosting plans often start under $5/month, making them perfect for beginners on a tight budget.
• Beginner-Friendly: Most providers offer one-click WordPress installs, easy dashboards, and simple tools that don’t require technical knowledge.
• Freebies Included: Many plans include a free domain name, email accounts, SSL certificate, and backups to help you get started.
• Low Maintenance: Everything is managed for you, so you don’t have to worry about maintaining the server.
• Large Support Communities: Since shared hosting is so common, there is a lot of help available, from tutorials to forums and live chat support.

Cons of Shared Hosting:

• Slower Performance: Since resources are shared, your site may slow down if other websites on the server get busy.
• Limited Resources: You usually get limited CPU, memory, and bandwidth, which can become a problem if your traffic spikes.
• Less Control: You won’t be able to change server settings or install custom software that requires advanced configurations.

Best for: Shared hosting is an excellent fit if you’re launching a smaller site and don’t expect a lot of traffic right away. Here are some examples:

• New or Personal blogs: A place to share your thoughts, stories, or hobbies.
• Online portfolios: Ideal for freelancers, writers, designers, and photographers showcasing their work.
• Small business websites: Great for local shops, consultants, or restaurants sharing menus, contact info, and services.
• Nonprofits and community groups: An easy way to build awareness and share updates.
• Test projects: If you’re trying out an idea or learning WordPress, shared hosting gives you a low-risk place to start.

Once your site starts growing, you can always upgrade to something faster and more powerful, like cloud hosting or managed WordPress. See our article on explaining when you should change your WordPress web hosting.

Want to explore shared hosting providers? See my top picks for shared hosting.

What Is Cloud Hosting?

Cloud hosting is like renting several apartments across different buildings instead of just one room. If something goes wrong in one building, then your site keeps running because the others can pick up the slack.

Instead of relying on a single physical server, cloud hosting spreads your website across a network of connected servers. This setup helps balance traffic loads and improves uptime and performance, especially during traffic spikes.

You might also come across dedicated hosting while doing your research. With that setup, your site lives on a single physical server in one location, and you get all of its resources to yourself. It’s powerful, but not as flexible or beginner-friendly as cloud hosting, which spreads things across multiple servers and is easier to scale.

I’ve helped clients migrate to cloud-based setups when they needed better speed and reliability. Cloud-based hosting offers a solid middle ground—more power than shared hosting without the hassle of managing everything yourself.

Pros of Cloud Hosting:

• Scalable: Cloud hosting grows with your traffic. It can handle sudden spikes without crashing your site.
• Better Performance: You get more consistent speed and uptime because your site uses multiple servers behind the scenes.
• Resource Flexibility: Many cloud plans allow you to customize CPU, RAM, and storage based on your needs.
• Redundancy and Stability: If one server fails, another takes over, so your site stays online.
• Mid-Range Options: Some hosts offer affordable cloud plans that aren’t too technical, so you can get started without managing the setup yourself.

Cons of Cloud Hosting:

• More Expensive: Cloud hosting usually costs more than shared or basic managed WordPress plans, especially for higher-tier resources.
• Can Be Complex: Some cloud platforms require technical knowledge to manage, unless your plan is fully managed by the host.
• Pricing Can Fluctuate: Some cloud providers use usage-based billing, which makes monthly costs less predictable.
• Not Always Beginner-Friendly: Unless you’re using a simplified cloud hosting plan (like HostGator Cloud or Bluehost Cloud), it may feel overwhelming to new users.

Best for: Cloud hosting is ideal when your site is growing fast or if you expect traffic spikes. It offers more power and flexibility than shared hosting. Use cases include:

• Online stores: eCommerce sites that need consistent speed during busy sales periods.
• Business websites: Sites with increasing traffic that require better performance and uptime.
• Membership or course sites: Platforms where users log in and access content regularly.
• Media-heavy blogs: Blogs with videos, podcasts, or large images where loading speed matters.
• Projects that need room to grow: If you’re planning ahead for future growth, cloud hosting gives you breathing room.

Hosting providers like SiteGround and Bluehost Cloud offer managed cloud hosting solutions. These solutions are easier to use, as the host handles server management.

