Introduction
WPCS offers a multi-tenant WordPress solution that allows you to create a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or WordPress-as-a-Service (WaaS) platform. Both WPCS and Dollie are interesting alternatives to WordPress multisite. Which of the two is right for you will depend on your use-case. In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll delve into various aspects to help you make an informed decision.
Dollie and WPCS pricing models are distinct, making direct comparison challenging. The more attractive price will depend on your specific use case. Both Dollie and WPCS provide a choice of 3 plans to customers, with the highest tiered plan requiring an introductory sales call.
| Provider | Plan | Support | Pricing | Seats | Additional Seats | Hub |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dollie | Free | Limited | $0/year | 3 | n/a | ❌ |
| Dollie | Pro | Included | $50/year | 10 | n/a | ❌ |
| Dollie | Hub Builder | Included | $200/year | 10 | n/a | ✔️ |
| WPCS | Essential | Limited | $55/year | 1 | $10/month | ❌ |
| WPCS | Professional | Default | $660/year | 4 | $10/month | ❌ |
| WPCS | Enterprise | Personal | n/a | 10 | $10/month | ❌ |
Blueprints / Templates / Versions
The purpose of blueprints or templates is to provide a predefined starting point or structure for creating websites. They are pre-designed layouts or configurations that include a set of pre-selected features, design elements, and content placeholders. Blueprints or templates can be used to streamline the website development process by offering a ready-made framework that can be customized and modified according to specific needs. They help save time and effort by providing a foundation for designing and building websites, making it easier for users to create professional-looking sites without starting from scratch. Where Dollie uses blueprints, WPCS uses versions. Though they have some differences in functionality and application, they are reasonably equivalent.
Dollie’s Blueprints serve as starting points for customers, allowing customization and control over each site’s functionality. Changes to a blueprint do not affect existing sites. Instead Dollie relies on it’s Update Manager which can run bulk updates to plugins, themes and WordPress code of many sites at once.
WPCS’s versions on the other hand provide tighter control over site functionality and changes to a version are applied to existing sites. Each approach has its merits, the one that suits you best will depend on your use case.
| Provider | Product/Service | Price | Pro-rated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dollie | Blueprint / Version | $5/month | day |
| WPCS | Blueprint / Version | $27/month | hour |
| Dollie | Snapshots | Free | n/a |
| WPCS | Snapshots | 1 free/month then $0.25/snapshot | n/a |
Managed hosting is a type of web hosting service where the hosting provider takes care of the technical aspects of server management and maintenance on behalf of the website owner. Both Dollie and WPCS offer highly performant managed hosting based on next-gen container technology.
Dollie offers a generous standard site size, and a premium VIP size on request for the most demanding sites. Sites hosted on Dollie Private Cloud are hosted in Canada, but hosting in Europe is available on request.
WPCS has a resource based pricing model, that allows fine control over how much a customer is willing to pay per site, with their pricing taking into account backup and cron frequency, RAM, Storage, and virtual CPU allocation. Users can deploy sites to 2 hosting regions: US and Europe.
| Provider | Product/Service | Price | Pro-rated | RAM | vCPUs | Backup Frequency | Cron Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dollie | Standard Site | $10/month | day | 2GB | 4 | Daily | 15 mins |
| WPCS | Medium Scale | $20.32/month | hour | 2GB | 2 | Daily | 15 mins |
Site management refers to the activities and tasks involved in effectively overseeing and maintaining a website. It includes various aspects such as content management, plugin and theme updates, security measures, backups, performance optimization, and overall administration of the website. Site management aims to ensure the smooth functioning, security, and optimal performance of the website while providing a positive user experience for visitors. It may involve using tools, dashboards, or platforms that streamline and facilitate these management tasks for website owners or administrators. Both Dollie and WPCS offer a range of tools to streamline these processes and enhance the overall workflow.
| Feature | Dollie | WPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Database Manager | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Log Viewer | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Code Editor | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Local CLI | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Performance Checks | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Uptime Monitor | ✔️ | ❌ |
| One-Click Login | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Bulk Plugin Activate/Deactivate | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Cloud WP-CLI | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Manual Backups | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Automated Backups | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| External Sites | ✔️ | ❌ |
A website-as-a-service (WAAS) storefront is a platform or system that enables users to build and manage a marketplace for selling websites as a service. It provides tools and functionalities for creating, customizing, and deploying websites for clients. Users can offer pre-designed templates, themes, or blueprints, along with additional services such as domain registration, hosting, and ongoing website management. The WAAS storefront simplifies the process of launching and managing a website business, allowing users to monetize their services and offer scalable solutions to clients.
Subscribers of the Hub Builder plan can deploy their own Dollie hub in 2 minutes. Dollie Hub is a no-code WAAS builder that facilitates the creation of a complete Website-as-a-Service business by integrating with popular components of the WordPress ecosystem. Your clients can signup, purchase the appropriate product or subscription, deploy sites from a marketplace of blueprints.
Designed with compatibility in mind Dollie Hub works with all of the popular pagebuilders such as Elementor and Breakdance, and biggest e-commerce plugins such as WooCommerce, MemberPress, and Membership Pro. While getting started with Dollie Hub is quick, it’s real strength lies in how malable and adaptable it can be, allowing users to build the service that suits their needs.
WPCS provides 2 free plugins, a server plugin and a client plugin, that allows for quick integration between WooCommerce and their API. WooCommerce products are associated with roles, that allow for quick upselling of features provided within a website.
- Customizability: With Dollie, each site can install plugins, themes, and other WordPress functionalities, offering flexibility and customization options.
- No-code platform builder: Dollie Hub facilitates the creation of a complete Website-as-a-Service business by integrating with popular components of the WordPress ecosystem.
- Large set of site management and reporting tools
- Can be used on externally hosted sites
- Streamlined flow for SaaS/WaaS: WPCS allows the creation of a SaaS/WaaS platform where every site in the network is the same, offering complete control over site behavior.
- Sites share the same code base
- Local CLI enables users to create CI/CD pipelines and develop versions locally.
- Fine-grained resource pricing
Please note that the pricing information provided is based on the available information at the time of writing this article. Visit the respective websites for the most up-to-date pricing details.
