The right decision depends heavily on trade-offs: build time vs. flexibility, upgradeability vs. control, feature richness vs. bloat. In this post, we’ll walk through the pros and cons of using a CMS versus rolling your own minimal solution, and offer a scoring approach to help you pick the path that’s right for your project.

When a CMS Makes Sense

  • Built-in features: Many CMS platforms include content editing, media management, user roles, SEO tools, A/B testing, and personalization.
  • Non-developer usability: Content editors and marketers can update content without touching code.
  • Community and ecosystem: Plugins, integrations, updates, and security patches from the vendor or open-source community.
  • Rapid deployment: Templates, themes, and modules let you launch faster than building everything from scratch.
  • Future scalability: CMS platforms can handle growing content needs and multi-site management.

When a Custom Solution Makes Sense

  • Minimal overhead: If your site is simple—a brochure or portfolio—a custom solution avoids unnecessary complexity.
  • Full control: You dictate architecture, performance, and security without being constrained by a CMS’s design.
  • Performance optimization: Custom code can be leaner, faster, and more predictable than a general-purpose CMS.
  • Low long-term maintenance: Fewer moving parts can mean fewer updates, fewer security patches, and fewer potential conflicts.
  • Developer flexibility: If your team is comfortable coding in HTML/CSS/JS, building custom solutions can sometimes be faster than bending a CMS to your will.

Potential Drawbacks of Each Approach

CMS Disadvantages

  • Learning curve: Teams need to learn the CMS’s quirks, templates, and administrative interface.
  • Customization complexity: Changes beyond the CMS’s standard features can be difficult or risky, potentially breaking upgrade paths.
  • Performance and bloat: General-purpose systems may include features you never use, impacting load times.
  • Vendor lock-in: Migrating away from some CMS platforms can be challenging.

Custom Solution Disadvantages

  • Developer reliance: Every change requires coding, which may slow down marketing or content updates.
  • Feature gaps: Building advanced functionality like personalization, A/B testing, or multi-site support takes time and expertise.
  • Maintenance burden: You’re responsible for all updates, bug fixes, and security patches.

Scoring Your Project

One practical approach is to score each option based on your project’s needs. Rate the importance of factors like:

  • Need for content editors without coding experience
  • Required built-in features (SEO, media management, personalization)
  • Expected complexity of future updates
  • Performance and lean code priorities

Compare the total points for CMS vs. custom. This heuristic won’t guarantee a perfect choice, but it clarifies which approach aligns better with your project’s priorities.

Modern Alternatives

Not all projects must choose purely between traditional CMS or fully custom builds. Modern approaches include:

  • Headless CMS: Acts as a content backend while letting developers build a custom front-end using frameworks like React, Next.js, or static site generators.
  • SaaS content platforms: Cloud-based services such as Contentful, Sanity, or Strapi offer a middle ground, combining CMS convenience with developer flexibility.

Conclusion

In summary: use a CMS if you expect growing content needs, have non-technical editors, or require out-of-the-box features. Go custom if your site is simple, speed is critical, and you want full control over architecture. Apply the scoring method to weigh your options and choose the solution that minimizes trade-offs for your specific project.

“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” – Friedrich Nietzsche