Best Content Management Systems in 2026
Updated
In short: Drupal is ranked #1 of 165 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of Webflow CMS and HubSpot Content Hub. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Webflow CMS. The lowest first paid tier on this page is ExpressionEngine at $3.25/mo.
A content management system helps organize the content and editorial work involved in publishing a site or other digital experience. Compared on platform type, custom content types, and custom user roles, these systems offer criteria for assessing structure and permissions. Editorial workflows, media libraries, multilingual content, and SEO tools add other considerations; free plans and paid-from prices provide cost context. Drupal, Webflow CMS, and HubSpot Content Hub are among the options shown, alongside Umbraco CMS and Prismic. Consider the content you manage and the publishing process your team needs, then compare the listed capabilities.
165 content management systems ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
18 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 1 has open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DrupalWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 8.1 | |
| 2 | Webflow CMSWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $15/mo | 8.0 | |
| 3 | HubSpot Content HubNo platforms listed | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | Free | 7.8 | |
| 4 | Umbraco CMSWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | €45/mo | 7.8 | |
| 5 | PrismicWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $10/mo | 7.8 | |
| 6 | MODXWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $36/mo | 7.7 | |
| 7 | PimcoreWeb · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 7.7 | |
| 8 | ExpressionEngineWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $3.25/mo | 7.6 | |
| 9 | Enonic XPWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 7.5 | |
| 10 | dotCMSNo platforms listed | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | Free | 7.5 | |
| 11 | Marketpath CMSWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $49/mo | 7.5 | |
| 12 | Zesty.ioWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $475/mo | 7.4 | |
| 13 | Decap CMSWeb · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | €19/mo | 7.3 | |
| 14 | Vvveb CMSNo platforms listed | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | Free | 7.2 | |
| 15 | KilnWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $4.99/mo | 7.2 | |
| 16 | October CMSWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $26/mo | 7.1 | |
| 17 | MicroweberWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $5/mo | 7.1 | |
| 18 | Xperience by KenticoWeb · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 7.0 |
| 19 | PloneWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 7.0 |
| 20 | Pulse CMSNo platforms listed | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | $24.75/mo | 6.9 | |
| 21 | JoomlaWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
| 22 | TYPO3 CMSWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
| 23 | HugoCMSWeb · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | €139/mo | 6.8 | |
| 24 | ContaoWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 6.7 |
| 25 | Magnolia DXPWeb · Self-hosted · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | $3,500/mo | 6.7 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which content management system is ranked first on Freedom251?
Drupal is ranked #1 of 165 with a score of 8.1. Webflow CMS is second and HubSpot Content Hub third.
How many of these have a free plan?
18 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, ExpressionEngine has the lowest first paid tier we found: $3.25/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.