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Tag: wordpress

  • WordPress 6.2 Openverse Integration Hotlinks Images, Contributors Propose Uploading to Media Library as a Better Default

    WordPress 6.2 is set to introduce an integration with Openverse that allows users to quickly insert free, openly-licensed media into their content. It was not readily apparent when the feature made its debut in version 15.1 of the Gutenberg plugin that the inserted images are hotlinked.

    WP Engine developer Phil Johnston brought up this issue in the #core-editor channel on WordPress Slack today. WordPress core contributor Paul Biron confirmed images are hotlinked when first inserted but can be added to the site’s Media Library using the “Upload” tool, which is located in the Image block toolbar after Openverse inserts the image.

    Hotlinking is generally considered a bad practice, as it uses another site’s bandwidth to display the asset. Hotlinked images can easily get renamed or removed from the source site, which can negatively impact the sites that are displaying them.

    WordPress core contributor Jeremy Herve opened a ticket yesterday with concerns about the hotlinking and suggested it would be better to upload the images by default.

    “I would suggest uploading the image to one’s site once picked and inserted,” Herve said. “This way it would remain available on the site, whatever may happen to the service or the original image. Of course, the image attribution should remain in the caption.”

    Johnston also suggested hotlinking the images might be a privacy concern if it allows the host to gather data about the device loading the image.

    WordPress may end up changing the default behavior for Openverse inserts, but in the meantime, users should be aware of how this feature works and where to find the Upload tool.

  • WordPress vs Django CMS (2023) — Which One’s The Best?

    There are many Content Management Systems (CMSs) that you can use to create your website. However, when it comes to choosing the right platform, it can be difficult to determine which one will work best for you. In this post, we’ll discuss the two popular options – WordPress vs Django CMS – and walk through who should consider using each option. Additionally, we’ll compare the two platforms in terms of their ease of use, security, publishing tools, and more. So, let’s get started!

    Who Are They For?

    When choosing a CMS, it’s important to think about the type of content you plan to create. WordPress and Django are two very different platforms, designed for specific types of users and purposes.

    WordPress

    As a free and open-source software, WordPress was originally developed as a blogging platform:

    Today, WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world, powering over 40 percent of websites due to its easy-to-use interface and a large number of themes and plugins. Additionally, you can use WordPress for any type of project, including portfolios, online shops, business sites, membership sites, and more.

    Furthermore, WordPress is built on PHP. However, you can build a fully-functional website without touching a line of code. This makes this CMS a more suitable choice for those without coding knowledge.

    Django CMS

    Django CMS is a free and open-source framework that gives users the flexibility to build professional and customized websites from the ground up:

    wordpress vs Django

    It’s important to note that Django CMS and Django are two different things. Specifically, Django is a Python web framework that helps developers create apps with minimal coding. In contrast, Django CMS is the content management system built on the Python framework. This makes it an ideal choice for users who are familiar with Python. Moreover, it allows you to make quick customizations to your content from the front end of your site.

    Which Platform Is Easier to Use?

    If you’re building your first site or project, you want a user-friendly and intuitive platform. Otherwise, you might find the process a little overwhelming. Let’s look at how WordPress vs Django CMS compare when it comes to ease of use.

    WordPress

    WordPress is a very beginner-friendly platform. Once you install the software, you can log into your admin dashboard and start building your website:

    WordPress vs Django

    The WordPress dashboard contains all of the platform’s built-in tools. With that being said, you can click on a tab to navigate to a particular area on your site, such as your posts and pages. For instance, if you go to Media, you can upload photos and videos:

    wordpress vs django

    Additionally, it might take a few hours to familiarize yourself with the dashboard and its tools. However, fortunately, you’ll find plenty of WordPress tutorials and how-to guides online.

    Django CMS

    In contrast to WordPress, Django CMS is powered by Django, the most popular Python framework. Although you don’t need to be an expert developer to get a demo Django CMS up and running, keep in mind that you’ll need to design your site from scratch.

    After being installed, Django CMS has a simple interface that enables you to edit your content on the front end. Consequently, you can see your changes in real time.

    wordpress vs django

    If you want to edit a particular page, such as your blog, all you have to do is select it from the menu.

    Django Blog

    In addition, you can configure its options by selecting Page from the top menu and navigating to Page settings or Advanced settings. This will launch a popup window, where you can edit the page’s title and URL, set up a redirect, and more.

    wordpress vs django page settings

    Furthermore, you can design and edit your content without navigating away from the page. This means you can access every area of your site, including pages, from the same interface. For instance, the media library appears as a sliding window over the page you’re working on.

    wordpress vs django media library

    As a result, Django CMS provides a very efficient way to build your site. Specifically, you don’t have to click through multiple tabs to access your settings or navigate away from the page to make customizations.

    WordPress Django
    Ease of Use By accessing tutorials and documentation, the WordPress learning curve can be surmounted. 🥇 Winner

    Right from the beginning, Django simplifies the process of adding and editing content in its CMS.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    Customization Options

    When it comes to building a website, it’s important to consider the customization options available with each CMS. This is particularly important if you want to create a site that stands out from the crowd. Therefore, let’s compare WordPress vs Django CMS to see which has the best customization options.

    WordPress

    To begin with, WordPress is a highly flexible platform with various customization options. Firstly, it offers a vast library of customizable themes that can be used to design your site. In addition to that, it provides a plethora of options for customizing your site’s functionality. For instance, if you want to add a specific feature, such as a social media plugin, you can easily search for it in the WordPress Plugin Directory, or on sites like 10Web or Smash Balloon.

    Social media buttons plugins in WordPress

    Plus, there are thousands of free WordPress plugins you can use. You can access them right from your dashboard by navigating to Plugins > Add New:

    Adding new plugins in WordPress vs Django

    Additionally, WordPress provides a wide range of customization options for its themes and templates. This can help you achieve a unique design for your site that matches your brand. You can customize everything from the color scheme and fonts to the layout and design of your pages. With the help of a page builder plugin like Divi, you can create custom page layouts without needing to know how to code. These tools often come with a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface that allows you to easily rearrange and customize the elements on your pages.

    Django CMS

    In contrast to WordPress, Django CMS offers a different approach to customizing your site with plugins. Django CMS plugins can be added to your site to create various elements such as lines, buttons, text, headings, and more.

    wordpress vs django plugins

    To customize each plugin in Django CMS, you can make various changes based on the element added. For example, if you’re adding an image gallery, you can change the height and width of the thumbnail, enable fullscreen, zoom, and more.

    Customizing image gallery in Django

    Furthermore, Django CMS has some limitations when it comes to customization options unless you have experience with Python. Nonetheless, if you’re a web developer, you can effortlessly construct your applications in Django.

    WordPress Django
    Customization 🥇 Winner

    When it comes to customization, WP wins due to the number of design options, as well as plugins and themes available.

    		Unless you have knowledge of Python, customization options in Django CMS can be somewhat restrictive.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    Theme and Template Options

    Designing a website can be time-consuming. Fortunately, you can use themes and templates to simplify the process. This is where both WordPress and Django CMS shine.

    WordPress

    WordPress offers a user-friendly way to find and use templates to quickly get started with building your website. As we mentioned earlier, it offers a broad range of free themes for different types of websites. To search for specific designs, you can use the “Feature Filter” in the WordPress Themes Repository.

    wordpress vs django Themes

    In addition to the various free themes, each WordPress theme comes with its own set of templates and customization options. These options allow you to modify the color scheme, typography, and layout to match your preferences.

    As a result, you can now have greater flexibility and more options when using the new Full Site Editing feature. By utilizing blocks, you can fully customize your theme:

    Full Site Editing

    After creating or using a block-based theme, you can start editing your theme using the new Full Site Editing feature. To access this feature, navigate to the Editor section under Appearance. Here, you can edit your theme and its templates to customize your site.

    WordPress Full Site Editing Template

    Furthermore, if you don’t find a theme that meets your requirements, you can create your own. As mentioned previously, WordPress provides a user-friendly block editor that enables you to build your site with blocks. You can create custom templates by using different types of blocks, such as the row block, images, buttons, and more, and arranging them in the desired order. This way, you can have a unique design that stands out from the crowd.

    Django CMS

    While there is no themes library for Django CMS, you do have the option to select a template for your page. For instance, you might opt for a full-width layout.

    wordpress vs django templates

    Accordingly, if you want to have more design options and save time, WordPress would be a better choice than Django CMS. It provides a range of customizable themes and templates that can be easily applied to your site.

    WordPress Django
    Themes and Templates 🥇 Winner

    In addition to third-party themes and plugins, WordPress also features a user-friendly block editor that can be used to create templates.

    		 However, if you don’t intend to design your own, the options for themes and templates are limited.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    WordPress vs Django for Publishing

    If you’re intending to create a website with frequent blog posts or a complex site structure, it’s crucial to have a wide range of publishing tools available in your content management system.

    WordPress

    Since it was originally developed as a blogging CMS, WordPress offers a lot of useful features for publishing posts. The main publishing tool is the Block Editor, which is a user-friendly builder that enables you to put together posts and pages with pre-built blocks. With a wide variety of elements, including headings, paragraphs, images, buttons, lists, block patterns, and more, this tool is ideal for building complex pages and posts quickly and easily.

    The WordPress Block Editor

    Plus, you can click on a block to customize it. For example, if you select an image, you can change its dimensions or add a border:

    Editing an image in WordPress

    WordPress lets you save your posts and pages as drafts so you can continue working on them later. In addition, you have the option to schedule your posts or publish them straight away. Furthermore, you can restrict a post’s visibility to site admins and editors, and protect it with passwords.

    All of these publishing tools make WordPress an ideal platform for blogs and news sites. They facilitate team collaboration on articles and help you manage your content schedule more effectively.

    Django CMS

    On the other hand, Django CMS has a basic blog feature. When you choose to create a new post, you get a window where you can write your content.

    Creating a new article in Django

    While Django CMS has a basic blog feature with fields for meta descriptions, keywords, and categories, it lacks functionality when it comes to publishing options such as scheduling a post or restricting its visibility. As a result, it may be limiting if you want to create a professional blog. In contrast, WordPress is a better option as it offers a wealth of blogging features and tools, such as saving drafts, scheduling posts, publishing options, and content collaboration.

    WordPress Django
    Publishing To enhance the ease of use, it’s worth noting that the WordPress interface is designed to make content publishing simple and efficient, thanks to the intuitive block editor.

    		 🥇 Winner

    Similarly, with the Django page editor, you can conveniently create and edit content.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    Which Platform is More Secure?

    When it comes to content management systems, your site’s security is of the utmost importance. Both WordPress and Django CMS offer different security measures to help keep your content safe. However, let’s dive more into the differences between these platforms to see which one comes out on top in terms of security.

    WordPress

    WordPress is popular and has many plugins and themes, which makes it more vulnerable to attack. Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in plugins, themes, and WordPress core. To keep your site safe, you should update all software on your site, including WordPress core and themes, as soon as new versions are released. Plus, you can enable auto-updates.

    wordpress vs django

    Furthermore, to enhance your site’s security, you can install one of the best WordPress security plugins such as Sucuri.

    Sucuri

    In addition, many web hosts such as SiteGround and Cloudways provide security tools and features such as SSL certificates, and you can use top WordPress backup plugins to back up your site files and databases.

    Django CMS

    Compared to WordPress, Django CMS provides more built-in protection due to its built-in authentication and security solutions for common threats like SQL injection and cross-site forgery. This means you won’t need to worry about carrying out updates or installing additional security tools. In contrast, with WordPress, you are responsible for ensuring that plugins and themes are secure and up to date.

    WordPress Django
    Security Although WP is not inherently the most secure platform, there are great options like Sucuri to get the job done.

    		 🥇 Winner

    Django is equipped with built-in authentication and security solutions, making it one of the most secure frameworks.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    Who Has the Better E-Commerce Platform?

    To evaluate eCommerce functionality, let’s compare WordPress vs Django CMS.

    WordPress

    Though WordPress doesn’t provide built-in eCommerce features, it’s possible to set up an online shop using third-party tools. The most commonly used tool for eCommerce on WordPress is WooCommerce.

    wordpress vs django

    WooCommerce enables you to manage your online store right from your WordPress dashboard and provides various Yith extensions for additional functionality. Plus, these extensions can help you to filter products, add payment gateway support, and display customer reviews.

    Furthermore, if you’re looking to sell digital products, you can utilize a plugin such as Easy Digital Downloads. Moreover, you can customize your e-commerce website with a page builder like Divi.

    Django CMS

    Django CMS is versatile and suitable for eCommerce sites as well as for developing custom apps for businesses. You can utilize the Django-SHOP documentation to begin your development.

    wordpress vs django SHOP

    In conclusion, it’s worth noting that Django can offer more flexibility for e-commerce sites. With this platform, you have the freedom to extend your online store’s functionality and create custom features that are tailored to your specific business needs.

    WordPress Django
    E-Commerce 🥇 Winner

    To be e-commerce friendly, WP needs a solution such as WooCommerce.

    		 While there are good e-commerce choices, the learning curve is steeper.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    WordPress And Django CMS Alternatives

    Before you make your final decision on your website platform, it may be helpful to compare WordPress against its other biggest competitors. We’ve done the hard work for you and compared WordPress vs everything else. Most recently, we reviewed WordPress vs Squarespace, and I think you’ll be interested to see the results.

