What Is Umbraco CMS and Why Do So Many Developers Swear by It?

The content management system space is saturated. Dozens of platforms, frameworks, and site builders all promise the same thing: intuitive, flexible, scalable content delivery. Most fall short. Either they offer ease-of-use at the cost of extensibility, or they promise developer freedom while shackling editors to complex, clunky workflows.

Umbraco CMS stands apart because it doesn’t try to be everything. It just does what it says – well.

Open-source, Microsoft .NET-based, and developer-led, Umbraco has steadily grown into one of the most trusted and extensible CMS platforms available today. It’s quietly powering everything from enterprise websites and public sector platforms to complex, multi-language and content-heavy ecosystems.

Ten Things You Should Know About Umbraco

So, what exactly is Umbraco? If you’ve ever been stuck explaining “why not WordPress?” to a sceptical stakeholder, this is the cheat sheet you’ve been waiting for. Here are the highlights that matter and what sets Umbraco apart:

• It's built on Microsoft’s trusted .NET framework, delivering security, stability, and enterprise-grade performance.

• It's open-source. Completely free to use (with no license fees), with an active global community driving innovation and support.

• It's modular and extensible. Highly flexible architecture lets you add custom features, integrations, and packages as your needs evolve.

• It's secure by design. Regular security updates, robust user management, and proven track record with enterprise and public sector clients.

• It's developer-friendly. Developers have full control over front-end and back-end, with no rigid templates or vendor lock-in.

• Content editors approve. Its clean, intuitive back office makes it easy for content teams to manage complex sites without headaches.

• It's scalable. Designed to grow with you, whether you’re running a single site or managing a global, multi-language ecosystem.

• It's headless and hybrid ready. Umbraco supports both traditional and headless deployments for ultimate flexibility and integration.

• It has a huge active community and loads of support. Umbraco's community has over 200,000 users worldwide, plus professional support and partner network options.

• It's loved by agencies and enterprises alike. Umbraco powers over 700,000 websites for brands, public sector, and enterprise organisations where reliability and adaptability matter.

What Makes Umbraco Different?

Umbraco’s strength lies in its balance. It gives developers complete control without alienating content teams. It allows for elegant, custom-built front ends without forcing a specific template or structure. And unlike many “enterprise” CMS options, it doesn’t bloat your tech stack in the process.

The back office (what content editors see and use) is clean, structured and logical. It doesn’t overwhelm. For content teams, that means intuitive workflows, customisable components and localisation features that don’t require workarounds or plugins.

What this translates to for developers is the freedom to build what’s needed. No more, no less.

Where the Technical Meets the Practical

The reality is most content management systems struggle under the pressure of real-world implementation. They’re either too limited out-of-the-box or too complex to manage without ongoing workarounds. Umbraco threads the needle.

It’s flexible enough for custom development but structured enough to scale. Secure enough for enterprise use but lean enough to avoid enterprise overhead. And better yet, it offers hybrid and headless deployment options, opening up integration into broader digital ecosystems.

In short, it adapts to your build, not the other way around.

Umbraco CMS vs. the Rest

Comparing content management systems is where the value of Umbraco really shows.

Take a look at the latest G2 Reviews on Umbraco to get an idea of the competition and where Umbraco really stacks up (take note of just how many awards and how much recognition it receives in the CMS-world).

Umbraco is built for businesses and organisations that need their digital platform to perform under pressure. Businesses that need a great ROI. Businesses that need the most AND the fastest implementable CMS. Whether that’s scaling across multiple markets, managing content across departments, or simply avoiding the inefficiencies of a bloated CMS.

These are but a few of the many reasons that developers, content editors and those familiar with the CMS recommend it, and why we're proud partners with the team at Umbraco.

Why Umbraco Has a Growing Following

Developers recommend Umbraco, and it's not because it's “trendy”. They’re pointing to a platform that gives them space to do good work. When organisations choose Umbraco, they’re opting to avoid compromises they might have with other content management systems.

We’ve seen first-hand how effective it can be in sectors where content is complex, governance matters, and scale isn’t negotiable. The ability to shape the CMS around your organisation – rather than shaping the organisation around the CMS – is often the deciding factor.

If your digital presence needs more than a page builder, and your team demands more than off-the-shelf solutions, Umbraco isn’t just a solid choice. It’s a smart one. 

If you’d like a more detailed discussion about your website, get in touch or check out our partner page.