WordPress vs Drupal vs Joomla – Which is Best (Pros and Cons 2021)
For a successful website, you need to have a solid plan. If you are planning to build a website with a Content Management System (CMS), it is significant to consider the best one. Wondering what CMS is? Don’t fret, let us explain to you the different types of CMS for building a website.
A CMS is a Content Management System that allows its users to create, manage, and modify the content of their website without using HTML or CSS coding. There are three popular CMS to choose from – WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.
Today, WordPress is the best-known CMS that empowers over 58% of every CMS-based website. Whereas Joomla and Drupal authorize 7% to 4% of all websites. However, it is always a daunting task to choose among the best three options especially, when they have a lot of similarities. Here is a nice guide on how to install wordpress on aws ubuntu.
Moreover, they also offer a significant difference, and you can select any one of them based on your business needs and objectives. Let’s find out the best CMS platform for you by comparing them all.
Comparison Between WordPress, Drupal, And Joomla
1. Ease Of Use
Every individual or organization wants to have an online presence, but not everyone is a web developer. It means that most of them do not know the coding language at all. So, CMS platforms are the best for these types of people. However, not all platforms provide you the best user-friendly options. Let’s discuss the easy-to-use CMS platform and its user-friendliness.
WordPress
WordPress’s installation is relatively easy and can be done in just one click. It has an easy user interface that includes menus for creating posts, pages or starts customizing appearance and themes. It also has easy-to-use themes and plugins that make it the best platform for beginners. You can learn how to run wordpress on windows.
Drupal
The installation process of Drupal is similar to that of WordPress. Moreover, Drupal offers distributions that include pre-packed bundles with modules and configurations that allow you to create websites according to your niche and requirements.
After the installation process, you will get introduced to Drupal’s dashboard. It is modest and clean with a minimal layout. Although it is massively flexible, people find it quite complicated. Its collection of modules is a daunting task to find. Thus, it is adaptable for developers but reasonably complicated for beginners.
Joomla
Like WordPress or Drupal, Joomla also involves a single-click installation process. However, it is not as quick as WordPress.
Unlike WordPress and Drupal, its control panel is quite complicated. It provides the users several menus for customizing their sites. Thus, they get confused while configuring it. Users have to add modules and arrange their position to make them understandable.
The process in Joomla is time-consuming. But, once the user is familiar with it, it is effortless to work in.
2. Prices
WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla are solely free when you download them from their official website. However, these CMS platforms involve side costs for a domain name and web hosting.
The users are charged similar costs from all three websites. Nonetheless, the additional charges are included only when the user plans to expand the native feature sets of their CMS with modules or designs. Hence, the price specification of these three platforms involve:
WordPress
The WordPress plugins are available from $0- $200, whereas its themes are available separately from $0-$250.
Drupal
Drupal’s plugin cost ranges from $0-$100, while its themes cost $0-$80.
Joomla
Joomla’s plugins costs $0-$70, and its themes cost $0-$200.
These three CMS platforms also include add-ons at roughly the same price. However, the user can skip buying the add-ons when they are not included in their budget.
3. Security
Security is a very significant factor to consider while selecting a CMS platform. So, let’s have a look at the security of each of the three websites.
WordPress
Although WordPress is the famous CMS platform globally, it is mostly targeted by hackers. However, it is built with a secure code which makes it sturdy enough to respond to security rapidly.
The platform includes an auto-update mechanism that makes the website more secure by updating the new security patch automatically. The users can also secure their websites with the help of two-factor authentication, automated backups, and other security practices.
Furthermore, it has a separate auto-mechanism for themes and plugins. Thus, themes and plugins developers can respond to any unsafe security immediately.
Drupal
Drupal takes security as its priority. They disseminate unsafe security that is discovered and patched on their site. People are perceptive about Drupal being the most secure CMS platform. It is because no one had heard about it being hacked till today.
Joomla
Joomla offers similar services to WordPress. They tend to respond and patch up security vulnerabilities quickly. However, it is up to the user how they maintain their website and install updates.
Moreover, users can strengthen their website security by following the same practices as compared to WordPress.
4. Themes And Addons
All three CMS platforms include themes, plugins, or modules that allow the users in extending the features and appearance of their website. So, let’s discover the themes and addons of each of the CMS in detail.
WordPress
WordPress has a few default themes pre-installed. It allows the users to add new themes to their website by simply installing WordPress themes from its official site. However, you will also find premium themes developed by some of the famous developers like Studio Press, Elegant Themes, and many more.
