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Drupal vs WordPress

Drupal logo

Drupal

Web Development

Open-source CMS for complex, structured content sites

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WordPress logo

WordPress

Content Creation

Create a beautiful website, blog, or app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Drupal steep learning curve: concepts that are implicit in WordPress are explicit and must be configured; WordPress self-hosted installation requires PHP 8.3 and MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.11 minimum; older versions expose security vulnerabilities
  • They diverge on capability: Drupal covers Structured content modelling, WordPress covers Content management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Drupal and WordPress actually diverge.

Attributes where Drupal and WordPress differ
AttributeDrupalWordPress
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Self-hostedWeb (self-hosted), WordPress.com (SaaS)
CategoryWeb DevelopmentContent Creation
FoundedUnknown2003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Drupal

  • Structured content modelling
  • Granular permissions
  • Multilingual
  • Views

Only in WordPress

  • Content management
  • Theme system
  • Plugin architecture
  • User management
  • SEO optimization
  • Media management
  • Comment system
  • Multilingual support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Drupal

  • Government and university sites with complex content models and strict permissionsnot WordPress
  • Multilingual sites where translation is structural rather than a pluginnot WordPress
  • Publishers needing custom content types and editorial workflownot WordPress

WordPress

  • Content management and blog publishingnot Drupal
  • Website building with themes and pluginsnot Drupal
  • E-commerce with WooCommercenot Drupal
  • Community sites and forumsnot Drupal

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Drupal

  • Steep learning curve: concepts that are implicit in WordPress are explicit and must be configured
  • Smaller developer pool than WordPress, and correspondingly higher build costs
  • Major version upgrades have historically been substantial projects, not routine updates
  • Considerably more machinery than a straightforward marketing site needs

WordPress

  • Self-hosted installation requires PHP 8.3 and MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.11 minimum; older versions expose security vulnerabilities
  • Requires web server (Apache or Nginx) setup and ongoing maintenance; not suitable for serverless deployment
  • HTTPS mandatory for all installations; HTTP-only setups are not supported
  • Self-hosting requires responsibility for security patches, backups, and server administration

Pricing, plan by plan

Drupal

Free
  • DrupalFree
    • Full functionality
    • Commercial use permitted
    • Community support

WordPress

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the WordPress review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Drupal if

  • You need structured content modelling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted.
  • You also want granular permissions.
Drupal review

Choose WordPress if

  • You need content management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web (self-hosted), WordPress.com (SaaS).
  • You also want theme system.
WordPress review

Questions people ask

Is Drupal or WordPress better?
Neither clearly leads. Drupal starts at Free and WordPress at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Drupal or WordPress?
Drupal starts at Free and WordPress at Free.
Does Drupal or WordPress run on more platforms?
Drupal runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted. WordPress runs on Web (self-hosted), WordPress.com (SaaS).
Can I use Drupal for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Drupal best used for?
Drupal is most often used for government and university sites with complex content models and strict permissions, multilingual sites where translation is structural rather than a plugin, publishers needing custom content types and editorial workflow. Of those, government and university sites with complex content models and strict permissions and multilingual sites where translation is structural rather than a plugin are not what WordPress is typically brought in for.
What can Drupal do that WordPress cannot?
Drupal covers Structured content modelling, Granular permissions, Multilingual, Views. WordPress covers Content management, Theme system, Plugin architecture, User management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Drupal: Is Drupal free?

Yes, open source under the GPL. Costs are hosting, development and any commercial modules.

WordPress: Does WordPress charge licensing fees for using the software?

WordPress is free and open source software, meaning there are no licensing costs to download or use the platform itself.

Source
Drupal: Drupal or WordPress?

WordPress is faster to launch, cheaper to staff and has a much larger plugin ecosystem. Drupal is stronger when the content model is genuinely complex and permissions are strict, which is why institutions favour it.

WordPress: What costs should I expect when running a WordPress site?

While WordPress software is free, you will typically need to pay separately for web hosting, domain registration, and optional premium themes or plugins. These costs are not part of WordPress itself but are provided by third-party services.

Source
Drupal: Why is Drupal common in government and universities?

Structured content modelling, granular access control and multilingual support are core rather than bolted on, and those are exactly the requirements those sectors have.

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