---
title: "Joomla vs. Drupal: Migration and Comparison"
lang: en
type: knowledge
canonical: https://www.arocom.de/en/knowledge/drupal/joomla-vs-drupal
alternate: https://www.arocom.de/wissen/drupal/joomla-vs-drupal
author: "Axel Roth"
last_updated: 2026-10-31
---

# Joomla vs. Drupal: Migration and Comparison

Joomla is an open-source CMS based on PHP with roots in the Swahili
language ("Jumla" = totality). It covers the middle ground between
WordPress and Drupal. For complex platforms with granular permissions,
multilingual support, and API connectivity, Drupal is the stronger
choice. arocom has been advising organizations on CMS selection since
2012 and guides migrations from Joomla to Drupal.

## Joomla vs. Drupal: Migration and Comparison

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. 56,774 modules (as of 31 October 2026) 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](https://www.arocom.de/en/future-check) analyzes your Joomla
installation and provides a clear recommendation.

**From arocom projects:**

- For Gentner Verlag we operate a reach portal ([haustec.de](https://www.arocom.de/en/references/haustec)) and several trade portals (tga-fachplaner.de and others) on a shared Drupal multisite, one code stack, separate editorial teams, shared component library.
- At [HENN](https://www.arocom.de/en/references/henn) (architecture firm) we put the drupal/ai module into production: AI-powered image tagging and semantic search directly in the backend.

### 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](https://www.arocom.de/en/knowledge/drupal/what-is-drupal): The CMS in detail
- [Agency switch](https://www.arocom.de/en/agency-switch): Migration and handover
- [Future Check (Audit)](https://www.arocom.de/en/future-check): Independent analysis