Here’s something else to consider when you are wondering what system is best to use:  Security.

With WordPress, there are some serious security holes and particularly if a developer is not aware of them, your site can be quickly hacked or compromised. For instance, the dafault setting on many wordpress files allows Global read/write access, meaning that anybody who knows how to access those files can change them and gain access to your server, passwords etc.

This problem does not relate only to wordpress, it is probably any free CMS software that you host yourself. If you are not aware of security issues and correct settings on this software, you are potentially open to hackers. There are of course also security issues with shared hosting environments depending on how vigilant the hosting provider is in checking for and controlling security breaches.

Business Catalyst on the other hand is a hosted solution, where there is tight control over those settings and breaches are not as likely to occur and if they do, it is Adobe Business Catalyst’s problem, not yours. This is one advantage a hosted solution has over a free, host-it-yourself solution.

If you are considering using Business Catalyst as a development platform, here is a group of good Business Catalyst Designers you may want to contact.

This is something we get a lot of inquiry on, so I’d just like to explore the strengths and weaknesses of both systems.

A word of warning, this is not really a good comparison as they are totally different systems with different focuses – it’s like comparing a thoroughbred horse with a Clydesdale.  But here goes.

WordPress is an extremely efficient blogging engine, that’s what it was designed for. It is very good for search engine ranking, is light and can be modified to make a standard website with a custom theme. An example of this is the office space Cebu website. However, that is about the limit of wordpress’s ability. Attempts at making a shopping cart or a catalog, look like the Hero’s Pizza website in Perth, pretty limited.

Business Catalyst is a fully integrated system that makes a great small business website or store. It has a blog, but that is not even in the same world as WordPress.  You can make a powerful shopping cart, or listing website with Business Catalyst. BC has some great Members area features including Web Apps, which allow you to build little pages that people who are members can setup and maintain independently, like real estate listings. BC has some good SEO strengths, but also some weaknesses. It is certainly not as powerful as WordPress in that regard.

You cannot host BC wherever you want, it is a hosted solution – software as a service. You either buy a license up front or  host on one of their partner’s system. On the other hand, you can install WordPress on any Linux server you want, it’s free.

My advice: Use both. Use WordPress for what it is designed for and Business Catalyst for a more comprehensive solution. Don’t try and make a powerful blog in Business Catalyst and don’t try and make a comprehensive website in WordPress.