Wagtail CMS - the best alternative to WordPress for building a corporate website in Python

When a company launches a corporate website, one of the first decisions to make is which CMS to build it on. This choice affects how easy it is to work with content, page load speed, data protection, and the ability to grow the project alongside the business. A mistake at this stage turns into pain: after a couple of years the site starts to “lag,” crumble under attacks, or require costly, lengthy revisions.

Most often the choice falls on WordPress. This system is familiar to almost everyone, and a large share of the web runs on it. But popularity has a flip side: for corporate tasks, WordPress often turns out to be bulky, slow, and vulnerable. For complex integrations and scaling it quickly hits its ceiling.

At Avada Media, we know this problem well: clients regularly come to us who have outgrown WordPress and are looking for a more flexible solution. In such cases, we offer a modern alternative – Wagtail CMS. It is built for Python projects, handles high loads with ease, supports deep customization, and remains convenient for editors. Below we explain what a CMS is, outline Wagtail’s key advantages, compare its characteristics with WordPress, and present concrete examples of successful implementation in real projects.

Before moving on to Wagtail, let’s clarify: what is a CMS and why is it important for corporate website development? A website CMS (Content Management System) is a content management system that allows you to edit, publish, and administer site materials without having to contact a developer every time. Thanks to a CMS, you can add news, create new pages, and change text and images in a couple of clicks.

Identifying a site’s CMS is easy: there are online services and browser plugins that analyze code and reveal the technology stack. For example, popular tools like BuiltWith or Wappalyzer let you learn a site’s CMS in seconds.

Wagtail CMS is a modern content management system built on Python and the Django framework. It was originally created for corporate websites, government portals, universities, media outlets, and other projects where security, flexibility, and high performance matter. Wagtail combines a convenient editorial interface with a scalable architecture, making it suitable for projects from startups to the enterprise level. The system is open source, developed by an active community, and supported by large companies, which guarantees continuous updates and technological relevance.

Advantages of Wagtail CMS

Wagtail stands out among other CMSs thanks to a combination of developer flexibility and editor convenience. Here are the system’s key advantages:

• Unlimited customization. Projects on Wagtail can be built around unique business processes. The Django architecture allows you to create custom modules, integrate APIs, and design “bespoke” functionality.
• Integrations with corporate systems. Wagtail easily connects to CRM, ERP, and e-commerce platforms, turning into a flexible CMS for an online store or corporate portals.
• Scalability. The system withstands high loads and is suitable for projects at the federal level. Among Wagtail CMS users are NASA, Google, universities, and major corporations.
• Security. Built on Django, Wagtail CMS has inherited a high level of protection against XSS, CSRF, SQL injections, and other attacks – which is especially important for corporate and government projects.
• Convenience for content managers. A visual editor with a drag-and-drop interface, publication previews, and simple media management. This reduces dependency on developers and speeds up editors’ work.
• SEO out of the box. Wagtail supports clean URLs, configurable meta tags, sitemaps, and structured data, and is search-engine friendly.

Our team has extensive experience building corporate websites and portals on Wagtail. Over the years we’ve created more than 100 digital products – from websites and e-commerce to complex CRM and ERP systems. Constantly solving integration tasks between websites, CRMs, ERPs, and external services, we understand how to connect the content layer with a company’s business logic.

Our experience shows that Wagtail is an ideal fit for such projects: its flexible architecture lets us create unique modules, set up complex integrations, and still keep the interface convenient for editors. As a result, we build websites of any complexity and turn them into solutions that genuinely drive business and help clients achieve their goals.

Example: EfirCards corporate website

We chose Wagtail CMS as the foundation for the corporate site of EfirCards – a virtual loyalty card platform.

Client objectives:

• Create a corporate site that is not just a presentation but also a working tool for partners
• Combine an information portal, a personal account, and CRM integrations in one solution
• Ensure scalability and stable performance under high load

Avada Media’s solution:

• Development on Python + Django + Wagtail CMS
• Flexible content architecture via StreamField
• Integration of the personal account, CRM, and analytics
• Telegram bot, push notifications, and email campaigns
• Responsive interface and PWA support for mobile devices

Result: the site became a key entry point to the EfirCards ecosystem, enabled lead capture, automated customer communications, and strengthened the company’s position in the B2B market.

Example: SpaceLab educational IT portal

SpaceLab is an innovative portal that makes IT education accessible to everyone, regardless of age or background. Its goal is to bring together articles, video lessons, literature, and gamified modules in one space.

Primary tasks:

• Create an educational portal with a striking, modern design
• Ensure scalability and the ability to update content regularly
• Implement convenient search and personalized learning
• Adapt the site for mobile devices and multiple browsers

Solution:

• Tech stack: Python and Django with Wagtail CMS for content management
• Design: a futuristic, cyberpunk-style interface with wow-effects and modern animation
• Structure: a scalable architecture (prototyped in Moqups) with room for future growth
• Navigation: handy filters and a tagging system to quickly find the right materials
• Accessibility: full cross-browser compatibility and responsive layout for all devices
• Personalization: a Cookie-based mechanism to save learning progress and return users to their last step

Result: SpaceLab became a full-fledged educational platform with a convenient interface, a robust technical foundation, and room to scale. It combines educational content, filtering, and personalization to attract a wide audience and make learning as convenient as possible.

Example: BYTHEWAY Logistics international portal

BYTHEWAY Logistics is an international information portal for participants in the freight, warehouse rental, and logistics services market. The platform unites logistics operators, warehouse owners, carriers, and job seekers, creating a single space for supply and demand.

Goals:

• Create a specialized classifieds board for the logistics sector
• Implement a convenient user account
• Add paid advertising options and flexible ad management
• Prepare the platform for scalability and SEO growth

Practical implementation:

• Technology: Python (Django) with Wagtail CMS as the content management system
• User features: personal accounts with ad posting and editing
• Online payments: integration with Monobank
• Easy sign-in: login via Google and Apple ID to streamline registration
• Administration: an extended moderator panel for controlling ads, users, and ad placements
• Promotion: comprehensive SEO setup – schema markup, indexable filters, blog, and news section for organic traffic

Result: BYTHEWAY became a universal platform for the logistics market, providing a convenient user interface, expanded business promotion possibilities, and effective content management tools.

Wagtail shines in projects where the standard capabilities of popular CMSs are not enough. We recommend considering it in the following scenarios:

• Fast-growing companies – when the business is scaling quickly and the site must easily handle a growing audience, new services, and expanding functionality.
• Projects with heightened security requirements – for government portals, educational platforms, and medical or financial projects where data protection and resilience against attacks are critical.
• Businesses with deep integrations – if the site must work in tandem with CRM, ERP, e-commerce, or other internal company systems, Wagtail provides flexible integration tools via API.
• Corporate sites and portals with unique logic – when you need custom functionality that off-the-shelf WordPress plugins or templates can’t cover.

Wagtail CMS is rightly considered one of the best alternatives to WordPress for building corporate websites in Python. It combines the qualities that matter to modern businesses:

• Security thanks to the Django architecture and protection against common attacks
• Scalability that lets the site grow with the company
• Customization flexibility that enables truly unique business logic
• Deep integrations with CRM, ERP, and other digital services

For companies seeking a modern alternative to WordPress – or considering options like Django CMS – Wagtail is an optimal choice.

If you want a corporate website without WordPress limitations, the Avada Media team can deliver a project on Wagtail CMS – from architecture and design to integrations and support. Contact us for detailed consultation.