WordPress vs WYSIWYG vs SanityPress
- #Features
- Mitchell Christ
Choosing the right platform for your website can be a daunting task, especially with so many options available. Today, we're comparing three popular choices: WordPress, WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) or "no-code" platforms (like Webflow and Framer), and SanityPress (your favorite Next.js + Sanity.io starter template). Here's a breakdown to help you decide which platform best suits your needs.
So, which platform is right for you?
TLDR;
Here's a quick comparison chart:
| WordPress (with plugins) |
WYSIWYG | SanityPress (with a developer) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 🧑🎓 Learning Curve | Medium | Low | High |
| ✏️ Visual Editing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 🧑🎨 Design Flexibility | Limited | Decent | Full |
| 🗃️ Content Management | Very constrained | Decent | Fully customizable |
| 📈 Scalability | 🤮 | ★★☆ | ★★★ |
| ⚡ Page speed | Slow (if too many plugins) |
Decent | Fast |
| ⏱️ Deployment times | seconds | 5-10 sec | 1-2 min |
| 🌐 Hosting | Self | Self | Vercel, Netlify, etc |
| 🔐 Security & Vulnerabilities | ★☆☆ | ★★★ | ★★★ |
| 💰 Pricing | $4 to $25/mo (excluding plugins) |
from $14/mo | Free to $15+/mo |
The Breakdown
1. Learning Curve
- WordPress: A medium learning curve, especially with the need to manage plugins.
- WYSIWYG: The easiest of the three, offering a low learning curve with its visual design interface.
- SanityPress: The steepest learning curve, requiring a developer's expertise, but offering unparalleled customization.
2. Visual Editing & Design Flexibility
All three platforms offer visual editing, but SanityPress provides full design flexibility, enabling you to create anything you envision. WordPress and WYSIWYG offer decent design tools, though WordPress may feel limited without plugins.
3. Content Management & Scalability
If content management is your priority, SanityPress is the clear winner with full flexibility. WYSIWYG is decent, while WordPress can feel restrictive unless enhanced with plugins. When it comes to scalability, SanityPress and WYSIWYG excel, while WordPress might struggle, especially under heavy plugin loads.
4. Page Speed & Deployment Times
SanityPress takes the lead in page speed, especially for content-rich sites, with WYSIWYG following behind. WordPress can be slow, especially if burdened by too many plugins. Deployment times are fastest with WordPress, but SanityPress offers the best balance between speed and flexibility.
5. Security & Hosting
Security is paramount, and here, SanityPress and WYSIWYG shine with better protection against vulnerabilities. WordPress relies heavily on plugins for security, which can be a double-edged sword. Hosting is self-managed for WordPress and WYSIWYG, while SanityPress leverages modern hosting solutions like Vercel and Netlify.
6. Pricing
WordPress is the most affordable, with costs ranging from $4 to $25 per month (excluding plugins). WYSIWYG starts at $14/month (Webflow) or $15/month (Framer), while SanityPress offers flexible pricing, starting fully free but can accrue cost of about $15/month, depending on your needs.
Conclusion
SanityPress is your best bet if you seek full control, speed, and scalability, albeit with a steeper learning curve. WYSIWYG offers an excellent balance of ease and flexibility, while WordPress remains the go-to for those who prefer a familiar interface and lower initial costs. Choose based on your project’s needs and your comfort level with each platform's learning curve.
