Service · Custom CMS
Custom CMS Development — Built for Your Content
A content management system designed around your actual content model — not a forced WordPress taxonomy or a $500/month headless CMS.
The problem with off-the-shelf CMS platforms
- WordPress's content model was built for blog posts — forcing products, events, portfolio pieces, or custom data types into it always involves plugins and workarounds.
- Headless CMS platforms like Contentful, Sanity, or Prismic charge significant monthly fees and create a third-party dependency in your content pipeline.
- Out-of-the-box CMS interfaces show your editors 40 fields when they need 4 — training overhead and wrong-field mistakes are the result.
What's included
- Admin interface with only the fields your editors actually use.
- Content types modeled around your data — no plugin shoehorning.
- Role-based access: admin, editor, viewer — with permissions matching your team's actual workflow.
- Media library with image upload, resize, and alt text management.
- Revision history and draft/publish workflow included.
- Full PHP source code — no SaaS dependency, no monthly access fee.
How it works
1
Content model mapping
What types of content exist, what fields each needs, and what the publish workflow looks like — documented before design starts.
2
Admin UI design
Mockups of the interface before a line is written — you approve the UX first.
3
Build
PHP admin panel and public-facing rendering built together on a staging URL.
4
Training + handoff
Documented admin guide with a recorded walkthrough for your team.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from just using WordPress with custom post types?
A custom CMS is purpose-built — the interface matches the content, the database is normalized for your data model, and there are no vestigial options from features you didn't ask for. WordPress with custom post types works fine but still carries the full WordPress stack, plugin ecosystem, and update cycle. A custom CMS has exactly as much as you need and nothing extra.
What kinds of content does this work for?
Events and ticketing, real estate listings, restaurant menus, product catalogs, team member directories, case studies and portfolio items, job listings, and any repeating structured data that doesn't fit cleanly into "page" or "post." If you have a spreadsheet you're manually translating into HTML updates, you need a custom CMS.
Can non-technical staff use the admin?
That's the goal. Every admin interface is built with non-technical users in mind — clear field labels, sensible defaults, inline validation, and no exposed HTML fields unless the editor role explicitly requires it.
What does this cost?
A simple custom CMS for one content type with 2–3 editor fields starts at $3,000. A multi-type admin with roles, media management, and a draft workflow is typically $5,000–$9,000 depending on scope. Quoted after a content model mapping session.
Need a CMS built around your workflow?
Walk me through how your team manages content — I'll design the admin around what you actually need.
Get a quote