There are a number of CMS's out there and instead of singling any of them out, we're going to compare in a more general sense.
We're not going to compare everything, just the important talking points. Please contact us if you have any specific questions.
Open source rarely means free, and while a number of open source CMS’s have a lot of plugins, the number of plugins and various developers are also a downfall. You often end up with a cobbled together website that doesn’t work well together, requires constant updates and is reliant upon third party developers that don’t always provide good support.
BranchCMS, on the other hand, is a fully integrated platform for custom websites. All apps use a consistent user interface, work well with other apps and CMS functionality, and are all backed by our support team.
BranchCMS vs Open Source CMS's
BranchCMS
Open Source CMS's
Cost
Monthly - includes - hosting/platform, support, and automatic software updates
No on software but you pay for hosting, support, maintenance, customizations, and updates
Built-In SEO
Sometimes - often need a plugin
Custom fields for content
Content builder and custom attributes
Usually need a plugin
Skill required
No more than a web developer. Everything server related is taken care of.
Often need experience with managing hosting/servers to have a well performing site.
Support
Email / Chat
No
Software consistency
Entire platform and apps built to work together
Plugins and extensions by many different developers who may or may not continue support
BranchCMS vs Website Builders
Email and chat support
Probably
Themes
Mostly - more coming soon
Full design customization
Not usually
Design limitations
No
Usually limited template customizations
Customize fields for content
Not usually. Limited to what the templates offer.
Built-in Ecommerce
Sometimes
Built-in gallery, calendar, email campaigns (+ all the other BranchCMS apps)
Limited functionality - maybe with plugins