Joomla vs. Drupal: Migration and Comparison
Last updated: March 2026 · Reading time: 5 minutes
Joomla is an open-source CMS based on PHP, distributed under the GNU GPL v2. It offers themes and modules for extension and positions itself between WordPress (simple) and Drupal (complex). Joomla has lost market share in recent years and holds only a few percent of the CMS market.
Joomla vs. Drupal: The Key Differences
Community and ecosystem. Drupal's community is larger and more active. 47,000+ modules are available. Joomla's extension ecosystem is smaller and development is slower.
Architecture. Drupal is based on Symfony components and follows modern PHP standards. Joomla has an older codebase that is being gradually modernized.
Security. Drupal has a dedicated security team and a structured disclosure process. Joomla has historically been more frequently affected by security vulnerabilities.
Enterprise readiness. Granular permissions, multilingual support, and API capability are core features in Drupal. In Joomla, you need extensions for these.
Migration from Joomla to Drupal
When your Joomla installation reaches its limits or support for your version expires, a migration to Drupal is a logical step. Drupal offers a migration system that can import content, users, and taxonomies from Joomla.
arocom guides the entire migration process: analysis of the existing installation, data migration, redirect mapping for SEO, and controlled launch.
Planning a Joomla Migration?
The Future Check analyzes your Joomla installation and provides a clear recommendation.
Does Joomla have a future?
Joomla continues to be developed but is steadily losing market share. The community is smaller than that of WordPress or Drupal. For existing Joomla projects, a switch is not strictly necessary, but during a relaunch it is worth examining alternatives.
What does a migration from Joomla to Drupal cost?
The effort depends on the size and complexity of the Joomla installation. A migration is a relaunch project starting at approximately 25,000 EUR. The Future Check (from 2,500 EUR plus VAT) clarifies the effort upfront.
Read more
- Drupal explained — The CMS in detail
- Agency switch — Migration and handover
- Future Check (Audit) — Independent analysis
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Drupal Future Check
Checklist: Is your Drupal installation future-proof? 15 checkpoints.
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