WordPress vs Joomla: which to choose

WordPress vs Joomla: which fits your business website

Choose WordPress when your business website needs the widest choice of third-party plugins, a large pool of developers and agencies familiar with it, and an update path that WordPress largely handles on its own for core releases. Choose Joomla when multilingual content is a day-one requirement, because Joomla ships multilingual support in core, and when you want authentication features such as LDAP and multi-factor authentication built into the platform. Neither choice is wrong by default. The decision turns on what your site must do on day one and how much of the upkeep your team can carry.

Start with the extension question. WordPress has a very large plugin ecosystem, and most business needs such as forms, SEO and caching have several options. Joomla has thousands of extensions in its Extensions Directory, most of them free, but you should check each one you need against its last update date and Joomla version compatibility before committing. Then look at multilingual needs. If you need translated pages, language-specific menus and content workflows, confirm whether your required features work in Joomla core before adding an extension, since that is the main reason teams pick Joomla over WordPress.

Patching effort is the decision most likely to surprise you. WordPress applies automatic background updates to minor and security releases and, for sites created since WordPress 5.6, major releases by default, but plugins and themes receive automatic updates only in special cases chosen by the WordPress.org API, so most plugin patching stays with you. Joomla's 5.x and 6.x branches have different support windows, and its roadmap dates are tentative, so check the current Joomla roadmap before you plan. Confirm your PHP and database stack too: WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or greater with MariaDB 10.11 or MySQL 8.0, while Joomla 6.x requires PHP 8.3.0 minimum with 8.4 recommended.

Which platform fits which business website scenario

This table maps common business website scenarios to the platform that usually fits better, with the condition that would reverse the choice. Read each row against your own plugin list, language needs, patch capacity and access requirements, since the better fit depends on those details more than on general reputation.

Scenario	Better fit	Why and when the other platform wins
Marketing site that depends on many third-party plugins	WordPress	The WordPress plugin directory is far larger than the Joomla Extensions Directory, so most marketing needs (forms, SEO, tag managers) have mature options. Joomla becomes the better fit if your required extensions are already available there and reviewed for your version.
Multilingual brochure site that needs language support in core	Joomla	Joomla ships multilingual support in core, so you need fewer add-ons to manage translations. WordPress can serve multiple languages through well-known plugins, which suits you if your team already knows that tooling and wants its editor experience.
Team with limited patch capacity	WordPress	Automatic background updates are built in, and the WordPress Security Team backports critical fixes to older versions as a courtesy. Joomla suits this team only if someone can apply its patch releases, which arrive every 4 to 8 weeks, on a schedule and confirm the 5.x and 6.x support windows before choosing a line.
Site that needs LDAP or multi-factor login	Joomla	LDAP authentication and multi-factor authentication are part of Joomla core plugins, so you can confirm they are enabled without adding a third-party extension. WordPress can meet this need through plugins, so choose it if your identity team has already vetted a specific plugin and you accept its maintenance.
Site that expects frequent extension changes	WordPress	A deep plugin ecosystem and a familiar admin make frequent swaps easier to find and test. Joomla becomes preferable when changes are mostly core configuration or workflow features that its core plugins already cover, so fewer extensions need to be replaced.

How WordPress and Joomla are built and deployed

Both platforms are GPL-licensed PHP content management systems that a team can host on its own servers. The differences that matter for a self-hosting team sit in how extensions are built and updated, which PHP and database versions each one expects, and how much of the operational work falls to the site owner.

Extension model and core footprint

WordPress extends through plugins and themes that install into the same wp-content tree as the core, and most of the business features a site needs come from third-party plugins. Joomla separates core from *extensions* (components, modules, plugins and templates) built on a model-view-controller framework, and its core already ships multilingual support, LDAP authentication, multi-factor authentication and workflow. For a self-hosting team, the practical check is how many third-party packages you must review and keep patched, not how many features the core claims.