On the other hand, cloud platforms like AWS and Google Cloud require you to manage server resources yourself.

What Is Managed WordPress Hosting?

Managed WordPress hosting is like living in a fully serviced apartment where everything is taken care of for you. You don’t have to fix the plumbing, mow the lawn, or even take out the trash—the company handles all of it behind the scenes.

With this type of hosting, everything is optimized specifically for WordPress. You get faster load times, stronger security, automatic updates, backups, and expert support—all without lifting a finger.

When I finally switched to managed WordPress hosting, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I could focus on writing and growing my site instead of worrying about updates, security scans, or caching plugins. It wasn’t the cheapest option, but the time and stress it saved me were worth every penny.

Pros of Managed WordPress Hosting:

• Speed and Performance: Everything is tuned for WordPress, so your site loads faster right out of the box.
• Security Handled for You: Malware scanning, firewall protection, and login hardening are often built in.
• Automatic Backups and Updates: No more worrying about updating plugins or losing your data.
• Expert Support: The support team knows WordPress inside and out, so they can actually help with plugin or theme issues.
• Time-Saving: Great for business owners or content creators who don’t want to manage the technical side of things.

Cons of Managed WordPress Hosting:

• Higher Costs: Managed hosting typically starts around $15–$30/month and goes up from there.
• WordPress-Only: You can’t host other types of websites or apps—it’s just for WordPress.
• Some Plugin Restrictions: Certain hosts may block plugins that conflict with their built-in tools, like performance or backup plugins.
• Less Control: Advanced users might miss having access to full server settings or configurations.

Best for: Managed WordPress hosting is perfect for people who want a faster, safer site without managing any of the technical stuff. It’s ideal for:

• Busy bloggers: Focus on content while the host handles speed, backups, and security.
• Small business owners: Run your website without hiring a developer or learning server management.
• eCommerce stores: Faster checkout and reliable uptime help keep your customers happy.
• Non-tech creators: If you just want your site to work and not worry about how it works, this is the way to go.
• Agencies and freelancers: Reliable performance and support help streamline client work and reduce headaches.

To learn more, see our top picks for managed WordPress hosting with detailed reviews.

Shared vs Cloud vs Managed WordPress Hosting (Side-by-Side Table)

If you’re still unsure which hosting type is right for you, here’s a quick comparison to help you see the differences at a glance:

Feature	Shared Hosting	Cloud Hosting	Managed WordPress
Ease of Use	Very easy Beginner-friendly	Moderate Depends on host	Very easy Everything is handled
Performance	Basic Can be slow during peak times	High Good for growing traffic	High Optimized for WordPress
Scalability	Limited Upgrade options exist	Excellent Scales with demand	Good Can handle moderate growth
Maintenance	Low Managed by host	Moderate to high May need manual setup	None The host handles everything
Security	Basic Shared risks	Better Isolated resources	Excellent Includes firewall, scans, and backups
Best For	New bloggers Personal sites	Business sites Traffic spikes	Busy site owners Non-tech users
Price Range	$2.75–$10/mo	$10–$100+/mo	$5–$30+/mo

Each option has its place. It really comes down to how much traffic you expect, how comfortable you are with the technical stuff, and how much time you’re willing to spend managing your site.

How to Decide Which Hosting Is Right for You

Choosing a hosting plan doesn’t have to be stressful. The key is to think about where you are right now and where you want your site to go in the future.

Here are a few simple questions to help you narrow things down:

• What’s your budget? Are you trying to start with the lowest possible cost, or do you have room to invest in convenience and performance?
• How much traffic do you expect? Are you just starting out, or do you already have a regular audience that visits your site?
• How tech-savvy are you? Do you feel comfortable managing settings and updates, or would you rather have someone else handle it?
• How much time do you want to spend maintaining your site? Would you rather focus on your content and business, or do you enjoy digging into backend tools?

Still unsure? Let me walk you through a few common scenarios:

✅ You’re just getting started on a budget: Shared hosting is your best bet. It gives you everything you need to launch your site without spending much. You can always upgrade later.

