Drupal, Joomla and WordPress: Which is best for you?

When it comes to deciding which Content Management System (CMS) to use for a new website, we definitely get asked a lot of questions about the three big hitters: Drupal, Joomla and WordPress. Each of these systems are free and open sources, and are all very popular when companies are building their websites. But which one will work best for your organization? Here are a few key aspects to consider when choosing the right CMS for your website.
Drupal
Drupal was definitely built with enterprise in mind. Because it is one of the most stable content management systems, Drupal is a popular choice among larger companies that receive heavy traffic and offer richer content. Drupal also has built-in SEO, which allows sites to start ranking higher in searches, faster. That said, Drupal is more developer-focused and unlike WordPress, is not very user friendly. If you don’t have a development team on hand, this system probably isn’t for you.
Joomla
Of the three systems, Joomla is the second easiest to use and as a result, is the second most-used CMS on the market. Although Joomla was built as an enterprise level CMS, it is extremely user-friendly to the average user. Another added bonus with Joomla is that it has a strong development community with a lot of open source “extensions” for you to download and use with your website. Perks aside, Joomla does lack SEO capabilities. This shortcoming requires some developer know-how for proper set up.
WordPress
And finally, the juggernaut that is WordPress. WordPress is definitely the stand out of the bunch due to its exceptional ease of use. Even beginners can load a theme, start building content and begin customizing their site. It has strong SEO capabilities and offers a range of SEO plugins that can easily be installed with just a few clicks. WordPress is also extremely flexible and can be used as a blogging platform, web platform, or both. There are some downsides, however. Because it is so wildly used, WordPress is the target of many hackers. Also, because WordPress was originally built for blog use, you’ll need to spend some development time upfront to get your site ready for use as an official website.
Each of these systems are great choices but finding the CMS that is the right match for you is determined by your individual needs, skill level and site goals. Here’s a quick recap:
Drupal Pros: Built for enterprise, supports rich content and heavy traffic, built-in SEO
Drupal Cons: Requires substantial development, not user friendly
Joomla Pros: Stable, relatively user-friendly, strong development community
Joomla Cons: Lacks built-in SEO, requires intermediate development knowledge
WordPress Pros: Extremely user-friendly, strong SEO, extensive plugins
WordPress Cons: Prone to hackers, some minimal development time needed upfront
 
If you’re ready to start building your site but would like more information on which CMS is right for you, give us a shout! Our development team has worked extensively with more than 10 different content management systems for a variety of clients ranging from sole proprietorships to huge corporations, and are ready when you are to help with any of your development needs.