Joomla vs WordPress is a question we hear most often from organisations that already run a Joomla site and are wondering whether to stay or move. Both are free, open-source content management systems written in PHP, both have been around for roughly two decades, and both still power a lot of websites. But their paths have diverged, and the right choice in 2026 depends heavily on your situation.
We build and maintain sites on both platforms. In this guide we compare them honestly on ease of use, content structure, multilingual support, permissions, extensions, security, SEO and cost, and finish with clear advice on when to stay with Joomla and when to move.
The quick answer
For most new websites, WordPress is the better choice. It is easier for editors, has a far larger choice of themes, plugins and developers, and is simpler to hire for.
Joomla still makes sense for some sites, particularly multilingual sites and sites with detailed access control, because it offers more of this in core. If you already run a healthy Joomla site on a current version, there is often no urgent reason to move.
A little background
WordPress started in 2003 as a blogging platform and grew into the most widely used CMS on the web. Joomla appeared in 2005 and was built as a general-purpose CMS from the start, with menus, categories, modules and user groups at its heart.
Both are actively developed. Joomla 6 was released in October 2025, and Joomla 4 has reached end of life, so sites still on Joomla 3 or 4 no longer receive security fixes. WordPress releases several updates each year and keeps strong backward compatibility, so most sites can update without major rework.
Ease of use for editors
WordPress is easier for most people. The block editor lets editors write and lay out pages visually, and the admin area is simple to learn. Training a new editor usually takes an hour or two.
Joomla’s admin area is more powerful but also more complex. Pages are made up of articles, categories, menu items and modules, and editors need to understand how these connect before they feel confident. Once set up well, editing articles is straightforward, but adding a new page or changing what appears in a sidebar takes more steps than in WordPress.
Content structure and flexibility
Joomla organises content around categories and menu items, with custom fields available in core. That gives a solid, orderly structure for sites with many sections and pages, and modules can be placed on specific pages without extra plugins.
WordPress uses posts, pages and custom post types, with custom fields added through plugins such as Advanced Custom Fields. It is very flexible and, in our experience, quicker for developers to shape into exactly what a client needs. For sites with very complex content relationships, both platforms can do the job, though at that level Drupal is often worth comparing too, as we cover in WordPress vs Drupal.
Multilingual sites and access control
Languages
This is Joomla’s clearest advantage. Multilingual support is built into core: you can install languages, create content in each one and link translations together without third-party extensions. For organisations publishing in several languages, that is one less moving part to maintain.
WordPress needs a plugin for multilingual sites, usually WPML or Polylang. They work well and are widely used, but they add cost and another component to update and test.
Users and permissions
Joomla also has a detailed access control system in core. You can create user groups and viewing levels and control exactly who can see and edit which content, which suits membership sites, intranets and organisations with several departments. Joomla also includes optional editorial workflows in core.
WordPress has a simpler set of roles, which covers most business sites well. Detailed permissions and member areas are added through plugins.
Extensions, themes and developers
WordPress has a far larger ecosystem. There are tens of thousands of free plugins in the official directory, plus a big commercial market for themes, page builders and plugins. Most third-party services, such as CRMs, email tools and booking systems, offer a WordPress integration first.
Joomla’s extension directory is much smaller, and some long-standing extensions were not updated for newer major versions. Before upgrading or building on Joomla, check that every extension you rely on is maintained for the current version.
Developer availability follows the same pattern. WordPress developers are easy to find at every budget. Experienced Joomla developers exist, but there are fewer of them, which can make support harder to arrange and sometimes more expensive.
Security and maintenance
Both have dedicated security teams and issue regular security releases. On both platforms, most problems come from outdated software and abandoned extensions rather than from core.
The biggest risk we see on Joomla is sites left on old major versions. Many Joomla 3 sites are still online, years after support ended, often because a template or extension blocked the upgrade. Moving from Joomla 3 to a current version is close to a rebuild, which is why it is often the moment people consider WordPress instead. With WordPress, the main job is regular plugin and core updates, ideally tested on a staging copy first.
SEO
Neither platform has a built-in ranking advantage. Both support search-friendly URLs, editable metadata and redirects. Joomla includes more SEO settings in core, while WordPress relies on plugins such as Yoast SEO or Rank Math, which are polished and guide editors as they write.
In practice, site speed, content quality and a clear structure matter far more. If you are moving platforms, the most important SEO task is mapping every old URL to a new one with redirects, which our CMS migration checklist walks through.
Joomla vs WordPress side by side
| Factor | WordPress | Joomla |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of editing | Very easy, visual block editor | More complex, articles, menus and modules |
| Multilingual | Plugin required | Built into core |
| Access control | Simple roles, extended by plugins | Detailed user groups and viewing levels in core |
| Extensions and themes | Very large ecosystem | Much smaller ecosystem |
| Third-party integrations | Widely available | More limited |
| Developer availability | Very wide, all budgets | Smaller pool |
| Major upgrades | Gradual, strong backward compatibility | Check extensions carefully between major versions |
| Software cost | Free, pay for hosting and development | Free, pay for hosting and development |
Which should you choose?
For a new site, our answer to Joomla vs WordPress is usually WordPress. It is easier to edit, easier to extend and easier to support over the long term.
Stay with Joomla if:
- Your site is on a current, supported version and works well.
- You rely on Joomla’s built-in multilingual features or detailed access control.
- Your extensions are maintained and you have a developer who knows Joomla.
Move to WordPress if:
- Your site is on Joomla 3 or 4 and needs a major upgrade anyway.
- Key extensions have been abandoned or block the upgrade.
- Editors find the admin area hard to use.
- You struggle to find developers or need integrations that only exist for WordPress.
If you are leaning towards WordPress, our post on why use WordPress explains its strengths and limits in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
Is Joomla still used in 2026?
Yes. Joomla is actively developed, with Joomla 6 released in October 2025, and it still runs many sites. Its share of new projects is much smaller than WordPress, which affects the choice of extensions and developers.
Is Joomla better than WordPress for SEO?
No platform ranks better by default. Joomla has more SEO settings in core, while WordPress has excellent SEO plugins. Content, speed and structure are what make the difference.
Is Joomla more secure than WordPress?
Neither is more secure by default. Both cores are well maintained. Security depends on keeping the site updated, using maintained extensions and choosing good hosting.
How hard is it to migrate from Joomla to WordPress?
Articles, categories, users and media can be moved with migration tools, with some clean-up afterwards. The design and any custom features are rebuilt, and every old URL needs a redirect to protect rankings.
Is Joomla free?
Yes. Like WordPress, Joomla is free, open-source software. You pay for hosting, any premium extensions or templates, and development and maintenance.
Next steps
If you are deciding whether to upgrade your Joomla site or move it to WordPress, book a free consultation. We will review your current site, recommend the best route and give you a fixed quote for the work.
