This question is faced by many businesses that need to decide the functionality and simplicity of the website. Both of them can be used to create awesome websites and are widely used for different types of them because they are amazing content management systems that offer great functionality and design. To the user with insufficient experience, both of them can be really similar because all of them use plugins, themes, template, and has a community that develops new products for the systems.
Even though they share many similarities, both WordPress and Joomla have distinct differences that will be used here to help you to make the right choice.
Which is right for beginners?
Today, WordPress is known as the most popular content management system (check out some notable users here) because of its simplicity of design and operating. It has great functions, and they are really easy to use. On the other hand, Joomla is much more complex and is often used to build a business and corporate sites because its complex structure allows including a wide range of elements (it is used by eBay, Barnes & Noble, and Ikea, for example). The choice here is easy: if you are a beginner, you should choose WordPress, but if you have experience with content management systems, Joomla may be a better idea.
Which one has more themes for customizing?
As it was mentioned before, both systems allow users to install themes to customize the look. On the one hand, Joomla’s developers do not provide an official theme or template directory but Google search “Joomla themes” generated more than 15 million results and had great directories, like TemplateMonster and Theme Forest. Of course, not every result contains them, but it is safe to assume that the number of themes and templates is enough. On the other hand, WordPress has its official themes directory, where you can find more than 3 thousand options for customization. Moreover, the search returned around 30 million results, so it is sufficient to claim that WordPress has more themes and templates but the number offered by Joomla is also decent, so it is really up to you which one to choose here.
Which one is easier to create content?
The dashboards of both WordPress and Joomla are easy to use, and the creation of the article to be published on your website won’t be a problem. Both of them have all of the rich text features that a decent editor should have. Editing and posting to a page are easy because the environment and placement of buttons are very intuitive but you might have some issues with the article manager in Joomla if you do not have the experience because it includes modules and many other entries, which may be confusing a little bit. Decision: both options are ideal for creating content, but WordPress might be easier because it is not as complex as Joomla.
Which is more secure?
Both systems need the user to manage the security and maintenance of the website, which is done through a wide range of plugins that come standard or should be downloaded. Many security plugins for both Wordpress and Joomla is sufficient to keep the site safe (follow the links to check out the top security plugins). As for the updates, they are released pretty frequently in both cases, and the systems alert the user when they become available. Decision: both CMS require manual maintenance and offer a vast range of security means, no clear winner here.
Which is better for a multimedia site and blogging?
Given that Joomla was designed to allow you to work with lots of content types, it is the best option for sites that feature tons of media. On the other hand, WordPress is better for publishing a lot of text on the site. Therefore, simplicity and blog function of WordPress makes it a better choice for bloggers and sites that focus on textual materials. Even though Joomla can be used for blogging as well, you find the experience much simpler in WordPress without sacrificing the functionality.
Conclusion
WordPress and Joomla are great CMS and offer decent functionality and design. WordPress is the better choice for beginners because of its simplicity while Joomla is perfect for users that appreciate complex design. Next, both options are pretty much equal in terms of security, maintenance, and a number of offered themes and templates. The choice, therefore, depends on the nature of your site and your experience: if you need a blog, go with WordPress, but if you need lots of media on your site, Joomla offers this opportunity. Also, if you appreciate the simplicity and begin your journey with content management systems, choose WordPress. But if your trip is well underway and you prefer more complexity, Joomla might be the best for you.
Michael Gorman is high skilled editor and proofreader who currently works at A-writer. He is proficient in blog writing and online freelance networking. Feel free to contact him via Facebook.
Web developer and SEO specialist with 20+ years of experience in open-source web development, digital marketing, and search engine optimization. He is also the moderator of this blog "RS Web Solutions (RSWEBSOLS)".