PHP and database requirements

WordPress.org recommends PHP 8.3 or greater with MariaDB 10.11 or greater or MySQL 8.0 or greater. Joomla 6.x requires PHP 8.3.0 at minimum, recommends PHP 8.4, and supports MySQL 8.0.13 or later, MariaDB 10.4 or later, or PostgreSQL 12.0 or later. Joomla's PostgreSQL option matters if your database standard already runs PostgreSQL. Confirm both sets of versions against your own PHP and database support policy before you choose a base image.

Web server support

Joomla 6.x runs on Apache 2.4, Nginx or Microsoft IIS 10, which gives Windows-centric shops a supported path without a Linux-only stack. WordPress publishes its own requirements page for PHP and database versions, and most hosting guides assume Apache or Nginx with a PHP-FPM pool. If your standard is IIS, check the WordPress permalink and plugin behavior on IIS with your own test build before committing to it.

Caching, backups and daily operations

WordPress keeps content, settings and media in a MySQL or MariaDB database and a wp-content directory, so a backup must capture both and the plugin set that writes to them. Page caching layers must exclude logged-in users, carts and forms, and plugin updates can invalidate cached assets. Joomla stores similar content and extension data in its database, with a scheduled task plugin in core for recurring jobs. Test restores on a copy of each platform before go-live, and confirm how your backup tool handles each file tree.

Update cadence and maintenance windows

WordPress applies automatic background updates to the core for minor and security releases, and new sites have major release auto-updates enabled by default. Plugin and theme auto-updates are limited to cases the WordPress.org API flags for critical fixes, so most extension patches still need a human. Joomla patch releases typically arrive every 4 to 8 weeks, and its 5.x branch moves to security-only support before its 6.x branch does. Plan a staging environment for both, since a core or extension update can break a site without an error page.

WordPress and Joomla compared on capabilities that drive the choice

This table sets WordPress and Joomla side by side on the capabilities that usually decide a shortlist. Read each row against your own requirements, and treat any cell marked to confirm as a test item before you commit. Joomla ships more identity and multilingual features in core, while WordPress offers a larger plugin ecosystem and more automatic update defaults.

Capability	WordPress	Joomla
License	GPLv2 or later, published by the Free Software Foundation.	GPL version 2 or later, copyright Open Source Matters, Inc.
PHP and database requirements	Recommends PHP 8.3 or greater with MariaDB 10.11 or greater, or MySQL 8.0 or greater.	Requires PHP 8.3.0 minimum (8.4 recommended) with MySQL 8.0.13+, MariaDB 10.4+ or PostgreSQL 12.0+.
Multilingual support in core	Confirm core language features and which plugins your languages need in a test environment.	Multilingual support is built into core.
Extension ecosystem	Very large plugin and theme ecosystem. Check each plugin's maintenance and update history before adopting it.	Thousands of extensions in the Joomla Extensions Directory, most of them free.
Multi-factor authentication and LDAP	Confirm MFA and LDAP options with the plugins you plan to use in a test environment.	Core ships LDAP authentication and multi-factor authentication plugins.
Web services and API authentication	Confirm the API authentication methods your integrations need in a test environment.	Core ships web services plugins with API authentication.
Update model	Background core updates since 3.7; major updates on by default for new sites since 5.6. Plugins and themes update automatically only in special cases.	Patch releases typically arrive every 4 to 8 weeks, per the roadmap. Confirm automatic core update options in a test environment.
Supported version windows	Only the latest version is officially supported. Security fixes are backported to older versions as a courtesy.	5.x receives security fixes until October 12, 2027. 6.x receives bugfixes until October 17, 2028 and security fixes until October 16, 2029. Dates are tentative.

What the licenses and editions mean for each platform

WordPress core is released under the GPLv2 or later from the Free Software Foundation, according to the WordPress.org license page. You can install, run and modify the core without a license fee, so the license question for your team is mostly about the add-ons you bring in. The WordPress Security Team includes more than 50 trusted experts, including lead developers, security researchers and key contributors, and it handles responsibly disclosed vulnerabilities. The supplied facts do not describe a commercial edition of the self-hosted WordPress.org software, so confirm with your vendors and hosting provider whether any paid tier of the core is part of your stack.

