Invision Community vs Volusion

Invision Community and Volusion are both popular platforms for creating online communities and e-commerce websites, respectively. While Invision Community focuses on providing robust community-building tools, Volusion specializes in e-commerce features and functionality.

General information

Invision Community
Volusion
Introduction :
Invision Community is a robust platform that offers a comprehensive suite of community building tools, including forums, blogs, and galleries. Launched in 2002, it has a strong reputation for being user-friendly and highly customizable. Invision Community is popular among online communities for its extensive features, active support community, and regular updates to keep pace with evolving online trends.
Introduction :
Volusion is a popular e-commerce platform that was launched in 1999. It is not open source, but it is known for its user-friendly interface and robust features for online stores. Volusion is favored for its scalability and customization options, making it a top choice for businesses of all sizes looking to establish a strong online presence. With a wide range of templates and integrations available, Volusion offers a comprehensive solution for e-commerce needs.
Advantages :
  • Easy to use and navigate interface
  • Active and supportive community
  • Regular updates and improvements
  • Customizable design and functionality
  • Integrated tools for engagement and analytics
Advantages :
  • Easy to use for beginners
  • Wide range of design templates available
  • Excellent customer support
  • Built-in SEO features
  • Scalable for growing businesses
Disadvantages :
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Limited customization options compared to others
  • Higher cost for advanced features
  • Limited third-party integrations
  • Requires regular maintenance and updates
Disadvantages :
  • Limited design flexibility
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Higher monthly fees compared to some competitors
  • Limited third-party integrations
  • Lack of built-in blogging capabilities
Website users : Thousands
Invision Community is used by thousands of websites worldwide, making it a popular choice for online communities and forums.
Website users : Tens of thousands of websites
Volusion is a popular e-commerce platform used by a significant number of online stores for their website operations.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Invision Community has a moderate learning curve, requiring some technical skills to set up and customize, but resources are available for assistance.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Getting started with Volusion may require some technical knowledge, but their user-friendly interface helps streamline the process for beginners.
Year launched : 2002
Invision Community was launched in 2002, making it one of the earlier content management systems available in the market.
Year launched : 1999
Volusion was launched in 1999, making it one of the earlier e-commerce platforms available for businesses to create online stores.
Official website : https://www.volusion.com/


Commercial details

Invision Community
Volusion
๐ŸŸก Open source : Partially.
Invision Community is partially open source, with limited access to the source code for customization and development purposes.
๐Ÿ”ด Open source : No.
Volusion is not open source. The platform does not provide access to its source code for customization or modification.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
There is a free option available for Invision Community, but it may have limited features compared to paid plans. It is a self-hosted platform.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
Volusion offers a free 14-day trial, but there is no permanent free option. Limited features available in the trial period.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Invision Community offers a paid option with additional features and support, providing more value for users looking for advanced capabilities.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Volusion offers a paid option with additional features and support compared to its free plan, providing more flexibility and customization for users.


Platform details

Invision Community
Volusion
๐ŸŸข Hosted : Yes.
Invision Community offers a hosted option, providing users with the convenience of a managed service for their online community platform.
๐ŸŸข Hosted : Yes.
Volusion offers a hosted option for users, providing a convenient and hassle-free solution for setting up an online store.
๐ŸŸข Self host : Yes.
Invision Community offers a self-host option, allowing users to host the platform on their own servers or through third-party vendors.
โšช Self host : Unknown.
Volusion does not offer a self-hosting option, but there may be third-party vendors available for hosting services.
โšช Headless CMS : Unknown.
Invision Community does not have native headless support, but it may offer headless features through its API. Further research is recommended.
โšช Headless CMS : Unknown.
Volusion may have headless features via an API, but specific information on headless support is not readily available.
๐ŸŸก Static content generation : Supported via plugin.
Static content generation is possible in Invision Community through third-party plugins, offering flexibility and customization options for users.
๐ŸŸก Static content generation : Supported via plugin.
Volusion does not natively support static content generation but can potentially be achieved via a popular plugin.


Key features

Invision Community
Volusion
๐ŸŸข Content management : Support natively.
Invision Community offers robust native content management tools, making it a strong platform for efficiently managing and organizing content.
๐ŸŸก Content management : Supported via plugin.
Volusion offers basic content management capabilities but may require additional plugins for more advanced features compared to other platforms.
๐ŸŸก Blogging : Supported via plugin.
Invision Community offers basic blogging capabilities, but it is enhanced by third-party plugins for more advanced features and customization.
๐Ÿ”ด Blogging : Not supported.
Volusion is not a preferred platform for blogging compared to other options like WordPress or Shopify, which offer more robust blogging features.
๐ŸŸก E-commerce : Supported via plugin.
Invision Community can be used for e-commerce with plugins like Commerce, offering robust features for online stores.
๐ŸŸก E-commerce : Supported via plugin.
Volusion offers e-commerce functionality but may require additional plugins for advanced features compared to other platforms.
๐ŸŸข Community forum : Support natively.
Invision Community offers a robust set of community features out of the box, making it a strong platform for building forums and communities.
๐ŸŸก Community forum : Supported via plugin.
Volusion does not have native forum functionality but can be enhanced by third-party plugins for community building and forum features.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Content subscriptions/paywalls can be implemented through third-party plugins/extensions, offering flexibility and customization options within Invision Community.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Volusion does not natively support content subscriptions/paywalls but can be enhanced by popular third-party plugins/extensions for this functionality.


Other features

Invision Community
Volusion
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Multi-site functionality can be achieved via third-party plugins, offering flexibility and customization options for managing multiple sites within Invision Community.
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Volusion does not support multi-site natively but can be enhanced by third-party plugins/extensions for multi-site functionality.
๐ŸŸข Multi-language : Support natively.
Invision Community supports multi-language natively, making it easy for users to create and manage content in multiple languages without the need for additional plugins.
๐ŸŸก Multi-language : Supported via plugin.
Supports multi-language via popular third-party plugins or extensions, enhancing its capabilities for catering to diverse language needs.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
Supports XML sitemaps through popular third-party plugins/extensions, enhancing SEO capabilities for better search engine visibility.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
Supports XML sitemaps through popular third-party plugins, enhancing SEO capabilities for better search engine visibility.


When choosing between Invision Community and Volusion, consider your specific needs and goals. If you prioritize creating a thriving online community, Invision Community may be the better choice. On the other hand, if your main focus is on selling products online, Volusion’s e-commerce capabilities could be more suitable. Ultimately, selecting the platform that aligns with your objectives will lead to a more successful online presence.