🚀 Your business or blog is growing: Cloud hosting offers the speed and flexibility to handle more traffic without slowing down. It’s a good step up when your site needs more muscle.

🧘‍♂️ You want zero hassle and everything done for you: Managed WordPress hosting gives you peace of mind. You get great performance and expert support without dealing with updates or technical headaches.

The good news is that you can always start small and grow into what you need. Most hosting companies make it easy to upgrade your plan as your site evolves.

Our Personal Hosting Journey

I joined the WPBeginner team in 2012, and since then, I’ve worked with nearly every type of hosting while helping people launch and grow their WordPress websites.

In the early days, WPBeginner was hosted on HostGator, first on shared hosting, then on a custom cloud setup. It was affordable and flexible, which made it a good fit when we were focused on keeping costs low while handling decent traffic.

As the site grew, we moved to SiteGround, which is still our hosting provider today. We are on their Enterprise cloud infrastructure. But even their starter managed WordPress hosting plans are hosted on the Google Cloud, which is a massive upgrade from typical shared hosting platforms.

Our founder, Syed Balkhi, wrote a detailed case study explaining why we moved to SiteGround.

After testing SiteGround across multiple projects and seeing how well their platform handled real-world demands, I knew it was the right move for WPBeginner.

Syed Balkhi

Across our team and partner sites, we’ve used everything from shared hosting and managed WordPress plans to full cloud platforms. In most cases, I recommend starting simple, then upgrading only when you actually need more power or flexibility.

My Top Picks for Each Hosting Type

If you’re still unsure which hosting company to choose, here are my personal recommendations for each type based on real experience, performance, beginner-friendliness, and support.

These are the same providers we trust for our own projects and partner sites.

You can’t go wrong with any of these providers. They all offer great support, money-back guarantees, and plans that can grow with your site.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hosting

What is the difference between cloud hosting and VPS?

VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting gives you a fixed portion of resources on a physical server. It’s like having your own slice of a computer.

On the other hand, cloud hosting spreads your site across multiple servers, which means better scalability, uptime, and redundancy. If one server goes down, another takes over.

Is managed WordPress hosting worth the money?

Yes, if you want peace of mind and don’t enjoy managing technical stuff. Managed hosting handles updates, security, performance, and backups for you. It’s especially helpful if you run a business or blog and want to focus on content, not maintenance.

Can I switch hosting types later?

Absolutely. Most hosts make it easy to upgrade from shared to cloud or managed WordPress hosting. Just check with your provider about migration options or ask their support team to help with the move.

Do I need to know coding to use cloud or managed hosting?

No coding required! Many cloud hosting plans are fully managed, and managed WordPress hosting is designed for non-tech users. You can launch and run your site without touching a single line of code.

Which hosting type is best for eCommerce?

If you’re building an online store, cloud hosting or managed WordPress hosting is the better choice. They offer better performance and security for handling customer traffic, payments, and sensitive data. Managed WordPress hosting with WooCommerce support is especially beginner-friendly.

Start Small. Grow Confidently.

Choosing the right hosting is a big decision, but you don’t have to get it perfect on day one. You can start small with a hosting type that fits your current needs and then upgrade.

Shared hosting is a great starting point if you’re building something new. Cloud hosting gives you room to scale. Managed WordPress hosting makes life easier when you’re busy running a site or business.

No matter where you begin, you can always switch later as your site grows.

If you’re still unsure, check out our in-depth hosting reviews—or feel free to reach out to me or someone from the WPBeginner team. We’re always happy to help!

Helpful Guides to Get You Started 🎁

Now that you understand the different hosting options, here are some beginner-friendly tutorials to help you move forward. Whether you’re ready to launch your site or still exploring, these resources will confidently walk you through each step:

• How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting – A detailed comparison of top hosting companies, based on speed, support, and value.
• How to Make a WordPress Website (Step by Step) – Follow our beginner’s guide to create your own site in less than an hour.
• How to Learn WordPress Basics for Free (Step by Step) – A step-by-step WordPress learning plan using only free resources made specifically for beginners.
• Best Free Website Hosting Compared – Our tutorial explains why free hosting is bad and shows reliable hosting options that are affordable.

