Drupal Vs. WordPress (2024 Comparison)

Drupal and WordPress are both open-source and free platforms with reliable content management features. They are packed with tools for multichannel publishing, digital asset management and SEO.

Because WordPress has professionally designed themes and easy-to-use block editors, it’s best for bloggers looking to set up a website fast with little to no experience. Meanwhile, Drupal is a more flexible solution but it has a higher learning curve. It’s ideal for bloggers with technical skills or access to a developer who can build their site

Drupal

4.3

Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Free version available

Yes

Hosting

Requires third-party hosting provider

Best for

Users looking for an open-source solution to build complex sites

Yes

Requires third-party hosting provider

Users looking for an open-source solution to build complex sites

Editor's Take

Drupal is an open-source CMS used by at least 14% of the top 10,000 websites across the globe. It features content management tools, multimedia support and e-commerce functionality, which make it a top choice for media and publishing.

Pros & Cons

• Flexible framework
• Custom content types and views
• Top-notch security

• Requires higher learning curve
• More expensive and time-consuming to build a site
• Lacks beginner-friendly interface

WordPress

4.4

Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.

Free version available

Yes

Hosting

Premium hosting and security included on paid and free plans

Best for

Users looking to build all types of websites without much technical expertise

Yes

Premium hosting and security included on paid and free plans

Users looking to build all types of websites without much technical expertise

Editor's Take

WordPress is a leading content management system used by more than 455 million websites across the globe. The platform has hundreds of mobile-ready designs and themes, easy-to-install add-ons, built-in SEO tools and e-commerce capabilities. Users can level up their website’s capabilities through its WordPress Plugin Directory, which boasts more than 59,000 free plugins, as well as 9,000 free themes.

Pros & Cons

• Thousands of themes and plugins to choose from
• More user-friendly than Drupal
• Feature-rich blogging platform

• More vulnerable to hacking
• Not suitable for sites with complex customization requirements compared to Drupal

	Drupal	WordPress
Forbes Advisor Rating
Plan Costs	Free	$0 to $15 per month
SEO Tools	Available via PathAuto module add-on	Built-in SEO tools such as Mailchimp and Google Analytics
Blogging	Includes standard blogging functionality	Includes built-in blogging tools such as categories, comment moderation, post scheduling and tags
Customer Support	Limited support through forums, community documentation, Stack Exchange and Core Issue Queue	Live chat support available 24/7 on weekdays, localized email support, contact forms and community forums
E-Commerce	Users can build an e-commerce website via Drupal Commerce	Collect payments via all plans and WooCommerce integration limited to WordPress Pro plan
Plugins and Themes	Offers 39,000-plus modules and 2,500-plus themes	Offers 59,000-plus free plugins and 9,000-plus free themes

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Building a basic website is free on WordPress. Even so, we recommend exploring its paid plans to enjoy more functionalities.

From $5 per month, WordPress Starter offers a free custom domain for a year, the ability to collect payments, 6 GB of storage and Google Analytics integration. Meanwhile, WordPress Pro is packed with all the features of WordPress starter plus 50 GB of storage, unlimited plugins, premium support and WooCommerce integration among others.

Drupal is a free content management system with no licensing fees. However, building a website requires a higher learning curve, so it is better suited for website owners with technical knowledge or access to professional developers. According to users, a Drupal project with minimal custom development may take around six to eight weeks of work and cost $30,000 to $40,000.

Themes and Templates

Users can build professional-looking websites on both platforms, but there are some stark differences in the web design process.

WordPress has a large variety of free or paid customizable themes and templates. Its interface is not widely regarded as user-friendly. However, it is possible to use an array of page builder plugins that transform its standard editor into a drag-and-drop editor. Some popular options include Beaver Builder, Elementor, and Divi.

Drupal doesn’t have a large variety of ready-made themes or third-party page builders, compared to WordPress. However, you’ll likely need a developer to guide you in the process of designing your website.

SEO Tools

SEO is crucial to get on the top of search engine rankings and attract more traffic to your website. Thankfully, most blogging platforms have built-in SEO features.

WordPress has auto-generated XML sitemaps that improve your site’s visibility on search engines. However, only users on Business tiers can access its advanced SEO tools, leverage Google Analytics or install third-party plugins.

Drupal has modules or codes—consisting of PHP or JavaScript files—that add new features or alter existing functionalities on a website. It’s easy to add SEO modules to your website for meta tags, site verification, XML sitemaps, page titles and Google Analytics.

E-Commerce Options

WordPress has a full range of e-commerce features for all types of businesses. It’s easy to build an online store, add products and install e-commerce plugins to boost your site’s capabilities. Collecting payments is also a breeze because you can set up subscriptions with automated payments, one-click payments and credit or debit card payments with no hassle.

Drupal Commerce lets users develop e-commerce sites that suit their needs. Core features include dynamic product ranges, multiple order types, promotions with multiple offer types, robust payment API and order management.

For small businesses looking to set up their website quickly with minimum complications, WordPress may be the better option. The user-friendly platform has themes and plugins you can use to build a simple website to introduce your product or sell to customers. If you want a more customizable and flexible solution, Drupal is the better choice. With its rich theme ecosystem and modules, you can build the website of your dreams.