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For years, DNN had been a go-to content management system (CMS) for countless organisations – including Cantarus. It did the job well, but as digital expectations continue to evolve, legacy platforms like DNN are struggling to keep up.
From security vulnerabilities and accessibility challenges to the increasing difficulty (and cost) of maintaining outdated technology, organisations are feeling the strain. If you're constantly battling limitations and endless workarounds, it might be time for a change.
While DNN once led the charge in CMS innovation, it hasn’t kept pace with modern development trends. Built on older .NET frameworks, DNN didn’t fully adopt the latest .NET Core/.NET 6+ technologies, meaning it lacks the flexibility and performance that modern digital experience platforms (DXPs) demand.
This has led to slower development cycles, limited integration capabilities, and increasingly outdated features that are ultimately holding organisations back from delivering truly modern and seamless digital experiences.
Making the leap from DNN to a modern DXP like Kentico can feel like a big step – but trust us, it's worth it.
Kentico is a fully integrated, scalable platform built for long-term flexibility. With support for the latest .NET 8 and .NET 9 frameworks, it's built to grow with you, helping future-proof your digital presence while making life a whole lot easier for your marketing and development teams alike.
Let's break it down.
Personalisation isn't just a "nice-to-have" anymore – users expect tailored, relevant content that speaks directly to their needs. While DNN technically offers personalisation through its Evoq CMS edition, its capabilities are more limited and often require complex configurations or third-party solutions. For instance, persona-based scoring or journey orchestration features aren’t as mature or intuitive as you’d find in modern platforms.
Kentico, on the other hand, puts personalisation at its core, with powerful built-in tools that allow you to:
Unlike DNN, Kentico gives marketers the freedom to craft genuinely engaging, relevant and impactful experiences – without technical roadblocks or hidden workarounds.
Platforms like DNN offer limited to no built-in email marketing capabilities. Most organisations end up relying on external platforms, which can lead to disjointed campaigns and data silos, as well as unnecessary costs.
Kentico keeps everything under one roof, making email marketing an integrated part of your digital strategy. This includes:
This unified approach ensures your marketing efforts are cohesive and efficient – something legacy platforms simply can't compete with.
If your organisation has eCommerce ambitions, the last thing you need is a CMS that slows you down. DNN’s older architecture often requires additional development effort for integrations and doesn’t scale as easily with growing business needs.
Kentico offers seamless integrations with leading eCommerce solutions, allowing you to offer personalised product recommendations, create smooth cart and checkout experiences, and serve dynamic promotional content – all without the hassle of clunky third-party workarounds.
And because it's API-first, Kentico easily connects with CRMs and other marketing automation tools, streamlining digital operations for a robust and scalable tech stack.
Accessibility is another vital thing to consider – it shouldn't just be a box to tick.
Kentico makes accessibility straightforward to implement. Unlike legacy platforms, Kentico separates front-end markup from back-office functionality, making it far easier to meet and exceed WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) coming into effect later this year, compliance isn't just best practice – it's a legal requirement.
Security really is non-negotiable, and legacy platforms like DNN are inherently more vulnerable to breaches and performance inefficiencies, making them risky for organisations handling sensitive data.
The longer you stay on an ageing platform like DNN, the greater the risk becomes. Security updates may be slower and things are more prone to breaking. As well, finding technical support gets increasingly challenging. Many organisations delay migrating until it's urgent, but by then, it’s often a lot more complex and costly.
Kentico's architecture strengthens security, improves performance, and reduces hosting and maintenance costs. With faster load times, scalable infrastructure, and regular security patches, organisations on Kentico stay protected and ahead of digital threats.
At first glance, sticking with DNN might seem like the cheaper option. But the reality is that legacy platforms often come with hidden costs – from outdated integrations to rising maintenance fees, managing an ageing CMS is more expensive than it appears.
Kentico reduces long-term costs by offering a fully supported platform, eliminating the need for development workarounds and inefficient workflows.
Xperience by Kentico is also versionless, which means you no longer have to plan for major, disruptive upgrades again. Instead, you benefit from continuous improvements delivered incrementally, saving both time and money while avoiding the stagnation that often comes with legacy platforms.
Let's face it – no one wants to work with outdated tech. In fact, developers actively avoid it, making DNN projects harder and more expensive to maintain. DNN's ageing architecture is increasingly incompatible with modern CMS and DXP expectations, limiting innovation and efficiency.
Kentico, however, is built for the future. With structured content, headless capabilities, and multi-channel management, it keeps your organisation competitive. Upgrading to a modern, scalable platform is a strategic move for attracting top talent and empowering teams to work with the most cutting-edge tools.
Sustainability is an increasingly important factor in digital transformation, and legacy platforms aren't exactly eco-friendly. Older platforms often require more processing power and memory, which means:
Kentico is designed with efficiency in mind, reducing environmental impact through:
If you're still weighing your options, this article on replatforming from DNN explores why so many organisations are making the move in more depth.
As an award-winning Kentico partner, we can help you make the transition seamlessly. Reach out to us below or click here to learn more about our migration services.