I hope this guide helped you understand the difference between shared, managed, and cloud hosting offers. If you are still unsure, remember you are not locked in—you can start small and grow from there. 🙌

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post Shared Hosting vs. Cloud Hosting vs. Managed WordPress – What’s the Difference? first appeared on WPBeginner.

From freelancer to successful co-founder, Ionut Neagu has worked with WordPress for 13+ years. Along the way, he has grown his company, Themeisle, into one of the most respected names in the WordPress ecosystem.

Their flagship products, including Neve and Hestia, are helping shape the future of website building and WordPress theme development.

Like many scrappy entrepreneurs, he started with little more than determination and a desire to learn. What makes Ionut’s story unique is his strong persistence and focus on creating genuine value.

In this interview with the WPBeginner team, Ionut shares his journey and offers valuable insights for anyone looking to build a lasting business in the WordPress space.

“I think intentions kind of matter… if you have the intention to create value through this process – for employees, for clients, for everyone that you work with… I think that also matters… my advice would be to be persistent, to try to focus on creating value and things will compound in time.”

Ionut Neagu – Co-Founder of Themeisle

Keep reading to learn how Ionut built and grew Themeisle into a household name. Whether you’re a brand-new WordPress freelancer or an experienced entrepreneur, his expert advice can help you grow.

Video Interview with Ionut Neagu

If you’d like to watch the complete video interview with Ionut Neagu, then you can see it here:

Or you can use the links below to see what we covered in the interview (and more):

🙋 Meet Ionut Neagu: WordPress Pioneer and Themeisle Co-Founder

Before we share Ionut Neagu’s valuable lessons, we have to revisit his beginnings as a web developer, before Themeisle existed.

Fresh out of college in 2010, armed with a computer science degree and a deep curiosity for learning, Ionut entered the tech world during an interesting time.

While the fallout of the 2008 financial crisis meant there were fewer traditional job opportunities, it also created space for innovative thinkers to create their own paths.

When chatting with Ryan Priddey from the WPBeginner team, Ionut reflected on these early days with his characteristic humility and a sense of humor.

“Someone took a chance on me and said, ‘Okay, we just need someone to help.’ I said, That’s me. I don’t know anything.”

This eagerness to learn and grow, even without immediate rewards or recognition, defined his early career. “I just knew I wanted to learn and prove myself,” he shared.

He even recalled how he once told a potential employer he didn’t need a salary—just the metro fare to come to work. That still didn’t get Ionut the job, but it also didn’t discourage him. He just laughed it off and kept on moving, which is an example of his persistence and resilience.

“What worked for me was curiosity and persistence and not thinking about necessarily the results.”

Ionut Neagu

At WPBeginner, we’ve seen many successful entrepreneurs start with this same combination of humility and determination.

Ionut’s story stands out because he has maintained this learning mindset throughout his 13+ year journey with WordPress, even as his company became a major force in the ecosystem.

Today, Themeisle’s WordPress themes and plugins power hundreds of thousands of websites worldwide.

As co-founder and product strategist, he’s involved in everything from theme development to exploring new acquisitions and future directions for the business.

His approach has never been about following a predetermined path or copying others’ success. Instead, he’s always focused on understanding problems and finding ways to solve them effectively.

Ionut’s story reveals how staying true to your core values can transform a simple freelance career into something much bigger.

👨‍💻 The WordPress Journey: From Freelancing to Themeisle

In his early days with web development, Ionut started by building one freelance project at a time. His first breakthrough came with a modest $30 jQuery slider project that took three days to complete.

Like many developers starting out, he was less driven by the money at this time, and more focused on building his portfolio and expertise.

Through persistence and dedication, he began to establish himself as a freelancer, although he knew there had to be a more sustainable path forward.

Around 2012, Ionut co-founded Themeisle, marking a shift from freelancing to product development. The early days brought important lessons about building a business.

“I had a lot of misconceptions because I thought by having a company, printing business cards, making the company website, we will get clients… but none of this contributed in any way.”

Ionut Neagu

These struggles are acknowledged outright on the ‘About Us’ page of the Themeisle website, which says they quickly learned to adapt because “three years without a sale will do that.”

