Software Alternatives & Startups

99designs VS ExpressionEngine

Compare 99designs VS ExpressionEngine and see what are their differences

99designs

The #1 marketplace for graphic design, including logo design, web design and other design contests. Start a contest now with 100% Money-Back Guarantee!

Rating
0 reviews
ExpressionEngine

ExpressionEngine is a flexible, feature-rich content management system that empowers thousands of...

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, 99designs seems to be a lot more popular than ExpressionEngine. While we know about 28 links to 99designs, we've tracked only 2 mentions of ExpressionEngine.

social mentions
28 vs 2
Graphic Design popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 201

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

99designs
ExpressionEngine
Website 99designs.com expressionengine.com
Pricing
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

99designs 6 features
ExpressionEngine 6 features
  • Variety of Designs
    The platform provides access to a wide range of design concepts from multiple designers, increasing the likelihood of finding a design that best fits your needs.
  • Competitive Pricing
    Clients can choose from different pricing packages to fit their budget, with competitive pricing due to the large number of designers.
  • High-Quality Designers
    99designs has a rigorous vetting process, ensuring that many of the designers available on the platform are skilled and experienced.
  • Easy to Use
    The platform is user-friendly, making it easy for clients to post projects, communicate with designers, and review submissions.
  • Global Talent Pool
    Access to a global community of designers provides diverse perspectives and creativity, which can be advantageous for unconventional or unique projects.
  • Fast Turnaround Time
    Clients can receive multiple design submissions quickly, reducing the time it takes to finalize a design.

Possible disadvantages

  • Quality Control
    With a large number of submissions, there is a possibility of receiving a mix of high and low-quality designs, requiring more time for review.
  • Cost Can Add Up
    While there are various pricing packages, opting for a higher level of service or guaranteeing higher prizes can significantly increase costs.
  • Intellectual Property Concerns
    In some cases, there may be concerns about the originality of submitted designs, necessitating thorough checks to ensure designs are not plagiarized.
  • Communication Barriers
    Working with international designers can sometimes result in communication challenges, including language barriers and differing time zones.
  • Non-Refundable Fees
    Some fees, such as those for additional services or premium packages, are non-refundable, even if the design project does not meet expectations.
  • Limited Revisions
    Depending on the selected package, there may be a limit to the number of revisions allowed, which could be restrictive for clients requiring extensive changes.
  • Flexibility
    ExpressionEngine is highly flexible and can be used to create a wide range of websites, from simple blogs to complex web applications. It doesn't impose rigid structures, allowing developers to design content and data structures according to the project's needs.
  • Template Engine
    Its powerful template engine allows for both simple and complex designs. Designers and developers can create custom layouts and templates without having to delve deeply into backend code.
  • Security
    Known for its robust security features, ExpressionEngine prioritizes the safety of its users. It includes in-built security measures such as data encryption, secure form handling, and regular security updates.
  • Addon Ecosystem
    ExpressionEngine has a diverse addon ecosystem, enabling users to extend core functionalities easily. Many high-quality third-party plugins are available for various needs like SEO, eCommerce, and more.
  • User Management
    The platform offers advanced user management capabilities. It allows for intricate access controls and user permissions, making it ideal for membership sites and other applications requiring multiple user roles.
  • Documentation
    ExpressionEngine provides thorough and well-maintained documentation, helping developers and content managers navigate and make the most out of the platform.

Possible disadvantages

  • Cost
    ExpressionEngine is a paid CMS. While it does offer significant advantages, the cost might be prohibitive for small businesses or individuals who are just getting started.
  • Learning Curve
    While its flexibility is a major advantage, it also means that there can be a steep learning curve for beginners. Those who are new to CMSs or coming from simpler systems may find the initial setup and customization challenging.
  • Performance
    ExpressionEngine can be resource-intensive, particularly for large, high-traffic websites. Without proper optimization and hosting, this could lead to slower load times and potential performance issues.
  • Complexity for Simple Sites
    For simpler websites, the extensive feature set of ExpressionEngine might be overkill. Users looking for a straightforward blogging platform or a basic company website may find it unnecessarily complex.
  • Limited Themes and Plugins
    Compared to other CMS platforms like WordPress, ExpressionEngine has a smaller library of pre-built themes and plugins. This may require more custom development work to achieve desired functionalities and aesthetics.
  • Community Support
    While there is a dedicated group of users, the community around ExpressionEngine is smaller compared to more widely-used CMS platforms. This could make finding community support, tutorials, and third-party resources more difficult.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

99designs
ExpressionEngine

Overall verdict

  • Overall, 99designs is considered a good choice for both designers looking to find work and businesses or individuals seeking design services. It provides a straightforward process for both parties and generally results in creative and satisfying outcomes.

Why this product is good

  • 99designs is a popular platform for freelance designers and businesses to connect. It offers a wide range of design services, from logo and website design to packaging and book covers. Designers compete by submitting their work in response to a client's brief, allowing clients a variety of high-quality design options to choose from. The platform is known for its ease of use, diverse talent pool, and the ability to see multiple designs before making a selection.

Recommended for

    99designs is highly recommended for small to medium-sized businesses, startups, and individuals seeking quality design work and willing to invest in a competitive design process. It's also suitable for freelance designers looking for new opportunities and willing to participate in design contests to showcase their skills.

No analysis of ExpressionEngine yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

99designs 2 videos + Add
ExpressionEngine 3 videos + Add

99designs Review: Watch me get a new logo!

More videos

  • - 99Designs Review and Overview

ExpressionEngine 2 Tutorials #1 - Installation

More videos

  • - ExpressionEngine 2 Tutorials #18 - Embedded Templates
  • - ExpressionEngine 3 Interface Changes

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
99designs
ExpressionEngine
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
CMS
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using 99designs and ExpressionEngine. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

99designs no reviews yet
ExpressionEngine no reviews yet

View more

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

99designs 28 mentions
ExpressionEngine 2 mentions
  • Ask HN: Contest Website for Developers\Designers?
    Https://99designs.com has contest-like feature for designers. I was satisfied with the results when I used them 10 years ago. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Hi everyone! Is this a good book cover?
    This company is cheaper, but also does good work: Https://99designs.com/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How do you get a logo for your cool new beer league team?
    99Designs is the contest one I know about. Source: over 3 years ago

View more

  • Expression Engine & HubSpot
    Does Expression Engine support integration with HubSpot? Source: about 3 years ago
  • What technologies for these requirements?
    PHP Headless Or you go with a Headless PHP CMS. Some options for that are Bolt CMS, Suru, Twill and ExpressionEngine. A Headless CMS doesn't have any frontend. It can provide you with a REST API or you create it in their template engine... Source: over 4 years ago

Alternatives to 99designs and ExpressionEngine

When comparing 99designs and ExpressionEngine, you can also consider the following products.