Open Source Vs Licensed Software: Which Is Right For Your Business?

When it comes to web development, the software you choose as a website builder can make or break your site. As a digital marketing agency with years in the business, we’ve seen many business owners make the deadly mistake of choosing the wrong website development platform to start their website. Often, this wrong platform is an open source software (i.e. WordPress). 

While open source software like WordPress offers a seemingly simple framework for building a website, it has many disadvantages that could kill your business’ conversion strategy, SEO, and lead generation in the long run.

This article is first on our War on WordPress operation  - where we educate business owners on the pitfalls of WordPress’ outdated technology, its hidden dangers, and the opportunities they miss by not investing in more modern platforms. Stay tuned for many more intel to come. 

But for now, here’s the start of our investigation. 

WordPress As An Open Source Software

WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS) released on 27 May 2003. Created initially as a blog publishing tool, the software has since become a popular website publishing platform for many businesses. It’s estimated that over 45% of websites are supported by WordPress. 

Businesses that build their website on the platform generally select a template on the software and customise it with plugins to support their site. Currently, WordPress has over  40,000 available plugins, and the average website has at least 20 plugins. These plugins allow WordPress to step up from being just a blogging engine to a functioning website. However, having too many plugins isn’t ideal in the long run, but we’ll discuss that later.

Many business owners also use a web developer to further personalise their WordPress site - but times have moved on from this outdated way of building a site. Today, the rise of cloud computing and Software as a Service (SaaS) offers a more efficient, flexible, and cheaper alternative to web development. 

So while WordPress is popular, it isn’t as smooth as you think. Here’s how licensed software compares as an alternative for your business. 

Dissecting Open Source Vs Licensed Software

Open source software is developed by an individual, group or organisation with a source code available to the general public. Meanwhile, licensed or proprietary software is created by a person or organisation with exclusive rights over its use and distribution.

Many debates exist over whether a company should use open source or licensed software in web development. Businesses that value security and longer-term support would consider licensed web development software.  

Of course, there are also business owners who don’t know the difference and choose to follow their web developer’s recommendations - which is a big mistake.

Here are some of the key differences between open source and licensed software. 

Open Source Vs Licensed Software

Considerations of WordPress in Web Development 

Before you venture into the unknown territories of open source software like WordPress, here are some considerations to help you save future headaches.  

Future website modifications

You wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) be using the same website ten years from now. So ask yourself: How easy is it to change your existing site’s design, colour schemes, and content on an open source platform? Will you need to return to the developer for every minor change? 

More often than not, making changes on WordPress won’t be easy to do. 

WordPress CMS is clunky, and building any new page on your website would take specific software knowledge from a web developer. This usually isn’t the case with licensed systems, which are much easier to manage.

We’ve seen many businesses struggle with refreshing their site once they’ve lost contact with their original developer. This is because websites built on WordPress are commonly custom-made by a web developer, which means other developers will be reluctant to work on the site in the future. A new developer would likely suggest a website rebuild because it’s more certain than trying to work out what the original developer did - plus, it’s also more profitable for them. 

Troubleshooting

The backend (everything you can't see) of each WordPress website is different, making troubleshooting inconsistent and problematic. Open source platforms require high levels of customisation because the initial backend is too basic to be functional, but a highly customised WordPress site can also mean that managing edits and issues can be time-consuming.

Unlike licensed software with a standard website backend, managing the backend of open source software isn’t as easy. Imagine setting up a Meta pixel for your WordPress website to track Facebook ads. Any ‘how to’ videos you’ll find online may be irrelevant to your site’s specific backend - leaving you more confused than ever. 

In comparison, all websites built on licensed software like Core dna have the same functionalities, with a smoother learning curve that any marketer or business owner can learn. 

Customisation 

Personalising your website with imagery, transitions, and design elements is critical for your brand to stand out from the competition. Open source software like WordPress has many themes and plugins that enable web developers to customise the site even further - but there’s a problem.  

We’ve already covered how heavy customisation by one web developer will make your website ‘untouchable’ to another. Installing too many plugins can also bring about these known issues with your website.

For businesses that require more customisation features (i.e., incorporating CRM, social media pixels, and bookings), consider looking at a licensed platform like Core dna with all these features built in. 

Security 

Open source platforms are notorious for various security issues like hacking and viruses. In fact, around 1 out of 25 WordPress sites suffered from hacks in 2021. Because anyone can be a developer on an open source platform, it’s often vulnerable to threats online. 

Additionally, WordPress runs heavily on plugins, which is another significant source of security breaches. 93% of security issues are caused by plugins, which isn’t good news for businesses wanting additional website features. If your business and customer data are involved, don’t you want your website to be safe from attacks? 

A licensed platform is much more controlled and regulated. With constant updates from the software manufacturer and the inability of any web developer to manage the source code, websites under a licensed platform are much better protected. 

Errors and customer support 

No platform is perfect, and it’s common to encounter various errors when building and managing a website. However, WordPress is exceptionally prone to website bugs and errors. 

Some of the most common errors on WordPress are general syntax errors and RSS feed errors. Then there’s also the infamous “white screen of death.”

Unfortunately, open source software is notorious for its lack of customer support. Any issues with the themes and plugins on WordPress must be referred back to the developers themselves because each backend differs. So the level of customer service you get depends highly on that developer.

Licensed software usually comes with a standard manual or documentation on troubleshooting, along with full customer support for users. A dedicated support team is necessary if you are running a bigger, more complex website.

Our Take? Licensed Software Is The Assassin’s Way

Licensed platforms are the way forward for businesses that want better security, website longevity, and an easy-to-use platform. Contrary to popular belief that it's expensive, software like Core dna offers SMEs an affordable choice with necessary tailored functionalities and customisations. 

In short, you get the perks of licensed software with the price tag of an open source software. 

Digital Assassin works with Core dna  to provide affordable web development plans for Australian businesses to build and manage their website with ongoing tactical content and SEO best practices. To learn more about how to build a great website, read our eBook, So You Need a Killer Website. Alternatively, speak to an assassin today.