License scope: GPLv2 or later covers the core. Plugins and themes carry their own licenses, so check each one before installation.
Security response: The Security Team fixes responsibly disclosed vulnerabilities in bugfix releases and backports critical fixes to older versions as a courtesy. Only the latest version is officially supported, so plan to stay current.
Cost drivers: Recurring spending usually falls on hosting, staff time for updates and testing, premium plugins and themes, and any agency or support contracts you buy.
Commercial edition: Ask whether any paid tier of the self-hosted core is offered, and whether it changes the license or the support you receive.

Before you buy a premium plugin or theme, confirm its license terms, renewal cost, supported WordPress versions and the date it was last updated.

How each platform keeps a live site patched

WordPress keeps a site patched mostly through its own update machinery, but only the newest release gets full official support. The WordPress.org security page says only the latest version is officially supported, while the WordPress Security Team backports critical fixes to older versions as a courtesy so those sites still receive them through auto-updates. Automatic background updates have existed since WordPress 3.7, and sites created from WordPress 5.6 onward have automatic major release updates enabled by default. The part that needs your attention is plugins and themes: WordPress applies their automatic updates only in special cases selected through the WordPress.org API, which the security team controls to patch critical vulnerabilities. Every other plugin update is your team's job, so the plugin inventory, its update notices and a staging test remain your responsibility. Confirm which settings your hosting provider changes and whether a managed host overrides them, since that determines which updates land without a human decision.

Joomla works on a fixed support calendar instead. According to the Joomla roadmap, Joomla 5.x moved to security-only support on October 13, 2026, and receives security fixes until October 12, 2027, while Joomla 6.x receives bugfixes until October 17, 2028 and security fixes until October 16, 2029. The roadmap labels these dates tentative, so calendar them as planning assumptions and check the roadmap before each budget cycle. Patch releases typically arrive every 4 to 8 weeks, which means your team must schedule a recurring review rather than rely on a silent update. Joomla does not apply core updates on its own in the way WordPress does for minor releases, so name an owner for the core update, one for each extension, and one for the PHP and database versions that Joomla 6.x requires. Ask any agency or hosting partner to put those three owners, and the response window they commit to, in writing.

The practical difference is who carries each step. On WordPress, the platform handles most core patching and a small share of plugin patching, while your team owns plugin review, compatibility testing and the decision to hold a release. On Joomla, your team owns the calendar, the core update and every extension update, so the staffing question is how many hours a month you can reliably commit to that cycle. Either way, define the patch window, the staging environment used to test each change and the rollback path before the first update. Those decisions cost more time than the update itself, and they are the ones that determine whether a site stays patched during a quiet month.

What drives the running cost of each platform

Running either platform costs more in staff time and hosting operations than in licenses, since both core products are free under GPL-family licenses. The four cards below separate the recurring costs from the one-time ones and show which choices move each cost up or down. Use them to structure the written quote you request from any implementation partner.

Hosting, PHP and database operations

Your infrastructure provider or internal team is paid for servers, PHP runtimes, database hosting, backups and TLS certificates. WordPress.org recommends PHP 8.3 or greater and MariaDB 10.11 or greater or MySQL 8.0 or greater, while Joomla 6.x requires PHP 8.3.0 minimum with 8.4 recommended and supports MySQL 8.0.13+, MariaDB 10.4+ or PostgreSQL 12.0+. Costs rise when a PHP or database version falls out of support and must be replaced across the stack. Ask the quote to price staging, backups and monitoring as recurring line items.

Staff time for patching and testing

Internal staff or a retained partner handle core updates, plugin and extension updates and regression testing. WordPress applies core security fixes automatically in many cases, but plugin and theme updates are only automatic in special cases chosen by the WordPress.org API, so most extension patches still need a human check. Joomla patch releases typically arrive every 4 to 8 weeks, so the testing rhythm is set by that cadence. Ask the quote how many extensions are in scope and whether test environments are included.

