Drupal vs WordPress (2024 Comparison) – Forbes Advisor
Building a basic website is free on WordPress. Even so, we recommend exploring its paid plans to enjoy more functionalities.
From $5 per month, WordPress Starter offers a free custom domain for a year, the ability to collect payments, 6 GB of storage and Google Analytics integration. Meanwhile, WordPress Pro is packed with all the features of WordPress starter plus 50 GB of storage, unlimited plugins, premium support and WooCommerce integration among others.
Drupal is a free content management system with no licensing fees. However, building a website requires a higher learning curve, so it is better suited for website owners with technical knowledge or access to professional developers. According to users, a Drupal project with minimal custom development may take around six to eight weeks of work and cost $30,000 to $40,000.
Themes and Templates
Users can build professional-looking websites on both platforms, but there are some stark differences in the web design process.
WordPress has a large variety of free or paid customizable themes and templates. Its interface is not widely regarded as user-friendly. However, it is possible to use an array of page builder plugins that transform its standard editor into a drag-and-drop editor. Some popular options include Beaver Builder, Elementor, and Divi.
Drupal doesn’t have a large variety of ready-made themes or third-party page builders, compared to WordPress. However, you’ll likely need a developer to guide you in the process of designing your website.
SEO Tools
SEO is crucial to get on the top of search engine rankings and attract more traffic to your website. Thankfully, most blogging platforms have built-in SEO features.
WordPress has auto-generated XML sitemaps that improve your site’s visibility on search engines. However, only users on Business tiers can access its advanced SEO tools, leverage Google Analytics or install third-party plugins.
Drupal has modules or codes—consisting of PHP or JavaScript files—that add new features or alter existing functionalities on a website. It’s easy to add SEO modules to your website for meta tags, site verification, XML sitemaps, page titles and Google Analytics.
E-Commerce Options
WordPress has a full range of e-commerce features for all types of businesses. It’s easy to build an online store, add products and install e-commerce plugins to boost your site’s capabilities. Collecting payments is also a breeze because you can set up subscriptions with automated payments, one-click payments and credit or debit card payments with no hassle.
Drupal Commerce lets users develop e-commerce sites that suit their needs. Core features include dynamic product ranges, multiple order types, promotions with multiple offer types, robust payment API and order management.