Drupal
Drupal has fewer themes and addons as compared to WordPress. It means that users have to go to other sites for their desired themes and modules and then set the project zip file accordingly. Then, they have to enter the URL in the theme page to install them.
It requires a lot of processes and time. Thus, it lacks behind in terms of Themes and Addons.
Joomla
Joomla also comes with themes and addons and is even a considerable extension for developing an eCommerce store or managing emails. However, the number of themes and addons is not sufficient for many users.
Moreover, it does not contain a feature for installing templates from the administration area. It comprises a feature called “add from web” where you have to manually enter the URL of your desired template to develop your website.
5. Support Option
Having support options is beneficial for beginners. The users will find it difficult while using new software. But, it can be done effortlessly as long as it is done with someone’s help. Dive deep into each CMS platform to know its support options in detail.
WordPress
WordPress includes a sturdy community of users, such as WPBeginner Exchange Facebook Group, Slack Channels, Stack Exchange, docs, handbooks, and many more.
Moreover, sites like WPBeginners include several tutorials, articles, and videos that help beginner users of WordPress. It also involves both free and paid WordPress support options.
Its immense popularity has made it effortless for small businesses and individuals to hire developers swiftly.
Drupal
Drupal also includes a proactive community like WordPress. It involves extension documents, mailing lists, support forums, user groups, and chat rooms. They also connect users to developers and companies that offer professional Drupal services. However, they are very costly as compared to WordPress.
Joomla
Joomla also has a very vast community and provides sufficient documentation for beginners. It allows the users to join forums, mailing lists, etc. for more interactive sessions.
However, it is a daunting task of finding an affordable expert for Joomla. Thus, it is relatively expensive in terms of hiring a developer or company for the website.
Pros And Cons Of WordPress, Drupal, And Joomla
In this section, we will show you Pros and Cons of WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.
WordPress
Pros
WordPress offers its users the following advantages.
- No coding skills are required for creating complex pages. It can be achieved by using Page Building Plugins.
- It allows its user to create web pages with numerous functions, including advanced SEO.
- It is considered to be the most comfortable software by beginners.
- It’s a vast community that helps the user to select accurate themes and plugins.
- It also offers backward compatibility.
- WordPress develops actively and releases its patches regularly.
- It offers auxiliary posts and pages on its site.
- It has less install interface and helps the user in a quick and smooth installation process.
- You can select self-hosting or WordPress options in the WordPress platform.
Cons
With advantage, it comes with several disadvantages as well.
- About 50 thousand WordPress sites get hacked every year because of it using third-party plugins that may not be updated.
- The WordPress core needs to be updated frequently. It may break your existing plugins.
- After updating the WordPress, few plugins tend to stop working.
- It has very little built-in flexibility for more significant and sophisticated websites.
- It has a very vulnerable core code which is now improving every day.
Drupal
Pros
Drupal offers the following advantages to its users:
- It provides its user with the ability to customize every aspect of your website as per their needs.
- It gives access to multiple modules, themes, and various built-in site management options to its users.
- It helps the user in managing complex and multiple websites efficiently.
- It allows its users to hire several best web developers for developing their sites.
- It offers understandable and clear core code.
- It is more secure than other CMS platforms.
- It delivers modules that are beneficial for customizations.
Cons
Apart from the advantages, this CMS platform has disadvantages as well.
- Beginners find this platform relatively complicated for learning as compared to WordPress.
- Using several modules makes the setup process time-consuming and lengthy.
- The user needs to have some knowledge related to HTML or other coding languages for running the website.
- It does not offer hosted services. So users must have hosting services and domain names.
- The extension updates are not always in alignment with the backend.
Joomla
Pros
Joomla offers several benefits that include:
- Joomla has a sturdy and user-friendly admin interface.
- It delivers its user an easy-to-use admin panel that helps in managing multiple information.
- It is beneficial for multi-user websites, like university websites.
- It is a perfect blend of effortless usage and complex functionalities.
- It allows the users to preview configuration before the commencement of installation.
- The user does not require any technical knowledge when using cPanel for installation.
Cons
Joomla has several limitations as well. They are:
- The built-in performance of Joomla is very slow and clunky.
- The user needs to have basic coding knowledge to fix plugins.
- It has minimal customization options for features and functionalities.
- It offers a limited marketplace for extensions to its users.
- It does not have proficient developers for developing a website.
- Mostly, the available plugins offered by Joomla are paid.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to choosing the best CMS platform, we think that all three are considered good in themselves. So, it will not be a waste of time if you choose any one of them. However, you can wisely select any one of them based on their distinctive features and your needs.