Paid extensions, themes and support

Licenses for commercial plugins, premium themes and extensions are paid to third-party vendors, usually annually, and they add recurring renewal cost and vendor dependency. Both ecosystems include many free options, so the cost depends on how many premium items your site needs and how long each vendor keeps releasing compatible updates. Joomla core already includes LDAP authentication, multi-factor authentication and workflow plugins, which can remove some paid add-ons. Ask for a list of every paid item with its renewal date and a named owner.

Cost of major upgrades across version windows

Major upgrades are the largest one-time cost in both platforms and the one most often underestimated. Joomla 5.x moved to security-only support on October 13, 2026, with security fixes until October 12, 2027, while Joomla 6.x receives security fixes until October 16, 2029, according to the Joomla roadmap, which marks those dates as tentative. WordPress supports only its latest version officially, so a site that waits for a major release accepts fewer guaranteed fixes. Ask the quote to state the target version, the extension compatibility check and the rollback plan.

How to move a site from WordPress to Joomla or back

This sequence turns an existing site into a plan that moves content, media, menus and redirects across, rebuilds what does not transfer, and proves the result on staging before a controlled cutover. Each step ends with a check you can review before the next one starts.

Inventory content types, plugins and extensions
List every content type, custom field, taxonomy, menu, user role and active plugin on the WordPress site, and every extension and component on the Joomla side if you are moving in that direction. Mark each item as one of three things: content to carry over, a function to rebuild, or something to drop. Your team owns this list, and an implementation partner can review it. It is done when every active plugin or extension has a named owner and a decision attached to it, with no unexplained items left.
Map URLs, menus and page hierarchy
Build a table that maps each source URL and menu item to its planned destination on the target platform, including category, tag and author archive pages. Joomla and WordPress structure URLs differently, so this table drives the redirect plan later. Review it with the marketing and SEO owners, because changed paths are the main source of lost search visibility. It is done when every indexable page has a destination or an explicit retirement decision.
Export content, media and users
Export posts, pages, media files, taxonomies and user accounts from the source system, and record counts for each type so you can compare them after import. Confirm with the vendor or your partner which migration tool or import path supports your content types, because built-in export formats do not cover custom fields or plugin data. Store the export and checksums in a controlled location. It is done when the record counts and media file counts match the source inventory.
Rebuild templates, layouts and plugin functions
Recreate the templates, page layouts and template overrides in the target system, and find a supported equivalent for each plugin or extension function you decided to keep. Themes and plugin output do not move between WordPress and Joomla, so this is typically the largest piece of work. Assign user roles and permissions to match the source access model, and confirm that editors can do what they did before. It is done when each page template has been reviewed against the mapped inventory and each kept function has a tested replacement.
Configure multilingual content
Set up the languages, content associations and language-specific menus on the target platform before importing translated content. Joomla includes multilingual support in core, while WordPress typically relies on a plugin or a separate multisite setup, so confirm which approach your site needs. Import translations as linked pairs, not as independent pages, and check that language switchers point to the correct versions. It is done when a sample of each language shows the right content, menus and switcher behavior.
Plan redirects and search continuity
Turn the URL map into a redirect rule set, test every rule on staging, and check that the sitemap, canonical tags and robots settings reflect the new structure. Record which redirects are permanent and which are temporary so the team can remove obsolete ones later. Retain the old sitemap for a period agreed with your SEO owner and monitor crawl errors after cutover. It is done when a crawl of the old URL list returns the expected status for every entry on staging.
Test on staging and freeze content
Run the complete site on a staging environment that matches production in PHP or runtime version, database engine and hosting configuration. Test forms, search, logins, multi-factor authentication, email delivery, scheduled tasks and backups, and have content editors sign off on their workflows. Confirm the target platform versions and support windows before go-live, using the vendor's current release and lifecycle pages. It is done when the test log shows no open blocking defects and the business owner has approved the results in writing.
Cut over and verify production
Freeze source edits, run the final content delta import, switch DNS or the web server to the new site, and confirm that redirects, forms, logins and analytics work on production. Keep the source system readable and backed up until the owner agrees it can be retired. Document the rollback steps before the switch so the team knows exactly what to reverse. It is done when the post-cutover checklist is complete, the rollback plan has been rehearsed, and the source system is archived under a signed retirement decision.

