Exploring the Latest Global CMS Market Share Trends!
Discover the latest global CMS market share trends with W3Techs data. WordPress dominates, but SaaS and no-code platforms like Shopify and Wix are emerging. We analyze Japan's market, discussing website building trends and the current landscape of various tools.
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CMS (Content Management Systems) are indispensable for building and managing websites. This blog, for example, runs on a CMS called Ghost, and it's a well-known fact that most websites viewable on the internet today are powered by a CMS.
So, this time, we'll examine the latest data published by W3Techs as of August 2026, to consider the current state of the global and Japanese CMS markets, and the standing of various tools.
- Global: Usage statistics and market shares of content management systems
- Japan: Distribution of content management systems among websites that use Japanese as content language
WordPress: Still the Undisputed Leader
To start with the conclusion, the CMS market continues to be overwhelmingly dominated by WordPress.
- 40.8% of all websites use WordPress
- 59.0% share among sites using a CMS
While these figures themselves are widely known and no longer surprising, the fact that nearly 40% of the web runs on WordPress is still an incredible statistic. When limited to Japan, the dominance is even more pronounced, with WordPress accounting for a staggering 82.8%. That's insane! Considering Shopify, which is in second place, has only about 3%, you can see just how extraordinary WordPress's performance is.
Globally, Shopify ranks second only to WordPress. This clearly demonstrates Shopify's strength in the e-commerce sector. Interestingly, EC-CUBE, which used to be a popular choice in Japan, now holds only about 1% of the domestic market. Perhaps it still ranks higher if we focus exclusively on e-commerce. It's interesting to note that GMO's COLOR ME is also a top player in Japanese e-commerce, but it feels like Shopify and BASE are the dominant forces right now.
Incidentally, Movable Type, which was a significant competitor when I first started using WordPress, now seems to be rarely seen, both in Japan and globally.
The Rise of SaaS and No-Code Platforms
Looking at the top contenders reveals clear recent trends. The data below is for the global market.
| Rank | CMS / Service | Overall Share | Share Among CMS Users | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | WordPress | 40.8% | 59.0% | Needless to say |
| 2nd | Shopify | 5.3% | 7.7% | E-commerce focused SaaS |
| 3rd | Wix | 4.2% | 6.1% | No-code website builder |
| 4th | Squarespace | 2.4% | 3.5% | Design-centric no-code |
| 5th | Joomla | 1.2% | 1.7% | Feature-rich open source |
Ranks 2nd to 4th are occupied by cloud-based SaaS platforms like Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace, which require no server management. It's clear that modern environments allowing users to focus on front-end development and content creation without worrying about infrastructure maintenance are steadily gaining support.
Joomla, ranked 5th, might not be very well-known in Japan, but it seems to be a CMS with strong popularity, particularly in Europe. I actually dabbled with it as a hobby long ago, and there was an astonishing lack of Japanese documentation. I imagine it's probably still the same.
Incidentally, the old version of this blog, as seen on the web archive, was precisely powered by Joomla!
What is the Market Share of 'Ghost', Used by This Blog...?
Now, having surveyed global trends, let's look at the ranking of Ghost CMS, which this blog proudly uses. The result is...
＼0.1% share!／
It's 0.1% globally, and doesn't even appear in the rankings for Japan.
While the numbers alone make it seem quite minor, Ghost offers an undeniable appeal once you use it: a modern Node.js-based architecture, a sophisticated UI that allows you to focus on writing, and above all, its lightweight and swift performance. There's truly a lack of Japanese documentation, so when in trouble, you often have to translate the official pages or consult Stack Overflow.
It's also quite interesting in terms of features; it comes with member functionality by default (including newsletters and paid subscriber management!), and Fediverse integration, giving the impression of a CMS that values communication. Of course, this blog is also on the Fediverse, so you can find it if you search on Mastodon or similar platforms!
Conclusion
Recently, WordPress often faces criticism on social media, but its high market share still makes it an overwhelming force. While there seems to be a subtle trend of moving away from WordPress, it will likely take considerable time for the vast number of existing websites to migrate seamlessly. Users also need time to adapt to new CMS platforms.
I will continue to monitor future trends with interest.
This article was translated from the original Japanese version (世界のCMSシェア最新事情を見てみよう！) using Gemini API.