Posted by Joomla is a popular free open-source CMS platform coming with a variety of different templates and extensions. Although it is free to use, you will need hosting and a domain name.
First released in 2005, so like WordPress, Joomla has been going for years. It is packed with features and many web hosts offer one-click installation. However, it is really an ideal CMS platform for experienced website creators and developers, so it is not such a good option for beginners.
Pros
· The platform provides lots of flexibility and plenty of options. It’s a perfect option if you are building something complicated or bespoke.
· Although Joomla is particularly useful for developers, you still can use this platform if you don’t want to ever touch a line of code since it is easy to edit your content.
· Like WordPress, Joomla is an open-source with lots of community support always ready to assist you if you are stuck.
· You can use this platform to run an e-commerce store since there are extensions available for this.
Cons
· Even Joomla fans may admit that it can be pretty complex. Depending on what you want to do with it, you might need to hire a developer to help out.
· There aren’t a lot of options for additional extensions. If you are used to a CMS like WordPress with thousands of available themes and plugins extending the core functionality, you may be disappointed by Joomla.
· There might be some compatibility issues if you have many different extensions and modules installed.
Pricing
· Joomla itself is free but you still have to pay for a web hosting and domain name that supports Joomla. SiteGround is a good option since they have specific Joomla hosting plans with many handy features.
· You might find yourself paying for some extensions in order to add more functionality to your site. You may even want to budget for getting help from a developer, depending on what you are trying to achieve.