WordPress
Joomla
Detailed comparison of WordPress and Joomla — two traditional cms platforms. Compare features, performance, pricing, and find out which is right for your project in 2026.
Start MigrationWordPress wins overall, but Joomla is better for community portals and membership sites needing built-in user management. Choose WordPress for Content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control. Choose Joomla for Community portals and membership sites needing built-in user management.
Official docs: WordPress REST API Docs · Joomla Documentation
| Feature | WordPress | Joomla |
|---|---|---|
Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Performance | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
Flexibility | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Cost Value | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Scalability | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Ecosystem | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Detail | WordPress | Joomla |
|---|---|---|
Language / Stack | PHP | PHP |
Type | traditional cms | traditional cms |
Pricing | Free (self-hosted) + hosting costs | Free (self-hosted) |
Open Source | Yes | Yes |
Best For | Content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control | Community portals and membership sites needing built-in user management |
Export Method | REST API or WP All Export plugin | Database export or J2XML extension |
The right choice between WordPress and Joomla depends on three things: your team's technical skills, your project timeline, and your long-term content strategy.
Both platforms sit in the same category — traditional cms — so the deciding factors are ecosystem size, editorial workflow, and specific feature gaps. WordPress uses PHP, while Joomla runs on PHP. If your developers already know one of those stacks, lean toward that platform to reduce ramp-up 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.
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