    WordPress vs Django CMS: What’s the Final Verdict?

    As we have seen, there are some key differences between WordPress and Django CMS. Specifically, WordPress is generally considered more beginner-friendly, while Django CMS is more focused on the needs of developers.

    WordPress Django
    Ease of Use By accessing tutorials and documentation, the WordPress learning curve can be surmounted.

    		 🥇 Winner

    Right from the beginning, Django simplifies the process of adding and editing content in its CMS.
    Customization 🥇 Winner

    When it comes to customization, WP wins due to the number of design options, as well as plugins and themes available.

    		 Unless you have knowledge of Python, customization options in Django CMS can be somewhat restrictive.
    Themes and Templates 🥇 Winner

    In addition to third-party themes and plugins, WordPress also features a user-friendly block editor that can be used to create templates.

    		 However, if you don’t intend to design your own, the options for themes and templates are limited.
    Publishing To enhance the ease of use, it’s worth noting that the WordPress interface is designed to make content publishing simple and efficient, thanks to the intuitive block editor.

    		 🥇 Winner

    Similarly, with the Django page editor, you can conveniently create and edit content.
    Security Although WP is not inherently the most secure platform, there are great options like Sucuri to get the job done.

    		 🥇 Winner

    Django is equipped with built-in authentication and security solutions, making it one of the most secure frameworks.
    E-Commerce 🥇 Winner

    To be e-commerce friendly, WP needs a solution such as WooCommerce.

    		 While there are good e-commerce choices, the learning curve is steeper.
    Choose WordPress Choose Django CMS

    Final Comparison

    When it comes to WordPress, you get access to a vast array of tools, including plugins by 10Web and Smash Balloon and premium themes such as Divi, which allow you to create a complete website without any coding. This makes WordPress an ideal platform for showcasing content and building highly-customized sites.

    Django CMS, on the other hand, is more suitable for individuals who have experience with Python and prefer to develop custom apps for their websites. Additionally, Django CMS offers built-in security features, making it an excellent choice for those who value enhanced security measures.

    The post WordPress vs Django CMS (2023) — Which One’s The Best? appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • WordPress vs Ghost (2023) — The Key Differences

    Even though WordPress is one of the top Content Management Systems (CMS) in the world, with well over 1/3 of the internet using it, it started as a simple blogging platform. Since then, it has grown to power some of the most visited and complex sites out there. It remains, however, a blogging powerhouse. Ghost is a publishing platform that is focused on being the publishing platform that WordPress could have been if development had gone in a different direction. We are going to take a look at WordPress vs. Ghost features head-to-head so you can see which platform will handle your content in the way you need.

    WordPress vs. Ghost: Who Are They For?

    When looking at these two platforms head-to-head, your audience should be at the forefront of your mind. Who you’re creating content for very much changes which platform is right for you.

    wordpress dot org

    WordPress is for people who want to create content, have near-endless options and features available to them, and customize every aspect of their site to suit the exact needs of their user base. We should note, too, that WordPress Posts and Pages are at the heart of most features that are added to the platform, indicating the focus of the platform is still content creation and publishing despite its development into a CMS platform. Additionally, WordPress does have both hosted and self-hosted versions.

    ghost homepage

    Ghost is for people who want to create content. Stop. Initially developed as a publishing platform, Ghost has evolved into a…publishing platform. Ghost dedicates its entire structure and feature set to get your content in front of readers, whether that is public written content, paywalled membership stuff, or email marketing that combines them both. Over time, what was a simple blogging software has turned into a full-fledged publishing platform, with metrics, email service, and integrations for referral program creation and more.

    Given that Ghost is a primarily publishing-focused platform, we are going to look at WordPress vs. Ghost from that perspective primarily.

    Learning Curve/Ease-of-Use

    With any publishing software, you want as little friction between your words and your readers as possible. Creating and editing posts, adding images and media, as well as adjusting site styles, and navigating the backend is all primary focus for publishers and writers as well.

    WordPress’s Learning Curve

    If you’re unfamiliar with WordPress and open the admin dashboard for the first time, it can be a shock. The interface hasn’t changed much over the years, though it has been refined. Most of the menu items are straightforward and functional posts, pages, plugins, themes, and so on.

    You will have some quirky features to learn, such as widgets and menus being under Appearance, while Plugins get their own main dashboard space. Primary WordPress settings are broken into separate pages instead of tabs and other idiosyncratic leftovers from the decades-long development cycle.

    wordpress dashboard vs ghost

    Creating a Post is straightforward, however. Posts – Add New – Publish. The Block Editor is smooth, though occasionally cumbersome. And you will find that some elements of Posts and Pages (such as featured images and post snippets/excerpts) will be used differently depending on what theme or plugins you use.

    wordpress block editor

    However, once you’re used to the WordPress way of doing things, it is second nature, and you will understand why things are located where they are and how your particular theme/plugin setup uses each element of the Post/Page.

    Ghost’s Learning Curve

    From the moment you log into Ghost’s dashboard, it shows you that it is centered on writing and publishing content. The Posts section of the menu is expanded and prominent from the beginning. You have access to your whole archive without an extra click.

    ghost dashboard vs wordpress

    You can click the + button to add a new post, and the screen is very similar to the WordPress Block Editor. In most ways, the two are functionally identical in use. However, Ghost’s editor isn’t nearly as extensible as WordPress’s, meaning if you find a feature lacking that you need, adding it won’t be easy (or perhaps even possible).

    wordpress vs ghost

    In terms of a learning curve for actually publishing a post, the two workflows are nearly identical. One isn’t steeper to learn than the other for publishing. It is, essentially, a personal preference on which particular environment you prefer to write in.

    However, for the dashboard itself, you may find yourself having an easier time navigating Ghost (at least initially). Part of that comes in the user-friendly color coding and icons—something WordPress’s more utilitarian design could learn from.

    ghost dashboard

    All the site settings and customizations are located under the Settings gear, while all the publishing and user management are in the main menu. The learning curve for Ghost is considerably lower than WordPress, but the trade-off is that your customization and site features are more limited, too.

    WordPress Ghost
    Ease of Use 🏳️ Draw
    WordPress can take some time to learn, but there are plugins and tutorials to make things easier.    		 🏳️ Draw
    Ghost is about as easy to learn as WordPress, and will take some time to adjust too.
    Choose WordPress Choose Ghost

    Customization Options (Themes, Plugins, Integrations)

    While most publishing success comes from the content that you create, a portion of success is due to the appearance of professionalism. This means that if your site doesn’t appear credible, users are less likely to return (or even stay). Even if you’re creating top-notch content, if your site doesn’t look just as top-notch, users may not even consider your content. That said, when considering WordPress vs. Ghost, both platforms give you the ability to project the professional image you need.

    WordPress Customization

    If there is one place where WordPress soars above and beyond almost all competitors, it is for customization. The WordPress ecosystem is full of themes, plugins, widgets, code snippets, and developers that can make the platform do anything and look like anything. In terms of design and integrations, WordPress beats Ghost hands down. (And most other platforms, too.)

    The WordPress.org theme repository has thousands of free themes for your website. 3,989 free themes are available at the time of this writing, so the chances of your finding a theme that looks close to what you envision out of the box are pretty likely. It may not have all the features you want, however.

    wordpress theme repository

    Which is where the WordPress.org plugin repository comes in. Like themes, this repository has thousands of plugins available to add utility features and design elements to your site with a couple of clicks. If

    WordPress is open-source software. It uses PHP and React.js with the intent of being extensible. If you have the coding knowledge and experience, you can make WordPress do anything you could imagine it doing. If you don’t have the coding knowledge to get into the editors, that’s okay, too. The plugin and theme repositories are there for you to piece together the website of your dreams.

    You can additionally adjust the CSS and HTML for your themes and various pages directly inside the backend, giving you full access to every little detail of your website.

    Ghost Customization Options

    Ghost, on the other hand, is limited in the amount of customization you get for your site. Like WordPress, Ghost also has a theme repository, but it is significantly limited. At the time of this writing, there are 92 total themes available, only 15 of which are free. The others range from $29 to $159. Keep this in mind. However, that premium WordPress themes are similarly priced.

    ghost theme repository

    You can also develop your own Ghost theme and use it, too, using the Handlebars templating language. Admittedly, that’s a little out of many people’s wheelhouses. (The documentation does link to some excellent Handlebars tutorials, though.)

    Outside of the themes, all of your customization options are available in the Settings area of your Ghost dashboard. You can alter accent colors, logos, fonts, icons, and so on in terms of design. You can also set up navigation menus, newsletter templates, and opt-ins and experiment with new test features.

    Additionally, you can customize code for your Ghost website in the Code Injection area of the settings, but it is limited to Header and Footer areas. To alter site-wide CSS, you won’t use a custom.css file; you will add style tags to the Header of the website. This is hardly the most elegant solution, but it works.

    However, if your entire goal is publishing as simply as possible and looking professional, and having a fantastic experience doing it, you may be able to overlook the lack of customization available in Ghost.

    WordPress Ghost
    Customization 🥇 Winner

    WordPress shines in terms of customization based on the sheer amount of plugins and themes available.

    		 Ghost just doesn’t have as many options as WordPress.
    Choose WordPress Choose Ghost

    Self-Hosting

    Very briefly, we want to touch on the aspects of self-hosting WordPress vs. Ghost. Both platforms are open-source. And you can run from your web servers or local development environment.

    WordPress is the winner in this match, like Customization. Because of its ubiquity, every web host out there has quick installers for WordPress, and the Famous 5 Minute Install is even easier with their help. You have the choice of hosting anywhere and finding support pretty much anywhere, too. WordPress hosts are plentiful, but there are a few, such as Cloudways and SiteGround, that offer some stand-out features at a very reasonable price.

    With Ghost, self-hosting is kind of an ordeal. You will need to install it by the command line using Node.js and NodeSource, both a root and non-root user within your server, and a VPS. Ghost is a partner with Digital Ocean and has a Ghost image that you can use much like the WP quick installers, but that’s an exception, not the rule.

    In the end, Ghost Pro is a fantastic platform and comparable to both WordPress.com and .org, but Ghost as a self-hosted app can be troublesome for everyone but the technically skilled. And since it’s a publishing platform first, you may not be a command line wizard if you’re looking at Ghost.

    WordPress Ghost
    Self-Hosting 🥇 Winner

    WordPress has quick installers for hosts everywhere.

    		 It can be a real hassle to host with Ghost.
    Choose WordPress Choose Ghost

    E-commerce

    Almost every website out there sells digital (or physical) goods and services in some way. E-commerce is a sustainable and viable option to monetize many websites. We want to take a look at the options available for you with WordPress vs. Ghost because of that.

    WordPress E-commerce Options

    WordPress comes out of the gate running in this head-t0-head because of WooCommerce. A free plugin that is supported by a huge array of free and premium extensions, WooCommerce dominates the WP e-commerce industry. For a reason. It’s very good.

    You can sell physical goods pretty quickly after setting up the plugin. And digital goods are just an upload away. However, to reach full power with WooCommerce, you will need to use those add-ons and extensions. To get the most out of WooCommerce to sell digital goods, you may need an extension to limit purchases to members of your site.

    Or maybe you want to use WooCommerce to set up a course to teach your users. You can do this. But it will require an extension that ties into a learning management system platform. Plus, you can tie WooCommerce into whatever email system you use, whether that’s MailChimp, Constant Contact, Emma, or something else. Again, mostly with an extension.

    You can do any kind of e-commerce with WooCommerce. It’s fantastic. But, like WordPress and themes/plugins, you need to piece together your dream store on your own.

    On top of all this, you can use plugins such as MemberPress to create membership sites that directly rival the membership and revenue-generating options in Ghost.

    Ghost E-commerce

    Ghost e-commerce, on the other hand, is a little different. With Ghost, you’re not setting up a shop or storefront. You’re selling memberships to your site and access to your content. From the moment you open the dashboard, monetization is literally at the top of the list. You can see your membership revenue over the past 30 days first thing.

    ghost dashboard vs wordpress

    When you’re publishing a post, you set who has access to the content from there. It’s easy and built into the Ghost platform itself.

    paid members in ghost

    That’s the catch with Ghost. You’re selling memberships. No goods or services. You can somewhat treat these memberships in the same way that you would a WooCommerce digital storefront, but in general, Ghost is set up for you to hone a community more than one-off sales. (If you want a platform like Ghost that rivals WooCommerce for e-commerce, check out our WP vs. Squarespace post to see the breakdown.)

    None of this is a negative. It’s just the difference in the audience for WordPress vs. Ghost. In terms of pure publication e-commerce, Ghost has membership posting, and newsletter features integrated amazingly. It’s an amazing platform. You just can’t sell individual items.

    WordPress Ghost
    E-Commerce 🥇 Winner

    The WooCommerce plugin let’s you create an online store with ease, plus it has extensions to add functionality and customize your store to your liking.

    		 Ghost is a great platform for selling memberships but can’t do much more than that in terms of e-commerce.
    Choose WordPress Choose Ghost

    WordPress vs Ghost: Who Wins?

