📦

Joomla

VS
🚀

Astro

Joomla vs Astro

Joomla vs Astro: which is right for your project? Joomla is php cms balancing power and usability. Astro is content-focused framework that ships zero javascript by default. We compare features, performance, and pricing.

Start Migration

TL;DR — Our Recommendation

Astro wins overall, but Joomla is better for community portals and membership sites needing built-in user management. Choose Joomla for Community portals and membership sites needing built-in user management. Choose Astro for Content-heavy websites that need maximum performance with minimal JavaScript.

Official docs: Joomla Documentation · Astro Documentation

Feature by Feature Comparison

FeatureJoomlaAstro
Ease of Use
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performance
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Flexibility
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cost Value
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scalability
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ecosystem
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros & Cons

Joomla

Pros

  • Built-in ACL system more powerful than WordPress out of the box
  • Native multilingual support without extensions
  • Flexible content categorization system
  • Good balance between ease of use and developer features

Cons

  • Smaller community means fewer extensions and themes
  • Admin interface feels dated compared to modern CMS options
  • Performance degrades with many extensions installed
  • Finding skilled Joomla developers is increasingly difficult

Astro

Pros

  • Ships zero JS to the client by default (Islands Architecture)
  • Use React, Vue, Svelte, or any framework in the same project
  • Content collections with type-safe Markdown/MDX
  • Purpose-built for content sites — blogs, docs, marketing pages

Cons

  • Not ideal for highly interactive apps (designed for content sites)
  • Smaller ecosystem than Next.js — fewer integrations available
  • SSR support is newer and less battle-tested
  • Island architecture requires thinking differently about interactivity

Platform Details

DetailJoomlaAstro
Language / Stack
PHPJavaScript/TypeScript (framework-agnostic)
Type
traditional cmsframework
Pricing
Free (self-hosted)Free (open-source)
Open Source
YesYes
Best For
Community portals and membership sites needing built-in user managementContent-heavy websites that need maximum performance with minimal JavaScript
Export Method
Database export or J2XML extensionN/A (destination framework)

When to Choose Each Platform

Choose Joomla if…

  • You need community portals and membership sites needing built-in user management
  • Your team is comfortable with PHP
  • You want an open-source solution with full code ownership

Choose Astro if…

  • You need content-heavy websites that need maximum performance with minimal javascript
  • Your team is comfortable with JavaScript/TypeScript (framework-agnostic)
  • You want an open-source solution with full code ownership
  • Budget is a top priority — free (open-source)
  • You want a low learning curve for non-technical team members
  • You want maximum performance with static or server-rendered pages

Which Should You Pick?

The right choice between Joomla and Astro depends on three things: your team's technical skills, your project timeline, and your long-term content strategy.

These platforms take fundamentally different approaches. Joomla is a traditional cms built with PHP, while Astro is a framework built with JavaScript/TypeScript (framework-agnostic). That architectural difference shapes everything from daily content editing workflows to deployment and hosting costs. If your team includes non-developers who need to publish content frequently, Joomla's familiar editing interface may save you onboarding time.

From a cost perspective, both platforms are open-source, so the real cost difference is hosting and operational overhead. Factor in plugin or extension costs, developer rates for each tech stack, and whether you need managed hosting or can self-host.

Whichever you choose, migrating between them is straightforward. LeaveWP supports migration between 60+ platforms, so you're never locked in regardless of which you pick today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Joomla better than Astro?
Astro scores higher overall (25/30 vs 18/30) thanks to better performance. However, Joomla remains the better choice for Community portals and membership sites needing built-in user management.
Can I migrate from Joomla to Astro?
Yes. Export your Joomla content via Database export or J2XML extension, then convert it to Markdown or import into a headless CMS. LeaveWP can help automate this process while preserving your SEO metadata and URL structure.
What are the main differences between Joomla and Astro?
Joomla is php cms balancing power and usability, while Astro is content-focused framework that ships zero javascript by default. Key differences: ease of use (Joomla: 3/5, Astro: 4/5), pricing (Free (self-hosted) vs Free (open-source)), and scalability (Joomla: 3/5, Astro: 4/5).
How much does Joomla cost compared to Astro?
Joomla: Free (self-hosted). Astro: Free (open-source). Both are open-source, so the main cost difference is hosting and infrastructure.
Which is easier to learn, Joomla or Astro?
Astro is easier to pick up (4/5 vs 3/5). Ships zero JS to the client by default (Islands Architecture). Joomla has a steeper learning curve, especially for teams new to PHP.
Which performs better, Joomla or Astro?
Astro has the performance edge (5/5 vs 2/5). As a framework, Astro pre-renders pages for near-instant load times. Joomla Performance degrades with many extensions installed.

Related Comparisons

Explore more comparisons featuring Joomla or Astro

Joomla vs Astro Guides

In-depth guides and tutorials to help with your migration

Ready to Migrate?

Move your content between Joomla, Astro, and 60+ other platforms with our free migration tool.

Start Free Migration