Cost of Enterprise Content Management Systems

Sharepoint

• Price: Depending on amount of users price varies from $12,000 - $14,000 in software costs, $7,500 - $250,000 in user licenses, and $15,000-200,000 in implementation, intranet planning and launch costs. Note however Sharepoint is included with Enterprise Microsoft licensing fees so Sharepoint is seen as a low-cost solution.
• Sharepoint is ideal for information management and internal projects.
• Popular websites using Sharepoint: City of London, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
• Advantages: Team collaboration, document management, Intranets, centralized administration
• Disadvantages: Far more expensive than other CMS options, inflexible user interface design capabilities, not mobile friendly, not SEO friendly, CSS issues.

OpenText (formerly Vignette)

• Price: Complex fee-based licensed software that typically runs over $100,000. See this document for a summary of various costs.
• OpenText produces and distributes Enterprise Information Management software solutions for large corporations across all industries.
• Popular websites using OpenText: CNET, UnitedHealth Group, National Geographic
• Advantages: Advanced information management, resource allocation, personalization, content marketing
• Disadvantages: Expensive

SiteCore

• Price: SiteCore''s licensing fee starts at $40,000 and is another $8,000 for each additional year. The implementation cost starts at $65,000, and support and other licensing fees cost around $10,000 ongoing each year.
• SiteCore provides customer experience management software that is automated and flexible.
• Popular websites using SiteCore: Bissell, Sonos
• Advantages: Fully integrated, full marketing suite of tools for interactive content management functions
• Disadvantages: Expensive

Drupal

• Price: Free
• Drupal is full featured CMS capable of powering large, complex websites.
• Popular websites using Drupal:  Weather.com, BBC, United Nations, MTV, U.S. Federal Agencies, Warner Brothers, Harvard, MIT, the White House, and the Discovery Channel.
• Advantages: Flexibility, advanced taxonomy, SEO friendly, enterprise-level security features., multi-lingual, Drupal Commerce, large developer base.
• Disadvantages: Steeper learning curve than other open source CMSs like WordPress, fewer existing template/theme choices.

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If you are looking for an enterprise level CMS, we recommend reviewing Drupal’s capabilities before committing to expensive fee-based software. See also companies like Acquia and Pantheon who serve enterprise level clients with advanced hosting and support.  Learn more about Drupal at our web development services page and www.drupal.org.