Joomla vs WordPress

Joomla and WordPress are both CMS options. Here's how they compare on official platforms, features, and positioning — sourced from each vendor's own site, not from ratings or reviews.

Side-by-side summary

ComparingJoomlaWordPress

CategoryCMSCMS

Alternatives tracked32

PlatformsWeb, Self-hostedWeb, iOS, Android

Best for Joomla

Organizations that need multilingual websites, granular user permissions, and full design customization without licensing costs.

Best for WordPress

Positioned by WordPress for creators, small businesses, enterprises, entrepreneurs, professional developers, and first-time bloggers who want a flexible, self-hosted publishing platform.

Feature comparison

Every feature listed here comes directly from each vendor's own official site.

Joomla

Built-in multi-language support for content and interface
Multi-user permission levels and access control groups
10,000+ free extensions and templates
Fully extensible developer framework for custom builds
Search-engine-optimized, mobile-responsive output
Unlimited design customization through templates
Completely free and open source with no vendor lock-in

WordPress

Block-based visual editor
Thousands of customizable themes
Extensive plugin library (stores, analytics, newsletters, social)
Open-source, self-hostable software
Visual revision history
Official mobile apps for publishing on the go

Pros and cons

Joomla

Pros

Built-in multi-language support for content and interface
Multi-user permission levels and access control groups
10,000+ free extensions and templates
Fully extensible developer framework for custom builds
Search-engine-optimized, mobile-responsive output
Unlimited design customization through templates
Completely free and open source with no vendor lock-in

Cons

We don't publish a "cons" list for either product. No vendor's official site documents its own product's weaknesses, so there's no sourced basis for one — and we'd rather say that plainly than invent one.

WordPress

Pros

Block-based visual editor
Thousands of customizable themes
Extensive plugin library (stores, analytics, newsletters, social)
Open-source, self-hostable software
Visual revision history
Official mobile apps for publishing on the go

Cons

Key differences

Joomla lists Built-in multi-language support for content and interface, Multi-user permission levels and access control groups, 10,000+ free extensions and templates, Fully extensible developer framework for custom builds, Search-engine-optimized, mobile-responsive output, Unlimited design customization through templates, Completely free and open source with no vendor lock-in that WordPress doesn't list.
WordPress lists Block-based visual editor, Thousands of customizable themes, Extensive plugin library (stores, analytics, newsletters, social), Open-source, self-hostable software, Visual revision history, Official mobile apps for publishing on the go that Joomla doesn't list.
Joomla supports Self-hosted, which WordPress doesn't list.
WordPress supports iOS, Android, which Joomla doesn't list.

Choose Joomla if…

Choose Joomla if this fits: Organizations that need multilingual websites, granular user permissions, and full design customization without licensing costs.

Choose WordPress if…

Choose WordPress if this fits: Positioned by WordPress for creators, small businesses, enterprises, entrepreneurs, professional developers, and first-time bloggers who want a flexible, self-hosted publishing platform.

Facts on this page are sourced from each vendor's official site (linked below), not from ratings or reviews. Products change — verify anything that matters to your decision directly on the vendor's own site before switching. See our Disclaimer and Sources Policy.