WordPress vs Joomla: which CMS is right for your website?
With over 25 years of experience in delivering exceptional digital solutions, we understand the importance of selecting a platform that aligns with your business goals.
Our extensive work with WordPress has demonstrated its versatility and user-friendliness, but it’s essential to consider all options.
In this article, we’ll compare WordPress and Joomla, focusing on their features, usability, SEO capabilities, and security, to help you make the right decision that aligns with your objectives.
One of WordPress’s standout features is its user-friendly interface. It’s designed with simplicity in mind, making it ideal for beginners or small businesses without a dedicated developer. The dashboard is intuitive, and creating pages or posts is straightforward with the Gutenberg block editor.
We’ve developed numerous WordPress websites for clients across various sectors, including associations, charities, and B2B companies. Clients appreciate the platform’s simplicity, which allows them to manage content effectively and build engaging pages and campaigns.
Joomla: Steeper learning curve
Joomla provides more flexibility but at the cost of a steeper learning curve. Its interface is less intuitive than WordPress, often requiring some technical knowledge to navigate effectively. This can be a barrier for non-developers or businesses without technical expertise on hand.
Winner: WordPress – It’s easier to use and widely accessible, even for beginners.
WordPress boasts over 60,000 plugins that allow you to extend your website’s functionality. Whether you need an eCommerce store, SEO tools, or advanced analytics, you’ll likely find a plugin for it. Additionally, WordPress themes provide diverse design options, from minimalist blogs to feature-rich corporate sites.
Our team has leveraged WordPress’s versatility to deliver a wide range of successful projects, including advanced integrations, membership management platforms, elegant brochure-ware sites, and engaging campaign landing pages.
Joomla: Advanced flexibility
Joomla’s extensions and templates are powerful but fewer in number compared to WordPress. Developers often praise Joomla’s built-in multilingual support and advanced user management. However, customising Joomla requires more technical expertise, which can increase development time and cost.
Winner: WordPress – Its extensive library of plugins and themes gives it a clear edge for flexibility and design.
WordPress is a favourite among SEO professionals. Plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math simplify optimisation by providing tools to manage metadata, create XML sitemaps, and assess content readability. The platform also offers fast-loading themes and is well-optimised for mobile, both critical ranking factors in Google’s algorithm.
We utilise WordPress’s SEO capabilities to enhance our clients’ online visibility. This ensures websites adhere to best practices and achieve higher search engine rankings in line with Google’s E-E-A-T principles.
Joomla: Built-in SEO features
Joomla comes with robust built-in SEO tools, such as customisable meta descriptions, SEF URLs, and caching options. However, the lack of beginner-friendly plugins like Yoast can make SEO tasks more complex, especially for non-experts.
Winner: WordPress – Its ecosystem of dedicated SEO tools makes optimisation easier and more effective. However, it’s worth noting that other leading SEO tools such as SEMrush, Google Search Console and SERPstat should all play a part in your SEO strategy.
WordPress’s popularity makes it a frequent target for hackers. However, with regular updates and security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri Security, you can mitigate vulnerabilities. The platform also benefits from a large community that quickly identifies and patches security issues.
We prioritise website security by implementing best practices and utilising reliable security plugins to protect WordPress sites from potential threats.
Joomla: Built-in security features
Joomla is often considered more secure out of the box, with built-in features such as two-factor authentication and advanced access control. However, maintaining a Joomla site still requires vigilance, particularly when using third-party extensions.
Winner: Tie – Both platforms require regular updates and best practices to maintain security.
Our team actively engages with the WordPress community, staying updated on the latest developments and contributing to the platform’s growth.
Joomla: Smaller but dedicated
Joomla’s community is smaller but highly knowledgeable. Support forums and documentation are available, but finding experts or developers may be harder compared to WordPress.
Winner: WordPress – Its larger community ensures better access to resources and support.
WordPress itself is free, but you’ll need to pay for hosting, premium themes, and plugins. Its scalability makes it suitable for everything from personal blogs to enterprise-level websites.
We’ve developed WordPress websites for clients of all sizes, ensuring scalability and cost-effectiveness to meet their unique needs. You can learn more about our reliable hosting and technical support process here.
Joomla: Higher initial costs
While Joomla is also free, the higher technical requirements often mean greater initial development costs. However, it can be a cost-effective solution for complex websites that need advanced customisation.
Winner: WordPress – It’s more cost-effective for most use cases.
