Drupal vs Joomla: Comparing Features, Flexibility, and Use Cases

When it comes to building dynamic and feature-rich websites, two of the most popular content management systems (CMS) often compared are Drupal and Joomla. Both platforms offer robust tools for creating websites, but their unique capabilities cater to different audiences. Whether you’re aiming to build a complex site with a Drupal Website Maker or design a more user-friendly layout using a Joomla Theme Creator, it’s essential to understand the unique strengths and features each platform offers to make the best choice for your project.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the core features, flexibility, and usability of Drupal and Joomla. You’ll also learn about their customization options, including How to Create a Joomla Template or How to Create Drupal Theme, and explore resources like Free Drupal Themes and Free Joomla Templates to kickstart your website. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of which CMS aligns best with your project needs.

What is Drupal?

Talking about Drupal, it is a free and open-source content management system. Drupal can be used to create complex digital frameworks. And the available add-ons and Drupal theme frameworks help you get started quickly. Drupal sites are highly secure and stable. People use it in every sector such as personal blogs, corporate sites, political websites, and some of the government websites are built with Drupal.

Drupal is fit to handle the complex jobs with its easy to use web interface that lets you handle the range of content types. The option to deal with user accounts and user permissions makes it secure and reliable.

What is Joomla?

Joomla is a free and open-source framework. It is considered one of the best powerhouse CMS that allows you to create strong online stores. Joomla helps you build highly interactive websites and eCommerce applications with the help of Joomla template frameworks. You will get tons of free and premium extensions with Joomla to make your website unique and powerful. The Joomla Extension Directory is filled with such robust extensions to boost up your site. You may read about how to add Recaptcha in Drupal.

Joomla allows you to easily manage your media files with the help of a tool known as a media manager.

So, this was a little introduction about Drupal and Joomla. Let us now begin with the real comparison to decide which CMS is better between Drupal vs Joomla.

Let’s first study the comparison table given below.

Drupal vs Joomla Comparison

Installation Time10 minutes10 minutes

Let’s now begin with a detailed comparison.

Drupal vs Joomla: Which is cost effective?

Drupal and Joomla are both free platforms. You can download them from their official websites without having to pay anything. But when you are creating a website with either Drupal or Joomla, you will have to pay some amount in order to buy a domain name and web hosting for your website.

A Domain name is your site’s name and it can be anything you like, for instance, “www.yourdomainname.com” where ‘yourdomainname’ is the name of your website. And you are required to buy it from an authentic source.
Web hosting is your site’s space on the internet. This is how your visitors will find you over the internet. However, you may choose any best WordPress hosting providers or Joomla hosting services if you want.

Drupal vs Joomla: What is Installation process?

Drupal

Nowadays most of the hosting companies offer one-click installation for almost all the major CMSs. And many tools are available that helps you install a CMS yourself using a service like Bitnami or Softaculous.

However, the manual installation gives a better understanding of how the software is being installed on your system. It is easy to understand the flow. But, I would still suggest not to take a chance if you are not very technically fluent. Drupal has a total of 6 steps of installation. And every step is easily accessible if you have technical knowledge. Consider Drupal Forum if you still get confused with how to install Drupal.

Joomla

As we know that we may install Joomla with one-click installation so nothing to worry about. However, if you wish to install it manually even then it is not that tough. First of all, configure the Joomla site, then, set up the database, and finally, the finalization process. If by any chance you get stuck somewhere in the process of how to install Joomla you may visit the huge support forum i.e. the Joomla Installation Forum, to get a solution for yourself.

Drupal Vs Joomla: Which is easy to use?

Drupal

Drupal is a more technically advanced CMS option. If you are good at PHP, HTML, and CSS then you won’t find it difficult to work with Drupal. And making changes to your web property would be like a breeze. Whereas, if you are not very tech-savvy then it might take a long to make any useful change in your site. And this apparently makes working with Drupal a little tougher as compared to Joomla though it has a WYSIWYG editor. Drupal has a steeper learning curve which creates the problem you if you have to hand over the website to one of your newbie clients.

Joomla

Joomla has an incredible balance between the array of features and the ease to use these features. It lies somewhere between WordPress and Drupal when it comes to complexity. See this comparison between WordPress vs Joomla vs Drupal and know yourself. Joomla has a user-friendly interface and easy management. Similar to Drupal, Joomla also has a WYSIWYG editor. But, the editor is integrated within the complex layout which is hard to understand for a novice user. However, there are many easy options to use available with the dashboard.

Drupal vs Joomla: Which has more Security?