What implementing each platform involves and where projects run long

Implementation effort for both platforms is mostly the same kind of work: a hosting stack on your own infrastructure, a theme or template build, extension selection and testing, identity wiring, content migration, and a backup and staging path. The difference is where the work lands. On WordPress, the hosting decision starts with PHP and database versions, since WordPress.org recommends PHP 8.3 or greater and MariaDB 10.11 or greater or MySQL 8.0 or greater. On Joomla, the Joomla 6.x technical requirements call for PHP 8.3.0 minimum (8.4 recommended) and MySQL 8.0.13+, MariaDB 10.4+ or PostgreSQL 12.0+. Confirm these against your own platform standards before you choose a server image. Identity is where the two differ most. Joomla core ships LDAP authentication and multi-factor authentication, so you configure those plugins and test them against your directory. For WordPress, the identity approach depends on the plugins you select, so confirm the SSO, MFA and directory options with each vendor and test the exact versions you plan to run.

Projects run long in three predictable places. The first is extension sprawl. Both ecosystems are large, and each added plugin or extension brings its own update cadence, its own data tables and its own security review. Keep a written inventory with an owner, a version and a reason for every extension, and test updates on staging before they reach production. The second is multilingual content workflows. Joomla includes multilingual support in core, but translators, language associations and approval steps still need to be designed and rehearsed with real editors before launch. On WordPress, multilingual support usually comes from a plugin, so plan that workflow as a selection and testing task. The third is legacy hosting that does not meet current PHP requirements. Migrating a site from an old PHP version often means rewriting or replacing extensions first, which can add more time than the content move itself. Check PHP and database versions in the first week of scoping, not in the last.

Questions buyers ask before choosing or hiring help

Which platform costs more to run over time?

Neither core license carries a fee, so running cost comes from hosting, staff time, and the paid add-ons your site depends on. WordPress and Joomla are both GPL-licensed. The recurring costs are applying updates, testing them, and keeping your plugins or extensions licensed. Both stacks are mainstream. Joomla 6.x requires PHP 8.3.0 at minimum with 8.4 recommended, plus MySQL 8.0.13 or later, MariaDB 10.4 or later, or PostgreSQL 12.0 or later. WordPress.org recommends PHP 8.3 or greater and MariaDB 10.11 or greater or MySQL 8.0 or greater. Hosting cost depends more on traffic, redundancy, and backup policy than on the CMS choice. Ask any quote to separate one-time setup from recurring patching, extension licenses, and hosting.

Can our own staff patch WordPress or Joomla without outside help?

Yes, a team with an administrator who can test and roll back updates can usually keep either platform current, but patching is more than clicking update. WordPress has applied automatic background updates since version 3.7, and newly created sites have automatic major release updates enabled by default since version 5.6. Plugin and theme updates run automatically only in special cases that the WordPress.org API selects for critical vulnerabilities, so most plugin updates still need a person. Joomla 5.x moved to security-only support on October 13, 2026, through October 12, 2027, while Joomla 6.x receives security fixes through October 16, 2029. The roadmap calls these dates tentative. Patch releases typically arrive every 4 to 8 weeks, so someone must watch releases and test on staging.

How long does a CMS migration take, and what drives that time?

No fixed duration applies, because the time depends on the site's content volume, templates, extensions, integrations, and URL structure. The largest drivers are the number of content types and custom fields that must map to the target, how many URLs need redirects, how user accounts and passwords move, and whether multilingual content must carry over. Extensions with no equivalent on the target add rebuild work, and heavy custom templates take longer to recreate than plain content. Ask for a written inventory of content types, templates, extensions, and integrations before any timeline is agreed. DeployOpen plans, implements, and documents work inside your own environment, usually under a fixed scope with deliverables and timelines agreed in writing before work starts.