    Head-to-head, WordPress, and Ghost are incredibly similar except for just a few details. But it’s those details that make or break the platform for some users. WordPress is a highly customizable platform that started with publishing at the forefront. It has moved to be more of a one-size-fits-all CMS. Ghost began as a publishing-first platform that has stayed a publishing-first platform. Every detail of the software is geared toward getting your content in front of users’ eyes. So you can make money off of it.

    WordPress Ghost
    Ease of Use 🏳️ Draw
    WordPress can take some time to learn, but there are plugins and tutorials to make things easier.    		 🏳️ Draw
    Ghost is about as easy to learn as WordPress, and will take some time to adjust too.
    Customization 🥇 Winner

    WordPress shines in terms of customization based on the sheer amount of plugins and themes available.

    		 Ghost just doesn’t have as many options as WordPress.
    Self-Hosting 🥇 Winner

    WordPress has quick installers for hosts everywhere.

    		 It can be a real hassle to host with Ghost.
    E-Commerce 🥇 Winner

    The WooCommerce plugin let’s you create an online store with ease, plus it has extensions to add functionality and customize your store to your liking.

    		 Ghost is a great platform for selling memberships but can’t do much more than that in terms of e-commerce.
    Choose WordPress Choose Ghost

    If you are in it for publishing content and making money off that content directly without having to deal with typical website issues, Ghost is for you. If you want full control over being able to tweak your website’s design and features, a similarly smooth writing experience, and want to self-host the software, WordPress is the way to go.

    WordPress Deep Dive

    One more thing. Before you make your final decision on your website platform…are you curious to see how WordPress stacks up against its other biggest competitors? We did the hard work and compared WordPress vs. everything else so that you don’t have to! We reviewed WordPress vs. Laravel, and I think you will be interested to see the results.

    If you’re looking for specific plugins to help WordPress become even more powerful, we recommend the following:

    What have been your experiences with WordPress vs. Ghost? Why do you prefer one platform over another?

    The post WordPress vs Ghost (2023) — The Key Differences appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • WordPress vs. Duda (2023) — Which One Should You Choose?

    WordPress began as a popular blogging platform and has since grown into a full-scale, open-source content management system (CMS). It’s among the top web platforms available online today and the primary choice of millions of website owners. The Duda website builder is a user-friendly, drag-and-drop website builder that tackles the heavy lifting for you. In this post, we’ll be comparing WordPress vs. Duda website builder to see which platform is right for you.

    WordPress vs. Duda Website Builder: Who are They For?

    WordPress and Duda have similar end products: powerful, functional websites that business owners and individuals can use to establish their online presence. Let’s break down who each platform works best for.

    Before we jump into the comparison, keep in mind that we’re going to focus on WordPress.org rather than .com. This article explains the difference between the two platforms in detail. At Elegant Themes, we believe that the .org version of WordPress is the stronger product. When considering a self-hosted website that’s versatile and highly customizable, we believe most site owners choose .org.

    WordPress

    Wordpress website

    WordPress is a web design platform that supports a wide range of website types and purposes. From basic, pre-designed themes to completely custom websites, the possibilities are nearly endless. Non-coders can jump right in by using the Gutenberg block editor, WordPress’ passable page builder. On the other hand, web developers have the WP codebase at their disposal.

    WordPress supports the development and use of third-party plugins and themes, which means additional functionality for your site. Users with any level of experience can find and activate plugins to power up their sites. Domain registration and hosting are separate from the WordPress platform, so users are responsible for finding their own hosting and domain name services. If you choose to build on WordPress, you’ll also be responsible for the site configuration.

    Duda Website Builder

    Duda website builder is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that allows users to build their websites right inside their browsers. Like platforms such as Ghost and Squarespace, it’s a solid choice for users who have little to no website design or coding experience, yet it yields professional results.

    It features a working preview as well as a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to edit your site. For non-developers or people who are new to building a site, Duda is a great option.

    Duda website

    Duda users who do have coding experience can access the source code of their sites to make tweaks. As a result, this could be particularly appealing to a site owner who wants the ability to tweak code if they want to. Even if a user doesn’t want to handle the bulk of the coding work, they might just want the option.

    SaaS platforms and agencies use the Duda website builder, in part, due to its versatility and ease of use. The platform also offers Agency, and Custom plans so that businesses can host multiple client sites in one place. Agile, fast-paced businesses and freelancers may find that the platform’s ease of use lends itself to quick turnarounds for clients who need a website built yesterday.

    Pricing Comparison

    Like most site-building platforms, WordPress and Duda have their respective costs. Let’s dig into those.

    WordPress

    Theoretically, WordPress is free — except it’s not. While the software is open-source and downloadable, and while you can install, host, and manage it yourself, there are other costs involved in building a powerful, custom WordPress website. Hosting your WordPress site, purchasing and renewing your domain name annually, paying for a custom theme, and investing in the proper licensing and memberships all add up.

    In short, there are many underlying costs associated with WordPress that aren’t addressed in its marketing. These costs will vary depending on your website–think of them as building blocks. You’ll need to spend some time researching your options and your potential costs.

    For example, you might have to pay per site per year for some plugins and themes. Alternatively, at Elegant Themes, we offer a one-time lifetime fee option for Divi. You could find yourself paying $10 per year for a domain, $5 per year for hosting fees, or piecemeal fees for themes and plugins. Managed hosting, security platforms, and even eCommerce integrations like WooCommerce or Shopify can quickly add up.

    Duda Website Builder

    Duda website builder Basic plans start at $14 per month. There are also higher-tier plans, including Team, Agency, and Custom. This pricing includes site hosting on AWS but doesn’t include a domain name. However, through Duda’s integrations with Google and Hover, you can purchase a custom domain name easily for an additional fee.

    Duda pricing

    WordPress Weebly
    Pricing 🥇 Winner
    WordPress is as expensive and expansive as you want it to be.    		 Duda is a relatively cheap option, but can’t compete with free.
    Choose WordPress Choose Duda

    Which Platform is Easier to Use?

    If you’re less concerned about pricing and more interested in how your day-to-day life will be with WordPress vs. Duda, we’ve got you.

    WordPress

    WordPress has a bit of a learning curve when it comes to the website’s backend. It can take a little time to learn your way around. Building the actual site, and tweaking a theme, are where you’ll likely run into the largest time (and possibly financial) investment.

    wordpress dashboard

    The vast range of options available to WordPress users is nothing short of overwhelming for many of us. Each website tool you install and set up will have its learning curve. However, we tend to feel that the biggest draw for WordPress vs. Duda website builder is the ability to customize every single line of code. Designers and developers can make a WordPress site anything they want it to be just by digging into the codebase.

    But that’s a massive barrier to entry for most website owners — especially if you’re new. Not everyone has the time or desire to learn how to tweak PHP or JavaScript. While the available plugins and widgets can help ease some of those complications, it still takes time to figure out which tools you need for your particular skill set and budget.

    Duda Website Builder

    The Duda website builder is built to showcase its range of tools and options at a glance. In addition to a full-screen preview, which users can toggle between desktop, tablet, and mobile phone, it features a static navigation menu that allows you to move from one feature to another easily. Users can integrate widgets, a blog, an eCommerce store, and even collect content and information from site visitors.

    Duda dashboard

    Adding pages, images, and sections to your site design is straightforward. Organizing pages and popups are easy and are reflected in the navigation menu. There is also a wide range of apps you can integrate into your site to further customize it.

    duda mobile editor

    Essentially, Duda appears to be a platform that makes building a powerful website easy for the non-developer. At the same time, it allows users with coding experience to access and tweak the source code. This option offers further customizability. The learning curve for Duda is pretty low, so you can dive in and get to work quickly.

    WordPress Weebly
    Ease of Use WordPress can take some time to learn, plus the seemingly endless features can overwhelm. 🥇 Winner
    Duda makes it easy to create a website, regardless of skill level.
    Choose WordPress Choose Duda

    Customization Comparison

    Both WordPress and Duda allow for varying levels of customization, depending on the type of site you build.

    WordPress

    With a little (or a lot) of code — and maybe an assist from a web developer — WordPress users can get a fully customizable site that does exactly what they both want and need it to do. With the ability to integrate a variety of plugins, widgets, and themes, you can tweak and experiment until your site supports all the functions you need.

    On the other hand, you’ll need to keep an eye on your site features and make sure they’re up to date — both for security and aesthetic purposes. Updating a WordPress theme has been known to break websites in the past, so you have to be vigilant about making regular site backups. The same can be said for plugins and even WordPress Core itself. Unless you’re on great managed WordPress hosting such as Flywheel or Cloudways, updating is something not to be taken lightly.

    Duda Website Builder

    Duda website builder is a bit more limited in terms of customizing the look and feel of your site. Users choose from a range of pre-made templates, which can then be customized within the browser-based site builder. To a certain degree, you can tweak the source code, too, but that’s not Duda’s strong suit.

    However, as far as functionality is concerned, Duda features tools and app integrations to help businesses of all sizes reach their intended audiences. With speedy, reliable server hosting on AWS and the ability to build and run an eCommerce store on the platform, Duda goes beyond functioning as a simple drag-and-drop builder.

    WordPress Weebly
    Customization 🥇 Winner
    WordPress is fully customizable and is easily malleable to the the needs of a developer.     		Duda is a bit more limited, with its primary focus being on simplicity.
    Choose WordPress Choose Duda

    Themes and Templates

    Many website owners are drawn to WordPress and Duda because both platforms offer tools that make it easy to build beautiful, functional websites with no knowledge of code or design.

    WordPress

    WordPress page-builders and themes, including Divi, are equipped with a range of professionally-designed layouts that users can import. Themes make up the foundation of WordPress websites and can be blank slates or fully pre-designed layouts for specific types of users.

    Themes page

    In theory, themes should be straightforward to install and set up. However, it’s not unusual for WordPress site owners to need help from a website developer to tweak the finer points of the code. Especially if they’re not developers themselves.

    Duda Website Builder

    Duda website builder includes built-in, pre-made templates. When you set up your initial site, you can tell the builder what type of site you’re creating. Users can choose between a portfolio, landing page, business site, lifestyle site, or online store or say they’re just browsing. Duda will then populate a selection of templates based on your site type.

    Duda templates

    From there, the selection process is super straightforward. Simply select the template you want to start from, and Duda will load it in the browser-based site builder. Then, you can start making tweaks.

    The installation and use of themes seem pretty comparable, but you can dig into the theming more in WordPress. With that said, however, if you don’t want to dig into the theme’s code and expand the feature set, Duda’s options are just as beautiful (if not more so) as many out-of-the-box WordPress options.

    WordPress Weebly
    Themes and Templates 🏳️Draw
    WordPress has thousands of templates and themes to dig into.    		 🏳️Draw
    Duda also comes with a lot of themes straight out of the box.
    Choose WordPress Choose Duda

    Publishing Tool Comparison

    Both platforms feature publishing tools that allow users to create blog posts. Let’s compare WordPress vs Duda to determine which comes out on top.

    WordPress

    WordPress makes it super easy for site owners to create and publish SEO-optimized blog posts. Its publishing tools are straightforward, whether you’re using the Classic Editor or the new Block Editor. Essentially, both editors function almost like word processors with a few extra bells and whistles. If you can use Microsoft Word, for instance, you should be able to dive in and learn the basics of publishing on WordPress without a lot of fuss.

    Here’s a look at the Classic Editor:

    classic editor

    And here’s what the Block Editor looks like:

    Block editor

    You can install and activate plugins that make the publishing process easier and more effective. For example, plugins such as Rank Math help users optimize both readability, on-page SEO, as well as keyword optimization.

    WordPress was built as a blogging platform initially, so it makes sense for its publishing environment to be robust and easy to use.

    Duda Website Builder

    From Duda’s left-hand navigation menu, you can click the Blog button to access posts and drafts. There will be several pre-loaded example posts in the blog manager that you can click into and poke around just to get a feel for the platform.

    Editing page

    When you open an existing blog post, you’ll edit it right there on the page. Here’s what it looks like:

    Duda editing page

    It is a pretty basic system, but it’s hard to compete with WordPress’ writing experience and tools. If blogging is just something you want to do occasionally, Duda will be fine. But if your primary content is delivered via publishing, it may not be as powerful as you need.

    WordPress Weebly
    Publishing Tools 🥇 Winner
    It’s hard to compete with WordPress when it comes to blogging, it’s been the top dog for years now.    		 Duda’s publishing tools are passable, but not as intuitive as WordPress’.
    Choose WordPress Choose Duda

    What About Security Features?

    Wondering about site security on WordPress vs. Duda website builder? Wonder no more.

    WordPress

    WordPress website security is largely based on the website host you select and the security measures you choose to implement. For example, you might choose to use a free SSL certificate and stop there. On the other hand, you might want to consider a more robust security plugin such as Sucuri, or even a suite of security tools if you handle sensitive user information or need to comply with HIPAA.

    In terms of WordPress itself, developers regularly release security updates and updated versions of the software. Themes are designed for backward compatibility so users can keep their sites up-to-date in terms of security. Theoretically, this is meant to prevent site loss and broken themes when updating. However, we highly recommend backing up your website before you run any security updates.

    Duda Website Builder

    Duda websites come with a free SSL certificate and are hosted on Amazon’s AWS servers for an added layer of security. Users can easily back up their sites whenever needed. Additionally, Duda offers a free global CDN so that your site is a bit more secure than having users connect directly to your server.

