Rocketspark, an alternative to Business Catalyst: How we can help you survive the demise of Adobe Business Catalyst and Adobe Muse
If you’re a customer of Adobe Business Catalyst or Adobe Muse, the news of Adobe’s forthcoming closure of both these web builders may have come as a shock. Change hurts, especially when that change involves something as fundamental as your business’s web platform.
But the end of Adobe doesn’t have to spell the end of your business. In times like this, we can draw inspiration from the words of Nobel-winning playwright George Bernard Shaw: “Progress is impossible without change”. It’s not always easy to see the silver lining, but change can be the beginning of something positive. By partnering with us, we’re confident your business can survive this setback—and, indeed, even flourish in spite of it.
Our experience with Adobe Business Catalyst (and the birth of Rocketspark)
Business Catalyst has been around a long time—so long (in internet years), that we were using the platform before Rocketspark was founded in 2009. Back then, it operated under the “GoodBarry” brand, a chummy name that suggested it was like an old mate giving you a hand with your new DIY website. We really liked aspects of GoodBarry and could definitely see the potential in it.
But there were problems too, especially for non-techies. We could see that editing and maintaining a website on this platform would be a major challenge for some. In fact, our early experience using the web builder was one of the reasons we started Rocketspark in the first place. We wanted to create a web builder that produced stunning websites yet was simple for average-joe computer users to use. We set out to make a web design platform that anyone with only minimal computer skills could use without breaking a sweat. Now almost a decade on, Rocketspark is an established web builder with thousands of happy customers and, best of all, is seriously simple to use.
A few years ago, we launched our Partner Programme. The impetus came after a number of graphic designers, fed up with development, approached us about using our system for their clients. The outcome was the creation of Rocketspark Studio. Our design partners are able to manage all of their client websites in a single place minus the headaches using our very own Design Studio, made specially for designers. We now have over 300 designers using Rocketspark—and that number is growing all the time. Join our ranks, and we think you’ll be delighted to see how your business can grow on our system.
Why Rocketspark?
There are a wealth of reasons to choose Rocketspark, but let’s zero in on just two of the main strengths of our system:
1. Ease of use.
Ours is one of the easiest systems to use that you’re likely to find. Clients evidently agree; we enjoy a 5-star rating for ease of use on software review site Capterra. While we may not quite offer the same level of customisation as some platforms, our code-free design capability is still very flexible. You’re not locked into a template, so you can still get the look you want without the usual headaches.
2. E-commerce functionality.
One of our key strengths is e-commerce, which means you don’t have to use a separate platform for e-commerce clients. Again, ease of use is a particular feature of our online retail system with our ethos of simplicity carried over into our online store capabilities. And while some website builders’ e-commerce systems are fairly limited, Rocketspark’s simplicity doesn’t come at the price of functionality. Rocketspark e-commerce customers enjoy seamless integration with excellent third-party retail services like Xero accounting, Vend point-of-sale, Google Shopping advertising, and buy-now/pay-later services zipPay and Laybuy. This makes the shop easy to manage for the retailer and makes shopping a pleasure for the customer.
Considering WordPress? Here is a comparison between WordPress and Rocketspark that lays out the pros and cons of each system.
How do I know Rocketspark won’t shut down like Adobe?
We get it. You’ve been burned once by Adobe’s platform, and so you’re wary of hitching your wagon to another proprietary-software* service. But, believe us: that won’t happen with us. Here are five reasons you can be confident that Rocketspark is here to stay:
1. We only do websites.
Adobe can shut down their web builders because it’s not their main gig. But here at Rocketspark, websites are absolutely our core business. When it comes to website building, we’re all in.
2. All four founders work here.
Our four founders all work full-time for Rocketspark. This business is our baby. Like any proud parent, we’re personally (and professionally) invested in seeing our baby thrive in the long-term.
3. We’re privately funded.
All funders are all completely committed to the business. It’s not just a commodity for us to buy and sell.
4. There are 1000s of clients.
Rocketspark has thousands of users, so it’s not about to fail for lack of clients.
5. Government-support for the next 3 years.
Rocketspark has been approved for a New Zealand government funding programme over the next three years and they trawled through our finances and plans before approval, so we’re no flash in the pan.
So, as a Rocketspark customer, you can relax. We’re not going anywhere.
*Proprietary means we keep our source code secret. Less customisable, but superior ease of use.
How do I switch to Rocketspark?
Ease of use is in our DNA. So, naturally, we want to make the process of transferring from an Adobe platform to Rocketspark as simple as possible.
There are two ways this could go, depending on demand…
If there’s enough interest, our crack team of developers will create a migration tool specifically for Adobe users to make moving over to Rocketspark a piece of cake. Interested? Please fill out the form below. But even if there’s not enough interest to justify tailor-making a tool for Adobe users, we promise we’ll still bend over backwards to help you move over to Rocketspark. Start a free trial here to see how easy our web builder is to use, and contact a Partner Manager so we can help guide you through the process.
Adobe’s announcement might feel like a crisis—but it doesn’t have to be. We’re committed to helping your business weather this storm and even emerge out the other side healthier than ever before.
Register your interest in a website migration tool
Enter your details below, as well as the number of websites you would be looking to migrate from Business Catalyst.
