Closed vs open CMS: a real fight for freedom and flexibility online
Update – November 8, 2025
In Luxembourg, some companies have no qualms about charging very high prices for websites built with all-in-one tools, often using standard templates shared by hundreds of other sites. These providers maximize their profits by avoiding the use of real web professionals. They charge several thousand euros for a site… that the client does not even own! In many cases, it’s even just a simple annual subscription with no real services behind it. Reclaiming your own website becomes an extra expense. The client ends up trapped twice: first by the closed platform, then by the provider.
Before ordering a website, make sure you are fully the owner of your site and domain, and that you can transfer it freely to the host of your choice. Also, check that recurring fees match the services provided. For example: for a small showcase site with text and images, hosting and domain fees above €250 per year (excluding content updates) are clearly excessive.
Article published on January 20, 2024:
In the vast world of web development, choosing the right Content Management System (CMS) is no small decision. All-in-one platforms like Wix or Weebly often attract users with their simplicity and the promise to handle everything for you. But behind this ease of use lie important limitations — especially when compared to open CMS platforms like WordPress. Control, flexibility, sustainability… that’s where the real difference lies.
Freedom to migrate
This is something many discover too late: with a closed CMS, you’re stuck. Exporting your website elsewhere is difficult or even impossible. You’re tied to the platform, its terms, and its pricing.
With an open CMS, it’s the opposite. You stay in control — you can move your website whenever you want, to any hosting provider you choose. That independence is priceless.
Customization: a world of difference
Closed CMS platforms restrict you to the tools and templates they provide. A few modules, a few themes — and that’s it.
With an open CMS like WordPress, it’s a whole new world. You can choose from thousands of themes, plugins, and tools created by a massive community. And if you have special needs, you can even have custom features developed. The result: a website that truly reflects your identity, without artificial limits.
Hosting: your choice, not theirs
All-in-one platforms usually impose their own hosting. The problem? You don’t control performance, security, or even where your data is stored.
With an open CMS, you choose your host, your country, your rules. That’s crucial for data protection compliance, site performance, and overall reliability.
Vendor lock-in
Another hidden danger: dependency. If the provider changes prices, modifies services, or removes features, you have little say. And if the company shuts down, your site might go with it.
An open CMS, on the other hand, is community-driven. Updates, security, support — everything is transparent and collaborative. You stay in charge.
Long-term cost
All-in-one platforms often look affordable at first glance. But as soon as you start adding options, storage, or features, costs rise quickly.
An open CMS might require a slightly higher initial investment — especially if you hire a professional — but in the long run, it’s usually much more cost-effective. You pay only for what you actually need, without hidden or recurring traps.
In conclusion
Integrated solutions are appealing: simple, fast to set up, and reassuring for beginners. But in the long term, they can become a golden cage.
If you value independence, flexibility, and sustainability, choosing an open CMS like WordPress is a far better path.
You keep full control, your website grows with you — and most importantly, it remains truly yours.
Leave a Reply