Drupal

Be it any CMS, security is the top-most priority for any web developer or a user. Many websites store user information with or without the user’s consent. So, to avoid such data breaches you need a highly secure CMS. And luckily Drupal and Joomla both are highly secure platforms. If you ever come across any unknown attack or security breach which you are unable to handle, visit the Drupal forum where millions of people have registered their experiences. And from here you easily get an answer to your problem.

Joomla

Joomla is proactively secure. However, it is quite similar to WordPress security measures. If you face and outside attack and vulnerability you will get a quick response to patch it up. There are numerous best Joomla extensions for website security available to back up your site. Likewise, you can use extensions to improve the security of your Joomla website. You can protect your Joomla installation
with the help of experienced professionals.

Drupal vs Joomla: Which is more SEO freiendly?

Drupal

SEO is one of the main concerns for any website owner. Search engine optimized websites are still the ones who attract the most organic traffic. No search engine such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. ever care about which CMS your website is built with as long as it is delivering the potential content to the users.

And Drupal offers you in-built caching for blazing-fast page load time. The page load time does affect on your website’s SEO. In order to improve your site’s SEO, you should always keep the Drupal SEO guide handy. So, whenever you need to find any tip or module, you can refer it. Drupal offers you many responsive themes to make your site looks good on smartphones, tablets, and PCs.

Joomla

Managing a Joomla site’s SEO can be quite difficult. Because Joomla rewrites the URL to add the keyword in the page and address. Likewise, at times it’s difficult to manage title tag optimization and meta description as well. It gets more complicated in the case of Joomla to employ SEO practices. Any novice user might have to struggle to get the right SEO for his website. To ease the process you can refer to these convenient Joomla SEO extensions. And believe me, these SEO hacks can set your Joomla site’s SEO to another level altogether.

Drupal vs Joomla: Which performance better?

Drupal

Performance is such a factor that can attract millions of users to your website and at the same time, it can annoy your users. Obviously, if your site’s performance is poor, the users will leave your site and will look elsewhere. And I’m sure you don’t want that. Well, nobody does.

Basically, performance is related to how fast a page loads on your site. Your site should be as fast as possible to keep your users on your site. Needless to say that a CMS plays an important role when it comes to performance. Obviously, no two CMSs come with identical functionalities and this is where Drupal varies from Joomla. Drupal is highly-scalable and easy on resources. And Drupal is smart enough to handle your website whenever it faces gridlock. And this evidently makes Drupal the best option for a large and heavy website.

Joomla

Joomla, on the other hand, is a more lightweight and optimized content management system. Joomla is considered one of the best CMS in terms of performance. It offers you an in-built performance-boosting feature. Follow these tips to improve Joomla website performance in no time. To get your Joomla site at the right front you need to make sure you use optimized images, minimum and optimum plugin usage to make your site load quickly. You can also go for Joomla specific web hosting for better performance.

Drupal vs Joomla: Whose Customizability is more easy?

Drupal

To set up the desired website you require a CMS that supports easy customization. Whereas, the level of customization totally depends on the choice of your content management system. Because every CMS has its own level of customizations. And both these CMSs Drupal and Joomla are highly customizable and truly versatile in nature. Drupal, being an open-source platform still sets you free to customize your Drupal site as per your requirements.

Joomla

With thousands of extensions available it gets really simple for any user to include whatever functionality they want to add to their website. You will see various theme options offering your desired practicalities. It only depends on you, how quickly you find a theme that fits in your requirement criteria. Professional web developers having working experience of Joomla and Drupal know the fact that Joomla and Drupal both are highly customizable at their core.

Drupal vs Joomla: Who provide better Support?

Drupal

How important a support factor is? Very much! Well a CMS that offers a large community makes it easy for its users to get resources and support effortlessly. Needless to say that Drupal is a community-based content management system, therefore, if at any time and anywhere you feel bogged down, simply visit the community for your answers. You will receive the expert opinion with strong answers here for whatever issues you have. You will get help from experienced users and professionals.

Joomla

As I have mentioned above that Joomla and Drupal both are community-based CMSs so, you will get a large community here in Joomla also. Joomla too has a great support structure with the expert panel. You will get an official help portal, where you can ask your technical questions and you will soon receive your answers. Though the community is not as big as the other two giants (WordPress and Drupal) but still you will quickly get revert. You can refer to Joomla documentation for more clear understanding.

Multilingual Support

When it comes to creating multilingual websites, both Drupal and Joomla have strong capabilities, but their approaches differ.

Drupal has multilingual functionality built directly into its core. Starting with Drupal 8, creating a multilingual website is streamlined, with over 90 languages supported out of the box. It allows users to translate not just content but also configuration, menus, blocks, and more. The multilingual features in Drupal are highly customizable and suitable for complex websites that need advanced language management.