    While you can’t control the security like you can on WordPress, the Duda platform handles that for you so that you can focus on what you’re best at. It’s secure, and you don’t have to make it that way yourself.

    WordPress Weebly
    Security WordPress has a ton of security extensions and plugins available, but you have to take time to set them up. 🥇 Winner
    Duda comes built with SSL certificate hosting and handles the security for you.
    Choose WordPress Choose Duda

    Which Platform Stands Out For E-commerce?

    Both WordPress and Duda website builders offer eCommerce store integrations for site owners.

    WordPress

    WordPress supports several different eCommerce plugins and integrations, including WooCommerce and Shopify. Like so many other WordPress features, setting up an online store is a plug-and-play scenario. You’ll have to shop around for the right platform whose features fit your needs, then do the work to integrate it and get it working properly.
    Keep in mind that costs for running an eCommerce store via WordPress will vary, just like building and running the site itself.

    Duda Website Builder

    Duda website builder includes an eCommerce platform. Site owners who want to start an online store via Duda have access to omnichannel eCommerce, so all their platforms are synced in one spot. Duda’s eCommerce platform is also SEO-optimized and built for maximum conversion rates. Additionally, site owners can white-label their eCommerce branding.

    A standard Duda eCommerce store starts at $7.25 per month, with higher tiers based on your needs.

    WordPress Weebly
    eCommerce WooCommerce is a great free plugin for WordPress, but actual pricing may vary depending on what functions you wish to implement. 🥇 Winner
    Duda comes with an eCommerce platform that is more than suitable for most patrons
    Choose WordPress Choose Duda

    WordPress vs Duda: Making A Choice

    Now that you understand some of the key differences between WordPress vs. Duda website builders, which one would you choose? Why or why not? Do you prefer a different web design platform altogether? Drop us a comment, and let us know what you think.

    WordPress Weebly
    Pricing 🥇 Winner
    WordPress is as expensive and expansive as you want it to be.    		 Duda is a relatively cheap option, but can’t compete with free.
    Ease of Use WordPress can take some time to learn, plus the seemingly endless features can overwhelm. 🥇 Winner
    Duda makes it easy to create a website, regardless of skill level.
    Customization 🥇 Winner
    WordPress is fully customizable and is easily malleable to the the needs of a developer.     		Duda is a bit more limited, with its primary focus being on simplicity.
    Themes and Templates 🏳️Draw
    WordPress has thousands of templates and themes to dig into.    		 🏳️Draw
    Duda also comes with a lot of themes straight out of the box.
    Publishing Tools 🥇 Winner
    It’s hard to compete with WordPress when it comes to blogging, it’s been the top dog for years now.    		 Duda’s publishing tools are passable, but not as intuitive as WordPress’.
    Security WordPress has a ton of security extensions and plugins available, but you have to take time to set them up. 🥇 Winner
    Duda comes built with SSL certificate hosting and handles the security for you.
    eCommerce WooCommerce is a great free plugin for WordPress, but actual pricing may vary depending on what functions you wish to implement. 🥇 Winner
    Duda comes with an eCommerce platform that is more than suitable for most patrons
    Choose WordPress Choose Duda

    WordPress Deep Dive

    Before you make your final decision on your website platform…are you curious to see how WordPress stacks up against its other biggest competitors? We did the hard work and compared WordPress vs. everything else so that you don’t have to! We reviewed WordPress vs. HubSpot CMS, and I think you will be interested to see the results.

    If you’re looking for specific plugins to help WordPress become even more powerful, we recommend the following:

    The post WordPress vs. Duda (2023) — Which One Should You Choose? appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • WordPress vs Google Sites (2023) — Comparing The Differences

    Interestingly enough, Google has two different website hosting options. Blogger, which is a direct competitor to WordPress.com more than WordPress.org, is focused on publishing content, and Google Sites, which is a more direct alternative to sites such as Wix and WordPress.org, where you build a website based on a project or a portfolio or even an event. When looking at WordPress vs Google Sites, we have to take into account that Sites is definitely an alternative to the CMS (content management system) elements you get in WordPress.

    WordPress hosts are plentiful, but there are a few, such as Cloudways and SiteGround, that offer awesome features at a very reasonable price. In this article, we’ll take a head-to-head look at WordPress and Google Sites, breaking down their intended users, customization features, ease of use, SEO, flexibility, and extensibility.

    WordPress vs Google Sites: Who Are They For?

    WordPress is for everyone. Really. It has elements that work for just about everybody with every kind of site. If you need an event site, there are events calendar plugins that help you run it. If you want a blog site, that’s what the platform is based on. E-commerce? WooCommerce has you covered. As the platform has evolved into a full content management system, so too has the demographic the software can appeal to. You can run simple, single-page websites as well as major sites with hundreds/thousands of pages that get millions of hits. It scales well, too.

    However, the downside to this is that it requires a bit of initial learning from users and then tweaking to make sure that the site looks and performs the way you want it to.

    Google Sites, too, is aimed at everyone simply by the fact that it’s an included part of the Google family of apps. However, rather than being aimed at everyone for everything, it’s aimed at everyone who needs a simple website for anything at all. When you set things up initially, you will choose a template and type of site (or a blank one), which then turns into a simple front-end page builder where you enter your own information.

    The customization and flexibility in Google Sites vs. that from WordPress aren’t great. However, the simplicity and lightweight efficiency that comes from the service make it a great option for anyone who needs a one-off website or a simple, static web presence.

    Which Is Best For Customization?

    One of the elements that nearly every website owner gets caught up with is site customization. Finding just the right layout, the right design, and the right color palette is imperative to website success. However, depth and ease of customization vary by platform, and the need for those varies from site to site. Both WordPress and Google Sites offer customization only in different ways. Depending on the kind of site you’re building, either one could fit the bill.

    WordPress

    WordPress is all about customization. With its entire structure being based on extensibility through plugins and themes, you really have endless choices for your sites. That can be a little overwhelming, too. Is Divi the best theme? What are the best page builder and SEO plugins? Which security plugin works the best? Do I even need one?

    plugins

    There are so many options for every single kind of feature that you may have a hard time choosing. That’s okay. While there is definitely a learning curve here, it’s hard to make a bad decision. The cream definitely rises to the top on the WordPress.org plugin and theme repositories, and anything you need to add to your site should be able to be found at the top of most simple searches.

    If you’re a coder, you can dig in even further by altering and adding to the PHP, HTML, and JavaScript in the WP core files. If not, again…don’t worry. That’s what plugin and theme developers do. No matter what you want your site to look like, there’s a tool for that. And no matter what you want your site to do, there’s a tool for that, too.

    It just might take a little research and trial and error to get the exact right fit for what you’re trying to make.

    Google Sites

    Sites, on the other hand, is a straightforward tool that doesn’t have nearly the depth of customization that WordPress does. What it does offer in customization, though, is simplicity and ease of use. If you know what kind of site you’re going to build, you have a choice of templates for your site. They are basic foundations but professionally designed.

    sites templates

    Whichever one you choose, the customization options are directly in front of you. A page builder loads and all of the options that you get are visible from the start. In general, these are aesthetic and design choices, meaning that you won’t be able to add features and utilities as you do with WordPress.

    google sites event page

    As you can see in the image above, the interface is clean and easy to use. You can add text boxes, dividers, buttons, images, and so on. Each of these has its own customization options. Some, such as text boxes, only have basic formatting (bold, italics, alignment, etc.), while others, like the header and navigation, get a more diverse range.

    google sites vs wordpress

    You can add Google Analytics for tracking, a custom domain (from anywhere and not just from Google Domains), and various brand logos, etc. Additionally, you simply drag and drop different elements along the page to design them. Google Sites provides a grid for you to follow. So while you can’t place them anywhere on the page, Sites makes sure you can place them where it works.

    WordPress Google
    Customization 🥇 Winner
    WordPress is designed to be customizable. It’s expansive plugin library has something for almost everyone.     		Google sites is a bare bones platform, making it simple to use but difficult to customize.
    Choose WordPress Choose Google

    Which Platform Is Easier To Use?

    When picking a website platform, your level of expertise matters. If you’re a new site owner, Google Sites’ simplicity is probably going to be a big draw over having to learn WordPress. WordPress has made large strides in making itself more new-user-friendly than ever. But it has plenty of holdovers from the old days that let the platform’s age shine through.

    WordPress

    Simply logging in and looking at the WordPress dashboard is a lot for a new user. Seeing all the menu items in the sidebar and the widgets on the main page is a ton of information to absorb. Often, this alone can paralyze a user because they may not know where to even begin.

    wordpress dashboard vs google sites

    Using WordPress itself isn’t that hard. In fact, it’s pretty intuitive. Once you learn how. Learning where the options and settings are located can take some time. The learning curve is moderately steep, especially when you consider the number of customization options, as we mentioned above. Adding in and customizing each theme is different, as are plugins.

    However, outside of those, the actual site editing and post creation are pretty easy. Especially with the new Gutenberg editor introduced in WordPress 5.0.

    wordpress block editor

    Users can add any blocks or elements they want, such as row blocks, stack blocks, and even block patterns. Plus, you can adjust the options for each one individually and publish with all the information right at their fingertips. Context menus are easy to navigate. And a simple search of the blocks when you add them gets you right to where you need to be quickly.

    As we said, WordPress itself is fairly easy to use. Once you learn it. Before that, you may feel overwhelmed. But the learning curve is definitely worth the power that you get from the platform.

    Google Sites

    On the other hand, Google Sites has almost no learning curve. It’s almost a flat line. No curve at all, really. Google Sites is simple and easy to use from out of the gate. The downside to having such a flat learning curve is that the power and overall options that you get are significantly limited. Especially when looking at Google Sites vs. WordPress.

    google sites vs wordpress ease of use

    Using Google Sites is a cinch. To the right, you have a sidebar with simple options such as New Page or New Link, or Make Homepage. You can make any page a subpage of any other, remove it from the header navigation, or make a copy of it.

    In addition, the elements have a simple, radial context menu with all the options available if you double-click on them. It pops up, letting you upload media, add Google Drive media, embed, adjust text, and add images.

    All of this is incredibly easy to use. And it works intuitively that you probably won’t need documentation to figure it out. Building and editing on Google Sites with no previous knowledge of the platform might have been the most intuitive experience of any interface we’ve used.

    If you’re looking for a website that you can create, edit, and launch, kind of like making and publishing a slideshow deck, Google Sites is fantastic.

    WordPress Google
    Ease of Use WordPress takes a bit of time to get used to, do to the wide range of functions available. 🥇 Winner
    Google sites is incredibly straightforward and easy to use. It is limited in terms of options though.
    Choose WordPress Choose Google

    SEO, Flexibility, and Extensibility

    Digging in under the hood of these platforms, we want to take a look at what they offer in terms of everyday use and utility for site owners. Can your site be expanded, and how can you optimize it for search rankings? Let’s take a look at how WordPress and Google Sites stack up to one another.

    WordPress

    As we mentioned above, WordPress is customizable and flexible enough to run any kind of website you need. From e-commerce to a blog to a learning management system (LMS) or membership site. The tools available within the CMS are powerful, and with the plugin ecosystem, the options are limitless.

    For SEO, WordPress can’t be beaten. Yoast SEO, Rank Math, Squirrly, and others provide absolutely amazing options so that you can edit your metadata, schema, and HTML site maps to get the best results from the web crawlers. If you’re making regular content that needs updating and adjustment to place high in the search rankings for organic discovery, WordPress is the clear winner.

    Google Sites

    On Google Sites, you’re limited to a powerful, static site builder without a plugin ecosystem. You do, however, but you do have access to the entire Google Suite of products that tie directly into it. Google Sites itself can’t be used as a publishing platform for a blog, but it can be linked to your Blogger account. You can’t run an e-commerce shop from Google Sites, but you can embed the code for a Shopify page in there. For straightforward websites, Google Sites is great. If you need something more complicated and feature-rich, look elsewhere.

    In terms of SEO, Google Sites is a letdown. Despite being a Google product, the metadata and SEO options are simply not there. If you are going to rely on organic search as the lifeblood of your site, Google Sites isn’t the platform for you. However, the sites you make are amazing for pages that will be distributed to a limited audience and/or direct traffic. Internal company websites, community updates, information, and even product or brand information pages are a perfect fit for Google Sites.

    WordPress Google
    SEO, Flexibility, Extensibility 🥇 Winner
    WordPress has solutions for all sorts of plugins to maximize SEO, and provide your website with any tools it needs.     		Google is limited to a static site builder and G-Suite products.
    Choose WordPress Choose Google

    WordPress vs Google Sites: Which One Is Better?

    Both WordPress and Google Sites are targeting two entirely different audiences. Here’s a rundown of how the features we have compared so far stack up.

