Platform matrix
| CMS | Model | Stack | License | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Traditional / hybrid | PHP | GPLv2 or later | Publishing, marketing sites, broad plugin needs |
| Drupal | Structured / hybrid | PHP | GPL-2.0-or-later | Complex content models, permissions and large organizations |
| Joomla | Traditional | PHP | GPL-2.0-or-later | Portals, multilingual sites and structured publishing |
| Ghost | Publishing / headless | JavaScript | MIT | Newsletters, memberships and focused publications |
| Strapi | Headless | JavaScript / TypeScript | MIT (community edition) | Custom apps needing an API-first editorial backend |
| Directus | Headless / data platform | TypeScript | BSL 1.1 / commercial terms | Teams that want APIs and an admin layer over SQL data |
| Grav | Flat-file | PHP | MIT | Fast documentation, portfolios and smaller content sites |
| Craft CMS | Traditional / hybrid | PHP | Proprietary + source available | Bespoke content models and design-led client work |
Score what matters to your team
Editorial fit
Modeling, roles, workflow, preview, localization and media.
Delivery fit
Rendering, APIs, channels, performance and frontend freedom.
Operations
Updates, security, hosting, observability and recovery.
Economics
Build, licenses, staff, maintenance and migration costs.
These weights are a starting point. Change them before scoring products, then keep the same weights for every candidate.
Evidence hierarchy
- Working proof of concept using your difficult content and workflow.
- Official documentation and source repository for supported capabilities.
- Reference architecture and security policy for operating requirements.
- Vendor demonstration performed against your scripted scenario.
- Marketing comparison used only as a discovery aid.
Fast comparison paths
Frequently asked questions
How should CMS platforms be compared?
Use the same weighted requirements for every candidate, verify claims with primary documentation and test the riskiest editorial and technical workflows in a proof of concept.
Which CMS features matter most?
Content modeling, editorial workflow, permissions, preview, delivery architecture, integrations, security maintenance and exportability usually matter more than a long generic feature list.