Struggling to understand the difference between WordPress and Drupal? We could be a WordPress hosting provider, but that does not mean that WordPress is the only platform for building a website. Drupal, a popular content management system, is a viable alternative that allows us to compare WordPress vs Drupal and see how they compare.
What the numbers indicate
Comparing WordPress and Drupal indicates both are content management systems. This means you are given a self-hosted solution to create and manage all the content on a single website. Though the question is how they stack up against each other as content management systems.
WordPress is a popular content management system. In 2003, it was launched as an original blogging platform. WordPress powers 43.3% of all websites and controls 65.1% of the content management market. Drupal has been in existence for a longer time than WordPress, though it lacks market penetration. It was launched in the year 2000 and powers 2.3 percent of all websites, or 4.6 percent of the total content system market.
Observing Google trends of WordPress vs. Drupal back in 2004, both had a rise to fame, but now they are in the dumps. But these are simple trends, as market share growth indicates both WordPress and Drupal have grown over the years.
Who are WordPress and Drupal for?
Everyone has easy access to the WordPress platform. You can choose between the wordpress.com version, which provides a free site with limited functionality, and yoursite.wordpress.com, which requires less effort to get started.
Drupal taps the same demographics, but only with the.com version. Just like WordPress, it is an open-source and free platform, and most hosting companies have a hosting platform within their site tools. For anyone to set it up, it is an easy task. While the interface and messaging options of WordPress enable new users to get used to the dashboard, Drupal does not have great messaging options.
Both platforms are known to provide a modular experience. The users have the flexibility to develop their site by extending features and plugins through plug-ins and ad-supported ones. WordPress tends to accomplish this in a user-friendly way, whereas Drupal is focused on users who have some amount of experience in web design.
Which platform is the easiest to use?
In the last few years, comparing WordPress vs. Drupal, the former is miles ahead in terms of user experience and friendly design. Drupal is a useful platform despite the lack of initial messaging on how to navigate and make use of the platform. This has a low learning curve for anyone who has a tinge of experience administering a website backend.
WordPress
Learning WordPress is relatively easier than in earlier times. With a plethora of options in terms of videos and tutorials out there, people who are confused about any topic can obtain information quickly. This is great if you are opening the dashboard for the first time, but it may be a tad overwhelming.
The dashboard is easy to navigate and self-explanatory. However, it may take some time to get a sense of where things are classified under various headings or options. It may be a tinge frustrating to figure out which settings are under the settings tab and which functions are under tools. The confusion is bound to work itself out when you use the platform. When you are using it at an initial level, you may be a bit clustered.
The real question surrounding the ease of use of WordPress is what kind of website you intend to create. Since WordPress can develop any kind of site theme, the plugin you choose is going to determine usability. For the most part, WordPress has a low to a moderate learning curve. Even without lots of technical expertise, the themes and plug-ins are user-friendly throughout the process of creating and managing websites.
Drupal
A user gets dropped into Drupal. The interface is well-labelled and intuitive, though there is no initial message about where you need to go. Even the first time you log in, there is an option for adding content links. This is the major difference when comparing WordPress and Drupal.
Just like WordPress, there is a menu that invites you to extend via modules, and with different themes, customization is possible. A user has access to the structure tab. This solves one of WordPress’s biggest stepping stones for new users. The various options are consolidated with sites for site construction in a single place.
On the flip side of this consolidation, if you use any of these settings, it is a bit more technical than WordPress. When you first start using Drupal, both the terminology and the interface can be intimidating. But if you are used to various web admin back ends, learning and using Drupal is a big step from other platforms like Joomla.
Ease of use and learning curve of WordPress
WordPress makes it significantly easier to go from zero to a fully functional website that looks good. With WordPress, you will be able to find a niche-based theme and have a working website in the shortest time possible. The WordPress interface is easy to use, and it is easy for a casual user to grasp.
Ease of use and learning curve of Drupal
With Drupal, you can expect the opposite to happen. Drupal themes are available in most Drupal websites, with either a custom-based theme or a slightly customized theme. This means you are going to require the services of a developer to make the website really good. Beyond that, the Drupal interface is incomprehensible for most casual users. Drupal itself has a usability page that points to the authoring experience of Drupal.
Do you consider Drupal and WordPress to be equally secure?
In a perfect world, a comparison of WordPress vs. Drupal indicates both are secure systems. However, when compared to the real-world scenario, Drupal is more secure. It needs to be mentioned that the advantage stems from human error rather than flawless WordPress code.
WordPress Security
The WordPress core is in itself secure, but the massive third-party ecosystem of WordPress introduces tons of wildcards that are not as prevalent in Drupal sites. If done properly WordPress is secure. But the fact is that WordPress is reliant on third-party extensions that make it more vulnerable than Drupal.
Drupal security
The selling point of Drupal is its lockdown security. It is a popular content management system for government institutions and has many security-conscious players. Beyond enterprise-level security, Drupal publishes detailed security reports. Hence, when figuring out whether to use WordPress or Drupal, the latter is more transparent in terms of security.
WordPress provides a better level of customization
Everyone craves a good-looking website and this is a proven fact. So, when looking at WordPress vs Drupal you need to harp on the customization feature. You also need to think about the customization of features. It is all about launching, modifying and launching a website in the manner you want it to be. Be it e-commerce, publishing or anything else that you may need.
WordPress vs Drupal is all about customization from the ground up. With Plugins being a major part of adding features and design elements you can download and install all the features necessary in your website. Drupal on the other hand is a modular CMS that relies on external developers to help provide the users what they need.
Which is better, WordPress or Drupal?
WordPress or Drupal—this is probably the question that you came looking for, but it is a flawed question as it is difficult to pick and choose among them. Rather better questions would be “Which one is better for the specific website that I am building?”
The focus has to be on the right tool for a specific project and not on the proclamation that one is better than the other. If you are building a website with complex data organization that needs to be flexible and customized, then Drupal will be a better choice. Be aware that it is not going to be accessible unless you are a developer or willing to avail yourself of the services of a developer.
WordPress would be the default tool for most people to create a website.
- It is user-friendly and easy for non-developers to incorporate functionality.
- You are able to create an attractive and functional website.
- It is easy to find free and professional help.
This does not mean that WordPress is suitable for all conditions. It is just an optimal tool for most solutions. Sticking with WordPress would make your web trip simple unless you are aware of the precise justifications for why you require what Drupal gives.