    WordPress Google
    Customization 🥇 Winner
    WordPress is designed to be customizable. It’s expansive plugin library has something for almost everyone.     		Google sites is a bare bones platform, making it simple to use but difficult to customize.
    Ease of Use WordPress takes a bit of time to get used to, do to the wide range of functions available. 🥇 Winner
    Google sites is incredibly straightforward and easy to use. It is limited in terms of options though.
    SEO, Flexibility, Extensibility 🥇 Winner
    WordPress has solutions for all sorts of plugins to maximize SEO, and provide your website with any tools it needs.     		Google is limited to a static site builder and G-Suite products.
    Choose WordPress Choose Google

    WordPress is Best For Most People

    WordPress is the tool for most people simply because it’s a more robust platform that has more extensibility through plugins and themes. You can do anything you want with WordPress, but you have to give yourself the time to learn it. Then tweak it. Then set it up. Whether you’re a coder or a new website owner, you can absolutely get WordPress to do what you need. The tools are out there, and the support and documentation are, too. You have to put in the work to learn it and make the jack-of-all-trades do the work you need it to do.

    Google Sites is Good for Quick Sites

    Google Sites is an amazing platform for simple sites that need to be up quickly without any hassle. If you have no website experience whatsoever, Google Sites is perfect because it is intuitive and easy to use. You can have a website set up in well under an hour, even if you have never done anything like that before. The downside is that it’s not a very extensible or powerful platform, and you can hit its limitations quickly if you want to grow the site into something more grandiose. However, for what it is and who it targets, Google Sites is a strong tool that does exactly what it means to.

    Are There Other Choices To Consider?

    When it comes to building a website, there is no shortage of choices. We have reviewed and compared just about every website building solution under the sun and summarized our findings here. Recently we reviewed WordPress vs Blogger, which is worth a look.

    The Best Way To Get Started With WordPress

    Are you thinking about using WordPress? We think that’s a great choice! WordPress gives you the freedom to create just about anything. But where do you even start? Here’s a quick guide:

    1. Hosting: You’ll want a great host, that’s key. We recommend SiteGround and Pressable.
    2. Theme: We recommend our very own Divi Theme. It’s the most popular theme in the world for a reason!
    3. Security: Keep your website secure with iThemes Security.
    4. SEO: Make sure your website is optimized for search engines using Rank Math.
    5. Backups: In case disaster strikes, you’ll want to use BackupBuddy to keep regular backups of your data.
    6. Performance: Nothing is worse than a slow website. Keep your website running fast with WP Rocket.

    That’s it! You have assembled the ultimate WordPress toolkit and you are ready to build a successful website.

    The post WordPress vs Google Sites (2023) — Comparing The Differences appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • How to Create Compact Archives in WordPress

    Do you want to create compact archives on your WordPress website?

    If you have been blogging for a few years, then the list of your posts might have become too long to fit in your WordPress sidebar. This will make your sidebar look cluttered which won’t be good for your site presentation

    In this article, we’ll show you how to easily create compact archives in WordPress.

    How to create compact archives in WordPress

    Why Do You Need Compact Archives in WordPress?

    Adding an archive in WordPress allows you to easily display your previously published content on your website for users to go through.

    By default, WordPress offers an ‘Archives’ block and widget that can be added to the sidebar of your WordPress blog.

    However, the ‘Archives’ block only allows you to display your archives as a long list or a dropdown menu.

    A list will make your site look cluttered while a dropdown can be easily overlooked by users as it isn’t as noticeable.

    The default archive block in WordPress

    By creating compact archives, you can easily display your archives in the WordPress sidebar without taking up much space. You can also display them on your about page or even create a dedicated Archives section.

    That being said, let’s take a look at how to easily add compact archives in WordPress.

    How to Add Compact Archives in WordPress

    You can easily create compact archives in WordPress using the Compact Archives plugin.

    First, you need to install and activate the Compact Archives plugin. For further instructions, check out our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

    Now, the plugin offers three styles to display compact archives on your website.

    Style 1. Relaxed three-letter month initials

    Style one of the compact archives

    Style 2. Compact Monthly Initials

    Style two of compact archives

    Style 3. Numeric Block

    Style three of the compact archives

    There are multiple ways to easily display compact archives on your website.

    In this tutorial, we will be showing you all four methods and you can choose the one that you like the most.

    Method 1. Add Compact Archives in WordPress Posts or Pages

    It is super easy to add compact archives to your WordPress page or post because the plugin comes with an easy-to-use block that you can add to your post or page.

    For this tutorial, we will be creating a new page for compact archives.

    Simply head over to the Pages » Add New page from the admin sidebar. Once a new page opens up in the block editor, you can start by typing a name for your page.

    Next, you need to click the ‘Add Block’ (+) button at the top and search for the ‘WPBeginner’s Compact Archvies’ block.

    Upon locating it, simply click on the block to add it to your page.

    Add the Compact archives block to a page

    Next, you need to choose a style for your archives from the Block Settings panel on the right corner of the screen.

    Simply choose a style of your liking from the dropdown menu below the ‘Select Archive Type’ option.

    Select an archive type from the dropdown menu

    You can also choose if you want your archive text to be capitalized or Uppercase.

    For that, you need to open the dropdown menu below the ‘Transform Text’ option.

    Select the archive text from the dropdown menu

    Once you’re satisfied with your choice, simply click the ‘Publish’ or ‘Update’ button at the top.

    This is how your archives page will look.

    Archives preview

    Method 2. Add Compact Archives as a Widget

    You can also display your archive as a widget on your website.

    Adding the Compact Archives Block in Full Site Editor

    If you’re using a block-based theme on your website, then you’ll have to add the ‘ WPBeginners’ Compact Archives’ block using the full site editor.

    First, you need to visit the Appearance » Editor page from the admin sidebar to launch the FSE.

    From here, you need to click the ‘Add Block’ (+) button on the top-left corner of the screen to open up the block menu.

    Next, you need to simply locate and add the ‘WPBeginner’s Compact Archvies’ block to your preferred place on the website.

    Add the compact archives block in the FSE

    Once you add the block, you can configure its’ style and text settings from the Block Settings panel on the right.

    Finally, don’t forget to click on the ‘Save’ button at the top to store your settings.’

    Configure the Compact archives settings in FSE

    Your compact archives will look like this.

    Compact archives in FSE

    Adding the Compact Archives Block Using Widgets

    If you’re not using a block-based theme, then this method is for you.

    First, you need to visit the Appearance » Widgets page from the admin sidebar.

    Once there, simply click the ‘Sidebar’ tab to expand it.

    Now, you need to click the ‘Add Block’ (+) button in the sidebar tab.

    This will open up the ‘Widget Block Menu’ where you need to search for the ‘WPBeginner’s Compact Archive’ block.

    Upon locating it, simply click the block to add it in the sidebar section.

    Add the compact archives block in the sidebar

    Once the ‘Compact Archives’ block is added you can change the style and text of your archive by configuring the settings from the Block Settings panel on the right.

    Don’t forget to click the ‘Update’ button at the top to save your changes.

    Configure the block settings of the compact archives and click Update button

    This is how your website sidebar will look upon adding the ‘Compact Archvies’ block.

    Compact archive preview in sidebar

    Method 3. Displaying Compact Archives in Template Files

    If you are making a custom WordPress theme or want to display archives in a theme template file, Compact Archives comes with handy template tags that you can use.

    Simply add the following template tag to your code.

    <ul> <?php compact_archive(); ?> </ul>

    After adding the tag, compact archives will be added to your page.

    However, if you want to add a style to your archive, you can do so by adding the following template tag in your code.

    <ul>
<?php compact_archive($style='initial', $before='<li>', $after='</li>'); ?>
</ul>

    For example, $style == 'initial' will display only month name initials and should fit right inside a sidebar. Using$style == 'block', will fit the main column of a page. Using $style == 'numeric', will display numeric months.

    Method 4. Add Compact Archives to Your HTML Sitemap

    If you want to create an HTML sitemap page for your in WordPress, then you can also display compact archives on your HTML sitemap page.

    First, you will need to install and activate the All in One SEO for WordPress plugin. For more details see our article on how to install a WordPress plugin.

    All in One SEO is the best WordPress SEO plugin on the market. It allows you to easily optimize your website for search engines.

    It also comes with an HTML sitemap feature that allows you to easily add an HTML sitemap to your WordPress site.

    It is a premium plugin but you can also use the free version called All in One SEO Lite. The free version has fewer features but it includes HTML sitemaps.

    Upon activation, the plugin will launch the setup wizard. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to set up the plugin or see our guide on how to properly set up All in One SEO for WordPress.

    Once finished, you now need to visit the All in One SEO » Sitemaps page from the admin sidebar.

    From here, you need to click on the ‘HTML Sitemap’ tab and make sure that the ‘Enable Sitemap’ toggle is turned on.

    Toggle the Enable Sitemap switch

    Next, you need to choose how you want to display your HTML sitemap.

    For this tutorial, we will be choosing the ‘Gutenberg Block’ option.

    If you choose this method, then you’ll have to add the “AIOSEO – HTML Sitemap” block to any page where you wish to display your HTML sitemap.

    Choose the Gutenberg block

    Next, you need to scroll down to the ‘Compact Archives’ option in the ‘HTML Sitemap Settings’ section.

    Here, you need to simply toggle the ‘Compact Archives’ switch to ‘Enabled’.

    Now your HTML sitemap will be displayed in a compact date archive format.

    Toggle the compact archives switch to Enabled

    Finally, don’t forget to click on the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings.

    Next, open up a page where you want to display the HTML sitemap from the admin sidebar.

    From here, simply click on the ‘Add Block’ (+) button at the top and then add the ‘AIOSEO-HTML Sitemap’ block to your page.

    Add the AIOSEO-HTML Sitemap block to your page

    Finally, don’t forget to click the ‘Publish’ or ‘Update’ button to save your changes.

    Your compact archives HTML Sitemap will look like this.

    We hope this article helped you learn how to easily create compact archives in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on how to easily create an email newsletter in WordPress and our top picks of the best social media plugins to help promote your website.

    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 How to Create Compact Archives in WordPress first appeared on WPBeginner.

  • WordPress vs Laravel (2023) — What You Need To Know

    Comparing WordPress vs. Laravel is complicated because both “platforms” have little in common besides using PHP. However, understanding the differences between both options is essential to determine how to build your next project.

    In this post, we will talk about who should use WordPress and Laravel. We’ll discuss customization options, ease of use, security, and more. Let’s get to it!

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Who Are They For?

    It’s important to understand that WordPress and Laravel are two very different types of software. However, they’re both “solutions” that you can use to build websites and online applications.

    WordPress

    WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS) that enables you to build sites using visual tools. You get access to a Block Editor that works similarly to page builder software and a dashboard with options to create and manage content, user accounts, and more:

    WordPress homepage

    On paper, WordPress is a blogging platform. However, the CMS is incredibly versatile, so much so that 43% of all existing websites use it. Therefore, it’s suitable for everything from eCommerce stores to personal blogs.

    If you use the open-source version of WordPress, you’re not even limited to a specific web host. You can set up the CMS on any server that you want.

    Laravel

    Laravel is not a CMS but a “framework” for the PHP programming language. That’s the same language that’s at the core of WordPress. However, Laravel doesn’t provide visual tools or dashboards to help you create a website:

    Laravel homepage

    With Laravel, you get a library of pre-programmed features to “put together” a website. That process takes place from a Command Line Interface (CLI) called Artisan.

    To use Laravel, you’ll need to know your way around PHP even though you interact with the framework using a scripting language. Although that process may sound complicated, using Laravel can be remarkably straightforward if you have a development background.

    Laravel is not a “platform” that you can pick up without programming knowledge. If you have zero background in web development, WordPress is definitely preferable.

    However, that’s not to say WordPress is a platform for beginners only. The CMS is incredibly customizable, and you can use it to develop websites with highly complex functionality.

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Ease of Use

    Although WordPress and Laravel offer such different experiences, we can compare how easy they are to use. Let’s start with WordPress.

    WordPress

    WordPress is straightforward to learn, even if you have no web development experience. It might take a while to go from zero to having a ready-to-go website. However, you have an amazing wealth of resources and tutorials for the CMS. Combine those resources with an intuitive dashboard, and WordPress is a beginner-friendly option:

    WordPress dashboard

    Once you have some experience under your belt using WordPress, you should be able to create new pages and entire websites relatively quickly. You’ll practice using the Block Editor, know which plugins to use in particular situations, and get an idea of which themes to use for different sites.

    Laravel

    If you don’t have a background in web development or experience using the command line, Laravel might be overwhelming. However, you don’t need to be a master programmer to use Laravel.

    Basic knowledge of PHP and CLI functionality should be more than enough to unlock the potential of Laravel:

    Installing Laravel using the command line

    Laravel offers extensive documentation to help you get started. For the best possible experience, we recommend checking out the Laracasts library. The library contains in-depth video tutorials for getting started with Laravel. You’ll also learn how to use some of the many “packages” or pre-built features the framework offers.

    If you want an “easy” setup, Laravel offers some “starter kits” that package several features, including scaffolding (the basic structure for any Laravel app that you create). You can use starter kits such as Laravel Jetstream for faster application deployment:

    Laravel Jetstream

    Arguably, the learning curve for Laravel is bigger than with WordPress. However, once again, we’re talking about two options for web projects with entirely different approaches. If you’re comfortable with the command line, you can set up a Laravel project on your server and start publishing pages in minutes.

