Replace wordpress for portfolio site

[janbanan]

I've been using WordPress for my own site and other projects since around 2005.

The problem is that WordPress has become slower and more bloated over time. Issues like SEO, WP Engine, and a lot of legacy code have also become frustrating. Many plugins are outdated, and overall, it's no longer meeting my needs. I'm now looking for a modern solution to handle my portfolio site with images and videos.

I have knowledge of CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and some other coding skills, but I don't want to build everything from scratch. I prefer a simple, flexible, and fast solution. Sometimes I use builders like Divi or Elementor they create bloated code but are still user-friendly and fast.

Here’s what I need in a CMS:

• A gallery system that can seamlessly mix photos and videos.
• The ability to create project pages. For example, I might showcase a photo documentary report with many images and text, or a project where I only did the filming while someone else handled the editing.
• A simple contact page.
• Automatic optimization of images for the best size based on the current device.
• An easy way to add new content quickly.
• Open source and hosted own my own webhost
• Active community and dvelopment no something that will fail in 1-2 years
• Design focused not engineer focues

What CMS would you recommend as a replacement for WordPress?

 

[BAK CDN]

We use WIX, but I don't know if it meets all your requirements.

www.thelegalateam.com is WIX.

And if I was looking at new software, I would check out Square Space.

BAK

 

[CaptainAmerica]

This is an example of a photographer website built with Squarespace:

Simon d'Entremont Photography

www.simondentremont.com

 

[janbanan]

We use WIX, but I don't know if it meets all your requirements.

www.thelegalateam.com is WIX.

And if I was looking at new software, I would check out Square Space.

BAK

• Open source and hosted own my own webhost

wix fails on that point

 

[janbanan]

This is an example of a photographer website built with Squarespace:

https://www.simondentremont.com/

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Someone seems to have spent considerable time on this

10+ Best Open Source WordPress Alternatives (2025)

A curated collection of the best open source alternatives to WordPress. Each listing includes a website screenshot along with a detailed review of its features.

openalternative.co

 

[MercedRiver]

If you are a Mac user, check out Rapidweaver Elements. https://www.realmacsoftware.com/rapidweaver/elements/

 

[Ellis Vener]

I’m very read your parameters. I am pretty sure it isn’t open source (that’s above my pay grade), my recommendation is to try Photodeck , https://photodeck.com

i am in the process of remaking my portfolio but have been running pd for test galleries and commercial client delivery for seven months now and it’s been both stable and getting high marks from my clients. I suspect the relaunch will be either later this month or by the end of February and at that point will switch away from my current portfolio site host.

--
Ellis Vener
To see my work, please visit http://www.ellisvener.com
I am on Instagram @EllisVenerStudio
“It's not about the f-stop." -Jay Maisel

 

[The First Picard]

Years ago I used JAlbum - a desktop app (cross-platform as it's written in Java, hence the J) which generates a static web site and upload it to a hosting provider. It's still going on strong. It's mainly geared towards albums where it's very mature in terms of features.

This year I plan to migrate to Publii - an open-source CMS that generates a static site. I also do astrophotography and have a Wordpress site to write articles about the images. Publii is better for a mixture of text and images and is less strong on the gallery side, though, but its Core Gallery plugin might be enough.

 

[incoherent1]

maybe check out adobe portfolio

 

[DavidMillier]

I use piwigo to generate my galleries (the self hosted version). I use darktable as my raw editor and that has an export to piwigo option which streamlines things. My site is built using self hosted Wordpress and in my opinion it is not bloated or slow but ever improving but I guess everyone will have their own opinion on that.

You could always combine piwigo with a hand coded static html site if you want to be hard-core about it

 

[Hary_64]

I would recommend checking out Ghost—it's open-source, simple to use, and optimized for speed. It’s great for content creators, especially for portfolios, and handles multimedia well. Another option could be Craft CMS, which offers a highly customizable and user-friendly experience, though it might require a bit of setup. Both have active communities and great support for modern design.