In our opinion, Ionut’s humble and lighthearted attitude comes through here, as the team jokingly celebrates their early failures.

When asked about mistakes he’d learned from, Ionut acknowledged he has always been a bit risk-averse. He casually quoted one of his inspirations, Charlie Munger, who famously said, “All I want to know is where I’m going to die so I’ll never go there.”

But upon further reflection, Ionut also recognized that sometimes mistakes are just part of the learning process:

“A mistake, a little bit for me, is when you have all the information and you do some wrong judgment. I mean, for me back then, I had no information… I was just learning and yeah, finding my way.”

Ionut Neagu

The lesson here? It speaks to the importance of not being too hard on yourself when learning something new. Everyone has to start somewhere!

As the Themeisle team grew, they faced new challenges. After working on a lot of different projects, from SEO to Java and PHP, Ionut realized they needed to laser focus on something. And that something was WordPress development.

The timing proved perfect – soon after, they released Zerif, their first theme in the WordPress repository.

“When we released Zerif… we saw early signs of success. That was a pivotal moment because then we stopped worrying about money and could focus on how to grow the business.”

This financial stability allowed Ionut and his team to think strategically and make long-term investments. They began developing Themeisle’s blog, knowing it might take two years to see results. The focus shifted from immediate gains to building lasting value.

At WPBeginner, we’ve seen that this kind of patient, long-term thinking often separates successful WordPress businesses from those that struggle to gain traction.

By 2015, Themeisle had established itself as more than just another theme company. Instead, it was becoming a team dedicated to pushing WordPress innovation forward. Plus, the Themeisle blog started to earn a reputation as a valuable resource for WordPress tutorials, roundups, and more.

But transforming successful product launches into a thriving business required more than just good code. It also needed a solid business strategy.

🔍 Business Growth Strategies & Themisle Products

As Themeisle grew, Ionut realized that sustainable growth required more than just great products. He needed systematic approaches to running the business.

A significant milestone for the team came when Ionut started using the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Our founder, Syed Balkhi, uses this model for all of his businesses, so we’re huge fans of it.

In our interview, Ionut even fondly recalled discussing EOS with Syed and how meaningful those conversations were.

After that, Ionut talked about the importance of learning how to manage while scaling. “It was another meaningful moment when we started to work with an implementer that actually showed me how I can have the team more involved and not me deciding and telling different things.”

Around this shift in management style, Themeisle also made major changes to its operations. It moved from gut-feel decision-making to data-driven strategies.

“Before that, it was a lot of guesswork. We knew like everything goes fine, we make more money than we spend, and it looks good. And that was basically all the knowledge that we had on the business.”

“Now we have quite detailed P&L (profit and loss) for the business, for the product. We understand very well where are our costs, where we invest, how that investment is working or not.”

Ionut Neagu

At WPBeginner, we’ve seen how this systematic approach to business management can transform a WordPress company. It’s not just about creating great products—it’s about building sustainable processes that support long-term growth.

This strategic approach also helped Themeisle maintain focus on their core mission: creating value for users. They concentrated on understanding and solving real problems for their customers.

The result? They developed and launched some of the most popular WordPress themes and plugins today, including Neve, Hestia, and Optimole.

But building a successful WordPress business isn’t just about strategy and systems. Ionut also has some valuable advice for others looking to follow a similar path.

💡 Advice for Aspiring WordPress Entrepreneurs

When asked what advice he’d give aspiring WordPress entrepreneurs, Ionut emphasized the importance of genuine value creation over surface-level business tactics.

His own experience taught him that traditional approaches, such as polishing resumes or printing business cards, often matter less than solving real problems.

“You need to reflect and try to think what are your skills and adjust the people you work with, adjust the industry you go to, adjust your product to suit your skills,” he explained. This self-awareness, he believes, is crucial for long-term success.

“My advice would be to be persistent, to try to focus on creating value and things will compound in time.”

Ionut Neagu

“The skills you gain, the people you meet, the clients you work with, the employees that grow with you – it all compounds over time,” he explained.