    WordPress
    Ease-of-Use 🥇 Winner
    While WordPress does take a second to learn, it is straightforward to get used to and most users will be acclimated within just a few minutes. However, the advanced features will take much longer to master.    		 If you don’t have a background in web development, Laravel can be a lot to take in. However, they do offer video tutorials to help you get you started.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Customization

    Both Laravel and WordPress offer a wealth of customization options for whatever project you’re working on. Here’s how both of them compare.

    WordPress

    Most people customize WordPress using plugins and themes. Plugins are add-ons that can add new functionality to the CMS. Fortunately, there are thousands of plugins available to use, and a lot of them are free:

    Installing plugins in WordPress

    Plugins not only add new features to WordPress but also enable you to change core aspects of how the CMS works. For instance, if you don’t like the default Block Editor, you can replace it with a page builders plugin, such as Divi or Beaver Builder.

    With WordPress, you can develop almost any kind of online project that you can imagine. If you have web development experience, you can also edit the WordPress code and create new plugins and themes. In short, every aspect of WordPress is up for customization.

    Laravel

    With Laravel, you start every project from scratch, choosing which dependencies and packages you want to use. That means any website built using Laravel only includes features that are manually added:

    Some of Laravel's packages

    The Laravel model means that every project has a unique set of features. With Laravel, you can add or remove any package since the framework uses a modular system.

    Although some packages can add a visual interface for your Laravel website, you should expect to make most edits via the command line. That means you’ll need to understand the Laravel syntax and be comfortable managing a web project via commands.

    WordPress
    Customization 🥇 Winner
    With all the thousands of plugins and opportunities for custom coding,
    WordPress is set up to be the master of customization.     		Laravel is designed to be a modular system, with frameworks being hand selected by the user. There is a lot of room for customization, it just takes a lot of know-how.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Themes and Templates

    Many platforms provide themes and templates to customize your website’s style. Themes enable you to quickly try new designs and overhaul your website’s appearance without coding. Here are the differences in how WordPress and Laravel handle theming.

    WordPress

    As you may know, WordPress offers a massive collection of themes, both free and premium. You can look for and install themes without leaving the dashboard and change options almost instantly:

    The WordPress.org theme repository

    Plus, if you look beyond free options, many premium themes add new functionality to WordPress, such as page builder themes (like Divi). The biggest challenge with themes tends to be settling on an option because there are so many of them.

    You can fully customize any aspect of the themes that you use. Moreover, WordPress enables you to edit page templates using the Block Editor.

    Laravel

    Laravel uses the Blade templating engine by default. It enables you to produce layouts manually, which is more efficient than creating pages from scratch. However, you’ll still need to code every section and element of your Blade templates.

    Alternatively, you could use CCS pre-processors and frontend toolkits. One of the most popular options among Laravel users is Bootstrap:

    The Bootstrap homepage

    Toolkits such as Bootstrap do support and offer themes. However, these are not specific to Laravel itself but to the pre-processor you’re using.

    Although the lack of theming systems might be a con for some, the open-ended approach that Laravel offers is quite appealing. Since you’re working with a framework, you’re free to use any front-end toolkit. Therefore, you can choose from hundreds or thousands of templates if you take the time to set things up.

    If you look for Laravel templates, you will find some options for admin dashboards. Keep in mind that Laravel doesn’t come with an admin panel or dashboard. However, you can build one and use Laravel templates to customize its style:

    Examples of Laravel templates

    These templates will usually require dependencies and frontend toolkits to work. Additionally, you’ll still need to configure Laravel to work with the template and display data through it (some packages can do this).

    WordPress
    Themes and Templates 🥇 Winner

    WordPress offers a huge variety of premium and free themes.

    		 Laravel utilizes the Blade templating engine to produce manual layout, but you can also take advantage of Bootstrap to use hundreds of themes, as long as you take the time to set them up properly.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Publishing Tools

    Although Laravel isn’t a “publishing” platform per se, it can fulfill that role with the right approach. Let’s talk about how WordPress and Laravel compare with publishing tools.

    WordPress

    Publishing posts and pages are at the core of the WordPress experience. The CMS focuses on providing tools to create pages and blog posts with ease. The Block Editor reflects that with its visual approach to page creation:

    The Block Editor

    WordPress also offers functionality for managing posts. You can edit, update, and delete posts at any time. Even if you have a massive library of content, WordPress makes it easy to manage it.

    Laravel

    Laravel doesn’t offer built-in publishing tools. However, you can easily change that using the right packages. Some Laravel packages focus on adding blogging and publishing functionality to the framework.

    One such example is Laravel Blog. This package adds a dashboard that looks like WordPress and a classic text editor to publish new posts and pages:

    The Laravel Blog dashboard

    The alternative is to code and publish pages manually. That’s a valid approach, but if you plan on running a blog that publishes content often, you’ll want to use packages to handle the workload more efficiently.

    WordPress
    Publishing Tools 🥇 Winner

    WordPress is a very user-friendly platform, making it easy for non-technical users to create and publish content without much technical expertise. It offers a built-in editor with a variety of formatting options and multimedia support.

    		 Laravel is more developer-oriented and requires technical expertise to use effectively. While it doesn’t offer a built-in content editor, it can be used to build custom publishing tools that are tailored to specific needs.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: Security

    Protecting your website from attacks and securing user data is key to any modern website. Here’s how Laravel and WordPress compare in terms of security.

    WordPress

    One of the main advantages of using WordPress is that the platform gets regular updates and security patches. If you keep WordPress itself, plus the themes and plugins you use, up to date, your website should be mostly secure. There are security plugins that can help you keep your website safe as well, We’ve listed the best ones here.

    Having said that, there are plenty of extra steps that you can take to protect your site even further. Some plugins can help you implement features such as Two Factor Authentication (2FA). Additionally, you can whitelist IP addresses, use web hosts that offer advanced security functionality, and more.

    Laravel

    Laravel offers many pre-programmed security features that you can implement for your projects. These features are not “enabled” by default, meaning you need to add them manually on a project-by-project basis. They include:

    • A user authentication system
    • Protection against XSS attacks and SQL injections
    • Email verification
    • Password hashing and reset functionality

    On top of its pre-programmed functionality, Laravel includes packages to enhance security. Arguably, Laravel is much more secure than most other PHP frameworks. However, there’s always more that you can do to protect your site, so it’s essential to be proactive about it.

    WordPress
    Security WordPress has several security plugins that can be installed to further enhance its security features. However, since it is a widely used platform, it is often targeted by hackers, making it more vulnerable to attacks. 🥇 Winner
    Laravel, on the other hand, is a PHP web application framework that is designed to be secure by default. It comes with built-in security features such as CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) protection and secure session management.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs. Laravel PHP Framework: E-commerce

    Running an online store is one of the best ways to make money online. This section will help you decide which platform is more suitable.

    WordPress

    WordPress is a very user-friendly CMS for running an eCommerce store. Using the free WooCommerce plugin, you can create a storefront, upload products, process payments and shipping, and more:

    WooCommerce plugin

    Furthermore, you can use WooCommerce extensions to add extra functionality to your store, such as product filters and customer reviews. Since you control your shop visually, it’s very easy to organize and sell your products.

    Plus, you can choose from other free and paid eCommerce plugins, such as Easy Digital Downloads. Overall, WordPress eCommerce is very accessible.

    Laravel

    As we previously explained, Laravel works with packages. Some Laravel packages can add complex functionality to your projects, such as publishing tools and eCommerce systems.

    E-commerce packages like Aimeos and Lunar can help you set up complex online stores:

    Lunar

    These eCommerce packages give you arguably more freedom than WooCommerce since you can design more complex products, shopping carts, and customer parameters. You’ll also typically get access to an admin hub to manage all your sales. However, as with most Laravel features, you’ll need developer experience to get the most out of eCommerce packages.

    WordPress
    E-commerce The WooCommerce plugin let’s you create an online store with ease, plus it has extensions to add functionality and customize your store to your liking. 🥇 Winner
    Laravel provides a solid foundation for building e-commerce websites with a range of features such as authentication, routing, database management, and templating.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    WordPress vs Laravel: Picking The Best Option

    Laravel and WordPress offer very distinct approaches to creating a website. With WordPress, you get a CMS that packages visual tools to help you build and manage every aspect of your site. By contrast, Laravel is a PHP framework that requires you to put together projects from scratch using pre-built features and packages.

    WordPress
    Ease-of-Use 🥇 Winner
    While WordPress does take a second to learn, most users will be acclimated within just a few minutes.     		If you don’t have a background in web development, Laravel can be a lot to take in. However, they do offer video tutorials to help you get you started.
    Customization 🥇 Winner

    WordPress is set up to be the master of customization.

    		There is a lot of room for customization, it just takes a lot of know-how.
    Themes and Templates 🥇 Winner

    WordPress offers a huge variety of premium and free themes.

    		 With Laravel you can use hundreds of themes, as long as you take the time to set them up properly.
    Publishing Tools 🥇 Winner

    WordPress is a designed for bloggers.

    		 Laravel is more developer-oriented.
    Security WordPress is a widely used platform, so it’s often targeted by hackers, making it more vulnerable to attacks. 🥇 Winner
    Laravel comes with built-in security features that are unmatched.
    E-commerce The WooCommerce plugin let’s you create an online store with ease. 🥇 Winner
    Laravel provides a solid foundation for building e-commerce websites with the right extension packages.
    Choose WordPress Choose Laravel

    There isn’t a definitively better option for building a website. If you’re an experienced programmer, you’ll probably appreciate Laravel for what it offers – an incredibly scalable and customizable framework that can adapt to your needs. On the other hand, WordPress simply works right out of the box, which can simplify and speed up some projects.

    WordPress vs Anything Else

    One more thing. Before you make your final decision on your website platform…are you curious to see how WordPress stacks up against its other biggest competitors? We did the hard work and compared WordPress vs. everything else so that you don’t have to! We also reviewed WordPress vs. GitHub Pages, and I think you will be interested to see the results.

    If you’re looking for specific plugins to help WordPress become even more powerful, we recommend the following:

    Do you have any questions about using WordPress vs. Laravel? Let’s talk about them in the comments section below!

    The post WordPress vs Laravel (2023) — What You Need To Know appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 9 Best WordPress Restaurant Plugins for 2023

    Getting your restaurant business online can help you boost sales, grow your brand recognition and gain loyal fans. When looking for the best WordPress restaurant plugins, you are in search of the right tools to help you get the job done. Whether you need online ordering, WooCommerce integration, menu editors, or social proof, our list of the best WordPress restaurant plugins will help you make the right decision for your food business. Set up your website for success by checking out these plugins before building your next restaurant website.

    Why You May Need a Restaurant Plugin

    Restaurant needs are a lot more robust than the average small business website. They take just a little bit more work but that work is well worth it. Being able to leverage technology that the average person in 2023 expects is a must if you want to stay relevant (and busy). Here are some things that your website may need to have to be at its best:

    • Online Reservations: Restaurants may want a way for customers to make reservations online, whether it’s through a third-party service or a restaurant reservation plugin on the website.
    • Mobile Ordering: With more and more customers using their smartphones to order food, restaurants should have a mobile ordering system that has a fully responsive design for mobile devices.
    • Displaying Menus: A restaurant should showcase its menu in an easy-to-read format that entices customers to come in and dine. This can be done through a custom plugin or simply by formatting the food items in a clear and concise manner. This is very important if you use QR codes in your physical location in lieu of printed menus.
    • Showcasing Locations: If a restaurant has multiple locations, it should make it easy for customers to find the nearest one. This can be done through a custom plugin that integrates with Google Maps or through a simple “Locations” page on the website.
    • High-Quality Images: Restaurants should use high-quality images of their food, locations, and staff to entice customers and give them a sense of what the dining experience will be like. The more mouth-watering the better! Just make sure those images are optimized for performance.
    • Customer Reviews: Displaying customer reviews on the website can really help restaurants build trust with potential customers and encourage them to pay you a visit.

    9 Best WordPress Restaurant Plugins

    As we explored above, WordPress restaurant plugins can have a multitude of functionalities. We’ve made sure to gather some of the best plugins on the market that cover many different use cases. Here are our top picks for restaurant plugins on WordPress:

    1. WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering

    WooCommerce Food Ordering plugin Homepage Feb 2023

    The WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering plugin by the excellent folks over at Barn2, is a fantastic solution for restaurants and food outlets looking to take their business operations online. It turns a typical WooCommerce store setup into a restaurant’s dream for online ordering.

    Key Features for WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering:

    • Fully integrates with WooCommerce and other WooCommerce plugins
    • Designed to be as familiar as the DoorDash and Uber Eats UIs
    • Layouts for lightbox or on-page ordering
    • Set open/close times so orders don’t come in when you are closed
    • Works with WooCommerce product variations and options (“options” require an additional plugin)
    • Pulls in and works with WooCommerce delivery settings (ex. “delivery” or “collect in person”)

    WooCommerce-Restaurant Ordering Plugin

    WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering makes displaying your menu items and checking out very easy. By default, the plugin’s UI is amazing and very intuitive. Extra functionality can be achieved with other Barn2 plugins such as WooCommerce Product Options and WooCommerce Fast Cart. In fact, all of these Barn2 plugins

    WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering is for you if you…

    • Need the ability to create online orders
    • Enjoy the flexibility of WooCommerce and other extensions

    Pricing: $129 a year

    Get WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering

    2. Food Menu

    Food Menu WordPress Restaurant Plugin

    Food Menu is an effective plugin for restaurants and food industry businesses that makes it easy to create online menu boards. You can add images, descriptions, and prices—everything you need to share your menu with the world. Most of the standout features come in the premium version but you can also try out their free to see if it is a good fit beforehand.

