As a website creator, I know that there are some great website building platforms. You’ve got
In this article, I’ll break down the strengths and weaknesses of Bootstrap and WordPress, and the key differences between the two, to help you choose one for your next project.
Bootstrap Vs WordPress At A Glance
If you’re just looking for top-line takeaways, here’s a super brief summary of our comparison:
- Bootstrap is a framework for designing only the visual user interface of a website, AKA the front-end of a website. WordPress on the other hand can be used as a framework for both the front-end and the back-end. This means that Bootstrap can only be used for the part that website visitors see, whereas using WordPress can be used not only for that, but also all the tasks behind the scenes.
- Bootstrap can only be used to create static websites, whereas WordPress can be used to create dynamic websites.
At this point, it’s important to note that a static website is not necessarily one that the user can’t interact with.
Rather, the content remains the same regardless of the user as opposed to dynamic websites where content is pulled on-the-fly, changing with its user.
WordPress | Bootstrap | |
Best For | Bloggers, E-commerce entrepreneurs | Website owners who want ultimate control of the appearance of their website |
Pricing | 4 Stars. Free (but paid-for add-ons are available) | 5 Stars. Free |
Website Type | 5 Stars. Dynamic | 3 Stars. Static |
What Ends | 5 Stars. Front-end and Back-end | 2 Stars. Front-end only |
Necessary Coding Knowledge | 5 Stars. None | 2 Stars. At least some basic knowledge is required |
Coding Languages Used | 5 Stars. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP | 4 Stars. HTML, CSS, JavaScript |
What WordPress And Bootstrap Have In Common
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the differences between the two, let’s clarify what these two platforms have in common, and where they kinda match each other.
- To be fair, both platforms make excellent platforms for all kinds of websites. What’s more, they are both open-source apps, which means that they are completely free to download and use. (But it’s only right to note at this point that WordPress does have a range of paid-for add-ons that you can go for if you so wish.)
- Both platforms offer an excellent degree of customizability
- Ease of use – beginners can create stunning effective websites on either platform without knowing a word of code or programming language, and the format is very intuitive
- Both platforms can produce responsive websites. For the uninitiated, what this means is that the websites will adapt to whatever size screen they are being viewed on, whether it’s a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
WordPress: Pros, Cons, And Details
WordPress is one of the longest standing of such platforms around, but it’s still relevant and widely used today.
According to W3Techs, WordPress is used by 64.3% of all the websites whose content management system we know, which works out at about 43.0% of all websites.
WordPress Strengths
- Superb range of plug-ins and add-ons: WordPress has a plug-in or widget for just about every function you can think of, and many of these are available free of charge.
- You can build your site in minutes: Time is money, and with WordPress you can easily have your ecommerce site up and running in a matter of 30 minutes or less.
- Excellent user support: There’s excellent professional and community support available for WordPress, and you will generally always find the solution you need.
WordPress Weaknesses
- Generic theme appearance: The WordPress platform generally uses themes, and users are expected to form their websites within a predefined template or theme. And this is where it’s particularly lacking compared to platforms such as Bootstrap.
- Not ideal for large businesses: When it comes to big businesses, websites ought to have easily recognizable branding throughout, and not just in the logo.
Who WordPress Is Best For
- Bloggers who want to publish lots of blog posts
- Ecommerce entrepreneurs who want to feature a blog on their website
- Website investors who want to feature a blog on their website
Bootstrap: Pros, Cons, And Details
Even web development professionals often turn to Bootstrap to create the front-end of any website they are commissioned to create, such is its flexibility and customizability.
It can even be used to create WordPress themes. But it doesn’t offer quite as much functionality as the WordPress platform.
Bootstrap Strengths
- It’s quicker to produce a good-looking website: Using Bootstrap makes it considerably quicker to put together a website than simply using code alone.
- It automatically resizes images and elements: you don’t have to do this manually in Bootstrap.
- It’s grid-based: this makes it easier to manage where elements show up on your site.
Bootstrap Weaknesses
- You will need to know some code: Unfortunately, you may run into difficulty creating a website with Bootstrap if you don’t already know how to code.
- The content cannot be individualized for each user: This is because Bootstrap is only for static websites, not dynamic ones.
- Being reliant on Bootstrap could hold you back: If your goal is to be a web developer or designer, relying too heavily on the Bootstrap framework could scupper your learning.
Who Bootstrap Is Best For
- Graphic designers, professional photographers, who want to showcase their work
- Website entrepreneurs who want ultimate control over their website’s appearance
- Web developers who want to use Bootstrap to make WordPress themes, or showcase their portfolio
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bootstrap Good For WordPress ?
It’s interesting to note at this point that Bootstrap can be used for creating WordPress themes. The predefined classes on Bootstrap help developers to create custom, responsive WordPress themes quickly and easily.
Why Do People Not Use Bootstrap?
Despite Bootstrap’s USP being the high level of customizability, there are those who argue that it’s not quite as customizable as you’d think, since you often have to override the default styles available, and many developers feel it’s easier just to use their own CSS right from the start.
Is Bootstrap Used Professionally?
Even today, Bootstrap is still widely used by professional web developers in the US.
Bootstrap Vs WordPress: The Bottom Line
If we had to pick a winner, it would have to be WordPress. This is because it has some major advantages over Bootstrap, in that you can tailor the user experience specifically to each individual user. This is what is meant by dynamic as opposed to static websites.
What’s more, since Bootstrap is for only front-end website building it only gives you control of the appearance of the website, and does not have the ability to perform any back-end functions.
In short, Bootstrap does have its strengths, and may be perfect for those who wish to have an online portfolio where the appearance of the website plays an important role in demonstrating style and branding.
But for most other types of websites, using the WordPress platform offers greater functionality and will allow you to do more.
Related Articles
Elsewhere, on the website, we have similar articles that pit WordPress against some of the other alternatives. Here are the links for some of the popular back-to-back comparisons:
- Dreamweaver Vs WordPress
- Adobe Muse Vs WordPress
- Craft CMS Vs WordPress
Paul Martinez is the founder of EcomSidekick.com. He is an expert in the areas of finance, real estate, eCommerce, traffic and conversion.
Join him on EcomSidekick.com to learn how to improve your financial life and excel in these areas. Before starting this media site, Paul built from scratch and managed two multi-million dollar companies. One in the real estate sector and one in the eCommerce sector.