At WPBeginner, we’ve seen this compound effect in action. The most successful WordPress entrepreneurs aren’t usually those who chase quick wins, but those who focus on building value consistently over time.

When it comes to technology and tools, Ionut is particularly excited about AI’s potential. “I feel AI will bring monumental change to how we do things, how we live, and how we work,” he said.

His advice? “Just using it and trying to involve AI in everything that you do.”

He talked about how his team is experimenting with using AI tools like Cursor, but also about how every aspiring entrepreneur should focus on how to most effectively use AI.

“It’s more to build the mental models, right? So it’s not to kind of just see what’s the latest cool and trick and so on. I think just to rewire a little bit and to create mental models, because after a couple of weeks, for example, what I noticed is that I start to think differently.”

Ionut Neagu

“So when I get into a problem, I would say, okay, for that problem, I would need to use this deep research. For that problem… I need to create the flow with agents and et cetera to handle it… for this problem, I would need to ask a reasoning AI… because they work differently and are helpful in different ways.”

“I would say that people are not spending enough time on this… this is the one thing I would be focusing on.”

💥 Related Article: Surprising AI Statistics – Everything You Need to Know

This focus on creating genuine value while embracing new technologies has served Themeisle well in the past. But what does the future hold for the company and its co-founder?

🔮 Looking Ahead: The Future of Themeisle

Rather than making grand predictions about the future, Ionut prefers to focus on the fundamentals that stay constant regardless of how technology evolves. “I have a hard time to think and to plan in terms of what’s the goal in five years,” he admitted.

Instead, he said he always concentrates on two key areas: maintaining strong relationships with existing customers and nurturing a capable team.

“We have those clients that are paying their yearly subscriptions. What I can do for them? How I can make sure they are happy?”

“Now and even in five years, whatever, it would be important to have smart people around you and to grow yourself and grow as well as a team. To be able to tackle any opportunities or challenges or markets.”

Ionut Neagu

This approach of focusing on fundamentals while remaining adaptable has served Themeisle well. When Ionut spots something truly promising, he’s ready to invest fully. “When I spot something unusual, then I will go all in on that,” he explained.

His current focus is exploring how AI can enhance WordPress development and user experience. He sees it as a tool to deliver more value to users.

“I’m trying to use it for everything pretty much… trying to map it with real needs that people have or businesses have.”

As WordPress itself evolves, Themeisle’s commitment to both innovation and fundamentals positions them well for continued success. But for Ionut, success isn’t just about business metrics. It’s also about creating lasting value for the WordPress community.

💭 Final Thoughts

Ionut Neagu’s journey from a curious computer science graduate to co-founder of Themeisle offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to build a lasting WordPress business.

His story shows that success isn’t about following a predetermined path but staying true to core values while remaining adaptable.

What stands out most is his consistent focus on creating genuine value. From his early freelancing days to leading Themeisle today, Ionut says that business success follows naturally from helping others solve real problems.

We also appreciated how Ionut seems to strongly value the potential of each unique individual and how that should be embraced on any entrepreneurial journey.

“No entrepreneur is the same… all the stories are different… so I think in terms of skills, it’s a great opportunity to craft your own journey that suits your strengths.”

Ionut Neagu

At WPBeginner, we’ve watched ThemeIsle grow from its early days to become a significant force in the WordPress community. Their success story reminds us that in WordPress, sustainable growth comes from combining technical excellence with a genuine desire to serve users.

Through economic challenges, technological changes, and evolving market demands, Ionut’s approach has remained consistent: focus on fundamentals, invest in people, and create real value.

💥 Bonus Guides and Resources

Looking to learn more about building a business around WordPress? Here are some helpful WPBeginner resources:

• WordPress Career Options – How to Make a Living With WordPress
• How Ben Rojas Rose From a Developer to the President of AIOSEO
• How Zac McDonald Grew Into the Top-Rated WordPress Freelancer on Upwork
• Blogger Turned WordPress VIP Partner: How WordPress Continues to Inspire Rahul Bansal
• The Future of WordPress: What to Expect (Our Predictions)

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The post From Freelancer to Founder: Ionut Neagu’s Journey to Building a Successful WordPress Business first appeared on WPBeginner.