    Key Features of Food Menu:

    • Use WooCommerce product data for easy menu creation (Premium version)
    • Allows for clicking open expanded views of products in a lightbox
    • Drag and drop menu builder
    • Display ingredients and nutrition information
    • Multiple layouts powered by Ajax category filtering and pagination
    • Shortcode generator for embedding unlimited menus

    This is a very simple plugin that majors on the majors. It creates very attractive menus with the functionality that is absolutely required. The Ajax filtering makes menus created with Food Menu incredibly easy to use.

    Food Menu Example of Ajax Category Filter

    Food Menu is for you if you…

    • Want a simple way to present your restaurant menus
    • Need a menu that can work in conjunction with WooCommerce
    • Want an easy way to add, categorize, and display menu items

    Pricing: Free, Pro Version from $24 a year

    Get Food Menu

    3. WPCafe

    WPCafe – Restaurant Menu, Online Ordering for WooCommerce, Pickup/Delivery, and Table Reservation

    WPCafe is a complete restaurant solution that offers a full range of features to help manage virtually every aspect of a food business. With its combination of reservation management, menu creation, online ordering, and pickup/delivery capabilities, this plugin is a must-have for any restaurant or cafe that wants to fill up the order queue for their kitchen.

    Key Features for WPCafe

    • Comes with customizable menu styles and layouts
    • Customizable mini cart module when checking out and browsing
    • Advanced search and filter for menus
    • Customers can visually see open tables ready for reservation
    • Google Maps integration for store location and customer address auto-complete
    • Manage discounts, keep track of payments, and turn on tipping
    • Customizable reservation forms
    • Integrates with Gutenberg blocks to help build website content.

    The beauty of WPCafe is that it turns a great eCommerce solution (WooCommerce) into an industry-leading restaurant management system. Its ability to use Google Maps in the checkout process is very streamlined. We especially like that it simplifies WooCOmmerce’s standard checkout process with what they call “Mini Cart” checkout. It brings in a quick side pane, instead of loading a new page, when a customer is ready to checkout.

    WPCafe MiniCart for Restaurant Management System

    WPCafe is for you if you…

    • Need a total solution without a bunch of patchworked plugins
    • Want a reliable plugin that “gets” restaurants and their needs

    Pricing: Free version with Pro at $59 a year (Lifetime pricing available)

    Get WPCafe

    4. ProveSource

    ProveSource Homepage Feb 2023

    ProveSource is a social proof plugin for WordPress that pulls recent orders to display them as social proof to site visitors. This creates a positive signal for visitors that will help boost sales and increase your conversions. ProveSource is commonly used in traditional eCommerce stores but can be used to great effect for WooCommerce-powered restaurants.

    Key Features for ProveSource:

    • Showing recent orders and the current number of site visitors
    • Customize order popups with position, timing, colors, and images
    • Supports over 22 languages with Localization and translation
    • Use a nudge style that is friendly to your brand and store design instead of obtrusive popups
    • Integrations with popular payment gateways and email marketing platforms

    ProveSource is specially designed to show high-converting social proof on mobile devices. The truth is that most of your customers who are submitting mobile orders are doing so on their phones. This plugin and service help you make the most use of your mobile website and capture interest using data that your store already is generating. You can create multiple types of banners and display each based on specific rules. Additionally, you have a good amount of control over how they look.

    ProveSource Banner Creation and Deployment Rules

    ProveSourceis for you if you…

    • Use WooCommerce to power your mobile order system (deliveries or pick-up orders)
    • Have low website conversion rates and want to increase sales

    Pricing: Free plan, Paid plans starting at $24 a month

    Get ProveSource

    5. WooCommerce Location Picker

    Location Picker at Checkout Plugin for WooCommerce

    Location Picker for WooCommerce offers WooCommerce store owners a more precise location of customer locations. This is useful for delivery offered by local restaurants. With this plugin, customers can intuitively select their exact location using Google Maps during the checkout process, without the need for additional contact.

    Key Features for WooCommerce Location Picker:

    • Geolocation feature to accurately detect user’s location during the checkout
    • Autofill Address Details to save time and reduce input errors
    • Translation Ready for use in multiple languages
    • View on Map Button for Admin to visually track and confirm delivery locations

    Location Picker Drawn Boundaries Overlay Google Map

    Location Picker can be set up to automatically detect the customer’s location on the checkout page load while also allowing customers to make any necessary corrections. This feature helps to ensure that the delivery is accurate, providing a smoother and more efficient transaction for both the customer and store owner. Delivery boundaries may also be set up to ensure that you aren’t delivering orders to customers well outside your delivery range.

    WooCommerce Location Picker is for you if you…

    • Offer delivery services from your website
    • Have had bad experiences being able to find the exact locations of customers who may be in public places like libraries, workplaces, and parking lots

    Pricing: Free plan, Pro starting at $39.99 a year (Lifetime options available)

    Get WP Store Locator

    6. Five Star Restaurant Menu

    Five Star Restaurant Menu Plugin

    The Five Star Restaurant Menu plugin is a block editor-based WordPress plugin that allows restaurants to quickly and easily set up responsive restaurant menus. It provides everything you need to set up your restaurant menu and beautifully showcases it on your website. The “Ultimate” version also comes with its own ordering system and app.

    Key Features for Five Star Restaurant Menu:

    • Advanced menu Layouts and styling
    • Sorting and filtering options for your menu
    • Display dietary icons within your menu
    • Accept orders directly from your menu page
    • Display sale/promotional pricing

    Five Star Restaurant Menu Plugin Custom Fields Dashboard

    Five Star Restaurant Menu lets you create and use custom fields for your menu items so you can display detailed information. Use these custom fields for info like nutrition, ingredients, and guidelines, and use them to set up templates for your menu items.

    Five Star Restaurant Menu is for you if you…

    • Primarily want an easy and good-looking way of displaying menu items
    • Already use or are planning to use other Fiver Star products like Reservations and Reviews

    Pricing: Free version, $67 Lifetime for Premium, and $297 a year for Ultimate

    Get Five Star Restaurant Menu

    7. Divi Restro Menu

    Divi Resto Menu

    Divi Restro Menu has one purpose—to make creating attractive online menus on Divi as easy as possible. Users of Divi’s WordPress theme or plugin will have no trouble using this plugin as they better showcase their menus digitally.

    Key Features for Divi Resto Menu:

    • Has 2 customizable menu layouts
    • Creates a menu custom post type for easy menu item management
    • Ajax-powered pagination, categories, and filtering
    • Easily show ingredient list and item description
    • Display menu item images

    Divi Restro Menu expertly handles your menus and menu items. The frontend experience for site visitors is especially pleasing since they can adjust the view of the menu based on filter options. Simply click a menu category and all that is visible are the items in the category.

    Divi Restro Menu Filterable Categories

    Divi Resto Menu is for you if you…

    • Use Divi for your restaurant website
    • Want the easiest way to display menus and menu items

    Pricing: $39 a year

    Get Divi Resto Menu

    8. WooCommerce Food

    WooCommerce Food - Restaurant Menu & Food ordering

    Like WPCafe, mentioned above, WooCommerce Food is a highly recommended WordPress plugin that creates and manages an entire ordering system for your website. The plugin makes it easy for restaurants, cafes, and food service businesses to display menus but also accept online orders through its WooCommerce-powered backend.

    Key Features for WooCommerce Food:

    • 10+ food and menu display styles
    • Users can choose an order method: pickup, delivery, or dine-in
    • Set and limit delivery zone with Google maps
    • Supports multiple locations with differing menus
    • Set custom opening and closing times
    • Compatible with WPML

    WooCommerce Food - Restaurant Menu & Food Ordering - Order Calendar

    WooCommerce food gives you a preview of all your orders and their status, date, time, and order number from one convenient calendar. Filter through orders placed on your website by “day” or look at your past and future views using the “week” or “month” views.

    WooCommerce Food is for you if you…

    • Need a cheap online ordering system
    • Want a solution that is built on top of and extends WooCommerce

    Pricing: $49 Lifetime (6 months of support)

    Get WooCommerce Food

    9.  DoorDash for WP

    DoorDash WP Plugin Landing page Feb 2023

    DoorDash is a major provider that connects local restaurants with customers. It offers a reliable app that allows customers to find restaurants, place orders, and tracks the status of food delivery. Restaurant owners in the past had to signup as a vendor through their app in order to tap into the customer base that DoorDash has created. The DoorDash plugin for WordPress lets restaurants provide the option for delivery via DoorDash and then does all the heavy lifting of moving the order into DoorDash. Just a simple delivery fee is charged to the restaurant owner (no other fees for using DoorDash!).

    Key Features for DoorDash for WP:

    • Provide a convenient and reliable delivery experience to your customers
    • Eliminate in-house delivery costs and pay only per delivery
    • Get status updates and live tracking URLs for every delivery
    • Own the end-to-end customer shopping and checkout experience
    • Offer delivery from multiple store locations

    DoorDash Pickup Locations for Dashers

    DoorDash’s WordPress plugin can completely manage your delivery operation for your restaurant. Without needing to worry about a delivery workforce (and all the headaches that come with one) you can easily focus on making quality food and getting it out the door. It can even manage multiple locations so their Dashers (what they call delivery drivers) know where to pick up the order.

    DoorDash for WP is for you if you…

    • Are looking for a way to outsource delivery
    • Already use WooCommerce on WordPress

    Pricing: Free, Service fees apply per order

    Get DoorDash for WP

    Bonus: Restaurant Menu by MotoPress

    The WordPress Restaurant Menu by MotoPress is a free and easy-to-use food menu plugin. Create and manage all of your menu offerings on the backend and showcase menus anywhere on your WordPress theme. It includes built-in functionality for pizza ordering, fast food ordering, and more. Sell food and drinks with Paypal and cash on delivery methods for free. Additional add-ons are available at a reasonable price.

    Pricing: Free, Paid add-ons available

    Get Restaurant Menu by MotoPress

    Which is the Best WordPress Restaurant Plugin?

    Overall, when it comes to total online order management, both WPCafe and WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering are the clear winners. These plugins offer everything a restaurant needs to manage online orders, from taking reservations to managing menus and delivery options. Make sure to get them today so you can start building your online ordering platform.

    However, if you’re simply looking to create and display online food and drink menus, both Divi Restro Menu and Food Menu are excellent options, each with their own set of unique features and customization options. No matter which plugin you choose, incorporating one of these tools with your website is going to set you up for success.

    Plugin Price Free Option
    🥇 WooCommerce Restaurant Ordering $129/yr ❌ Visit
    🥈 Food Menu $24/yr ✔️ Visit
    🥉 WPCafe $59/yr ✔️ Visit
    4 ProveSource $288 ✔️ Visit
    5 WooCommerce Location Picker $39.99 ✔️ Visit
    6 Five Star Restaurant Menu $67 Lifetime ✔️ Visit
    7 Divi Restro Menu $39/yr ❌ Visit
    8 WooCommerce Food $49 Lifetime ❌ Visit
    9 DoorDash for WP Free ✔️ Visit
    10 Restaurant Menu (MotoPress) Free ✔️ Visit

    The plugin recommendations don’t stop there. All local businesses, including restaurants, need to be leveraging Schema Markup. Check out the best WordPress schema plugins we were able to find that can improve your local SEO.

    Featured Image via graficriver_icons_logo / shutterstock.com

    The post 9 Best WordPress Restaurant Plugins for 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • WordPress 6.2 Beta 3 Released, Contributors to Host Live Product Demo on March 2

    WordPress 6.2 Beta 3 was released this week, another small milestone towards the official, more polished version that is expected in under five weeks on March 28, 2023. Testers will find 34 issues resolved since the Beta 2 release, bringing the cumulative number of enhancements to 292, with 354 bug fixes and counting. Details for the changes in beta 3 are available in the linked tickets:

    Contributors will be hosting a live product demo on Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 12:00 PM EST via Zoom. WordPress contributors Anne McCarthy and Rich Tabor, who are helping lead the release, will give viewers a tour of the features coming in 6.2.

    “This is a slightly different format from the previous 6.0 and 6.1 walk-throughs, focusing on showcasing the great work that’s been going into the release,” Marketing Team contributor Jonathan Pantani said. “Future releases can expect to see this, a walk-through/discussion, or both types of live events become part of the release cycle.”

    The event will be moderated by Nathan Wrigley, who will guide the discussion and present questions from the audience. Questions can be submitted in advance in the Make WordPress Slack via the #walkthrough channel. The livestream will be recorded and published in a follow-up post after the product demo has concluded. There is no registration for the event. Those who want to watch and participate live can launch the meeting using Zoom at the scheduled time.

  • 9 Best WordPress Forum Plugins in 2023

    Forums are a great tool to foster discussion and connection on the internet. With some of the best WordPress Forum plugins out there, it is easier than ever to create your own online community.

    In this post, we’ll provide you with our list of the most helpful WordPress forum plugins to help you get a forum up and running on your site.

