Microweber (the current version is 1.2.11) – is a comprehensive, intuitive and robust open source Content Management System (CMS) that works great for eCommerce and business website development yet can also be used to set up other types of web projects. The system is downloadable and requires a baseline coding background to be used to the advantage. It also has a SaaS version, making it possible for beginners to use a website builder to launch projects for personal and business use. If you wish to get the most out of its integrated functionality, though, it makes sense to review the platform as a CMS that grants access to advanced web design tools and features.
Apart from the web building tools, Microweber delivers some essential extras out of the box. They include additional modules for White Label and video playlists, integrated online store wizard, custom cPanel plugin to edit your site within the user-friendly control panel, and other solutions that users might appreciate.
So, what has been new around Microweber? Let’s have a look at its features and capabilities that you may find a handful.
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Microweber Features
Microweber offers quite an extensive feature set. It has enough flexibility to create an engaging website to interact with your potential visitors and customers in many ways including contact forms, blogs, White Labeling, etc. At the same time, it delivers some instruments to manage your store or business website as well. Let’s have a look at some of the baseline options provided by Microweber.
Dashboard
The dashboard of the system is not that complicated, although, it may take some time for a newbie to get used to it. The WYSIWYG approach is applied both to the website budler and the CMS. If you need to add any new element, icon or button, simply hover it over from the dashboard and get it on the page. No technical or coding skills are necessary.
Special attention should be given to the authentic drag & drop functionality of the service. Regardless of the fact that there are other website builders and CMS offering the same functionality, you will hardly find a system that can compete with Microweber in terms of smooth user expertise and ease of use.
Microweber also stands out from the crowd due to its enhanced cPanel. The system uses its self-crafted admin panel that is optimized for smartphones and tablets as well. In other words, you are free to manage or edit your website on the go. Moreover, the cPanel lets you track your website stats and analytics in real time, monitor recent orders, revenues, and more.
Dynamic Layouts
Another Microweber highlight is the Dynamic Layouts feature. Users may drag and drop them to create the required website/web page structure. The layouts make up an important part of the system templates. To get the idea of what the feature implies, have a look at the default theme of the software called “Dream”. It comes with over 75 layouts that make it possible to create a professional website with minimum time/effort investment. Each layout has a number of settings and properties, letting users edit text, buttons, photos, icons and other elements.
eCommerce Platform
Setting up a digital store is super easy with the platform. It has a fully optimized online shop creator that is by default available for all software users at no cost. To start selling online, you only need to upload the products, set prices as well as shipping terms. The system can be integrated with some of the topnotch payment solution providers. They include PayPal, Stripe, Payza, VoguePay, and some more.
Users have a chance to craft automated emails sent to their buyers every time a purchase is made. The feature makes it possible to manage your shipping terms depending on the country as well as offer shipping discounts or special personalized offers. Manage your product by modifying custom fields, adding dropdown menus, uploading videos and images, etc. Additional benefits include creating, managing and tracking, automated invoicing, a selection of currencies to set up, social media integration, and so on.
Blogging
Microweber has a good blogging feature that lets you create a separate blog or place it on the major website. The platform has various tools not just to add new posts but also to maintain all pages and media files. Use them to organize galleries, edit texts, add videos and photos, soft posts by categories. Live Edit feature makes it easy to update or modify your articles online right from the blog. Additionally, the feature lets you track and moderate comments using a corresponding module part. It is possible to open the comments both from the blog post itself or from the admin panel.
Modules
Microweber has a module-based structure. Making it possible for its subscribers to extend their project performance by integrating external modules. To do this, you should reach the My Modules section in the control panel of your website and pick suitable modules. They tackle various niches and spheres of application. All in all, there are over 90 modules available after the software installation. These include Title, Online Shop, Text, Video, Picture, Settings, Button, Logo, Social Links, PDF, Popup, Products, Contact form and many more. You can filter them by the type to narrow down the search and to make it more convenient. All the modules are divided into static (those, which don’t have any dynamic deployments – like Text, Title, Multiple columns etc.) and dynamic (those that may come with customizable content, settings, skins – like Google Maps, Galleries, Social Links etc.).
Compatibility
As a CMS, Microwave requires download and installation. The software is supported by all major browsers. It is compatible with the latest back-end technologies such as PHP 7+ or Laravel Framework.
White Label
Microweber offers its White Label solution for individuals and companies. It is available in several packages depending on your needs. The offer will work out for those who want to create websites and online stores for their customers. The 4 available plans suit the needs of freelancers, web agencies and hosting companies.