Does Joomla need extensions for a multilingual website?

Not for basic multilingual content, because Joomla describes multilingual support as part of its core. Extensions still matter for specific needs such as translation workflows, per-language SEO metadata, or connectors to a translation service. Whether core covers your language set, URL pattern, and editorial approval steps needs confirmation on a test installation. WordPress does not ship the same multilingual feature set in core, so multilingual WordPress sites usually depend on a plugin chosen for that purpose. Compare the specific plugin you would pick with what Joomla core provides, and check each option's support for your languages, right-to-left scripts if needed, and translation management before you decide.

How many extensions does a typical site need, and what does that mean for testing?

No typical count is supplied, so count your own site. List every plugin or extension tied to a business function, such as forms, payments, single sign-on, search, or analytics. Joomla's extension directory lists thousands of extensions, most of them free, and WordPress has a large plugin ecosystem. Each extension adds update events, code paths, and possible conflicts with other extensions, so testing grows with the number of installed items and their interactions, not only with the core version. Joomla core already ships LDAP authentication, multi-factor authentication, API authentication for web services, workflow, privacy, and scheduled task plugins, which can replace some extensions. Ask for a test plan that covers every extension on staging before production updates.

What does switching platforms later cost?

Switching cost comes from exporting content, rebuilding templates and extensions, moving user accounts, redirecting old URLs, retraining editors, and running both sites in parallel for a period. The main drivers are how much of the site depends on platform-specific extensions, how customized the templates are, and how many URLs must keep working for search and links. Content is usually the easier part to move, while behavior provided by extensions is harder to reproduce. Both platforms are GPL-licensed, so the license itself charges no exit fee, but your own rebuild effort is real. Ask any quote to price export, field mapping, redirect validation, and user migration separately, and to state which items are one-time and which recur.

What does the work need from our staff?

The work needs four roles from your side. A business owner decides content structure, approval steps, and scope changes. A web administrator handles updates, staging tests, and extension reviews. A developer or integrator maintains custom templates and connects the site to your systems. An operations or hosting contact owns the PHP and database versions, backups, and access reviews. Your team also needs to confirm which accounts can change the site and whether multi-factor authentication is enforced for them. DeployOpen plans, implements, hardens, backs up, upgrades, documents, and supports these platforms in your own infrastructure, and offers ongoing support as a retainer. Your staff still decides business rules and signs off on changes.

How DeployOpen helps teams choose, implement or migrate

DeployOpen is a Chainscore Labs company that plans, implements, hardens, documents and supports self-hosted open-source platforms inside the client's own infrastructure. For WordPress vs Joomla, the work usually starts with the site's plugin and extension needs, its multilingual requirements and the team's capacity to patch on a fixed schedule.

How we scope

Inventory the plugins or extensions the site depends on and check each one's maintenance status before choosing a platform.
Define which languages, content types and editorial workflows the site needs, since multilingual handling differs between the two.
Agree the scope, deliverables and timeline in writing before any work starts, as most engagements are fixed-scope.

How we build

Set up the chosen platform on the hosting stack your infrastructure team already runs, matching the PHP and database versions each release requires.
Configure the update and patching process, including which updates apply automatically and which need a staged review.
Test the site, its extensions and its multilingual content in a staging environment before any production change.

How we hand over

Document the installed components, configuration, update procedure and rollback steps so your own staff can run them.
Provide backup and restore procedures and confirm they work against the staging copy before handover.
Walk your team through the support window for the version in use, so they know when an upgrade becomes necessary.

How we support

Offer ongoing support, upgrades and continuous testing as a retainer, scoped separately from the initial engagement.
Plan upgrades around each platform's published support windows and confirm current dates with the project before scheduling work.
Re-test extensions and integrations after each core upgrade, and report any compatibility issues in writing.

WordPress vs Joomla