    Key Features of the Best Forum Plugins (What to Look For)

    For those looking to create an online community, WordPress is a great platform to build on. When looking for a forum plugin, it needs to be able to do the job well. Look for these features of the best forum plugins:

    • User Accounts and Dashboards: User registration and management should be simple and efficient so users can register an account with ease and you can track user activity, receive real-time updates, and engage with the community.
    • Customization of Styles and Layouts: Look for a forum plugin with a wide range of customization options to help you create a forum that matches your brand’s style and layout, from color schemes to custom fonts.
    • Advanced Moderation Tools: To keep forums clean and spam-free, look for plugins with a variety of moderation tools that allow administrators to manage the content of their forums, including features like moderation queues, flags, and automatic spam filters.
    • Simple to Use: You want a simple forum that does not inhibit a community from growing, with a user-friendly interface and clear navigation to help users find what they’re looking for and participate in the community with ease.
    • Option to Subscribe to Topics and Receive Notifications: Subscribing to topic notifications is an essential feature for keeping users engaged with the forum. Participation is key in keeping the forum interesting and worth visiting.
    • Compatibility: Make sure your forum plugin is compatible with essential plugins and themes you will use on your site.

    The Best WordPress Forum Plugins

    Most would agree that the two most popular WordPress forum plugins are bbPress and BuddyPress. Although these plugins are free and provide a core foundation for building forums, they are often used with other themes and plugins to get a more polished design and user experience. Some of the best membership plugins and LMS plugins have built-in forums using bbPress and BuddyPress integration. So, we’ve expanded our list to include other plugins and themes that can help you build online communities with the tools you need.

    Here they are:

    1. Answers by Creative Minds (CM Answers)

    CM Answer Q&A Plugin for WordPress

    Answers by Creative Minds (a.k.a. CM Answers)  is a Q&A-style WordPress forum plugin designed to help you build engaging communities around answering questions. Its forum-like layout and functions focus on questions versus topics—making it perfect for creating a Stack Exchange/Quora-style forum. The basic free version has enough features to start, but the pro version is what makes Answers a great choice for building forums.

    Key Features for CM Answers:

    • Forum topic views and answer counters
    • Forum-related email notifications for administrators and users
    • Sorting options in the question and answer pages
    • The forum template can be easily customized
    • Ability to monetize forums with PayPal/Stripe integrations

    CM Answers Monetization

    Not only is CM Answers a great tool for building a Q&A-style forum, but it also offers unique features that set it apart from other forum plugins. For instance, website owners can use it to replace the commenting system on regular blog posts (without the need for a comment plugin). And, the forums can be monetized which is an ideal choice for thought leaders and bloggers who want to create a paid community around their offerings.

    CM Answers is for you if you…

    • Need a total Q&A forum solution
    • Have been kicking around the idea of creating a paid community (similar to a paid Facebook Group or Discord server)

    CM Answers Pricing: $39 per year

    Get CM Answers

    2. ForumEngine

    ForumEngine WordPress Forum Theme

    ForumEngine is a WordPress theme that makes it easy to turn your site into a discussion forum. Yes, theme. We’ve included it for those who may want a complete forum solution (or website) without having to build and design one yourself. A theme may be of particular interest to those who want to run a community forum on a separate WordPress installation on a sub-domain or in a root folder (eg. community.example.com or example.com/community).

    Key Features of ForumEngine:

    • Frontend style customizer with other frontend controls
    • Adaptive design for mobile use
    • User badges and achievements
    • Live notification system
    • Translation support

    ForumEngine Frontend User Styling

    One of its standout features is its detailed styling function, which gives you complete control over the look and feel of your forum. That, and individual users can customize styling their way with a front-end styler.

    ForumEngine is for you if you…

    • Have the flexibility to use a theme versus a plugin for your forum solution
    • Want to pay a low Lifetime (LTD) price for the software
    • Like an active developer who listens to feedback and posts updates regularly

    ForumEngine Pricing: $49 per year

    Get ForumEngine

    3. bbPress

    bbPress WordPress Forum Plugin

    bbPress is an incredibly popular WordPress plugin that makes it easy to add a forum to your site. Developed by some of the same team behind WordPress.org (the open-source project)—bbPress has an air of familiarity that is classically WordPress. We like that it seamlessly integrates with membership plugins like MemberPress and Paid Memberships Pro so that you can easily add a forum to your membership site. It even integrates with Lifter LMS to create a community forum for your online course as well.

    Key Features for bbPress:

    • Ability to create multisite forums
    • Customizable forum templates
    • Forum spam protection through Akismet
    • Fast, light, and built to WordPress standards
    • Extend your forum with numerous free, third-party plugins
    • Allow users to subscribe to topics and specific forums

    bbPress showcase of Free plugin user groups

    The key feature and advantage of bbPress are that it is completely free and open-source. This means that you can go to the website and download the plugin without having to worry about any upsells or hidden costs. And since it is developed to the highest standards, free and open source feels pretty good.

    bbPress is for you if you…

    • Want a lightweight and reliable forum plugin
    • Want a free solution that works without a lot of design options
    • Use a membership or LMS plugin that already has built-in integration for it.

    bbPress Pricing: Free

    Get bbpress

    4. Asgaros Forum

    Asgaros Free WP Forum Plugin

    Asgaros Forum is a lightweight and straightforward WordPress plugin that makes it easy to add a forum to existing websites. It’s designed to provide all the basic features of a forum without getting bogged down in unnecessary features and bloat, making it an ideal choice for websites that need a small and simple forum.

    Key Features of Asgaros Forum:

    • Users create profiles that come with notifications and personal feeds
    • Users have access to media uploads within the forum
    • Forum statistics and analytics
    • Guests can guest-post within forums
    • Moderation system for approval processes and forum banning
    • Compatible with Multisite

    Asgaros Forum Moderation Reports

    One of the great features of Asgaros Forum is its moderation tools. Moderators have deep visibility about who is online (in real-time), which makes it easy to keep an eye on what’s happening in the forum. Additionally, the plugin offers a simple admin page with topic/user monitoring, usage reporting, and moderation tools.

    Asgaros Forum is for you if you…

    • Need a forum solution that can be added to an existing website
    • Want just enough features to open up a forum but not too many to manage

    Asgaros Forum Pricing: Free

    Get Asgaros Forum

    5. wpForo

    wpForo free WP Forum Plugin

    wpForo is a comprehensive and user-friendly forum plugin for WordPress. It allows site owners to easily create modern forums where their users can participate, ask questions, answer, up-vote, and subscribe to topics. This plugin brings everything you need to run an efficient and professional community, including a powerful and beautiful forum with unique features. The core features of the plugin are free, but if you need more, some affordable add-ons allow you to integrate WooCommerce memberships, GIPHY, private messaging, and many more.

    Key Features for wpForo:

    • Easy drag-and-drop forum management system for admins
    • Member ratings and badges
    • Built-in forum sitemap, forum SEO tools, and caching system
    • Six end-user forum styles, including dark mode
    • Four forum layouts and designs
    • Built-in topic and forum subscription

    wpForo Forum Quality Sytyles and Design

    One of the reasons why many users prefer wpForo over other forum plugins is its modern design. Other forum solutions can tend to look dated (plus forums are hard to style anyways). It includes four major layout styles for site admins to use and six styles (sometimes called skins) that individual users can use to customize their experience (including dark mode!).

    Engage your community even more with gamification and reward points to users for getting likes and up-votes using MyCred plugin integration.

    wpForo is for you if you…

    • want a modern-looking forum option out of the box
    • Enjoy the core features and don’t mind paying for the occasion extension/add-on

    wpForo Pricing: Free with Paid add-ons available

    Get wpForo

    6. WP Discussion Board

    Discussion Board Forum Plugin

    WP Discussion Board – WordPress Forum Plugin is a user-friendly and practical solution for those looking to add a forum to their WordPress site. With a simple setup and a form-driven front-end design, this plugin is accessible to users with no prior WordPress knowledge.

    Key Features of Discussion Board:

    • User management for forum administrators
    • Frontend user self-serve and management
    • Spam reduction tools
    • Shortcode library to show forum on other pages and posts
    • Designed to look beautiful and work with any theme

    Discussion Forum Minimalistic Design

    The Discussion Board offers a minimalist and modern forum that can be placed anywhere on your WordPress website. The user registration process is streamlined and effortless. Overall, Discussion Board is easy to look at which isn’t the case with every forum plugin out there.

    Discussion Board is for you if you…

    • Like the idea of using form submissions as part of the forum experience
    • Need dedicated moderation and spam protection tools built-in

    WP Discussion Board Pricing: Free; Paid plans start at $49 per year

    Get WP Discussion Board

    7. BuddyPress

    BuddyPress WordPress Community Plugin

    BuddyPress is a powerful plugin developed by the same team behind bbPress and WordPress. It goes in a slightly different direction than bbPress in that it can transform your website into a social media network. BuddyPress can work with any WordPress theme to help you create an online community complete with user profiles, messaging, and networking options. It’s ideal for business owners and bloggers who want to build a community around their content and product.

    Key Features for BuddyPress:

    • Users can control profile visibility
    • Admins can create custom profile fields
    • Friendships and friend connections
    • Public and private messaging
    • Customizable emails

    BuddyPress Personal Profile and Friend Requests

    Forums are often great for creating community. BuddyPress goes the extra mile and brings social networking functionality directly into a WordPress website. It offers an exciting alternative to traditional forums and comment plugins with less emphasis on “staying on topic” and more emphasis on community engagement.

    BuddyPress is for you if you…

    • Like the idea of building a social network for your users directly on your site
    • Want community engagement that goes beyond forums
    • Don’t mind the extra setup that is entailed in creating social features

    BuddyPress Pricing: Free

    Get BuddyPress

    8. Sabai Discuss

    Sabai Discuss WordPress Forum Plugin

    Sabai Discuss is a premium WordPress plugin that offers a unique take on forums. It combines the best of both worlds by offering both a discussion stream and a question-and-answer tool, making it ideal for those who want to create a community-driven Q&A website, a discussion forum, a knowledge base, or even a helpdesk portal.

    Key Features for Sabai Discuss:

    • Discussion Stream makes it easy to stay on top of new activities with a streamlined information feed
    • Voting engine for threads within the forum
    • Upvote or downvote questions
    • Moderation system with user reporting
    • Forum users can use the frontend markdown editor

    Sabai Discuss Attractive Forum Layouts

    One of the standout features of Sabai Discuss is its attractive and easy-to-read interface. It’s designed to look like a Q&A platform like Quora or Stack Overflow, and it does so in a way that’s both functional and visually appealing. This makes it a great choice for those who want a forum that feels modern and engaging.

    Sabai Discuss is for you if you…

    • Enjoy purchasing products from Envato Marketplace
    • Need a Q&A-based forum setup

    Sabai Discuss Pricing: $24 (LTD) with 6 months of support

    Get Sabai Discuss

    9. Simple:Press

    Simple:Press Ultimate Forum Plugin

    Simple:Press is a feature-packed WordPress forum plugin that offers a sleek and customizable interface. Its threads are clean and have simple colors that complement your website’s content. The free version is fairly basic, but you can enhance its functionalities by purchasing a premium plan. Ideal for businesses that are planning for very large and complicated communities.

    Key Features for Simple:Press:

    • Sub-forum support
    • Forum ranking and badges
    • User-defined signatures
    • Upload avatars or use Gravatar or WordPress avatar
    • Forum statistics for the admin
    • Member profile options for users
    • Monetization potential

    SimplePress Clean and Advanced Forums

    Simple:Press touts itself as an enterprise solution. If you are looking for a robust and complex community forum, Simple:Press aims to be the ideal plugin for your needs.

    Simple:Press is for you if you…

    • Have enterprise-level dreams for your community
    • Don’t mind paying a pretty penny for advanced features
    • Want a modern-looking forum

    Simple:Press Pricing: Free; Paid plans start at $199 per year

    Get Simple:Press

    What are the Best WordPress Forum Plugins?

    Our list of the best WordPress forum plugins provides you with a glance into what’s available to you as you build your online forum. Should you want to monetize your community, you can consider using bbPress with a membership plugin like MemberPress or Paid Memberships Pro. Or you can use CM Answers or Simple:Press .

    If you are after a forum theme, check out Forum Engine as it is a complete forum built into a theme instead of a plugin.

    Plugin Price Free Option
    🥇 CM Answers $39/yr ✔️ Visit
    🥈 ForumEngine $49/yr ❌ Visit
    🥉 bbPress Free ✔️ Visit
    4 Asgaros Forum Free ✔️ Visit
    5 wpForo Free (Paid Add-ons) ✔️ Visit
    6 Discussion Board $49/yr ❌ Visit
    7 BuddyPress Free ✔️ Visit
    8 Sabai Discuss $24 (6 months support) ❌ Visit
    9 Simple:Press $199/yr ✔️ Visit

    When choosing any plugin on WordPress, it is important to look at features and pricing carefully. This means paying very careful attention to what is (and isn’t) offered with each pricing tier. WordPress offers many great free and cheap options for forum plugins. Enjoy building your community.

    Featured Image via M. Ageng sumantri / shutterstock.com

    The post 9 Best WordPress Forum Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.