Umbraco vs Optimizely, which CMS fits your business?
A CMS is more than just a tool, it is the foundation of your entire digital ecosystem. Today there is a wide range of CMS platforms available, each offering different strengths, features, and ways of working. Because of this, it is not always straightforward to determine which solution is the best fit for your specific business. The decision also carries long term impact, influencing everything from daily workflows and development possibilities to overall cost over time. Choosing the wrong platform can end up being both costly and time consuming to fix later on.
Umbraco and Optimizely are two names that often come up in this context, which is why we will break them down and go through what is worth keeping in mind when choosing a CMS. We also share insights from our clients who have chosen Umbraco and what factors were most important in their decision. But first, let’s take a closer look at what defines these platforms.
Umbraco and Optimizely compared
Umbraco and Optimizely are two CMS platforms that may seem quite similar at first glance, not least because both are built on .NET architecture and position themselves as flexible content management solutions. At the same time, they differ in several ways when it comes to how they are packaged and the type of workflows they are designed to support. But let’s start by taking a closer look at how Umbraco works and what sets it apart.
Umbraco CMS
With its open source architecture, Umbraco is not locked into a fixed setup, but can be fully shaped and further developed based on the needs of the business. This makes it a common choice for projects where full control over structure, integration options, and technical setup is an important part of the overall solution.
Since Umbraco is not delivered as a pre packaged system, it offers a greater degree of freedom when it comes to deciding how integrations with business critical systems are designed and which tools are used. This means that the organisation, either on its own or together with a partner, can decide how the solution evolves over time and adapt it to its own technical conditions and ways of working.
A license free platform
Because Umbraco is license free, there are no ongoing platform fees. Instead, the cost comes from the features, extensions, and custom functionality that are built on top of it. This makes it possible to shape the budget around the parts that create the most value for the business.
The platform provides a flexible foundation where the business can choose which systems and tools to include. This makes it possible to tailor the solution and build it with custom integrations based on both technical requirements and business goals, aligning with both technical needs and business goals.
Flexible deployment and hosting
There are no limitations on where an Umbraco solution can be hosted, whether on premises, in cloud services such as AWS, or through Umbraco’s own hosting platform. This creates the conditions for a solution that can be fully shaped around the technical requirements of the business.
From simple solutions to complex ecosystems
It is built to work across everything from small and simple solutions to complex, large scale enterprise environments. It delivers security, stability, and scalability for more advanced setups, while still being flexible enough to function efficiently in smaller implementations without requiring extensive specialist teams.
Optimizely CMS
Optimizely is a license based CMS delivered as a packaged solution where functionality is tightly integrated into a unified framework, often referred to as a DXP (Digital Experience Platform). This means that the different parts of the platform are designed to work together from the start, providing a stable and well defined foundation.
Optimizely offers capabilities such as personalization, experimentation, and advanced features for e commerce and digital customer experiences. This makes the platform particularly well suited for organisations that need a cohesive digital environment with many built in features and a clear framework to work within from day one. The focus is on managing multiple digital capabilities within the same structure, where different parts interact as part of a unified whole.
License based cost model
The platform is license based and follows a commercial model where the cost is tied to the solution itself and its scope. This means that pricing is influenced by which parts of the platform are included in the implementation and how extensive the overall setup is, allowing the cost to scale with the size and usage of the solution.
A complete solution in a ready made package
Eftersom lösningen levereras som ett paket finns funktioner och grundläggande komponenter på plats redan från start, vilket bidrar till en kortare startsträcka. Det ger en färdig grund att arbeta vidare från där man själv kan välja om och när externa integrationer ska läggas till utifrån verksamhetens behov.
Upgrades in a flexible hosting environment
Upgrades can either be handled through their own cloud based service, where new versions and improvements are applied automatically. Alternatively, the solution can also be run in a chosen hosting environment, such as Azure or AWS, where upgrades are managed based on the environment and working methods the organisation has selected.
For complex and large organizations
The platform is designed for larger organisations with established digital ways of working, where complex requirements around structure, governance, and a unified digital presence call for a more comprehensive platform.
When technology follows the business
Now that we have had a closer look at the platforms, the next step is to start from the business itself and the needs that must be met, both in terms of working methods and digital maturity. Umbraco is often a good fit when flexibility, control, and the ability to continuously adapt and evolve the solution are important, while Optimizely is better suited for organisations that want to work within a unified platform with ready made features for areas such as optimisation and personalisation.
The most important thing is that the choice of CMS ends up supporting the actual way the organisation works, rather than forcing the organisation to adapt to the technology.
Why our clients choose Umbraco
For many of those who ultimately choose Umbraco CMS, the decision often comes down to the need for flexibility, control, and the ability to shape the solution around the business rather than having to adapt to a platform with predefined choices.
This is something we consistently hear from our clients who have faced this decision and ultimately decided to go with Umbraco. Below, we share some of the most common reasons why our clients chose Umbraco CMS.
- A cost model without licensing fees
A recurring point from our clients is that Umbraco is license free and that you only pay for what you actually use. This results in a lower total cost of ownership over time, allowing the budget to be allocated to design, development, and content that creates real value, rather than ongoing platform fees and licensing models. - Simple and productive editor experience
Umbraco’s interface is designed to be easy to use, allowing editors to manage content independently without relying on developers for every step. This is something many of our clients highlight as a major advantage, as it often leads to faster publishing and better conditions for teams to work efficiently with content. - Full ownership of platform and source code
Since Umbraco is an open source CMS, customers have full ownership of their solution and source code. They are not locked into a closed licensing system or dependent on a specific vendor to continue developing and evolving the platform over time. - Scalable as your business grows
The flexibility of Umbraco and the ability to gradually evolve the solution over time is a recurring priority for our clients, especially when it comes to adding new functionality and integrating with internal systems. It makes it possible to start simple and then build on the platform as the needs of the business change, without having to switch platforms. - Freedom to choose and adapt the technical approach
Through an API based platform, backend and frontend can be handled independently of each other. This means that the client is not locked into a single approach from the start, but can move to or from traditional website setups and headless architecture as needs evolve over time.
For many, the choice of Umbraco ultimately comes down to having a solution built around the needs of the business rather than adapting ways of working, structure, and development to the limitations of the platform. This is often the key factor behind choosing Umbraco CMS over other tools on the market.
Curious about Umbraco?
Are you considering whether Umbraco could be the right direction for your business? It is not always easy to know which platform is the best fit, and we are happy to help you explore ideas, answer questions, and look at what actually makes sense for your specific needs and circumstances.
As an Umbraco Platinum Partner, we at Webmind have been helping companies build web solutions in Umbraco since 2013. With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, we know that the right solution is just as much about business needs as it is about the technology behind it.