Microweber Website Design and Templates
The platform initially grants access to 22 different templates. 20 of them are premium and only 2 are free. The amount of themes looks a bit limited. Moreover, there are no specific categories or filters. You have all the available layouts in one place on the main screen, which is not quite convenient. The only thing that can simplify the choice is the search filter field that lets you quickly search the required themes. Each design is mobile-friendly and has an instant preview feature. You do not have to click a button. Simply hover the mouse over the template to see it automatically scrolling down. In addition, you will have a chance to look at how the template will run on desktop, tablets or smartphones before getting started with it. You may switch between modes by clicking on a particular screen icon on the upper left corner.
The system lets you pick a blank theme to ensure the utmost freedom of design customization and to let you create a unique theme from scratch. There is also an option that allows uploading your own design for further customization.
As mentioned above, the software boasts an exclusive Dynamic Layouts feature that provides a chance to pick, resize or redesign any of the layouts available in the dashboard. You can stretch the blocks, change fonts, reshape buttons or icons, etc. The visual editor in your dashboard offers advanced settings to edit typography, backgrounds, and borders as well as set dimensions indicating the precise size of the block or section. Due to the Live Edit feature, it is possible to write, edit and manage content as well as add modules and layouts when required in the real time mode.
By the way, adding content in Microweber is fast and easy as well. You don’t have to possess programming proficiency to cope with the task. The software allows adding new web pages, posts, categories and products to extend your project functionality. Just reach the control panel to pick the corresponding section and pick an element you would like to add.
Customer Support
When it comes to customer support options, Microweber users have access to multiple resources that help them explore and master the software well. When you sign up for the platform, you will be offered to watch video tutorials on how to proceed with your website creation. Videos will automatically appear every time you move from page to page when getting started.
Microweber has an enormous knowledge base that consists of an informative academy with video guides and tutorials, a forum with different threads and real-user comments and a blog with articles that cover various issues you might need to resolve.
Users are welcome to suggest their own modifications and improvements in the “Suggest a Feature” section. Feel free to offer your ideas and track if they have been brought to life. The platform also has a Live Chat functionality for instant support.
Microweber Pricing
As a website builder, Microweber offers several pricing plans to its subscribers. They are divided into basic and White Label subscriptions. The cost starts at $5/mo. As far as we review the system as a CMS, it makes sense to mention that the open-source software is initially free for everyone. You can download and install it at no cost. It is also possible to use the system’s domain or pick another one at $19.
Another issue is the price of themes. There are templates available for free here yet there are also premium designs, the cost of which ranges between $18 and $28. If you intend to use the White Label feature, get ready to invest more budget. The monthly cost currently constitutes $20, but it is possible to save up to 20% of the initial price, when opting for an annual subscription.
Microweber Competitors and Alternatives
The fact that Microweber is available as a website builder as a CMS makes it possible to pick versatile alternatives to it. The platform may not be quite easy to use for beginners, offering quite a confusing dashboard structure and elements. In this respect, it makes sense to consider some of the most feature-rich and powerful systems like Wix, uCoz and WordPress.
Wix comes with a more extensive selection of templates, intuitive and understandable web design approach, opportunity to pick a suitable website editing option as well as multiple integrations that can enhance your project performance. Just like Microweber, it does not require coding proficiency yet it is still more powerful, flexible and affordable for all user categories.
If a module-based approach is what you like about Microweber most, using uCoz proves to be a smart alternative. The website builder allows creating your website layout out of multiple content blocks you can further customize as you need. It also offers fixed pricing and extensive design customization options.
As a CMS, Microweber has much in common with WordPress. Both systems allow for code editing and both of them come with numerous extensions you can add to your project. WordPress, however, remains the top CMS due to its powerful plugin integration solutions, flexibility and cost efficacy. So, if you need a qual;ity platform to get started with your website and Microweber does not suit you for various reasons, picking Wix, uCoz or WordPress will certainly help you out.
Verdict
Microweber is a good solution for small/medium business and eCommerce websites. The system combines a convenient web design approach with flexibility and a rich feature set. The platform makes it easy to set up eCommerce functions and start selling online within a couple of hours. It also has a wide range of design and customization tools.
The CMS is worth the money you will invest in it – no more and no less. The Live Edit mode contributes to easier and faster website editing, while availability of integrable modules allows enhancing your project functionality without a line of code. The platform features worthy price/quality correlation yet there are multiple simpler and more affordable alternatives out there.
