Stuck on whether to choose WordPress or Drupal for your web platform needs? Both open-source platforms are strong market contenders with individual strengths and weaknesses, but which one is right for you? Before you align with one or the other, here are four questions to ask yourself that can help point you in the right direction.
When Do I Need the Site Finished?
Are you in a hurry, working within a limited period of time? WordPress on average takes around 5 minutes to download to a host service, sometimes even faster if your hosting service offers an automatic install option. Drupal has more files to download and more processes to complete, resulting in a download time of around 5-10 minutes. After the download, the setup process on WordPress is almost instantaneous, with only a few short details to complete, whereas Drupal requires you to go through all of your settings before proceeding. This can prevent you from jumping right into action to create new content and get your site online. After the site has been published, you can always go back and make any necessary changes.
Do I Have Experience Designing Websites?
Developing a blog or website with all the essential capabilities but without the frills or unnecessary additions can be accomplished from either platform, but works best with WordPress. Drupal has a lot going on inside its administrator’s panel that can be confusing to beginners. The goal is to ease you into designing your own website if it is your first time not to intimidate you into hiring a professional to complete the project. WordPress is straightforward about what it has to offer. It will allow you to set a website theme and create a post or a new page within seconds after finishing the install. A site with this basic style won’t necessarily be pretty but it will get the job done. If you want to get a little more advanced, WordPress offers custom themes that you can apply to modify the look of your site with the click of a button. It takes a little bit longer to get accustomed to Drupal, which has a number of settings that might not be familiar to you right off the bat, ultimately slowing you down.
What Is My Purpose for Having a Website?
If you are in the business of blogging or attracting customers to your offline service, the winner again is WordPress. Setting up and customizing individual blog posts and pages on WordPress is almost as easy as sending an email. But if you are running an e-commerce site or offering an online service, the clear winner is Drupal. Drupal is not as prone to security breaches because the service is used by fewer people. It is far more flexible in its ability to meet your needs and to provide customers with a unique experience and it is technical to meet the demands of these industries.
How Much Time Am I Willing to Commit?
Developing even the most basic website can take some work, but if you are truly intent on learning how to market yourself online and aren’t just interested in creating a website because it is the new thing, you should go with Drupal. Drupal’s initial learning curve is greater but the opportunities are also much more available. Drupal was designed as a one-size-fits-all type of service, so it can be used for any size website. Learning Drupal over WordPress is far more likely to pay off for you in the long run if you dedicate the time and make the commitment.