WordPress Vs. Drupal? Feature Comparison

• By Abhishek Jain
• 19-07-2021
• Web Design

Back when WordPress was launched, it was a simple website builder with block technology. Every site was built using WordPress. Fast forward to 2021, a whole new array of technology and website functions are introduced. Even though WordPress provided a clean user experience, the new client demands can't be matched. Slowly WordPress developed into an evolved content management system. 

It is a very easy-to-use tool for both content managers and website developers. But with the demand for developing a full-fledged enterprise-level CMS, Drupal became the new favorite for many web developers. 

Although WordPress is still popular, compared to the old website builder, Drupal is a giant. Drupal's core structure and flexibility make it a preferred choice for enterprise-level web development. 

This post will analyze both platforms for their functionality and help you pick the most suitable CMS for your next web development project. 

• Which is more secure - Drupal or WordPress?
Security is the biggest differentiator between WordPress and Drupal. In real websites, Drupal security is much better than WordPress. The main reason being the huge third-party plugin system of WordPress. 

WordPress on its own is secure, but the malware attacks are due to third-party plugins. These plugin vulnerabilities were surprisingly responsible for 55.9% of hacking actions. Also, WordPress was the CMS for 74% of the websites which were hacked. 

Now 74 is a big number. We can conclude that WordPress websites are mostly secure, but with the addition of third-party plugins, Drupal is more secure than WordPress. 

Drupal's most impressive USP is its lockdown security. This is why it is preferred by government websites like nasa.gov, the state of Colorado, and others. And in a hacking study, only 2% of Drupal websites were hacked. 

Drupal, hands down, provides the most secure enterprise-level content management systems. Its security policies and reports are much more transparent than WordPress too. 

• How easy is it to get started with WordPress and Drupal?
We don't want to give away spoilers, but in terms of ease of building a website, there are very few platforms that beat WordPress. And Drupal also is one of them. 

WordPress has made it possible to build a website very easily, and the platform also lets beginners get started without any friction. WordPress ease of use lets beginners and pros build a fully functional website in an afternoon. 

The user interface is designed that even a complete newbie can grasp. The WordPress library also has many tools and plugins to help first-time users customize their website and create meaningful content. 

It would be wrong to state that Drupal has a bit of a learning curve. Because websites on Drupal need custom-coded themes to make good-looking websites. This means that a developer is needed to build a professional website. 

The user interface on Drupal is difficult to understand for first-time users. Even developers have a hard time grasping the full functionality at first. Drupal's content editor and other interfaces look very functional, but it's nothing compared to WordPress editor. 

• How much is WordPress and Drupal extendable?
Both Drupal and WordPress have add-ons, plugins, and themes to improve functionality and aesthetics. 

WordPress has 53,000+ free plugins and 5000+ free themes along with premium options for both. 

Drupal has 39,000+ modules and 2500+ themes. If we also consider these themes and modules with Drupal 8.x, there is a significant decrease in these numbers. 

More extensions do not mean that WordPress has better extensibility but rather indicates a more active third-party WordPress community. 

In terms of extensibility, both WordPress and Drupal are on par with each other. 

• Search engine optimization 
There is a common misconception that WordPress sites rank higher in Google than websites build on other content management systems. SEO is platform-independent, and there is no added advantage in using WordPress over other CMS. 

However, one thing to keep in mind is that Drupal websites can perform terribly if not done right, whereas, with WordPress, there are fewer chances of error. 

No matter the platform, for a successful SEO strategy, you must work on page load speed, schema markups, content delivery networks, URLs, titles, and images.

Now let's look at the advantages of WordPress and Drupal quickly. 

There are plenty of supporters for both WordPress and Drupal on the internet. We will see some common reasons why that is so. 

WordPress advantage 
• WordPress is more user-friendly, especially for first-time users and non tech people. 
• The third-party plugin ecosystem of WordPress has no rival to it. The vast community has made it easy to extend and customize websites. 
• Another advantage of WordPress is the global community where any issue can be quickly resolved. 
• WordPress developers are generally less expensive than Drupal developers. It provides more out-of-the-box solutions as well.
Drupal advantage 
• Drupal's custom content interface and functionality are more flexible than WordPress. WordPress does provide custom posts, but developers still go for Drupal for more flexibility. 
• WordPress provides basic five users while Drupal has an inbuilt access control where different users can be added for various roles. 
• Drupal core functionality offers multilingual functionality. While in WordPress sites, one has to depend on third-party plugins. 
• Drupal is far more efficient in handling lots of data and content than WordPress. 

Which is better - WordPress or Drupal? 
This is the answer you came looking for. There is no correct answer here. 
Rather than picking one over the other once and for all, it would be best if you thought about a better CMS for this specific project or website. 

No tool or platform or CMS is always the best. Different requirements need different solutions. 

If you're building a website with lots of data organization that will need customization, Drupal is the better choice. Just remember that you will have to hire a developer if you're not one. 

On the other hand, WordPress is much preferred for general use due to its ease of use, customization through third-party plugins, and online support. 

If you're not sure which CMS is better for your website project or enterprise solution, consult our expert WordPress development company. We will help you refine your requirements and provide an easy and cost-effective software development solution.