DRUPAL VS. WORDPRESS – WHICH IS BETTER?

DRUPAL VS. WORDPRESS – WHICH IS BETTER?

WordPress and Drupal are two of the most popularly used platforms for Content Management Systems in the world.

Choosing the right CMS platform for your business can drastically improve your organization’s productivity and efficiency.

Finding the right CMS platform will require you to take the short and long-term goals of your business into consideration. And the right choice for your business will also depend on whom you ask. Essentially, you are very likely to get very different answers if you ask an experienced website developer, and a relatively not so tech-savvy friend

or colleague. Even though both advisors may have the best interest in mind for your business, the difference of opinion can be attributed to the difference in technological skills and experience.

To bridge the gap between the knowledge and experience differential, we will look into some common questions that most of our clients are faced with when developing their own website.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is the most popularly used Content Management System used around the world. Back in 2003, it was initially introduced as a blogging system, and today, WordPress powers 30 percent of all websites.

What is Drupal?

Drupal is also one of the well-known CMS platforms. Even though Drupal lacks WordPress’ gaudy market share, it has been around for longer than WordPress. Drupal powers around 2 percent of all websites and it was launched in the year 2000.

With such a substantial difference in reach, you might be wondering that why it makes sense to compare the two CMS platforms. Regardless of their market share, both Drupal and WordPress have their place in the world of CMS solutions.

Drupal vs. WordPress – Similarities There are some similarities between WordPress and Drupal that make them a great option, whether you are a professional web programmer or new to CMS solutions. 

They both have strong community support

Both of these CMS platforms are widely known and used in the web development industry. Hence, if you have any issues or questions, you will be able to easily access the online community of developers and users who can help you out. 

They are both open source solutions

Drupal and WordPress are both open source solutions, which means programmers can use them or develop further free of cost. Hence, they are affordable and customizable to use and help users to fulfill their specific needs. 

They are both easy to use

Even though Drupal and WordPress are both considered as user-friendly CMS platforms, but some may argue over which platform is more user-friendly. However, in comparison with other CMS platforms, particularly propriety solutions, both Drupal and WordPress are easy to use.

WordPress vs. Drupal – Differences There are many differences between WordPress and Drupal CMS platforms. The following are some of the significant differences between the two platforms. 

Price

You don’t have to make any initial investment for the WordPress platform. However, to get your website live, you may have to invest in things like domain registration, web hosting, and any other premium themes, plugins and extra security you choose to add to your website.

That said, when you are building your website on WordPress, your total cost depends on the level customization you add to it, but usually, the startup cost with WordPress is lower than with Drupal. On a later stage if you plan to add more complex features then you might need to

invest in a developer. However, if you are looking for an essential website without any complicated functionality then WordPress is a very affordable web solution for your project.

WordPress is easy to learn and use, and if you are a techsavvy person, you don’t need to hire a developer if you are ready to build your website. In case you find yourself seeking help of a professional developer, WordPress developers are usually less expensive than Drupal developers.

Developing with Drupal requires more technical expertise, hence it is likely to cost you more. Typically, it also entails a higher initial investment than WordPress, and you most probably have to pay for a Drupal developer. As mentioned above, you will also have to pay for other essential services like domain registration, web hosting, and security.

However, once you have built the shell of your website and inserted the basic functionality, adding further customization and scaling it won’t cost you a lot. Moreover, if you know your requirements are going to change and evolve frequently, then you might save money in the long-run by going for

Drupal It is all about your short and long-term needs and how much you are willing to invest now and later. 

Usability

When it comes to the difference between WordPress and Drupal, the learning curve of both CMS platforms is significantly different. Drupal is more complicated in comparison with WordPress, which is something beginners pick up quickly. WordPress is very user-friendly and intuitive even for non-programmers, and the global community of WordPress makes it easier for users get support in the process.

Whereas, Drupal makes it very difficult for newbies to get their website up and ready to run. It is not the most intuitive CMS platforms out there. When you compare it with WordPress the content creation process is not what most would consider simple. 

Scalability and customizability

Even though every CMS platform offers scalability and customizability, but how this is achieved with each platform is quite different.

With WordPress, users get over 5,000 free themes and over 53,000 free plugins, while Drupal offers over 2,500 free themes and over 39,000 modules, equivalent to WordPress’s plugins. WordPress provides a wide range of customizability with so many themes and even more plugins for additional functionality. The customization can be done by users with different technical backgrounds.

Drupal offers much of the customization and functionality options built into the main themes, eliminating the need to use third-party plugins. Many consider Drupal to be a more efficient and flexible solution when it comes to organizing vast amounts of data and content. However, with Drupal, you often need help from a professional web developer to customize the themes. 

Security

Both WordPress and Drupal are equally secure in technical terms. However, with how websites are built, customized and scaled on each platform, many may consider Drupal to be more reliable.

The primary security issue with WordPress arises from the vulnerability that third party plugins create. Every time a

user uploads a plugin on WordPress, the sites become vulnerable to hacking. If you don’t take proper security measure then regardless of the platform, any website can be exposed. However, as by default, Drupal is less depended on third party extensions less prone to security issues that come from unverified third parties.

Conclusion Still cannot decide between WordPress vs. Drupal? Usually, if you are looking for a lower initial investment and fastest set up then WordPress might be a better option. On the other hand, if you are looking for a robust and complex web solution then Drupal might the choice for you. That said, there are always other factors and priorities that are worth taking into notice, based on your organization’s objectives and current business model. Hence, it is always a better option to consult professionals and ask for their expert opinion.