Joomla, on the other hand, also supports multilingual websites but relies on its extensions for enhanced functionality. The core Joomla package includes basic multilingual support, enabling users to assign different languages to menu items and content. However, for more comprehensive multilingual setups, third-party extensions like Falang are often used. Joomla’s approach is less technical, making it a good option for users who prioritize ease of use over complex customization.

Use Cases: When to Choose Drupal vs Joomla

Choosing between Drupal and Joomla depends on your specific project requirements, technical expertise, and long-term goals.

When to Choose Drupal:

• Enterprise Websites: Ideal for large-scale projects such as government portals, educational institutions, and enterprise-grade websites requiring complex functionality and scalability.
• Advanced Customization: Perfect for projects where you need complete control over the architecture and design, with deep customization options.
• Multilingual Capabilities: If your project requires robust multilingual support and complex translation management, Drupal excels.
• High Security Needs: Drupal’s strong security measures make it the preferred choice for websites that handle sensitive data.

When to Choose Joomla:

• Small to Medium Businesses: Great for small business websites or startups looking for an easy-to-use CMS with solid functionality.
• Community-Driven Sites: Joomla’s strong user management and community-building tools make it ideal for forums, membership sites, and social networks.
• Quick Setup: If you need a website up and running quickly with less technical effort, Joomla is the simpler option.
• Flexible Customization: While not as advanced as Drupal, Joomla’s extensions and templates offer plenty of room for customization without overwhelming beginners.

FAQs for Drupal vs Joomla:

1. Which CMS is better for eCommerce: Drupal or Joomla?

Both Drupal and Joomla can be used to build eCommerce websites, but they cater to different needs. Drupal offers Drupal Commerce, a highly flexible and customizable eCommerce solution ideal for large, complex online stores with advanced requirements. Joomla, on the other hand, has extensions like VirtueMart that are user-friendly and suitable for small to medium-sized online stores.

2. Can Drupal and Joomla handle high-traffic websites?

Yes, both CMS platforms can handle high-traffic websites, but they do so differently. Drupal is better suited for enterprise-level, high-traffic websites because of its scalability, caching mechanisms (e.g., Varnish), and strong server-side optimization options. Joomla can also handle high traffic but might require additional third-party extensions and server optimization to achieve similar performance levels.

3. Are Drupal and Joomla beginner-friendly?

Joomla is generally considered more beginner-friendly than Drupal, thanks to its straightforward installation process and user interface. It’s easier for non-technical users to manage content and customize their websites with Joomla. Drupal, while more powerful and flexible, has a steeper learning curve and is better suited for developers or users with some technical expertise.

4. How do Drupal and Joomla compare in terms of accessibility compliance?

Drupal has a strong focus on accessibility and adheres to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). It provides tools like ARIA support, semantic HTML5, and accessibility testing modules to help developers build inclusive websites. Joomla also supports accessibility compliance but may require additional extensions or customizations to meet advanced accessibility standards.

5. Which CMS has better third-party integration capabilities?

Drupal is highly flexible and excels in integrating with external systems like CRMs (e.g., Salesforce), marketing automation tools, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Joomla also supports third-party integrations but is typically more focused on extensions for smaller businesses and community-driven websites.

6. Can I migrate my website from Joomla to Drupal or vice versa?

Yes, migrating between Joomla and Drupal is possible using migration tools and extensions. For instance, the FG Joomla to Drupal module simplifies moving content, users, and other data from Joomla to Drupal. Conversely, the Migrate Me module for Joomla can assist in transitioning from Drupal. However, such migrations may require technical expertise to ensure a seamless process.

7. Do Drupal and Joomla offer support for headless CMS functionality?

Drupal natively supports headless CMS functionality with its built-in API capabilities, making it an excellent choice for decoupled architecture. This is ideal for projects that require delivering content across multiple platforms, such as mobile apps or IoT devices. Joomla, while capable of being used in a headless setup with third-party extensions, is less optimized for such use cases compared to Drupal.

Conclusion of Drupal vs Joomla

Both Drupal and Joomla are powerful CMS platforms, each with its own set of strengths. Drupal is the go-to choice for large-scale, complex websites that demand advanced customization, high security, and robust multilingual capabilities. On the other hand, Joomla is a user-friendly option, ideal for small to medium businesses and community-driven websites that need flexibility without a steep learning curve.

Ultimately, the right choice depends on your specific needs. Assess your project’s size, complexity, and your technical expertise before deciding. With the right platform, you can create a stunning and functional website that aligns with your goals. If you’re exploring other options beyond Drupal and Joomla, consider checking out our comprehensive guide on open source CMS platforms to find the best fit for your project.